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Steady-state procedure for determining the effective particle-size distribution of soil carbonates

Journal Article · · Soil Science Society of America Journal; (United States)
OSTI ID:5559207
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. ARCO Oil and Gas Co., Plano, TX (USA)
  2. Texas A and M Univ., College Station (USA)
A pH-stat procedure in conjunction with the equal-diameter reduction model was used to estimate the effective particle-size distribution of soil carbonates. Samples were titrated by pH-stat at pH 3 and 5. The cumulative dissolution data and rate constants for the dissolution of Iceland-spar calcite were incorporated into simultaneous equations to obtain estimates of the effective particle-size distributions of soil carbonates. Results obtained by this method from 23 calcareous soils were compared with results obtained by a sieving and sedimentation procedure. The pH-stat procedure resulted in the estimation of a higher proportion of clay-size carbonates than was obtained by the sieving and sedimentation procedure. This difference was attributed predominantly to the higher reactivity of soil carbonates compared with Iceland-spar calcite. The pH-stat procedure was especially useful for obtaining quantitative estimates of the proportion of highly reactive clay-size carbonate with <0.2-{mu}m effective particle diameters.
OSTI ID:
5559207
Journal Information:
Soil Science Society of America Journal; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Science Society of America Journal; (United States) Vol. 54:1; ISSN SSSJD; ISSN 0361-5995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English