Vertical leaching of metals from sandy soil minerals in aqueous systems

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Georgia Journal of Science; (USA)

OSTI ID:5607971

Ghuman, G S; Raut, K B ^[1]

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1. Savannah State College, GA (USA)

Leaching studies were conducted on sandy soils from four plots in Coastal Georgia. Two plots were under grass and two were under forest vegetation. The objective of this study was to determine vertical release and transport of major and trace metals. Six successive leachings of soil columns packed to 36 cm depth, were carried out with two aqueous solutions, (1) distilled-deionized (DD) water acidified to pH 6.5, and (2) carbonated DD water (pH 5.0). All leachates were analyzed for the concentrations of metals using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results indicated that both leaching solutions were equally effective in the release of major metals, which were in a decreasing order as: Ca, Mg, K and Na in the grass-covered soil, and as: K, Na, Ca and Mg in the forested soil. The amounts of Ca, Mg and Na decreased in the sequential leachates, but those of K remained constant, indicating that coastal sandy soils are rich in K-feldspars. In the soils of all four plots, the concentrations of leached trace metals were in a decreasing order as: Ni, Zn, Mn, Cd and Cu with DD water (pH 6.5), and as: Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu and Cd with carbonated DD water (Ph 5.0). Results of this study simulate the effects of acid rain on the release and leaching of metals from surface soil downward into the groundwater.

• OSTI ID: 5607971
• Report Number(s): CONF-9005302--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Georgia Journal of Science; (USA) Journal Volume: 48:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID RAIN
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CALCIUM
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LEACHING
MAGNESIUM
METALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM
RAIN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM
SOILS
TRACE AMOUNTS
WATER