Effect of nitrification on movement of trace metals in soil columns

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1980.00472425000900040010x· OSTI ID:6787354

Chang, F; Broadbent, F E

Soil column experiments were conducted with sludge-treated and untreated samples of two soils, Omni silty clay and Delhi loamy sand, to determine whether protons generated during the nitrification process would affect the mobility of the trace metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn. Columns 5 cm x 100 cm were leached bi- or tri-weekly with 7.5-cm applications of solutions of CaCl/sub 2/, NH/sub 4/Cl, or KCl. Trace metals in effluents from the columns were analyzed after each application of leaching solution. After 11 appications over a period of several months-the columns were sectioned and the vertical distribution of 2N NCl-extractable metals determined. Average concentrations of metals in column effluents were well below 1 ppM in all cases except Zn eluted from untreated Delhi loamy sand where 20 mM NH/sub 4/Cl or KCl leaching solutions produced effluent concentrations slightly above 1 ppM. There was evidence of nitrification affecting movement of several of the metals, particularly in the cases of Mn, Zn, Cu, and Cd in the untreated Delhi soil. The presence of sludge had a pronounced stabilizing influence of Cd and Zn, and to a lesser degree on other metals, probably as a result of organo-metal complexes. Much of the input labeled NH/sub 4/-N was denitrified, as shown by recoveries of N ranging from 14 to 20% in the Omni soil and 40 to 78% in the Delhi soil. Proton generation during denitrification. It was concluded that nitrification had relatively little effect on metal mobility under the conditions of the experiment.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 6787354
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 9:4; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHROMIUM
COPPER
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LEACHATES
LEAD
MANGANESE
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
SLUDGES
SOILS
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZINC