Geochemistry of alpine soils in the Colorado Front Range, with special reference to acid deposition

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6917927

Litaor, M I

Various components of the soil in the Green Lakes Valley, Colorado Front Range, were studied to evaluate the capacity of the terrestrial system to buffer acid deposition. This investigation suggests that the soils in the study area are probably unaffected by the current loading rate of acid deposition. The existence of calcite in eolian dust and the substantial contribution of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the acid-neutralizing capacity maintain the pH values of the soil solutions near neutrality. Chemical and physical characteristics of the soils, such as acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), cation exchange capacity, bulk density, and water retention capacities, are highly dependent on organic carbon content. In order to determine the contribution of humic substances to the buffering capacity of a given soil, DOC and pH of the soil solutions were measured. The aluminium solubility in the soil interstitial waters is a complex phenomenon that is controlled by the concentrations of DOC, H/sub 2/SiO/sub 4/, and pH. The soil water pH and concentrations of SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/ do not correlate with aluminum concentrations. The chemical equilibria of aluminum are being controlled by amorphous aluminosilicate Al(HO)/sub 3(1-x)/SiO/sub 2x/. Studies of the mineralogy and soil water chemistry comprise a useful combination in evaluating and predicting the chemical processes of a given soil environment.

• Research Organization: Colorado Univ., Boulder (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6917927
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ALUMINIUM
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
COLORADO
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOCHEMISTRY
ION EXCHANGE
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
RAIN
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
SOLUBILITY
SOLUTES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
USA