Distribution of selenium in soils of agricultural fields, western San Joaquin Valley, California

Book · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6942669

Fujii, R; Deverel, S J; Hatfield, D B

Soils from three agricultural fields in the western San Joaquin Valley were analyzed for soluble, adsorbed, and total concentrations of selenium (Se) to assess the distribution and forms of Se, and the relation of the distribution and forms of Se to the leaching of Se from soils. Of three fields, concentrations of soluble Se and salinity were highest in soils from the field drained for 1.5 yr and lowest in the field drained for 6 yr. The field drained for 1.5 yr also had the highest concentration of total Se in soil; a median of 1.2 microgram/gm. Of the total concentration of Se in soil from all three fields, the proportion of adsorbed Se and soluble Se ranged from 1 to 11% and < 1 to 63%, respectively. Most of the variance in soluble Se is explained by salinity (r sq > 0.68) in saturation extracts of soils sampled from below the water table, reflecting evaporative concentration of Se and salinity. In contrast, most soluble salts and Se apparently have been leached from the unsaturated soils in the fields drained for 6 and 15 yr; therefore, the correlation was lower between Se and salinity in saturation extracts of those soils (r sq < 0.33). Among soils from all three fields, the ratio of Se to salinity in saturation extracts increased with increasing salinity. 26 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6942669
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
CALIFORNIA
CONTAMINATION
DISSOLUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION IX
LAND POLLUTION
LEACHING
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
SALINITY
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
SOLUBILITY
USA