Effect of multivalent cations, temperature and aging on soil organic matter interfacial properties

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dörte Diehl ◽  
Tatjana Schneckenburger ◽  
Jaane Krüger ◽  
Marc-Oliver Goebel ◽  
Susanne K. Woche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Aging Time ◽  
Surface Properties ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Interfacial Properties ◽  
Contact Angles ◽  
Water Dispersible ◽  
Cross Links

Environmental context The supramolecular structure and resulting physicochemical properties of soil organic matter (SOM) significantly control storage and buffer functions of soils, e.g. for nutrients, organic molecules and water. Multivalent cations, able to form complexes, are suggested to form inter- and intramolecular cross-links in SOM. At present, specific effects of the valence and type of cation on SOM properties are incompletely understood. We investigated changes in SOM interfacial properties, its ability to release mobile colloids in aqueous solutions and its sorption affinity towards organic chemicals in dependence on cation–SOM interactions, temperature and aging time. Abstract The present study aims to improve our understanding on the effect of multivalent cations, temperature treatment and isothermal aging time on interfacial soil organic matter (SOM) properties as major factors that modify its supramolecular structures. A sandy topsoil (LW) and a peat soil (SP) were enriched with Na, Ca or Al, or desalinated in a batch experiment, treated at 25, 40, 60 and 105°C and aged at constant temperature and humidity (20°C, 31% relative humidity). After aging for different periods, contact angles (CAs), sorption properties towards xenobiotics and properties of water dispersible colloids were determined. With increasing valence of the dominant cations fewer and larger colloids were observed, probably attributable to cation cross-links or enhanced aggregation caused by reduced surface charge. Al-enrichment of LW resulted in more abundant or more accessible sorption sites for hydrophobic xenobiotics. But in contrast to expectations, hydrophilic sorption as well as wettability was not significantly affected by the type of adsorbed cation. Increasing the temperature had a major effect on surface properties resulting in rising surface hydrophobisation with increasing solid–water CAs, decreasing surface O/C ratio and decreasing sorption of hydrophilic substances; whereas systematic temperature effects on water dispersible colloids and on hydrophobic sorption were not detected. Aging was found to increase the initial CA of the 25°C treatment and to increase the sorption of phenanthrene to LW for all treatment temperatures. We conclude that aging of SOM is a process that changes surface properties and approaches a new equilibrium state after a disturbance. The aging process may be significantly accelerated for samples treated at elevated temperatures.

scholarly journals Droplet infiltration dynamics and soil wettability related to soil organic matter of soil aggregate coatings and interiors

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslav Fér ◽  
Martin Leue ◽  
Radka Kodešová ◽  
Horst H. Gerke ◽  
Ruth H. Ellerbrock
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Water Drop ◽  
Soil Aggregates ◽  
High Water ◽  
Contact Angles ◽  
Surface Wettability ◽  
Mineral Coatings ◽  
Droplet Infiltration

Abstract The organo-mineral coatings of soil aggregates, cracks, and biopores control sorption and macropore-matrix exchange during preferential flow, in particular in the clay-illuvial Bt-horizon of Luvisols. The soil organic matter (SOM) composition has been hypothesized to explain temporal changes in the hydraulic properties of aggregate surfaces. The objective of this research was to find relations between the temporal change in wettability, in terms of droplet infiltration dynamics, and the SOM composition of coated and uncoated aggregate surfaces. We used 20 to 40 mm sized soil aggregates from the Bt2 horizon of a Haplic Luvisol from loess that were (i) coated, (ii) not coated (both intact), and (iii) aggregates from which coatings were removed (cut). The SOM composition of the aggregate surfaces was characterized by infrared spectroscopy in the diffuse reflection mode (DRIFT). A potential wettability index (PWI) was calculated from the ratio of hydrophobic and hydrophilic functional groups in SOM. The water drop penetration times (WDPT) and contact angles (CA) during droplet infiltration experiments were determined on dry and moist aggregate samples of the three types. The decrease in the CA with time was described using the power function (CA(t) = at−b). For dry aggregates, the WDPT values were larger for coated as compared to uncoated regions on the aggregate surfaces, and increased with increasing PWI value (R2 = 0.75). The a parameter was significantly related to the WDPT (R2 = 0.84) and to the PWI (R2 = 0.64). The relations between the b parameter and the WDPT (R2 = 0.61) and the PWI (R2 = 0.53) were also significant. The WDPT values of wet soil aggregates were higher than those of dry aggregates due to high water contents, which limited the droplet infiltration potential. At the wet aggregate surfaces, the WDPT values increased with the PWI of the SOM (R2 = 0.64). In contrast to dry samples, no significant relationships were found between parameters a or b of CA(t) and WDPT or PWI for wet aggregate surfaces. The results suggest that the effect of the SOM composition of coatings on surface wettability decreases with increasing soil moisture. In addition to the dominant impact of SOM, the wettability of aggregate surfaces could be affected by different mineralogical compositions of clay in coatings and interiors of aggregates. Particularly, wettability of coatings could be decreased by illite which was the dominant clay type in coatings. However, the influence of different clay mineral fractions on surface wettability was not due to small number of measurements (2 and 1 samples from coatings and interiors, respectively) quantified.

Microbial necromass as a source for soil organic matter formation - implications for soil processes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Miltner ◽  
Tiantian Zheng ◽  
Chao Liang ◽  
Matthias Kästner
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Surface Properties ◽  
Soil Microorganisms ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Plant Residues ◽  
Elemental Stoichiometry ◽  
Stress Changes ◽  
Cell Envelopes

<p>The vital role of soil microorganisms as catalysts for soil organic matter (SOM) formation has long been recognised. Plant residues are now considered to be transformed by soil microorganisms who use the plant litter as a carbon source for microbial biomass formation. How much carbon is retained as microbial biomass during transformation of plant material, critically depends on substrate availability, carbon use efficiency of the microorganisms, and maximum microbial growth. In addition, microorganisms presumably recycle biomass building blocks from plant or microbial material to avoid energy expenditure for biomass synthesis. After cell death, a part of the microbial necromass is cycling through the microbial food web; the other part is stabilised in soil (Miltner et al., 2012). Potential stabilisation mechanisms are similar to those for SOM in general, with organo-mineral interactions, in particular encapsulation and physical isolation, being important mechanisms. Independent of which pathway the plant-derived carbon goes, SOM constitutes a continuum of plant and microbial necromass at various stages of decay. The contribution of microbial necromass to the topsoil organic matter pool has recently been estimated to range from 30 to 60% (Liang et al., 2019). Such high contributions of microbial necromass have a number of important implications for understanding SOM transformation and sequestration processes. Most obviously, the chemical identity of the organic material changes. For example, while retaining a substantial part of the carbon, the elemental stoichiometry changes substantially. Some microbial necromass materials are rather long-lasting in soil. In general, cell envelope residues have a higher stability than bulk biomass carbon. Proteins have also been shown to be rather persistent in soil, presumably due to conformational changes and the spatial arrangement of microbial necromass material, e.g. fragments of cell envelopes presumably pile up in multiple layers and the material forms clusters of macromolecular size. Residual electron-shuttle biomolecules (e.g. oxidoreductases, Fe-S-cluster, quinoid complexes of respiratory chains) may persist and retain some activity and thus contribute to redox reactions in soil. In addition, the necromass is expected to cover soil particle surfaces and thus determine the surface properties of these particles. In particular, these materials contribute to the water storage potential. They affect water retention and nutrient diffusion as well as microbial motility. Adaption of microbes to water stress changes their cell surface properties and molecular composition and thus may determine overall soil wettability. Knowledge on the contribution of microbial necromass to SOM would thus be essential for modelling SOM formation and optimising soil management practices for maintaining soil functions.</p><p> </p><p>References:</p><p>Miltner A, Bombach P, Schmidt-Brücken B, Kästner M (2012) SOM genesis: Microbial biomass as a significant source. Biogeochemistry 111: 41-55.</p><p>Liang C, Amelung W, Lehmann J, Kästner M (2019) Quantitative assessment of microbial necromass contribution to soil organic matter. Global Change Biology 25: 3578-3590.</p>

Binding of Mercury(II) to Reduced Sulfur in Soil Organic Matter along Upland‐Peat Soil Transects

2000 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 855-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Skyllberg ◽  
Kang Xia ◽  
Paul R. Bloom ◽  
Edward A. Nater ◽  
William F. Bleam
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Reduced Sulfur

Influences of Biochar Aging Processes by Eco-Environmental Conditions

2013 ◽  
Vol 790 ◽  
pp. 467-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Lu Kong ◽  
Qi Xing Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Surface Properties ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Contaminated Soil ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Soil Microorganisms ◽  
Functional Material ◽  
Soil Components

Biochar is receiving increasing attention as a promising functional material in contaminated soil remediation. However, aging processes of biochar can usually take place and affect its remediation function, because surface properties of biochar are expected to change through a variety of biotic and abiotic processes. In this review, some important influencing factors of biochar aging processes were discussed, including temperature, and soil-physical, soil-chemical and soil-biological components. It pointed out that biochar aging processes may be promoted by high temperature, protected by soil components, particularly soil organic matter (SOM), and interactions with soil microorganisms. To further prolong application of biochar in nature, biochar aging can be mitigated by its influencing factors.

scholarly journals Geochemical Properties of Peat Soil in Sarawak - A Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 773-774 ◽  
pp. 1417-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teong Ing Tong ◽  
Felix Ngee Leh Ling
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Engineering Properties ◽  
The North ◽  
Geochemical Properties

In geotechnical field, peat soil is defined as soil which is formed by accumulation of purely one hundred percent organic matter and which the distinction between soil and vegetative accumulation is not clear. The main objectives of this review paper are to summarize and compare the geochemical properties of peat soil in different districts of Sarawak. Case studies that have been chosen covered central of Sarawak up to the North of Sarawak. Geochemical properties of peat soil that being observed are pH, total carbon, organic matter, bulk density and the total nitrogen. Geochemical properties are found to be governed by the types of material inside the soil and also strongly correlated with the engineering properties of soil. Notably showed that the types of organic matter, namely fibre and/or humidified organic inside the soil will influence the soil porosity. The findings of the studies showed that geochemical properties of the peat soil in different districts of Sarawak is site dependent and could be affected by the different land use or land activities. The differences in land use and land activities affected the bulk density, pH and types of organic matter in the soil. The result indicated that peat soil land in different district can categorized as acidic soil because of the pH range is between 3.3-3.75. For the bulk density, the lowest value is recorded at the Dalat sago plantation site, which is 0.14 g/cm3. For the value of the total carbon, peat soil from the Laogan Bunut National Park is the lowest, 47.6%. Furthermore, total carbon is related to the soil organic matter, coincidentally the value of soil organic matter in Miri found to be the lowest which is 74.59%. Result for the total nitrogen, there are little difference between the district. Range of the total nitrogen is from 0.9% to 2.4%, Sibu site is getting the lowest value in this case.

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