M.T. García-González

Influence of calcium and sodium concentration on the microstructure of bentonite and kaolin

The influence of added sodium and calcium nitrate electrolyte on the particle aggregates in the colloid fraction of natural bentonite and kaolin was studied. Clays were flocculated in distilled water and various electrolyte concentrations. Aggregate size was studied by sedimentation analysis; the mean radius of the aggregates was plotted against the concentrations of Na+ and Ca2+. For bentonite, the mean radii decreased with an increase of Na+ and Ca2+ concentration, reaching a minimum; and further increases in concentration led to an increase of the mean radii of the aggregates. For kaolin, an increase in Na+ and Ca2+ concentration gave rise to an increase in the mean radii of aggregates.Scanning electron micrographs showed different types of aggregates, depending on the physico-chemical conditions of a sedimentation process. In bentonite and kaolin sediments formed from a distilled water slurry, the dominant aggregate was an edge-face type. The small addition of salts to a bentonite slurry led to the formation of edge-edge-type aggregates; for kaolin edge-face-type aggregates formed, although within the microaggregate face-face associations were observed. The highest concentrations of electrolytes for sediments of both clays led to formation of compact, face-face-type aggregates.

Effect of pH and background electrolyte on P sorption by variable charge soils

Abstract The effects of pH, ionic strength and electrolyte composition on phosphate (P) sorption by several Andisols containing high amounts of variable charge materials were studied. In the pH range 3–7, the amount of P sorbed by the soil samples decreased as pH increased, while on raising the pH from 7 to 9, the opposite effect could be observed. An increase of ionic strength always enhanced P sorption. An interaction between pH and ionic strength of the support medium was noticeable as ionic strength decreased. The existence of a characteristic pH value at which the salt concentration has no effect on P sorption (point of zero salt effect) was not observed. The use of solutions containing mono- or divalent cations (Ca, K, Na), also affected P sorption. The order of P sorption was Ca > K > Na.

Hydromorphic and clay-related processes in soils from the Llanos de Moxos (northern Bolivia)

Abstract The Llanos de Moxos is one of the largest wetlands in the world (more than 100,000 km2) due to seasonal floods. The soil parent materials are fine Quaternary sediments brought by tributaries of the Amazon River. Forests cover some areas, although the dominant vegetation is a pastured savannah and backswamps. At present, the main land use is a very extensive rangeland, and slash and burn agriculture in minor areas. We have studied 15 profiles from several sample areas between Trinidad and San Ignacio. Field and laboratory studies have been carried out in order to elucidate the soil-forming processes taking place and to gain basic knowledge for a sustainable land management. Coarser soils are located near the present river system or in former riverbank areas, often under forest; textures here are loam or silty loam, silty clay loam being dominant. Finer soils may have up to 85% clay and are usually under savannah cover. Illite is the dominant clay mineral in all soils, followed by smectite and kaolinite; vermiculite is absent. Quartz is present in a very significant amount in the clay fraction of all studied soils. Goethite and lepidocrocite are present in all soils, lepidocrocite being a good indicator of poor drainage conditions. Soils are mainly acid, but there are soils with calcium carbonate accumulation in the subsoil, or even saline soils (salitrales). Soils are flooded for a significant period (3–6 months) and bypass flow is very active. Hydromorphic processes are always present and morphologies include hard and soft iron–manganese concretions with diffuse boundaries within peds, impregnative Fe coatings and Fe depletion hypocoatings along pore walls. The micromorphological study shows different degrees of hydromorphism, some of them associated to the present pore system and some with a palaeo character, often disturbed by active slickensides. Microsparite nodules are also present in some low-lying soils. The soils present several morphological features related to the mobility of the fine fraction that can be related to drainage conditions, as recent clay coatings, clay and silt infillings and coatings and clay-depleted hypocoatings. The most clayey soils show striated b-fabrics and frequent slickensides, and some others point to ferrolysis as iron-depleted hypocoatings and low crystallinity clay coatings along pores, although this is not supported by mineralogical data. A moderate cation supply probably prevents strong acidification.

Mineralogical, chemical and morphological features of salt accumulations in the Flumen-Monegros district, NE Spain

Abstract Relationships among the mineralogy, morphology and the formation processes of salt accumulations were studied in three sampling areas in the Flumen-Monegros district, which represent three geochemical environments [Na-SO4-Cl, Na-(Mg)-SO4-Cl and Na-CO3-SO4-Cl], according to chemical and mineralogical results. The samples included both natural ones and others that were obtained in the laboratory by the crystallization of brines with and without substrate. A climatic chamber was used to reproduce the environmental conditions. Laboratory crystallization of brines without soil substrate does not always reproduce the natural mineral associations. Such associations were reproduced, however, when the crystallization was carried out with the epipedon. New morphologies are described for bloedite (radiating prismatic, and foliated rosette-like) and burkeite (book plates and spheroidal association of plates), the latter formed through capillary evaporation. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SE and BSE modes), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and polarized light microscopy were some of the techniques used, supplemented by chemical data.

Mineral-content and particle-size effects on the colloidal properties of concentrated lateritic suspensions

The rheological behavior of concentrated lateritic suspensions from Cuba is affected by mineral composition and particle size. Electrophoretic mobility and yield stress were considered. The lateritic samples were found to be mostly composed of mixtures of serepentine and goethite in varying proportions. The flow properties of the lateritic suspensions are strongly affected by the mineral composition and particle size. This result was determined by comparison of flow properties of the bulk sample and the colloidal fraction. The electrokinetic curves suggest that heterocoagulation is present in all samples, with a zeta potential minimum at the isoelectric point (IEP), which varies with the serpentine to goethite ratio. A relationship between yield stress (τ0) and the sample volume fraction (ϕ) and particle size (d) was obtained at the IEP from the expression τ0 = kϕ3/d0.5, with the constant k dependent on the sample serpentine to goethite ratio.

Na2Mg(SO4)2.4H2O, the Mg end-member of the bloedite-type of mineral

The crystal structure of a natural sample of disodium magnesium bis(sulfate) tetrahydrate, Na 2 Mg(SO 4 ) 2 .-4H 2 O, the Mg end-member of the bloedite-type of mineral, is reported. The structure can be described in terms of parallel layers built up of MgO 2 (H 2 O) 4 and NaO 4 (H 2 O) 2 octahedra. Octahedral layers are interconnected through SO 4 tetrahedra. The two crystallographically independent water molecules give rise to a three-dimensional network of hydrogen bonds.

Entomopathogenic nematode food webs in an ancient, mining pollution gradient in Spain.

Mining activities pollute the environment with by-products that cause unpredictable impacts in surrounding areas. Cartagena-La Unión mine (Southeastern-Spain) was active for >2500years. Despite its closure in 1991, high concentrations of metals and waste residues remain in this area. A previous study using nematodes suggested that high lead content diminished soil biodiversity. However, the effects of mine pollution on specific ecosystem services remain unknown. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) play a major role in the biocontrol of insect pests. Because EPNs are widespread throughout the world, we speculated that EPNs would be present in the mined areas, but at increased incidence with distance from the pollution focus. We predicted that the natural enemies of nematodes would follow a similar spatial pattern. We used qPCR techniques to measure abundance of five EPN species, five nematophagous fungi species, two bacterial ectoparasites of EPNs and one group of free-living nematodes that compete for the insect-cadaver. The study comprised 193 soil samples taken from mining sites, natural areas and agricultural fields. The highest concentrations of iron and zinc were detected in the mined area as was previously described for lead, cadmium and nickel. Molecular tools detected very low numbers of EPNs in samples found to be negative by insect-baiting, demonstrating the importance of the approach. EPNs were detected at low numbers in 13% of the localities, without relationship to heavy-metal concentrations. Only Acrobeloides-group nematodes were inversely related to the pollution gradient. Factors associated with agricultural areas explained 98.35% of the biotic variability, including EPN association with agricultural areas. Our study suggests that EPNs have adapted to polluted habitats that might support arthropod hosts. By contrast, the relationship between abundance of Acrobeloides-group and heavy-metal levels, revealed these taxa as especially well suited bio-indicators of soil mining pollution.

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MAGNETIC COMPOSITES BASED ON A NATURAL ZEOLITE

A magnetic composite was prepared by wet-impregnating a powder of a natural zeolite with a magnetic Fe oxide-containing synthetic material. Both starting materials were first characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and by isoelectric-point using vibrating-sample magnetometry. The synthetic Fe oxide-containing material was characterized as a mixture of magnetite (Fe3O4) and goethite (α-FeOOH). From the Fe Mössbauer analysis, the relative subspectral area for magnetite corresponds to 93(2)%; the remaining spectrum is assignable to goethite. After the impregnation process, magnetite was still identified in the composite material as a magnetic layer surrounding the zeolite particles; no magnetically ordered goethite could be detected. The Mössbauer pattern for this sample indicates a much more complex structure than for the precursor material, based on Fe oxides, with some more altered magnetite and an intense central doublet of (super)paramagnetic Fe3+, probably due to small Fe (hydr)oxides and/or to a residual contribution of Fe-bearing species from the starting zeolite material. The composite preparation procedure also promoted the change of the characteristic A-type zeolite to mordenite. The resulting magnetic composite presented a magnetic coercivity of as much as 0.140 A m−1, at 77 K. The final composite is now being evaluated as an adsorbent: results to date confirm that this novel magnetic material may have applications in the remediation of contaminated water bodies.

Extractable forms of aluminum as affected by gypsum and lime amendments to an acid soil

The influence of gypsum or lime + gypsum amendments on various extractable forms of aluminum (Al) in a reconstructed acid soil (plinthic Palexerult) was investigated. The addition of gypsum depolymerized non-hydrolysable carbon (C) and increased the extraction of Al bound to organic matter. The application of gypsum or lime + gypsum lowered the levels of exchangeable Al; also, the low proportion of Al in outflow solutions suggests the immobilization of Al as a solid phase. Except for exchangeable Al, the gypsum amendment increases the proportion of all forms of Al extracted (bound to organic matter, sorbed to, oxalate and citrate) with various selected reagents relative to unamended samples. The amount of Al extracted increases with increase of gypsum added. The gypsum or lime + gypsum amendments increased soil productivity.

EFFECT OF KAOLINITE AND SULFATE ON THE FORMATION OF HYDROXY-ALUMINUM COMPOUNDS

OH-A1 solutions were prepared by adding appropriate amounts of NaOH to A1C13 to obtain OH/Al mole ratios of 2.0, 2.5, 2.7, 3.0, and 3.3 in the final suspension. Solid Na2SO4 and Georgia kaolinite (KGa-2) were added individually and jointly to the OH-Al solutions. All samples were aged for 30, 70, and 180 d. X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry were used to characterize precipitates. Bayerite, gibbsite, and nordstrandite crystallized at mole ratios of 3.0 and 3.3, with bayerite being the most abundant. A morphology of clusters of triangular pyramids is described for bayerite. Despite the aging duration, only noncrystalline Al compounds were obtained in mole ratios of 2.0, 2.5, or 2.7. The addition of sulfate to OH-A1 solutions in mole ratios of 2.0 and 2.5 produced crystalline basic aluminum sulfates of variable morphology, but with similar chemical compositions. These phases lost crystallinity with aging. The product from a 2.7 OH-Al solution was X-ray amorphous hydroxy sulfate. In contrast, products obtained at mole ratios of 3.0 and 3.3 contained no sulfate ion, which restricted the formation of gibbsite, bayerite, and nordstrandite. The addition of kaolinite to the solutions in OH/A1 mole ratios of 3.0 and 3.3 favored the formation of nordstrandite. The simultaneous addition of sulfate and kaolinite to the OH-A1 solutions in mole ratios of 2.0 and 2.5 produced prevalent sulfate over kaolinite, whereas the opposite occurred at mole ratios 3.0 and 3.3.