• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2002

Buffer capacities for two Bo horizon soils or Andisols developed from different parent materials have been investigated. The titration curves from column leaching experiment show that buffering occurred at pH 4.0 and 6.0. The buffer intensity or soil developed from pyroclastic materials (P-soil) is higher than that from basalts (B-soil). From batch test we have found that proto-imogolite and/or imogolite may control Al solubility as well as $Al(OH) _3$in the moderate acid condition. The buffer intensities ($\beta$) of P-soils were plotted on the theoretical buffering curve of $Al(OH)_3$, while $\beta$ of B-soils approached to that of proto-imogolite, which shows the solubility of short-range-order materials in P-soil control the buffer capacity. Buffering at pH 6.0 is thought to be the result of dissolution of some silicate clays and exchange reactions between $H^{+ }$and base-forming cations. Considering the amount of annual acid precipitation, aluminum solubility of Andisols, and the low BS (Base Saturation percentage), it can be predicted that prolonged acid precipitation will reduce the buffer capacity of soils and lead to soil acidification.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 2002

Despite the ecological importance of potentially phytotoxic $Al_{13}$-tridecamer and its formation in the simulated condition, it was not recognized in the natural soil environment. Here we performed thermodynamic calculations to examine the stability condition of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer based on the solubility of AI in the Bo horizon of Andisols, Jeju Island, dominantly composed of AI-containing solid phases such as $Al(OH)_{3}$, proto-imogolite and/or imogolite. We have found that $Al(OH)_{3}$, proto-imogolite and/or imogolite may control Al solubility in the moderate acid condition. It means that AI total activity of the soil solution equilibrated with these solid phases ranges from $10^{-6}$ ~ $10^{-8}$M in the pH 5 to 7. Calculations based on the thermodynamic data strongly indicate that the formation of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer closely related to the total activity of AI in the system. For example, for the formation of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer of $10^{-5}$M, Al total activity of $3{\times}10^{-3}$M are needed at pH 4, and $2{\times}10^{-5}$M in the pH 5 to 7. Therefore, this research and the thermodynamic consideration suggest strongly that $Al_{13}$-tridecamer should be negligible in natural soils, especially Andisols and Spodosols, These mainly contain $Al(OH)_{3}$, proto-imogolite and/or imogolite, which could prevent the formation of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer by controlling the AI total activity low. It means that the toxicity of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer with the increase of soil acidification may be considered to be definitely low.