Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Surface charge characteristics of variable charge soils in Thailand

W. Wisawapipat A , I. Kheoruenromne A C , A. Suddhiprakarn A and R. J. Gilkes B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

B School of Earth and Environment, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: irbs@ku.ac.th

Australian Journal of Soil Research 48(4) 337-354 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR09151
Submitted: 24 August 2009  Accepted: 8 January 2010   Published: 16 June 2010

Abstract

Surface charge characteristics were investigated using a charge fingerprinting procedure for 90 samples from 32 profiles of highly weathered Oxisols and Ultisols derived from shale/limestone, basalt, granite, local alluvium, sedimentary, and metasedimentary rocks under tropical savanna and tropical monsoonal climates in Thailand. The charge fingerprints of 5 whole soils, after removal of organic matter and of kaolin and ion oxides from these soils, were also measured to clarify factors contributing to the variable charge behaviour. Phosphate sorption was determined and related to charge properties. Kaolin was the dominant mineral of the clay fraction with moderate amounts of goethite and hematite. Gibbsite was present in Oxisols formed on limestone and basalt under more humid conditions. All soils exhibited variable charge behaviour but the magnitude and rate of change in variable charge with pH varied greatly between Oxisols and Ultisols. Oxisols had higher amounts of variable charge than Ultisols, reflecting the differences in amounts of clay and extractable Fe and Al. Oxisols formed on basalt and limestone under more humid conditions had high values of anion exchange capacity (AEC) due to the contributions of goethite, gibbsite, and boehmite. The relationships of base cation exchange capacity (CECB) and AEC with pH were linear. Rates of change with pH of both negative and positive variable charge (Ac, Aa) were closely related to CEC, specific surface area (SSA), pH(NaF), and various forms of extractable Fe, Al, and Mn. The charge fingerprints of soil after removal of organic matter indicated that organic matter exerted a strong influence on both the magnitude of negative charge and rate of change with pH. Kaolin had permanent and variable charge, with SSA and crystal size (MCD001) being highly predictive of the rate of change in variable negative charge with pH. Iron oxide concentrates exhibited strongly pH-dependent charge and the mean coherently diffracting length (MCD110) of hematite was highly predictive of both the magnitude and rate of change in variable positive charge with pH. Charge coefficients (Ac, Ba) had highly significant (P = 0.005) positive relationships with Langmuir and Freundlich phosphate sorption maximum coefficients (Xm, k), indicating that the surfaces of amorphous, poorly ordered, and crystalline Fe and Al oxides are prime sites for both P sorption and variable charge.

Additional keywords: organic matter, kaolin, iron oxides, Oxisols, Ultisols, P sorption.


Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to The Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program under the Thailand Research Fund for financial support and to the laboratory staff at School of Earth and Environment, UWA, particularly Mr Michael Smirk for his kind assistance with chemical analysis.


References


Anda M, Shamshuddin J, Fauziah CI, Omar SRS (2008) Mineralogy and factors controlling charge development of three Oxisols developed from different parent materials. Geoderma 143, 153–167.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Anderson SJ, Sposito G (1991) Cesium adsorption methods for measuring accessible structural surface charge. Soil Science Society of America Journal 55, l569–l576. open url image1

Auxtero E, Madeira M, Sousa E (2004) Variable charge characteristics of selected Andisols from the Azores, Portugal. Catena 56, 111–125.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Aylmore LAG, Sills ID, Quirk JP (1970) Surface area of homoionic illite and montmorillonite clay mineral as measured by the sorption of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Clays and Clay Minerals 18, 91–96.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Barrow NJ (1987) Reactions with variable-charge soils. In ‘Developments in plant and soil sciences, Vol. 31’. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht, The Netherlands)

Becquer T, Petard J, Duwig C, Bourdon E, Moreau R, Herbillon AJ (2001) Mineralogical, chemical and charge properties of Geric Ferralsols from New Caledonia. Geoderma 103, 291–306.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Beinroth FH , Eswaran H , Uehara G , Reich PF (2000) Oxisols. In ‘Handbook of soil science. Vol. E’. (Ed. LP Wilding) pp. 373–392. (CRC Press: Washington, DC)

Bleeker P, Sageman R (1990) Surface charge characteristics and clay mineralogy of some variable charge soils in Papua New Guinea. Australian Journal of Soil Research 28, 901–917.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Bolan NS, Barrow NJ (1984) Modelling the effect of adsorption of phosphate and other anions on the surface charge of variable charge oxides. Journal of Soil Science 35, 273–281.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Borggaard OK (1983) The influence of iron oxides on phosphate adsorption by soil. Journal of Soil Science 34, 333–341.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Brown G , Brindley GW (1980) X-ray diffraction procedures for clay mineral identification. In ‘Crystal structures of clay minerals and their X-ray identification’. (Eds GW Brindley, G Brown) pp. 305–359. (Spottiswoode Blallantyne Ltd: London)

Cabrera F, Madrid L, Arambarri P (1977) Adsorption of phosphate by various oxides: theoretical treatment of the adsorption envelope. Journal of Soil Science 28, 306–313.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Chorover J, Amistadi MK, Chadwick OA (2004) Surface charge evolution of mineral–organic complexes during pedogenesis in Hawaiian basalt. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 68, 4859–4876.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Chorover J, Sposito G (1995) Surface charge characteristics of kaolinitic tropical soils. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 59, 875–884.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Curi N, Franzmeier D (1984) Toposequence of Oxisols from the central plateau of Brazil. Soil Science 48, 341–347.
CAS |
open url image1

Essington ME (2004) ‘Soil and water chemistry: An integrative approach.’ (CRC Press: New York)

Fahrenhorst C, Botschek J, Skowronek A, Ferraz J (1999) Application of gypsum and lime to increase cation adsorption of a Geric Ferralsol in the Brazilian Amazon region. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 162, 41–47.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Fieldes M, Perrott K (1966) The nature of allophane in soils Part 3. Rapid field and laboratory test for allophane. New Zealand Journal of Science 9, 623–623.
CAS |
open url image1

Fitzpatrick RW, Schwertmann U (1982) Al–substitution in goethite an indicator of pedogenic and other weathering environments in South Africa. Geoderma 27, 335–347.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Fontes MPF, Weed SB (1991) Iron oxides in selected Brazilian Oxisols: I. Mineralogy. Soil Science Society of America Journal 55, 1143–1149.
CAS |
open url image1

Fontes MPF, Weed SB (1996) Phosphate adsorption by clays from Brazilian Oxisols: relationships with specific surface area and mineralogy. Geoderma 72, 37–51.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Fontes MR, Weed SB, Bowen LH (1992) Association of microcrystalline goethite and humic acid in some Oxisols from Brazil. Soil Science Society of America Journal 56, 982–990.
CAS |
open url image1

Gee GW , Bauder JW (1986) Particle-size analysis. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods’. (Ed. A Klute) pp. 383–411. (American Society of Agronomy Inc.: Madison, WI)

Gillman GP (2007) An analytical tool for understanding the properties and behaviour of variable charge soils. Australian Journal of Soil Research 45, 83–90.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Gillman GP, Bell LC (1978) Soil solution studies on weathered soils from tropical north Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 16, 67–77.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Gillman GP, Sumpter EA (1986) Surface charge characteristics and lime requirements of soil derived from basaltic, granitic, and metamorphic rocks in high rainfall tropical Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 24, 173–192.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Gorsuch TT (1970) ‘The destruction of organic matter.’ (Pergamon Press: New York)

Gu B, Schmitt J, Chen Z, Liang L, McCarthy JF (1995) Adsorption and desorption of different organic matter fractions on iron oxide. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 59, 219–229.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Hughes JC, Brown G (1979) A crystallinity index for soils kaolins and its relation to parent rock, climate and soils maturity. Journal of Soil Science 30, 557–563.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Kheoruenromne I (2004) ‘Soil survey laboratory manual.’ (Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University: Bangkok) [In Thai]

Klug HP , Alexander LE (1974) ‘X-ray diffraction procedures for polycrystalline and amorphous materials.’ (John Wiley and Sons Inc.: New York)

Lindsay WL (1979) ‘Chemical equilibria in soils.’ (John Wiley and Sons, Inc.: New York)

McKeague JA (1967) An evaluation of 0.1 M pyrophosphate and pyrophosphate–dithionite in comparison with oxalate as extractants of the accumulation product in podzols and some other soils. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 47, 95–99.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

McKeague JA, Day JH (1966) Dithionite and oxalate-extractable Fe and Al as aids in differentiating various classes of soils. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 46, 13–22.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Mehra O, Jackson P (1960) Iron oxide removal from soils and clays in a dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate system buffered with sodium. Clays and Clay Minerals 7, 317–327.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Melo VF, Singh B, Schaefer CEGR, Novais RF, Fontes MPF (2001) Chemical and mineralogical properties of kaolinite-rich Brazilian soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 65, 1324–1333.
CAS |
open url image1

Menzies NW, Gillman GP (1997) Chemical characterization of soils of a tropical humid forest zone: A methodology. Soil Science Society of America Journal 61, 1355–1363.
CAS |
open url image1

Moncharoen L (1992) Red soils of Thailand. In ‘Proceedings of the International Symposium on Management and Development of Red Soils in Asia and Pacific Region’. (Ed. G Zitong) (Science Press: Beijing)

Naidu R, Bolans NS, Kookana RS, Tiller KG (1994) Ionic-strength and pH effects on the sorption of cadmium and the surface charge of soils. European Journal of Soil Science 45, 419–429.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Naidu R, Kookana RS, Sumner ME, Harter RD, Tiller KG (1997) Cadmium sorption and transport in variable charge soils: a review. Journal of Environmental Quality 26, 602–617.
CAS | Crossref |
open url image1

Naidu R, Syers JK, Tillman RW, Kirkman JH (1990) Effect of liming and added phosphate on charge characteristics of acid soils. Journal of Soil Science 41, 157–164.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Nelson DW , Sommers LE (1996) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 3. Chemical methods’. (Eds DL Sparks et al.) pp. 961–1010. (American Society of Agronomy Inc.: Madison, WI)

Noble AD, Gillman GP, Ruaysoongnern S (2000) A cation exchange index for assessing degradation of acid soil by further acidification under permanent agriculture in the tropics. European Journal of Soil Science 51, 233–243.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Norrish K, Hutton JT (1969) An accurate X-ray spectrographic method for the analysis of a wide range of geological samples. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 33, 431–453.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Parfitt RL (1981) Chemical properties of variable charge soils. In ‘Soils with variable charge’. (Ed. BKG Theng) pp. 167–194. (New Zealand Society of Soil Science: Lower Hutt, NZ)

Parfitt RL (1989) Phosphate reactions with natural allophane, ferrihydrite and goethite. Journal of Soil Science 40, 359–369.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Perrott KW, Smith BFL, Inkson RHE (1976) The reaction of fluoride with soils and soil minerals. Journal of Soil Science 27, 58–67.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Phillips IR, Sheehan KJ (2005) Importance of surface charge characteristics when selecting soils for wastewater re-use. Australian Journal of Soil Research 43, 915–927.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Qafoku NP, Van Ranst E, Noble A, Baert G (2004) Variable charge soils: Their mineralogy, chemistry and management. Advances in Agronomy 84, 159–215.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Schaefer CEGR, Fabris JD, Ker JC (2008) Minerals in the clay fraction of Brazilian Latosols (Oxisols): a review. Clay Minerals 43, 137–154.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Schulze DG (1984) The influence of aluminium on iron oxides: VIII. Unit-cell dimensions of Al-substituted goethites and estimation of Al from them. Clays and Clay Minerals 32, 36–44.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Schwertmann U (1988) Goethite and hematite formation in the presence of clay minerals and gibbsite at 25°C. Soil Science Society of America Journal 52, 288–291.
CAS |
open url image1

Schwertmann U, Carlson L (1994) Aluminium influence on iron oxides: XVII. Unit-cell parameters and aluminium substitution of natural goethites. Soil Science Society of America Journal 58, 256–261.
CAS |
open url image1

Sibanda HM, Young SD (1986) Competitive adsorption of humus acids and phosphate on goethite, gibbsite and two tropical soils. Journal of Soil Science 37, 197–204.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Singh B, Gilkes RJ (1991a) Concentration of iron oxides from soil clays by 5 M NaOH treatment: the complete removal of sodalite and kaolin. Clay Minerals 26, 463–472.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Singh B, Gilkes RJ (1991b) Phosphorus sorption in relation to soil properties for the major soils types of South-western Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research 29, 603–618.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Singh B, Gilkes RJ (1992a) Properties and distribution of iron oxides and their association with minor elements in the soils of south-western Australia. Journal of Soil Science 43, 77–98.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Singh B, Gilkes RJ (1992b) Properties of soil kaolinites from south-western Australia. Journal of Soil Science 43, 645–667.
CAS | Crossref |
open url image1

Siradz SA (2000) Mineralogy and chemistry of red soils of Indonesia. PhD Thesis, University of Western Australia.

Soil Survey Staff (1993) ‘Soil survey manual.’ (United States Department of Agriculture: Washington, DC)

Soil Survey Staff (2006) ‘Keys to Soil Taxonomy.’ 10th edn (USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service: Washington, DC)

Sposito G (1989) ‘The chemistry of soils.’ (Oxford University Press: New York)

Taylor RM, Schwertmann U (1974) Maghemite in soils and its origin. I. Properties and observations on soil maghemites. Clay Minerals 10, 289–298.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Tessens E, Zauyah S (1982) Positive permanent charge in Oxisols. Soil Science Society of America Journal 46, 1103–1106.
CAS |
open url image1

Uehara G , Gillman GP (1981) ‘The mineralogy, chemistry, and physics of tropical soils with variable charge clays.’ (Westview Press: Boulder, CO)

Van Raij B, Peech M (1972) Electrochemical properties of some Oxisols and Alfisols of the tropics. Soil Science Society of America Journal 36, 587–593.
CAS |
open url image1

van Ranst E, Shamshuddin J, Baert G, Dzwowa PK (1998) Charge characteristics in relation to free iron and organic matter of soils from Bambouto Mountains, Western Cameroon. European Journal of Soil Science 49, 243–252.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Wisawapipat W, Kheoruenromne I, Suddhiprakarn A, Gilkes RJ (2009) Phosphate sorption and desorption by Thai upland soils. Geoderma 153, 408–415.
CAS | Crossref |
open url image1

Xu R, Zhao A, Ji G (2003) Effect of low-molecular-weight organic anions on surface charge of variable charge soils. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 264, 322–326.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Yoothong K, Moncharoen L, Vijarnson P, Eswaran H (1997) Clay mineralogy of Thai soils. Applied Clay Science 11, 357–371.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Yu TR (1997) ‘Chemistry of variable charge soils.’ (Oxford University Press: New York)