Effects of decalcification on the phosphate sorption characteristics of eight calcareous soils

Abstract

Phosphate sorption isotherms and parameter values were determined on eight calcareous soils which were carefully decalcified using a procedure which minimized changes in cation saturation. Calcite content of the original soils varied from 0.8 to 24 2% and calcite surface areas from 4 . 0 to 8.5 m2 g-1. Sorption parameters were derived from the Langmuir 'two-surface' equation. Decalcification increased phosphate sorption at low residual P concentrations (<0.8 mg L-1) but decreased it at higher concentrations. The higher P sorption was associated with an increase in affinity because the calculated sorption capacities of high-affinity surfaces were not increased. These sorption capacities were well correlated with iron oxide contents of the soils, so the increase in phosphate affinity of these surfaces was consistent with the decrease in pH (0.5 to 1.5 units) of the decalcified soils. The lower P sorption at higher concentrations was associated with a substantial decrease in sorption capacity of the postulated low-affinity surfaces. These latter decreases were quantitatively correlated with the calcite surface areas of the original soils. These and other changes in phosphate sorption characteristics support the utility of the Langmuir 'two-surface' equation in providing information, compatible with what would be expected from more complex mechanistic models, and which exceeds what one would expect from other simpler models such as the Freundlich equation. They also support an hypothesis that an important component of low-affinity surfaces of these calcareous soils is calcite on which organic anions are co-adsorbed.