Transport and Fate of Chemicals in Soils Principles and Applications

The weathering of the parent material by water determines, to a large extent, the chemical composition of the soil which has ultimately been produced. Some chemicals are leached into the lower soil layers where they accumulate. Other chemicals, more insoluble, are left in the upper layers of the soil. The most rapid removed chemicals are chlorides and sulphates, followed by calcium, sodium, magnesium and potassium. The silicates and oxides of iron and aluminium decompose very slowly and are rarely leached. When some of these products come into contact with the air in the soil, chemical reactions occur, such as oxidation in particular, which results in the formation of chemicals either more soluble or more fragile than the original ones. This results in an acceleration of the weathering processes, increased leaching* of chemicals, and further changes in the soil chemical composition. A freshwater acid sulphate soil may develop when the waterlogged soil containing iron sulphurs (pyrites) is exposed to the air, for example, when constructing ponds.