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Sulfate Retention by Acid Sulfate-Polluted Soils in the Copper Basin Area of Tennessee¹

ABSTRACT

The stability of the Al-hydroxy-sulfates, alunite and basaluminite, was investigated as a possible mechanism for sulfate retention by acid sulfate-polluted soils within the Copper Basin area of Tennessee. Representative soils were described and sampled from sites reflecting varied but unknown levels of S input and were subsequently analyzed for total and extractable S contents and soil solution composition. Although in general agreement with an adsorptive mechanism, the retention of sulfate was best explained as the consequence of Al-hydroxy-sulfate solubility. The ion activity product p(K)(Al)³(OH)⁶(SO₄)² compared favorably to the pK_sp of alunite for the majority of displaced soil solutions. When pertinent soil-solution ion activities were expressed as a function of [pAl + 3pOH] and [pAl + pOH + pSO₄], most soil solutions indicated apparent stability of solid-phase alunite. The possible existence of alunite in acid sulfate soils is compatible with mechanisms of sulfate retention by acid soils.

¹ Contribution from Plant & Soil Science Dep., Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37901.

² Assistant Professor.

Received for publication .