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Behaviour of potassium in some West Indian soil clays

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

C. E. Davis*
Affiliation:
Department of Mines, Hope, Kingston 6, Jamaica

Abstract

Fixation of K by some West Indian soil clays was proportional to their montmorillonite contents. Reductions in c.e.c. and surface areas occurred after fixation. The reductions in c.e.c. were equivalent to the amounts of K fixed, suggesting that an ion exchange mechanism was operative. Reductions in c.e.c. were proportionately greater than reductions in surface area.

Release of native K from the clays was greater from the < 0-2 μm fractions than those from 0·2−2·0 μm. Appreciable amounts of'recently fixed' K were not released after extraction with 0·03 N NaCl solution. Removal of 'free' iron increased the release of: (i) native K from the 0·2−2·0 μm fractions ; and (ii) 'recently fixed' K from both fractions. The presence of NH4 ions decreased the release of 'recently fixed' K.

The release pattern of the clays indicates that intra-particle diffusion rather than film diffusion or mass action exchange, is the rate-limiting mechanism.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1972

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