Effect of Zn Adsorption on Charge of Variable Charge Soils

The variation in apparent charge of two typical variable charge soils resulting from Zn adsorption were studied by KC1 saturation and NH4NO3 replacement methods. Results showed that zinc were adsorbed specifically to those sites with negative charge. As in different pH ranges, the percentages of specific and electrostatic adsorptions of zinc and the mechanisms of specific adsorption were different, the effects of Zn adsorption on apparent charge were varied and could be characterized as: when 1 mmol Zn2+ was adsorbed, a change about 1 mmol in the apparent charge was observed in the low pH range (Ⅰ), 1.4 to 1.5 mmol in the moderate pH range (Ⅱ) and 0.55 to 0.6 mmol in the high pH range (Ⅲ). These experimental data, in terms of soil charge, proved once more author's conclusion in the preceding paper (Sun, 1993) that in accordance with the behaviors of Zn adsorption by the variable charge soils in relation to pH, three pH ranges with different adsorption mechanisms were delineated; that is, in Range Ⅰ, specific adsorption was the predominant mechanism, in Ranges Ⅱ and Ⅲ, specific and electrostatic adsorptions co-existed, but their specific adsorption mechanisms were not identical.