Adsorption and Desorption of zinc in soil and its implication

Abstract

Zn availability mostly regulated through adsorption-desorption on soil (or adsorbent). Fly ash (FA) application influence on zinc adsorption-desorption in recommended chemical fertilizer (RDF) and farmyard manure (FYM) treatments of acidic Inceptisols of Assam. Zinc adsorption was better explained by Freundlich over the Langmuir adsorption equation. Adsorption was greatest in the treatment receiving FA only at 15 t ha−1 and least in the treatment receiving RDF 50 percent + FYM 5 t ha−1 + FA 5 t ha−1. Ni and Zn co-sorption to aluminium oxides (γ-Al2O3) in binary-sorbate systems were compared to their sorptionin single-sorbate systems as a function of pH using both macroscopic batch experiments and synchrotron-based X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy At pH 6.0, Ni and Zn were sorbed as inner-sphere surface complexes and competed for the limited number of reactive sites on γ-Al2O3.In binary-sorbate systems, Ni had no effect on Zn sorption, owning to its lower affinity for the metal oxide surface. In contrast, Zn had a higher affinity for the metal oxide surface and reduced Ni sorption. The influence of P on the Zn adsorption capacity of eight surface horizons in soils on granite and amphibolites materials. The presence of P, especially at high concentrations, was found to boost Zn adsorption. The effect was more marked in the soils on amphibolite, which contained increased concentrations of Fe and Al oxides relative to those on granite. The increased adsorption of zinc by effect of the presence of phosphate is ascribed primarily to the formation of a P–Zn complex in colloid surfaces.Studies should be undertaken while considering adsorption and desorption capacities of Zn for soils as well as ionic interactions for better Zn management in soils.