| Abstract: | The interactions of potassium and calcium ions with two variable charge soils and one constant charge soil were examined by measuring the pK-0.5pCa value with two ion-selective electrodes, together with measurements of single ion activities. The constant charge soil showed a much higher preference for calcium relative to potassium than the variable charge soils. The relative affinities of potassium, calcium, sodium and aluminum ions with exchange sites were not constant, but were a function of surface properties of the soil. pH affected the pK-0.5pCa value in both the variable charge soil and the constant charge soil. The strong competition of aluminum ions for exchange sites was the major cause of the higher preference of soils for calcium ions relative to potassium ions at low pH. The pK-0.5pCa value was always smaller in sulfate systems than in chloride systems, with the difference more distinct in variable charge soils. In addition to an initial fast reaction, some potassium ions were immobilized at later times, even for the highly weathered variable charge soil. |
