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Stabilisation of precipitates of pedogenic dissolved organic matter by multivalent cations

  • SOILS, SEC 1 • SOIL ORGANIC MATTER DYNAMICS AND NUTRIENT CYCLING • RESEARCH ARTICLE
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Precipitation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) by multivalent cations is important for biogeochemical cycling of organic carbon. We investigated to which extent cation bridges are involved in DOM precipitation and how cross-links by cations and water molecule bridges (WaMB) stabilise the matrix of precipitated DOM.

Materials and methods

DOM was precipitated from the aqueous extract of a forest floor layer adding solutions of Ca(NO3)2, Al(NO3)3 and Pb(NO3)2 with different initial metal cation/C (Me/C) ratios. Precipitates were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry before and after ageing to detect cation bridges, WaMB and restructuring of supramolecular structure.

Results and discussion

Twenty-five to sixty-seven per cent of the dissolved organic carbon was precipitated. The precipitation efficiency of cations increased in the order Ca < Al < Pb, while the cation content of precipitates increased in the order Pb < Ca < Al. The different order and the decrease in the WaMB transition temperature (T*) for Al/C > 3 is explained by additional formation of small AlOOH particles. Thermal analysis indicated WaMB and their disruption at T* of 53–65 °C. Like cation content, T* increased with increasing Me/C ratio and in the order Ca < Pb < Al for low Me/C. This supports the general assumption that cross-linking ability increases in the order Ca < Pb < Al. The low T* for high initial Me/C suggests less stable and less cross-linked precipitates than for low Me/C ratios.

Conclusions

Our results suggest a very similar thermal behaviour of OM bound in precipitates compared with soil organic matter and confirms the relevance of WaMB in stabilisation of the supramolecular structure of cation-DOM precipitates. Thus, stabilisation of the supramolecular structure of the DOM precipitates is subjected to dynamics in soils.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), project SCHA849/6. We further acknowledge the help of Petra Ziegler, group of Sören Thiele-Bruhn, University Trier, for the measurement of the Al concentrations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environmental Sciences, Group of Environmental and Soil Chemistry, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Fortstr. 7, 76829, Landau, Germany

    Daniela Gildemeister, George Metreveli, Sabina Hens & Gabriele E. Schaumann

  2. Umweltbundesamt, FG IV 2.2 Pharmaceuticals, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany

    Daniela Gildemeister

  3. Department of Geography, Institute of Integrated Natural Sciences, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, 56070, Koblenz, Germany

    Sandra Spielvogel

  4. GN Dr. Netta; Beratende Ingenieure und Geowissenschaftler, Bienengarten 3, 56072, Koblenz, Germany

    Sabina Hens

  5. Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Institute of Forest Sciences, 79085, Freiburg i.Br., Germany

    Friederike Lang

Authors
  1. Daniela Gildemeister
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  2. George Metreveli
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  3. Sandra Spielvogel
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  4. Sabina Hens
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  5. Friederike Lang
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  6. Gabriele E. Schaumann
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriele E. Schaumann.

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Responsible editor: Dong-Mei Zhou

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Gildemeister, D., Metreveli, G., Spielvogel, S. et al. Stabilisation of precipitates of pedogenic dissolved organic matter by multivalent cations. J Soils Sediments 15, 1–12 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-0946-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-0946-9

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