Prediction of boron adsorption on some soils of State Parana, Brazil

Boron adsorption in soils affects their behavior in the environment and their availability to plants. This study investigated the effect of liming on B adsorption in different soils from Parana State, and to correlate these values with some physical and chemical properties of the soils. Surface samples (0-0.2 m) of nine soils with different parent material and physicochemical properties were used. Samples with or without lime application were incubated for 60 days. Boron adsorption was accomplished by shaking 4.0g soil, for 24 h, with 20 mL of 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2 solution containing different concentrations of B (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mg L-1). Sorption was fitted to non-linear form of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Boron adsorption increased as concentration increased. Maximum adsorption capacity (MAC) of B ranged from 2.3 to 42.9 mg kg(-1) (without lime) and 22.7 to 109.9 mg kg(-1) (with lime). The two Arenic Hapludalf have had the highest B adsorption capacity, whereas the sandy-textured Arenic Hapludult (Ult1) had the lowest values. Liming increased the amount of adsorbed B on the soils, except in the Typic Hapludox (Ox4) and Arenic Hapludult (Ult2). The bonding energy (K) decreased with the lime in most soils, indicating that at higher pH values the B is adsorbed more weakly. The soil pH, the organic matter, and the contents of silicon oxide (SiO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) were the soils properties that affecting the B adsorption on Parana soils.