KINETICS OF CADMIUM RELEASE FROM SELECTED TROPICAL SOILS FROM KENYA BY LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT ORGANIC ACIDS

Abstract

The low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) commonly present in root exudates may influence the mobility and bioavailability of Cd in soils through the formation of soluble Cd-organic complexes in the soil rhizosphere. However, little is known about the dynamics of Cd released by LMWOAs from highly weathered tropical soils where large amounts of phosphate fertilizers are applied to correct phosphorus deficiency. Cadmium is a contaminant of phosphate fertilizers. The release of Cd from selected tropical soils treated with the Idaho monoammonium phosphate (MAP) fertilizer or the Cd perchlorate-added MAP chemical reagent by LMWOAs (10 -3 M and 10 -2 M) was investigated at 25 °C and at an ionic strength of 0.1 M NaN0 3 solution. The LMWOAs used in this study were acetic, citric, fumaric, malic, oxalic, and succinic acids. The surface soils used in this study were obtained from main agricultural areas in Kenya varying widely in physicochemical properties. The amounts of Cd released from the natural and the treated soils varied with the soils, the treatments, and the nature of the LMWOA. The amount of Cd released from the soils in the presence of LMWOAs also increased with the log stability constant values of the Cd-LMWOA complexes, indicating that Cd was brought into solution by LMWOAs as Cd-LMWOA complexes. A parabolic diffusion equation provided the best fit to the Cd released by LMWOAs during the short reaction period of 0.25 to 1 h. The overall diffusion coefficient values of the Cd released from the natural soils and the treated soils by LMWOAs varied with the soil type and the nature of the LMWOAs. The results showed that the LMWOAs enhanced the rate of Cd released from the soils, especially in the monoammonium phosphate-treated soils. The continuous release of Cd from the soils by renewal of LMWOAs indicates the sustaining power of the soils to replenish the Cd labile pool of the soils. The results also indicate that LMWOAs commonly present in the root exudates play a vital role in the mobilization of Cd in tropical soils and, hence, may influence its uptake by the plants.