Surface Charge Distribution of Three Deep Regoliths from Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

ABSTRACT A study was conducted to investigate the charge characteristics of selected regoliths from Peninsular Malaysia. Three deep regoliths of different geology composing a soil-saprolite sequence were sampled and analyzed for their physico-chemical, mineralogical and charge properties. The results showed that the charge characteristics were significantly correlated with soil organic matter, free iron oxides and clay content. The surface soil charge characteristics were influenced by the organic matter content and clay mineralogy. In the saprolite layers where organic matter content were traceable, the charge characteristics were determined by the type and weathering stage of primary minerals. In an extremely weathered regolith such as basalt, the high content of free iron oxides seem to play crucial role in determining the ZPC values even for the surface soil layers where organic matter were dominant. The distribution pattern of charge characteristics can also be used to estimate the degree of weathering in a regolith.