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Fractionation of Copper in Neutron Activated Soils¹

ABSTRACT

Copper in surface and subsurface horizons of six soils was fractionated by chemical methods after irradiation of the samples with thermal neutrons. The first fraction was obtained by a process of self diffusion in which soil Cu was allowed to diffuse into dilute CuSO₄ solutions. The second was obtained by extracting the soils in hot solutions of dilute CuSO₄ which were 0.1M in HCl after removal of the diffusible Cu. The third consisted of the residual Cu after the first two increments had been removed. Determinations were done using a 400 channel gamma ray spectrometer. From 35 to 70% of the total Cu in these soils was found to be freely diffusible. Self diffusion took place as readily in calcareous soils as in noncalcareous soils. Extractions in 0.5M NaOH released amounts of Cu similar to those released by diffusion which suggests that much of the freely diffusible Cu is of organic origin. Copper released by acidic CuSO₄ ranged from 20 to 40% of the total and residual Cu ranged from 4 to 40% of the total.

¹ Contribution from the Division of Biological and Medical Research of Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Ill. and the Department of Soil Science, Minnesota Agr. Exp. Sta., St. Paul. Published with the approval of the Director of the Minnesota Agr. Exp. Sta. as paper no. 5707 of the Scientific Journal Series. Presented before Div. S-2, Soil Science Society of America, at Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 15, 1964. Work supported by USAEC.

² Former Research Associate, University of Minnesota, now Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Division of Biological and Medical Research, Argonne National Laboratory and Associate Professor, Department of Soil Science, University of Minnesota, respectively.

Received for publication June 28, 1965. Accepted for publication January 3, 1966.