Extractability and mobility of copper and zinc accumulated in sandy soils

Extractability and mobility of Cu and Zn and their relationships with 1) accumulation of Cu and Zn and 2) soil pH were studied in three sandy soils (Wabasso, Ankona, and Winder) from commercial citrus groves in Florida, USA. The soils, with a broad range of Cu and Zn concentrations, were fractionated by a modified procedure of Amacher, while Cu and Zn mobility were evaluated using column leaching. The extractability of Cu and Zn increased with decreasing soil pH. Also with increasing total soil Cu and Zn for extractable Cu in the Wabasso sand a threshold level, where the metal extraction rate increased, was noted at 100 mg kg(-1), whereas for extractable Zn in the Wabasso sand the threshold level was found at 60 mg kg(-1) and in the Ankona sand at 120 mg kg(-1). These results suggested that the release potential of Cu and Zn was greater in the Wabasso sand than in the Ankona sand. The column leaching experiment showed that at total soil Cu or Zn concentrations < 100 mg kg(-1) all leachates had low Cu and Zn concentrations. However at total concentrations > 200 mg kg(-1) for Cu and > 150 mg kg(-1) for Zn with decreasing soil pH, the concentrations of both Cu and Zn in the leachates increased exponentially. Also in these sandy soils soluble Cu and Zn mainly originated from the exchangeable fractions, and pH was a key factor controlling Cu and Zn extractability and mobility.