Soil Genesis and Classification
Mehdi Taheri
Abstract
Introduction During the last decade, considerable progress has been made in the study of known loess deposits and their paleoclimatic implications in Northern Iran, whereas little information is available about the red soils which are beneath the these loess. So, in this study, major and trace element ...
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Introduction During the last decade, considerable progress has been made in the study of known loess deposits and their paleoclimatic implications in Northern Iran, whereas little information is available about the red soils which are beneath the these loess. So, in this study, major and trace element concentrations were analyzed on the samples from a red sequence of Iranian Loess Plateau at Golestan province. The main objectives of this research are a) to address the origin of the red soils with compare to the other geochemical results such as upper Pleistocene loess-paleosol, upper continental crust and Jiaxian Red Clays in China, b)to examine the geochemical behaviors of certain elements and their ratios such as Al2O3/Na2O, Na2O/K2O, MgO/TiO2, Rb/Sr and Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) during pedogenesis and finally, to reconstruct the early Pleistocene climate. Materials and Methods This study was carried out on a 19-m-thick sequence of deposits exposed in a limestone quarry located near the Agh Band village of Golestan province in the east of the Iranian Loess Plateau (latitude 37.688889 N and longitude 55.158333 E). The so-called Agh Band red sequence underlies an upper Pleistocene loess-paleosol sequence and covers yellow limestone of the Akchagyl formation belonging to the Upper Pliocene of Kopet Dagh sedimentary basin. It is the first sequence one of red soils described for the loess plateau of Iran. Based on the paleomagnetically dating, this section is formed during ~2.4-1.8 Ma. The present-day climate of the study area is semi-arid, with mean annual precipitation and temperature of ca. 300 mm and 17◦ C, respectively. The soil moisture regime is Xeric-Aridic and the temperature regime is Thermic. In a field campaign in autumn 2014 the morphological characteristics of the section were recorded. Based on field observations, the sequence has been subdivided into 24 units, designated consecutively as U1-U24 from the top of limestone to the bottom of the Upper Pleistocene Loess. From each unit, representative samples were taken for color measurements, grain-size and geochemical analysis. Each air-dried sample was gently crushed, taking care not affect the grain size, and then measured using a Konica-Minolta CM-700 color meter. Grain size was measured using a Malvern Mastersizer 2000 laser grain-size analyzer following the pre-treatment procedures described in the text and the concentrations of major and trace elements were determined using a PANalytical PW2403/00 X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. All of the measurements were made in the Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental systems, Lanzhou University. Results and Discussion The grain-size distribution of the red section is dominated by fine-grained silts with the average of 86.6 percent, in addition, the amount of clay and sand are 10.9 and 2.6 percent, respectively. Angular or sub-angular blocky structures are dominated in the red sequence. The section is mainly characterized by alternations of reddish yellow )10 YR 6/6) and brownish-red (7.5 YR 3/6) to reddish (5YR) layers. In general, the color of the soil horizons in the red deposits is much redder than that in the overlying loess (7.5YR vs.10YR, respectively), and this is one of the principal differences between the red soils and the overlying loess. Another different is the amount of carbonate nodules and the size of them (up to~20 cm diameter). These soils have been subjected to relatively intensive pedogenesis, as demonstrated by the presence of clay skins and Fe-Mn coatings. The high correlation of major and trace element compositions between Agh Band red soils section, upper loess and paleosol and the Jiaxian red clay in China supports the proposal that the Agh Band red soils was wind-blown in origin. The value of CIA index (69.6 for red soils versus 59.8 for the upper loess deposits), Al2O3/Na2O, K2O/Na2O and Rb/Sr ratios are higher in the red deposits than in the upper Pleistocene loess, also, the lower amount of MgO/TiO2 ratio in reddish soils, suggesting stronger chemical weathering and thus a wetter climate during the formation of red soils in early Pleistocene. Conclusion Finally, our main findings are as follows: 1) The geochemical composition of the red-colored sedimentsis similar to the overlying upper Pleistocene loess suggesting a similar origin; 2) wind-blown origin of the red deposits and continuous atmospheric dust deposition in the Iranian Loess Plateau during the Early Pleistocene; 3) red soil sequence formed under wetter and more humid climate compared with the Upper Pleistocene loess.
Soil Chemistry and Pollution
Alireza Zarasvandi; Majid Heidari; Ahmadreza Lahijanzadeh; Sedigheh Jalali; Mohsen Rezaei; Madineh Saed; Zahra Fereydouni
Abstract
Introduction Dust storms or sand storms are some of the meteorological phenomena that demonstrate differences with one another terminologically. These kinds of storms usually occur under arid and semiarid areas in circumstances which the blowing speed of a gale is higher than the erosion threshold. In ...
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Introduction Dust storms or sand storms are some of the meteorological phenomena that demonstrate differences with one another terminologically. These kinds of storms usually occur under arid and semiarid areas in circumstances which the blowing speed of a gale is higher than the erosion threshold. In other words, Dust and sand storms are persistent problems in the Middle East Region. The regional dust storms have bad effects on the health of human life which can cause asthma, bronchitis and lung diseases, due to their carrying micro-organisms (such as bacteria, fungi, spores, viruses and pollen) and their sharp edged particles. Several studies researches have shown that microorganisms mobilized into the atmosphere along with desert soils are capable of surviving long-range transport on a global scale. Dust-borne microorganisms in particular can. directly impact human health via pathogenesis,exposure of sensitive individuals to cellular components. The chemical components of dust are affecting the microbial life besides the precipitation, wind direction, time of day, season and atmosphere inversion conditions, all affecting the survival of total bacteria communities associated with dust particles, and the microbes are capable of surviving long distance transport. Dust storms have become a major environmental concern during the last decades in the oil- and gas-rich Khuzestan province in the southwestern Iran. Dust storms frequently occur in Khuzestan mainly during summer, and intense dust storms are particularly associated with easterly-blowing winds. High frequency (10-15%) and health outcomes of local dust storms in Khuzestan province, requires an extensive study on various factors of local storms such as heavy metal geochemistry and its environmental consequences are very important. In this paper, we present an overview of the geochemical and geo-environmental characteristics of dust storms in Khuzestan. Materials and Methods Information about dust storms of source and coverage was obtained from meteorological stations in Khuzestan province. In this study, airborne dust samples were collected to obtain TSP and PM10 by using the high-volume air (HVA) sampler model TCR. The geochemistry of airborne dust samples was analyzed at the Actlabs (Canada). The concentration of V, Co, Ni, As, Cd, Pb and Zn was determined in Actlab, Canada, using ICP-MS method. Results and Discussion The obtained results showed that Pb concentration in TSP samples ranges between 8.11 and 197 ppm with an average and median value of 23.6 and 11.15 ppm, respectively. The zinc content in PM10 samples, ranges between 4670 and 5000 ppm. Also, Ni has high concentration that ranges between 5.8 - 43.2 in PM10 samples. Lowest concentration of Cobalt is present in PM10 samples that ranges between 0.6 and 4.7 ppm. Vanadium has the highest concentration in Ahvaz samples. Also, PM10 samples include higher Arsenic concentration than TSP samples. Finally, Cd has the lowest concentration in all of the studied heavy metals with the mean value of 0.12 ppm. Positive correlation (0.9) between Cu with V, Co and Ni shows probably a similar source for these elements. Investigation of heavy metals concentration in various dust storms confirms that arsenic has a higher concentration in local storms. Seasonal studies show that V, Co and As have high concentrations in warm periods and Pb has the highest frequency in the cold season, in Khuzestan province. Based on the study of Contamination Factor (CF), the mean CF of heavy metals was in the order Pb > Zn > Cd >As > Ni > Co> V. Also, Degree of Contamination (DC) factor of the studied heavy metals in PM10 samples with mean value of 40 ppm is higher than TSP samples with average value of 10 ppm. In relation to the Enrichment Factor (EF) for V, Co, Ni, As, Cd, Pb and Zn, the EF mean of these metals was in the order Cd > Zn > Ni > Pb > As > V > Co. The highest Arsenic enrichment factor can be seen in PM10 samples. Conclusion The obtained results from calculation of Integrated Pollution Index (IPI) in PM10 samples showed that, V, Co, Ni and Pb are non-polluted. Also, Cadmium, Arsenic and Zinc showed a low, medium and high levels of pollution, respectively. Furthermore, based on IPI data in TSP samples, Co, As and V were non-pollution and Pb, Ni, Zn showed low level of contamination. Finally, Cadmium in TSP samples in dicated a high level of Integrated Pollution Index.
