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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Optimising the extraction of amorphous silica by NaOH from soils of temperate-humid climate

Anna Georgiadis A D , Daniela Sauer A B , Jörn Breuer C , Ludger Herrmann A , Thilo Rennert A and Karl Stahr A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Chemistry and Pedology Section, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 27, D-70593 Stuttgart, Germany.

B Institute of Geography, Dresden University of Technology, Helmholtz-Str. 10, D-01069 Dresden, Germany.

C Center for Agricultural Technology Augustenberg, Section 12 Agroecology, Neßlerstr. 23-31, D-76227 Karlsruhe, Germany.

D Corresponding author. Email: Anna.Georgiadis@uni-hohenheim.de

Soil Research 53(4) 392-400 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR14171
Submitted: 6 July 2014  Accepted: 10 February 2015   Published: 30 June 2015

Abstract

This study focuses on optimising amorphous silica extraction from soils by using NaOH. Based on the results of this test series, a method for quantifying amorphous silica in soils from temperate-humid climate is proposed. All tests were carried out on materials of known composition (well-defined samples of feldspar, clay minerals, bio-opal, silica gel, and mixtures of these components) and on soil samples, to determine the optimum set of conditions, in terms of solid : solution ratio, temperature and extraction time, for dissolving amorphous silica without considerably attacking other solid silicon compounds.

A solution of 0.2 m NaOH almost completely extracted amorphous silica, and when applied at room temperature and a solid : solution ratio of 1 : 400, only slightly broke down crystalline Si compounds. The predictable and reproducible underestimation was considered more acceptable than the variable partial dissolution of silicates that occurs during extraction at higher temperatures. We therefore recommend using this method on soils from temperate-humid climate to estimate the amorphous Si fraction.

Additional keywords: alkaline extraction, silica dissolution, bio-opal.


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