Changes in Selected Elements of Soils Under Simulated Acid Rain Conditions

Abstract

Acid rain has been considered a major polluting agent harmful to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. A study was carried out to examine the variations of different elements in Abbottabad soil, Pakistan. The acidification process increases the extraction of different elements from the soil. The extracted concentration of Mg increased in the CL soil after the addition of 1N HNO3 (1:5) by 46.7%, with 1N H2SO4 by 56.3%, and the mixture of both acids 68.1% than untreated CL soil. The average Na concentrations (mg kg-1) of soil suspension (1:5) were achieved among acids as HNO3 (17.2) > HNO3 plus H2SO4 (15.4) > H2SO4 (14.8) > no treatment (8.5). The greater strength of acid released more amounts of an element from the soil. This study indicated a distinct alteration in the composition of soil by acidification practice.