Application of Isotopic Dilution and Single-Step Extractions for Labile Soil Zinc Determination

Abstract

Concentration of available zinc from soils is the primary concern in assessment of its toxicity or essentiality for plants. This study evaluates the changes in chemical extractable Zn from three Slovak typical soils with simultaneous extractions as tools of zinc bioavailability. We found out that extractability of binding zinc decreased in order Na₂EDTA, Mehlich 3, Mehlich 2, NH₄NO₃ and CaCl₂ for all soil samples. Using flow-through stripping chronopotentiometry (SCP) and atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) we found out that maximum of soil zinc was removed by organic ligands. Lability of Zn determined by isotopic dilution method using ⁶⁵Zn and γ-spectrometry showed the significant decrease of isotopic exchangeable zinc fraction (E-value) with decrease of soil reaction. Obtained E-values of uppermost soil horizons showed the zinc lability ranged from 20 to 39%. Our research confirmed the effect of soil reaction, composition and physico-chemical characteristics to Zn lability. For further assessment of zinc bioavailability is needed to find the correlation and effects of structural changes and aging in studied soils.