ACIDIC LEACHING OF A PODZOL BF HORIZON FROM THE PRECAMBRIAN SHIELD, ONTARIO, CANADA

Illuviated mineral horizons (Bf) from a Podzol on the Precambrian Shield, Ontario, Canada were collected, placed in columns and treated with distilled water, cation amended water, acidified water or cation and acid amended water over a 4-mo period. While the cation treatment had little effect relative to the control, the acid treatment removed large quantities of Al, Si and base cations. The source of the leached Al was primarily (approximately 70%) dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB) extractable Al, apparently some form of amorphous gibbsite. Organic Al (pyrophosphate extractable) contributed only about 20%. However, even more pronounced was a major within-column migration of oxalate extractable Al-Si, perhaps allophane or imogolite, which was leached from the top of the acidified columns and precipitated below. The weathering of primary minerals and possibly interlayer Al in vermiculite contributed little to the leaching of Al from the acidified columns.