Relações da matéria orgânica com a hidrofobicidade do solo

Abstract

Soil hydrophobicity can be conceptually defined as soil repellency to water and is associated with the covering of soil particles by hydrophobic organic substances which interact with mineral particles and pores in a complex way, making soil wetting difficult. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the biochemical composition of vegetation, physical and chemical properties of soil organic matter fractions and their relationships to the occurrence and degree of soil hydrophobicity; (ii) analyze the effects of hydrophobic compounds at different intensities on sorptivity and water retention curve; (iii) measure and monitor the effects of variation of soil temperature and water content on the variability of the degree of soil hydrophobicity during a drying cycle. Soil samples were collected from different soil classes in the Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina States, southern Brazil. From the 0-5, 5-10 and 10-15 cm soil layers, undisturbed samples (in blocks) were collected for the determination of sorptivity while preserved samples were collected using core samplers (volume of 47 cm³) for the evaluation of water retention curve, soil bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity and microporosity. From these layers, deformed samples were also collected for soil chemical and physical characterization. However, part of the samples used for the determination of water retention curves were previously subjected to sequential chemical extraction with acetone and a solution of isopropanol:ammonia to remove hydrophobic compounds. Soil carbon analysis consisted of determination of total organic carbon, physical (> 53μm and <53μm), and chemical (fulvic and humic acids and humin) fractions. Water and ethanol sorptivity was determined using tension micro-infiltrometer. Hydrophobicity was evaluated by comparing water and ethanol sorptivity values and soil-water contact angle was calculated from the hydrophobicity index. The effect of temperature was measured using PVC cylinder (785 cm³) constructed with disturbed samples from different soils, wetted and dried under different temperatures (20, 45 and 70 °C) and the hydrophobicity was determined using the water droplet penetration time method. Hydrophobicity had an intimate relationship with soil organic carbon content, mainly organic compounds accumulated in physical fractions <53 μm and chemical fraction humin, indicating that hydrophobic compounds are highly recalcitrant and are strongly associated with silt and clay fractions, forming stable organo-mineral complexes, and at the same time, covering all or part of surfaces of mineral particles or aggregates. The existence of these hydrophobic compounds caused changes in sorptivity and soil-water contact angle, directly affecting capillary and soil water retention curve, and reduced the volume of water retained at lower potentials. The heating of the soil at temperatures at or below 45 °C did not alter the intensity of hydrophobicity but there were changes when soil temperature exceeded 70 °C or when the soil moisture was drastically reduced.