Students should have been previously enrolled in a graduate level course in Inorganic chemistry, and Organic chemistry.
Verification tests of learning in progress. For those who do not pass all the tests during the course, the exam will consist of an oral test on the whole program.
Fundamental knowledge of the chemical composition of soil materials. Knowledge of the physical and chemical factors affecting soil reactivity. Concepts of soil fertility and soil conservation. Practice on soil sampling and testing.
Soil Minerals: Phyllosilicates. Oxides. Hydroxides. Organic components: Soil organic matter. Soil humic substances. Formation of humic substances. Properties of humic substances. Extraction of soil organic matter. Determination of humic substances. Characteristics of soil solution. Precipitation/dissolution. Soil physico-chemical properties. Soil texture. Soil structure. The soil/solution interface. Surface charge. Double layer theory. Adsorption/desorption. Surface exchange reactions . Cation exchange. Anion Exchange. Cation exchange capacity (CEC). Zero points of charge. Soil acidity. The nature of soil acidity. Soil pH. Acid/base properties and buffering. Complex equilibria. Carbonate system. Liming to adjust soil pH. A quantity approach to ion availability. Iron chemistry. Phosphorus chemistry. Cycle of soil nitrogen. Evaluation of fertility status. Pollution problems.
P. Sequi Chimica del Suolo, Patron Editore, Bologna.
McBride M.B.: Environmental Chemistry of Soils, Oxford University Press,1994.
Lectures and Laboratory: Soil sampling. Soil texture determination. Soil acidity measurement. Soil organic matter determination. Humic acids extraction.
ECTS: 7 Course hours: 56 (Lectures: 40 h; Tutorials and laboratory: 16 h) Semester: 1st
Lecturer: Alba Pusino Contacts: pusino@uniss.it,: tel.: 079229219 Reception: daily, by prior e-mail appointment.
