Release of iron oxide in red‐brown soil formation from the weathering of limestone. II.—Role of grass extract

• Published in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
• Main Author: Khan, D. H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1960
• Subjects: Carbonic acid
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.2740111106; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjsfa.2740111106; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jsfa.2740111106

Abstract An aqueous grass extract was allowed to react with powdered limestone rock under controlled laboratory conditions at room temperature. The solution mobilised iron from limestone, in amount about 100 times that released by carbonic acid leaching. It is suggested that the action of the aqueous extract of grass coupled with that of carbonic acid liberated by the ample amount of rainfall accounts for the release and mobilisation of iron oxide which results in the formation of red‐brown soil on limestone.