Soil geochemistry research
Contact person:
Dr. Péter Sipos
Within the framework of investigations into soil-heavy metal interactions, we examine the contribution of soil mineral constituents to the overall heavy metal adsorption capacity of soils. Particular emphasis is placed on elucidating the relationships between the mineralogical and geochemical properties of individual mineral particles and their capacity for heavy metal binding. Furthermore, we assess how the intimate association of phases actively involved in sorption processes (e.g., clay minerals and iron oxyhydroxides) within the soil matrix influences the relative contribution of individual phases to overall retention mechanisms.
In the context of research on pedogenic mineral formation and transformation processes, we investigate the mechanisms responsible for the accumulation of geochemically active mineral constituents (including iron oxyhydroxides, carbonates, and clay minerals) in hydromorphic soils. Special attention is given to the textural, morphological, mineralogical, and isotopic characteristics of ferromanganese nodules formed under fluctuating redox conditions, interpreted in relation to differing hydrological regimes. In addition, we examine the co-precipitation of ferromanganese and calcareous nodules along hydromorphic toposequences. Our research further addresses the extent to which the clay mineral assemblage of soils governs the accumulation and spatial distribution of iron and carbonate phases.