Published

2017-10-01

Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau

Efecto de materiales nanocarbonados en la capacidad de retención de agua en suelos arenosos de la meseta de Loes

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15446/esrj.v21n4.66104

Keywords:

Soil-nano carbon mixture layer, infiltration process, soil water characteristic curves, available water content (en)
mezcla de suelo nanocarbonado, proceso de infiltración, relación agua-suelo, contenido disponible de agua (es)

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Authors

  • Beibei Zhou State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-Hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
  • Xiaopeng Chen

The poor water retention capacity of sandy soils commonly aggregate soil erosion and ecological environment on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Due to its strong capacity for absorption and large specific surface area, the use of nanocarbon made of coconut shell as a soil amendment that could improve water retention was investigated. Soil column experiments were conducted in which a layer of nanocarbon mixed well with the soil was formed at a depth of 20 cm below the soil surface. Four different nanocarbon contents by weight (0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1%) and five thicknesses of the nanocarbon- soil mixture layer ranging from 1 to 5 cm were considered. Cumulative infiltration and soil water content distributions were determined when water was added to soil columns. Soil Water Characteristic Curves (SWCC) were obtained using the centrifuge method. The principal results showed that the infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration increased with the increases of nanocarbon contents, to the thicknesses of the nano carbon-soil mixture layer. Soil water contents that below the soil-nano carbon layer decreased sharply. Both the Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten models could describe well the SWCC of the disturbed sandy soil with various nano carbon contents. Both the saturated water content (θs), residual water content (θr) and empirical parameter (α) increased with increasing nano carbon content, while the pore-size distribution parameter (n) decreased. The available soil water contents were efficiently increased with the increase in nanocarbon contents.

La poca capacidad de retención de agua en suelos arenosos es un factor determinante en la erosión del terreno y en el entorno ecológico de la meseta de Loes, en China. Debido a su capacidad de absorción y a su amplia superficie específica, se investigó el uso de materiales nanocarbonados hechos de cáscara de coco de forma que con la estabilización del suelo se pueda mejorar la retención de agua. Se realizaron experimentos con muestras tomadas en el área de estudio en las cuales se mezcló una capa de materiales nanocarbonados a una profundidad de 20 cms. Los análisis se realizaron a partir de cuatro parámetros establecidos por el contenido en peso de los materiales nanocarbonados (0 %, 0.1 %, 0.5 % y 1 %) y de cinco parámetros basados en el espesor de la mezcla de nanocarbonados con el suelo, que van de uno a cinco centímetros. Las distribuciones de infiltración acumulada y contenido de agua frente a material sólido se determinaron al añadir agua a las muestras de suelo. A través del método de centrifugación se obtuvieron las relaciones agua-suelo (SWCC, del inglés Soil Water Characteristic Curves). Los principales resultados muestran que el índice de infiltración y la infiltración acumulada aumenta con proporción directa a los contenidos nanocarbonados, al igual que crece el espesor de la capa mezclada del suelo con materiales nanocarbonados. Los contenidos de agua y suelo en la capa de suelo nanocarbonada se redujeron pronunciadamente. Los modelos de Brooks-Carey y van Genuchten describen las relaciones de agua-suelo en suelos arenosos irregulares con varios contenidos de nanocarbón. Tanto el contenido de saturación de agua (θs), como el contenido de agua residual (θr) y el parámetro empírico (α) aumentaron proporcionalmente con el contenido de nanocarbón, mientras que el índice de distribución de los poros (n) bajó. Los contenidos disponibles de agua y suelo se incrementaron eficientemente con el aumento de los contenidos nanocarbonados. 

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How to Cite

APA

Zhou, B. and Chen, X. (2017). Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau. Earth Sciences Research Journal, 21(4), 189–195. https://doi.org/10.15446/esrj.v21n4.66104

ACM

[1]
Zhou, B. and Chen, X. 2017. Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau. Earth Sciences Research Journal. 21, 4 (Oct. 2017), 189–195. DOI:https://doi.org/10.15446/esrj.v21n4.66104.

ACS

(1)
Zhou, B.; Chen, X. Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau. Earth sci. res. j. 2017, 21, 189-195.

ABNT

ZHOU, B.; CHEN, X. Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau. Earth Sciences Research Journal, [S. l.], v. 21, n. 4, p. 189–195, 2017. DOI: 10.15446/esrj.v21n4.66104. Disponível em: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/esrj/article/view/66104. Acesso em: 28 mar. 2025.

Chicago

Zhou, Beibei, and Xiaopeng Chen. 2017. “Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau”. Earth Sciences Research Journal 21 (4):189-95. https://doi.org/10.15446/esrj.v21n4.66104.

Harvard

Zhou, B. and Chen, X. (2017) “Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau”, Earth Sciences Research Journal, 21(4), pp. 189–195. doi: 10.15446/esrj.v21n4.66104.

IEEE

[1]
B. Zhou and X. Chen, “Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau”, Earth sci. res. j., vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 189–195, Oct. 2017.

MLA

Zhou, B., and X. Chen. “Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau”. Earth Sciences Research Journal, vol. 21, no. 4, Oct. 2017, pp. 189-95, doi:10.15446/esrj.v21n4.66104.

Turabian

Zhou, Beibei, and Xiaopeng Chen. “Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau”. Earth Sciences Research Journal 21, no. 4 (October 1, 2017): 189–195. Accessed March 28, 2025. https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/esrj/article/view/66104.

Vancouver

1.
Zhou B, Chen X. Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau. Earth sci. res. j. [Internet]. 2017 Oct. 1 [cited 2025 Mar. 28];21(4):189-95. Available from: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/esrj/article/view/66104

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