Chemical weathering in hardened volcanic horizons (tepetates) of the State of Mexico

Abstract

Weathering is one of the most important phenomena that affect the balance dynamics of the Earth's crust. The chemical composition of soil samples and hardened horizons from seven profiles (P1 to P7) of the State of Mexico was compared to detect the degree of alteration by means of weathering indices. In hardened horizons, the dominant elements are SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, K2O and TiO2, corresponding to 86.8 % of the total oxides. The weathering indices based on the mobility and immobilization of alkaline and alkaline earth elements reveal that the B horizons and the hardened horizons of profiles P4, P5, P6 and P7 are generally more altered than the surface horizons, therefore they have a greater pedogenic development. Profiles P1, P2 and P3 show incipient weathering. The geochemical indices and chemical relationships used in this study to evaluate weathering and associated basic alteration processes showed consistent results. These coincide in indicating incipient to moderate weathering acting in the seven profiles, with variable intensity in all the hardened horizons. The intensity variation defines a sequence of chemical weathering for the hardened horizons: P6> P4> P5> P7> P2> P3> P1, where P6 has the highest degree of weathering in the indices: CIA, CPA, CIA-K, CIW, PIA,IPark, V.