[Terrapreta] Pottery Shards and CEC

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Kevin,

I don't believe that charcoal amendments to soil alone can increase CEC, but I am not positive.  I think the increase in CEC in charcoal amended soils is attributed to the ability of the charcoal to foster improved growth of the microorganism populations in the soil, which increases the organic matter content of the soil, which then increases the CEC.

You are right about clays, though.  They can increase the CEC of soil, too, but by varying degrees, depending upon the type of clay.  The clay does not need to be "fired" to do this, either.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kevin Chisholm<mailto:kchisholm at ca.inter.net> 
  To: lou gold<mailto:lou.gold at gmail.com> 
  Cc: Terrapreta preta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 2:13 AM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Pottery Shards and Terra Preta


  OK... Zeolites are known for their ability to enhance CEC, as is also 
  clay. Is it possible that the clay shards were acting as a CEC material 
  also? For example, firing of the clay for pottery could indeed have 
  activated it, so that it had the properties we attribute to char also... 
  high internal surface area, microporosity, and CEC capacity.
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