Inhibitory Effect of Soil Organic Matter on the Crystallization of Amorphous Ferric Hydroxide

Abstract

SOILS and sediments often contain large quantities of hydrous ferric oxide which, according to X-ray analysis, cannot be accounted for by crystalline forms of iron oxide. This is surprising in view of the fact that crystallization in vitro of freshly prepared amorphous ferric hydroxide to goethite or haematite is virtually complete after a few months or years, even at room temperature¹. Some recent experiments of a preliminary nature have led to a possible explanation of this discrepancy.