Characterization of the porous structure of Chilean volcanic soils by nitrogen adsorption and mercury porosimetry

Pore volume, specific surface area (SSA), and total intragranular porosity (TIP) of Chilean soils derived from volcanic materials were studied. Soil samples involving the 0-15 and 15-30 cm depth of virgin and cultivated Collipulli (Ultisol) and Diguillin (Andisol) soils at two particle size fractions (<1 mm and <2 µm) were considered. From mercury porosimetry and N2 adsorption, mainly mesopores (pore diameter, dpore, about 10 nm) were determined for <1 mm Collipulli samples. Diguillin <1 mm soil shows macroporosity with dpore from 70 nm to 7000 nm. The clay fraction of Collipulli has macropores (dpore from 2000 nm to 40000 nm) and mesopores (dpore from 3 nm to 23 nm), while for Diguillin cl…