Translocation of Hydrophobic Substances into Soil by Burning Organic Litter

Unknown hydrophobic substances were vaporized in surface layers of litter and water repellent soil by an imposed heat treatment. The vaporized substances moved downward and condensed in different test soils where they produced a water repellent layer. The thickness of the water repellent layer in the underlying test soil increased as per cent soilt and clay decreased. The thickest and most intensely water repellent layer was produced in a uniform 35-mesh sand. The effect of texture on water repellency was attributed to large differences in specific surfaces of the soils which ranged from 0.0077 to 55 m²/g. The induced water repellency was not directly related to a given amount of organic matter translocated by the heat treatment. Generally, however, the degree of water repellency increased as the amount of translocated organic matter increased in a given test soil.