Index >> Microbes and Lithosphere>> Chemical Composition of Soil

Chemical Composition of Soil
Soil is mainly made up of oxygen (46.7%), silicon (27%), aluminium (8.1 %) and iron (5.0%). Plant nutrients like Ca, Mg, K, Na, P and S are present in the minerals and in the soil solution. O2, Si, and Al occur as constituents of minerals and as oxides. Fe occurs mainly in the form of oxides and ferromagnesium minerals. Ca occurs mainly in calcite, gypsum, apatite and dolomite. Mg is present mainly in dolomite and hornblend.

K occurs mainly in microcline and mica. P occurs as aluminium phosphate and calcium phosphate and in the organic form as phospholipids, inositol, choline, etc. N occurs mainly in the organic form as proteins, amino acids, etc. All micronutrients like Mo, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B occur in the inorganic form.