The chemistry of the soil solution can be regarded as an indicator of the presence of nutrients or contaminants in the soil. To evaluate the variation of this chemical composition in the soil pores, a sequential system of extraction of the soil solution from the different soil pore classes was used. Soil columns were constructed and filled with air-dried fine soil of a Dystrophic Ultisol, and irrigated with: distilled water (T1), treated wastewater (T2) and treated wastewater + 1.2 g L-1 CaSO4 (T3) at irrigation levels of 150 and 300 mm, added progressively (without leaching). Before and after irrigation the soil solution was extracted by applying successive tensions at the base of the columns: 0; -13.3; -26.7; -40.0 and -53.3 kPa, corresponding to the following soil pore classes: Ø > 76.2 µm; 44.6 < Ø < 76.2 µm; 29.6 < Ø > 44.6 µm; 25.2 < Ø < 29.6 µm and 23.26 < Ø < 25.2 µm. The pH, electrical conductivity, Na+, Ca2+, NO3-and NH4+ were analyzed. The variation in ionic concentrations within the pores was always similar, that is, 3 - 10 times higher in micropores (< 44.6 µm) than in macropores; (> 44.6 µm). The data were fitted to the linear model Y = a + b.log(X), where Y is the measured value and X the pore diameter, was significant, specially after applying 300 mm of water or wastewater. Although the nitrate micropore concentration exceeded the limit value [NO3-]lim for potable freshwater (Class 1), the low macropore concentration (always lower than [NO3-]lim/4) limited the contamination risk by leaching. Moreover, the addition of gypsum resulted in reduced nitrate and sodium concentrations.
soil porosity; treated wastewater; gypsum; nitrate; sodicity
