Chelation

Chelation , also called complexation in soil science , is a chemical weathering process , more precisely a biochemical process in which metal ions are separated from their solids by binding to organic acids .

Without this process, various substances would be insoluble due to their resistance to weathering. During the process, metal-organic complexes, chelating acids, are formed, which arise from the decomposition products of plants (e.g. lichen ) and excretions from living roots. The chelation acts primarily on aluminum , iron and manganese .

literature

• Frank Ahnert: Introduction to Geomorphology. 3. Edition. UTB, ISBN 3-8252-8103-5
• Scheffer / Schachtschabel: Textbook of soil science. 16th edition. Spectrum, ISBN 978-3-8274-1444-1