Ultra-fine coatings on sediment grains influence nitrate and sulfate storage in soil

Tiny sediment grains are covered with a very fine-grained, complex mixture of minerals in an open fabric that results in a large surface area in contact with water between the grains. Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are studying this microscopic layer and finding that the mineral composition of these coatings on sediment grains in the unsaturated zone (i.e., between land surface and the water table) can have a substantial effect on the retention of nitrate and sulfate.

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