CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1. Time and Place of Implementation
This research starts from 01 July to 16 August 2014 and implemented in
Biofertilizer & Biocontrol Laboratory Institute of Bioproduct Development Universiti
Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru.
3.2. Tools and Materials
3.2.1. Tools
1) Siever
2) Moisture Analyzer
3) Conductometer
4) pH Meter
5) Spectrofotometer/photometer
6) Wash Bottle
7) Universal Bottle
8) Tissue
9) Topless
10) Filter Paper
11) Glass Funnel
12) Glass Rod
13) Beaker Glass
14) Measuring Cylinder
15) Micropipette + Tip
16) Erlenmeyer Flask
17) Analytical Balance
3.2.2. Materials
1) Deionized Water
2) Sawdust
3) Ricebran
4) Ricestraw
5) Sand (Sandy Soil)
6) 1 M Ammonium Acetate
7) Reagent Mg-1K and Reagent Mg-2K with reaction cell
8) Reagent Ca-1K and Reagent Ca-2K with reaction cell
3.3. Procedure
3.3.1. Sample Preparation
1) Sift the sawdust using the UTS of machine. After that, sifted the sand.
2) Collect sawdust and also sand with particle size 500-710 m.
3) Mixture deionized water and sand into universal bottle with ratio 1:5 (1
of sample and 4 of water) and let it during for a day. Do the same for
sawdust.
4) Weigh 250 g sand and each sawdust with weight 0.250 g, 0.625 g and
1.250 g. Mixture sand and each sawdust in topless then add 60 ml
deionized water.
5) Input the mixture of sand and each of sawdust into universal bottle with
ratio 1:5 (1 of sample and 4 of water) and let it during for a day.
3.3.2. Sample Preparation (Combine Ricebran and Sawdust)
1) Weigh 250 g sand, each of ricebran (with weight 2.5 g, 6.25 g and 12.5
g) and each of sawdust (with weight 0.250 g, 0.625 g and 1.250 g).
2) Mixture 250 gr sand with ricebran and sawdust in three topless (with
weight 2.5 g + 0.25 g, 6.25 g + 0.625 g, 12.5 g + 1.250 g) and give 100
ml deionized water then mixed well.
3) Input each the mixture of sand with ricebran and sawdust into universal
bottle with ratio 1:5 (1 of sample and 4 of water) and let it during for a
day.
3.3.3. Sample Preparation (Combine Ricestraw and Sawdust)
1) Weigh 250 g sand, each of ricestraw (with weight 0.250 g, 0.625 g and
1.250 g) and each of sawdust (with weight 0.250 g, 0.625 g and 1.250
g).
2) Mixture 250 gr sand with ricestraw and sawdust in three topless (with
weight 0.25 g + 0.25 g, 0.625 g + 0.625 g, 1.250 g + 1.250 g) and give
100 ml deionized water then mixed well.
3) Input each the mixture of sand with ricestraw and sawdust into
universal bottle with ratio 1:5 (1 of sample and 4 of water) and let it
during for a day.
3.3.3. Analysis of Moisture
1) For the analysis of sand moisture, take enough sand with particle size
500-710 m and measuring its moisture using the moisture analyzer
with basis 0.200 g. Wait until this tool read the moisture.
2) For the analysis of sawdust moisture, take enough sawdust with particle
size 500-710 m and measuring its moisture using the moisture
analyzer with basis 0.200 g. Wait until this tool read the moisture.
3) For the analysis of a mixture of sawdust and sand moistures, take
enough the mixture of sawdust and sand and measuring its moisture
using the moisture analyzer with basis 2.000 g. Wait until this tool read
the moisture.
3.3.4. Analysis of Conductivity, Resistance, Turbidity and Salinity
1) Activate conductometer with the button on/off and wait until the value
"0" occurs on the display or calibrate.
2) Clean the cell conductivity using deionized water and put into universal
bottle.
3) Set suitable range for the analysis of conductivity, resistance, turbidity
and salinity from sand and all sample. Then start measurements.
3.3.5. Analysis of pH
1) Activate pH meter with the button on/off and wait until the value pH
occurs on the display or calibrate
2) Clean the pH sensor using deionized water and put into universal bottle.
3) Wait until this tool read pH value.

3.3.6. Analysis of Exchangeable Cations (Mg and Ca)
1) Weigh 10 g of sawdust and pack into erlenmeyer flask.
2) Place 100 ml of 1M ammonium acetate reagent in measuring cylinder
then mixed with sawdust.
3) Pour a mixture of sawdust-ammonium acetate in a glass funnel fitted
with an outlet tube in flask, and invert over the sawdust leaching funnel
below.
4) Provided the end of the outlet tube is made slightly irregular, leaching
will continue smoothly until the flask is empty. This should take
between 1 to 2 hours.
5) Collect the leachates in a 100 ml volumetric flask, make up to volume
and set aside for the determination of magnesium and calcium.















3.4. Research Project Flow

Figure 3.1. Planning experiment of the soil conductivity research







Preparation of sample (sieving,
weighing and mixturing)
Analysis of conductivity,
resistance, turbidity, salinity and
pH with mixing sand and sawdust
Analysis of conductivity,
resistance, turbidity, salinity and
pH with mixing sand, ricebran and
sawdust
Analysis of conductivity,
resistance, turbidity, salinity and
pH with mixing sand, ricestraw
and sawdust
Analysis of Exchangeable Cations
(Mg and Ca)
Results (data and tabel)