Soil Analysis for Salt-affected soil

Soil Saturated Paste

Apparatus:

beaker

Spatula

Distilled water

Procedure for soil saturated paste:

250g air dry soil (< 2mm) was taken in 500ml beaker. In beaker 25% distilled water
of total soil weight was added and allow the paste to stand for overnight. In the next
morning, stirring the beaker contents carefully with spatula and continue addition of
water until paste was prepared. Soil paste was followed the following characteristics:

1. Soil Paste was reflecting light,

2. No free water on the surface of paste was present
3. When paste was taken on spatula it was free falling from spatula.

pH of Soil Paste

The pH of the soil paste was taken with pH meter. Before the analysis, pH meter was
calibrated with buffer solutions having pH 7 and pH 9.2. After the calibration of pH
meter, electrode of the pH meter was dipped in the soil paste and noted the reading
showed on then measured the pH of the soil paste.

Saturation percentage
Some known amount of soil paste was taken in china dish. Weight of china dish
included soil paste was noted and considered as a fresh weight of paste. After that
paste was oven dried at 1050c till constant temperature. When constant
temperature was obtained than again noted the weight of saturated paste and
considered as dry weight.

Example:

China dish weight = 60g

China dish + Soil Paste Weight=115g
China dish + oven dry weight=101g
China dish - Soil Paste Weight(Fresh Weight)=55g

China dish – oven dry weight(dry weight)=41g

Saturation paste was calculated by using following formula:

Fresh weight−Ovendry weight

𝑆𝑃 = X100
Oven dry weight

55−41
SP= X100 = 34%
41

Soil saturated extract

Extract was taken from the soil paste by applying positive pressure with the help of
air pump.

Electrical conductivity of saturated extract

Ec of extract was measured with the help of Ec meter. Ec meter was calibrated with
0.001N KCl solution before the analysis. After calibration electrode of EC meter
was dipped in the soil paste extract and measured the EC.

Soluble CO3

Soluble CO3 was determined by using 10ml soil saturated paste extract. This extract
was taken in conical flask and add 2 drops of phenolphthalein as an indicator. Pink
color developed after adding indicator. This solution was titrated it against 0.01N
H2SO4, till colorless end point. The volume of H2SO4 used to change the color was
noted. Soluble CO3 was calculated by using following formula:

2(ml of H2SO4 used) x N of H2SO4

Soluble CO3 (mmolcL-1) = x 1000
ml of extract taken

Soluble HCO3

Soluble HCO3 was determined with same sample which used for Soluble CO3
determination and add 2 drops of methyl orange. This solution was titrated against
0.01N H2SO4 (Sulfuric acid) until orange color changed into pinkish yellow end
point. The volume of H2SO4 used was noted. Soluble HCO3 was calculated by using
following formula:

(R2−R1) x N of H2SO4
Soluble HCO3 (mmolcL-1) = x 1000
ml of extract taken

Where,

R1=ml of H2SO4 used in CO3

R2= ml of H2SO4 used in HCO3

Soluble Cl-

Soluble Cl- was determined in same sample which used for Carbonate and
Bicarbonate and added 2 drop of potassium chromate as an indicator. This solution
was titrated against 0.01N AgNO3 (Silver Nitrate) until color changes from yellow
to brick red. The volume of AgNO3 used was noted. Soluble Cl was calculated by
using following formula:

mL of AgNO3 used used x N of AgNO3

Cl- (mmolcL-1) = x1000
ml of extract taken

Soluble SO4

Soluble SO4 was calculated by using following formula:

SO4 (mmolcL-1)= TSS – (CO3+HCO3+Cl)

Soluble Ca + Mg

Soluble Ca + Mg was calculated by titration method. 10ml of soil saturated paste

extract was used. This extract was taken in conical flask and 15 drops of buffer
(NH4cl +NH4OH) and 2 drops of EBT indicator was added in 10ml extract. And
immediately titrated this sample against 0.01N EDTA until purple color changed
into bluish green. The volume of EDTA used to change the color was noted. Soluble
Ca +Mg was calculated by using following formula:

ml of EDTA used x N of EDTA

Soluble Ca + Mg = X1000
ml of extract taken
Sodium Adsorption Ratio

Sodium Adsorption Ratio was calculated by using following formula:

Na
SAR =
√Ca+Mg/2

Residual Sodium Carbonate

Residual Sodium Carbonate was calculated by using following formula:

RSC=(HCO3 + CO3) –(Ca + Mg)