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Potassium
Potassium
90%
Non exchangeable K
Exchangeable K soil solution
Fig: Relative properties of the total soil-K in unavailable, slowly available &
readily available forms.
• Briefly describe the fractionation
Question:
procedure of soil K.
Or, describe the procedures for the
determination of different forms of K
Or, how would you fractionate &
characterize the soil-K
Answer: it has been done from chemical point of view. Soil-
K is generally believed to exist in five forms/fractions/categories:
Categories Extractant
1. water soluble Deionized water
2. readily exchangeable –K (Krex) 1N NH4OAC(pH 7.0)
3.Difficultly exchangeable-K (Kdex) 1N HNO3(hot)
4.Lattice-K (KL) 1N HCl (conc.)
5.Inert potassium (Ki) relatively HF acid + HClO4 acid digestion
mixture
3. Difficultly exchangeable- K:
Difficultly exchangeable K is the fixed-K in the
interlayer spaces of the clay minerals such as illite, vermiculite. Non-
exchangeable or fixed K is often determined by extraction with a strong
acid such as 1N boiling nitric acid (HNO3). Upon nitric acid extraction,
the H+ of the HNO3 enters into the interlayer space & replaces the K+ by
breaking down the layer & thus K is emerged from the interlayer space of
the clay minerals.
So, Non exchangeable K = 1N HNO3 extractable-K -1N NH4OAC
extractable –K
Difficultly exchangeable K in Bangladesh soil ranges
between 119-2465ppm. This difficultly exchangeable K is not readily
available to plants.
4. Lattice-K (KL):
K presents as a part of structure of the mineral is known
as lattice K. potassium located at the interlayer throughout the mineral
lattice are feldspar. These lattice- K is extracted by 1NHCl.
So, Lattice-K = 1N HCl (conc.) extractable-K- 1N HNO3 (Hot) extractable-
K
In Bangladesh soil, lattice-K ranges between 330-2776ppm.
Si
Si
Al Al
Si
K+ Si
Ca+2, Na+, Mg2+ K+ K+ K+ K+
Si
Si
Al Al
Si
Si
+
Fig: Substitution of K between interlayer space.
b. Hole theory:
According to ‘lattice hole theory’ of page & Baver
(1940), cation fixation is related to the size of the cation as well as to the
kind of fixing material. The generally accepted idea is that the exposed
surface & surfaces between sheets of three layer (2:1) type minerals consist
of oxygen ions, arranged hexagonally.
The opening within the hexagon is equal to the diameter
of an oxygen ion (approximately 2.8 Aº). Ions having a diameter of this
magnitude (e.g. K+) will fit snugly into the lattice holes & such ions will be
held very tightly as they come in contact with the negative electrical charges
within the crystal. Owing to this, the layers are bound together, thus
preventing dehydration & re-expansion of the lattice.
Exchangeable
M m
fixed
B
M m
B
Fig: Schematic Pictures of the structure of
vermiculite (Collapsed lattice of vermiculite after K+ Saturation.)
Here, B= Brucite layer
Cations larger than 2.8 Aº cannot enter the cavities.
Answer:
There are several factors that affect the K fixation in
soils. These are-
1. Content & types of clay minerals
2. Soil reaction (pH).
3. Concentration of added K
4. Concentration of added NH4+
5. Wetting and drying
6. Freezing and thawing
7. Time
8. Moisture
9. Temperature
10.The presence of excess lime
11.Particle size
These factors are briefly described below:
1. Content & types of clay minerals:
The ability of the various soil colloids to fix K varies
widely. Kaolinite and other 1:1 type clays fix very little amount of K. on the
other hand clays of the 2:1 type such as vermiculite, fine grained mica
(illite), & smectite fix K very readily & in large quantities. Even silt sized
fractions of some micaceous minerals fix & subsequently releases K.
K+ ions are attracted between layers in the negatively
charged clay crystals. The tendency for fixation is greatest in minerals where
the major source of negative charge is in the silica tetrahedral sheet.
Consequently vermiculite has a greater fixing capacity than montmorillonite.
2. Soil Reaction (pH):
Under acid conditions, the fixation of K+ in soil is low
due to the presence of Al3+, aluminium-hydroxy cations (e.g. Al(OH)+2 &
their polymers, because these cations occupy the exchange sites of the
colloid.
When acid soils are limed, exchangeable Al3+ & hydroxy
aluminium cations such s Al (OH)2+ are converted to insoluble Al(OH)3. This
change removes the Al3+ from cation exchange competition with K+, & it
frees blocked binding sites so that K+ can compete with Ca2+ with Ca2+ for
them. As a consequence, much greater amounts of K+ can be held by clay
colloids. So, it can be said that K+ fixation increases with the increase of pH
which is shown in the figure.
30
(K fixation(%)
24
18
12
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
pH
30
(K fixation (%)
24
18
12
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
pH
Commercial
Fertilizers
Plant residues
& slowly available
Animal manures potassium minerals
Available
Soil K
K+