The hydrogen-ion concentration of heavy alkaline soils

Abstract

(1) The colorimetric method is unsuited to the examination of heavy, alkaline soils owing to the turbidity of the suspension.(2) Where the nature of the suspension permits of colorimetric determinations being made, they agree with those obtained electrometrically: with the latter method practically identical results are obtained using soil-water mixtures or moderately clear extracts.(3) No disturbing effect is likely to be introduced by amounts of nitrate up to 500 parts per million of soil.(4) Owing to the effect on the pH of a soil suspension caused by varying the proportion of water and time of extraction, these conditions should be fixed for routine work. We have found 1 hour's extraction with 5 parts of water satisfactory.(5) On account of the amphoteric or buffer nature of clay, soil shifts the reaction of acids and alkalis in the direction of neutrality.(6) The effect of sodium salts on a soil is to displace aluminium and so reduce alkalinity: the residual soil after leaching is found to be more alkaline.(7) The effect of drying alkaline soil is to cause the pH of the extract to be lower than that obtained from the undried soil. If however the time of extraction is prolonged, the differences disappear almost entirely.