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A Rapid Field and Laboratory Procedure for Determining the Sodium Content of Soil¹

ABSTRACT

Rapid, field or laboratory, semiquantitative fluorometric methods for determining the exchangeable and soluble sodium contents in soils have been developed. Determinations on alkali soils can be completed in 15 minutes or less. The basis for the methods is the development of a green-yellow fluorescence upon addition of a uranyl zinc acetate solution to the soil or the water extract of the soil. The rate and intensity of fluorescence is measured using commercially available portable fluorescent equipment. Fluctuations in organic matter content, salt content, pH, and texture on the sodium content were without apparent effect. Potassium and phosphorus also do not interfere with the fluorescent determination of sodium.

Numerous soils ranging in exchangeable and soluble sodium contents from 0.1 to 18.1 and from 0.1 to 9.7 me. per 100 g. soil, respectively, were examined. These soils represented wide ranges of physical and chemical properties.

¹ Contribution from the Department of Agronomy, Nebraska Agr. Exp. Sta., Lincoln. Published with the approval of the Director as Paper No. 674, Journal Series of the Nebraska Agr. Exp. Sta. Originally presented before Div. II, Soil Sci. Soc. of America, St. Paul, Minn. Nov. 9, 1954. Research on the soluble sodium content of soils completed on April 21, 1958.

² Formerly Associate Professor of Agronomy and Assistant in Agronomy, respectively. Acknowledgement is hereby given to Mr. J. T. Maletic, formerly Regional Soil Scientist, and Mr. J. Madison, Soil Scientist, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colo., who assisted in the collection of the soil samples.

Received for publication April 22, 1958. Accepted for publication May 26, 1958.