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Ion Chromatographic Determination of Sulfate and Nitrate in Soils¹

ABSTRACT

A simple and precise ion chromatographic (IC) method for determination of SO₄^2- and NO₃^- in soils is described. It involves determination of these anions in soil extracts by using a Dionex Model 10 Ion Chromatograph. An aliquot (2 ml) of soil extract is injected in the eluent stream (3.0mM NaHCO₃ + 1.8mM Na₂CO₃), and the anions are separated by an analytical column containing Dionex low-capacity anion-exchange resin in the HCO₃^- form and converted to the corresponding acids by a suppressor column containing a strong acid cation-exchange resin in the H⁺ form. Conductivity is used as the mode of detection. Results of SO₄^2- and NO₃^- in soils by the IC method agreed closely with those obtained by the methylene blue and steam-distillation methods, respectively. Tests indicated that S^2-, SO₃^2-, S₂O₃^2-, S₂O₅^2-, S₄O₆^2-, SCN^-, thiourea, glucose-6-sulfate, and p-nitrophenyl sulfate do not interfere in determination of SO₄^2-. Also, NO₂^- does not interfere in determination of NO₃^-. This method gives quantitative recovery of SO₄-S and NO₃-N added to soils (5–50 µg/g soil). The detection limit is 1 µg SO₄-S or NO₃-N/g soil (0.2 µg SO₄-S or NO₃-N/ml of soil extract). With the IC method, SO₄-S and NO₃-N can be determined simultaneously in about 10 min.

¹ Journal Paper J-9439 of the Iowa Agriculture & Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames, Iowa. Projects 2082 and 2112. Presented before Div. S-2, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Chicago, Ill., 6 Dec. 1978.

² Graduate Research Assistant and Professor of Soil Chemistry, respectively, Dept. of Agronomy, lowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.

Received for publication February 26, 1979. Accepted for publication May 7, 1979.

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