HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ben-Hur, M. Articles by Keren, R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Ben-Hur, M. Articles by Keren, R. Agricola Articles by Ben-Hur, M. Articles by Keren, R.

Polymer Effects on Water Infiltration and Soil Aggregation

Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel

*Corresponding author (vwmeni{at}volcani.agri.gov.il).

ABSTRACT

The effectiveness of synthetic polymers as soil conditioners was found to depend on polymer properties. We hypothesized that the polymer penetration and movement into the aggregate are important factors in reduction of surface sealing. The effect of nonionic (P-101), cationic (CP-14), and anionic [Complete Green (CG)] commercial polymers on infiltration rate (IR) and aggregate formation was studied in a sandy loam (Typic Rhodoxeralf). Amounts of 25, 50, and 75 kg ha^–1 of each polymer were spread across the soil surface. After air drying, the surface was subjected to 68 mm of distilled water with impact energy of 18.1 J mm^–1 m^–2 using a rainfall simulator. Soil particle association was studied in 10% (w/v) soil suspension with polymer concentration ranging from 0 to 50 g m^–3. Viscosity values 3.3 109, and 165 mPa s were determined in 5 g L^–1 of P-101, CP-14, and CG solutions at shear rate of 27 s^–1, respectively. The final IR values were 63 to 30 mm h^–1 at P-101, 18 to 24 mm h^–1 at CP-14, and 18 to 30 mm h^–1 at CG, compared with 8 mm h^–1 in untreated soil. The critical time values in suspensions with different concentrations of polymer were 4.3 to 2.7 min for P-101, 1.0 to 3.4 min for CP-14, and 1.0 min for CG. The critical time indicates the size of the aggregate formed in a suspension; the lower the critical time, the larger the aggregates. It was suggested that because the particle surfaces are exposed to polymer molecules in suspension, the large molecule of CG could tie more suspended particles to form aggregates. The greater effectiveness of P-101 in preventing sealing was probably due to its ability to penetrate into aggregates, because of its small molecular size and low viscosity in solution.

Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel.

Received for publication September 25, 1995.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. A. Ajwa and T. J. Trout Polyacrylamide and Water Quality Effects on Infiltration in Sandy Loam Soils Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., February 27, 2006; 70(2): 643 - 650. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. B. Mason, C. Amrhein, C. C. Goodson, M. R. Matsumoto, and M. A. Anderson Reducing Sediment and Phosphorus in Tributary Waters with Alum and Polyacrylamide J. Environ. Qual., October 12, 2005; 34(6): 1998 - 2004. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Yu, T. Lei, I. Shainberg, A. I. Mamedov, and G. J. Levy Infiltration and Erosion in Soils Treated with Dry PAM and Gypsum Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 1, 2003; 67(2): 630 - 636. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Heller and R. Keren Anionic Polyacrylamide Polymers Effect on Rheological Behavior of Sodium-Montmorillonite Suspensions Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 1, 2002; 66(1): 19 - 25. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Ben-Hur Soil Conditioner Effects on Runoff and Potato Yield under Sprinkler Irrigation Agron. J., September 1, 2001; 93(5): 1156 - 1163. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]