Determination of cation exchange capacity of soils using ammonia and chloride electrodes

Abstract

Abstract Ammonia and chloride electrodes were used to measure cation exchange capacity (C.E.C.) on a selection of Victorian soils. The C.E.C. values obtained using these electrodes correlated closely with the values obtained using established titrimetric procedures. The electrode method is preferred for subsequent soil studies because it is rapid, simple and less expensive, whereas titrimetric analyses require separate determination of ammonia and chloride ion which involve preparation of numerous reagents and standards. Key words: Ammonia electrodechloride electrodecation exchange capacity