EVT 533

EXPERIMENT : SOIL pH and ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY

NAME NURUL NURIANI BINTI KHAIRULAMR

STUDENT ID 2017355853

GROUP AS229-2A

LECTURE NAME MADAM ISMANIZA ISMAIL

DATE OF EXPERIMENT 12TH OCTOBER 2018

DATE OF SUBMISSION 19TH OCTOBER 2018

OBJECTIVES

1. To determine soil pH of two soil samples based on standard method.

2. To identify the soil acidity and hydrogen ion concentration based on the measured pH.
3. To determine electrical conductivity of two different types of soil suspension.
4. To compare the electrical conductivity and amount of soluble (salts) ions in the soil of two
soils of different types.
5. To identify USDA soil class based on the conductivity data.

INTRODUCTION

pH is defined as -log [H+]. Concentration of H+ ions is depends on the electrode of pH meter in

contact with hydrogen ions of the sample under test, acquires an electrical potential. The pH scale
value is from 0 to 14. Which is below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral and above 7 is basic in nature. The
smaller the number on the pH scale, the stronger the acidity of a substance. Soil pH is a master
variable that affect wide range of soil properties like chemical, biological and even physical. pH
meter is to determine if the soil is acidic or alkaline by using pH meter.

The one of the essential properties that affect crop productivity, soil texture, cation exchange
capacity (CEC), drainage of organic matter, salinity, and the subsoil characteristics is electrical
conductivity. A very poor conductor of electric current is pure water. Electrical conductance which
is reciprocal of resistance, is measured for salinity appraisal. The EC of the soil varies depending
on the amount of moisture held by the soil particles. The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of a solution
is a measure of the ability of the solution to conduct electricity and is reported in either millimhos
per centimeter or the equivalent decisiemens per meter. When ions which is salts are present, the
EC of the solution increases. The EC will low if no salts are present in solution so that it does not
have a conduct electricity well.
PROCEDURES

Soil pH

1. The surface soil sample about 0 – 10 cm and subsurface soil samples about 10 - 20 cm was
collected from uncultivated soil within the university campus. The soil samples were perceived
to have different pH values. The collected samples separately air dried for 1 hour under the
sun, and sieved using 2 mm siever.
2. 25 g air dried soil (< 2 mm) was weight onto a 50 mL glass beaker.
3. 50 mL DI water was added by used graduated cylinder.
4. The soil solution was mixed and allow to stand 30 minutes.
5. The suspension was stirred every 10 min.
6. After 1 hour, the suspension was stirred and was putted the combined electrode in suspension
about 3 cm deeper. The reading was taken after 30 s and the data was recorded in table 4.1.
7. The combined electrode was removed from the suspension, and rinsed thoroughly with DI
water in a separate beaker and carefully dried excess water with a tissue.

Electrical Conductivity

1. 10 g air dried soil was weighed onto a beaker and 50 mL of DI water was added. Shake the
soil solution at 15 rpm for 1 hour.
2. The suspension was filtered using a round Whatman No.30 filter paper, fitted in the Buchner
funnel and connected to vacuum pump. The filtration was continued until the soil on the
Buchner funnel starts cracking.
3. The conductivity meter was calibrated by using KCI reference solution to obtain the cell
constant.
4. The cell was rinsed thoroughly and measured the electrical conductivity of 0.01 M KCI at the
same temperature as the soil suspensions.
5. The clean filtered was transferred into 50 mL bottle and the conductivity was measured using
the calibrated conductivity meter.
6. Removed the conductivity cell from the filtration and rinsed thoroughly with DI water and
carefully dried excess water with tissue. The data was recorded at in table 4.2.
RESULTS

Table 4.1 : Weight of soil (g), volume of added DI water (mL) and pH of soil suspension

Soil 1 Soil 2
Parameters Black soil Red soil
Weight of soil (<2mm) 25.00 25.00
Volume of deionized water (mL) 50 50
pH (at 25 ℃) 7.02 7.56

Table 4.2 : Soil weight (g), conductivity of 0.01N KCI (ds/m), measured EC of the soil
suspension (S)(ds/m), EC25 (dS/m) and USDA class for soil samples.
Soil 1 Soil 2
Parameters Black soil Red soil
1 2 Average 1 2 Average
Weight of soil (g) 10.03 10.00 10.02 10.09 10.03 10.06
Conductivity of 1.413 1.413
0.01N (dS/m)
K (µS/cm) 1413 1413
K (dS/m) 1.413 1.413
S (µS/cm) 49.2 57.7 53.4 31.5 32.4 32.0
S (dS/m) 0.0492 0.0577 0.0534 0.0315 0.0324 0.0320
EC25 (dS/m) 0.0492 0.0577 0.0534 0.0315 0.0324 0.0320
USDA Class A A A A A A
CALCULATION

µS/cm to dS/m = 1.0 x 10-5

1 cm to m = 1.0 x 10-2

1 µ𝑠 1 𝑐𝑚 10^−5
49.2 x x 𝑥 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟗𝟐
𝑐𝑚 10^−2 1µ𝑠
SOIL 1 µ𝑠 1 𝑐𝑚 10^−5
2 57.7 x x 𝑥 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝟕𝟕
(Black soil) 𝑐𝑚 10^−2 1µ𝑠
Average µ𝑠 1 𝑐𝑚 10^−5
53.4 x x 𝑥 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝟑𝟒
𝑐𝑚 10^−2 1µ𝑠
1 µ𝑠 1 𝑐𝑚 10^−5
31.5 x x 𝑥 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟏𝟓
𝑐𝑚 10^−2 1µ𝑠
SOIL 2 2 µ𝑠 1 𝑐𝑚 10^−5
32.4 x x 𝑥 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟐𝟒
(Red soil) 𝑐𝑚 10^−2 1µ𝑠
Average µ𝑠 1 𝑐𝑚 10^−5
32.0 x x 𝑥 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟐𝟎
𝑐𝑚 10^−2 1µ𝑠

𝒅𝑺 𝑺 𝒙 𝟏.𝟒𝟏𝟑
EC25 ( )=
𝒎 𝑲

1 0.0492 𝑥 1.413
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟗𝟐
1.413
SOIL 1
(Black soil) 2 0.0577 𝑥 1.413
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝟕𝟕
1.413
Average 0.0534 𝑥 1.413
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝟑𝟒
1.413
1 0.0315 𝑥 1.413
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟏𝟓
1.413
SOIL 2 2 0.0324 𝑥 1.413
(Red soil) = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟐𝟒
1.413
Average 0.0320 𝑥 1.413
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟐𝟎
1.413
DISCUSSION

In this experiment, the two soil samples which were black and red soil was analyzed their pH and
electrical conductivity. pH measurement is important because it is predictor of various
characteristics activities within the soil. Having a correct pH is important for healthy plant growth
as it will affects the amount of nutrient available to plants ( Aini et. all 2014).

From the results, it shows both sample soils were range in neutral value which is 7. Black soil had
pH value 7.02 which is neutral and red soil had pH 7.50 which is moderately alkaline. In this case
it showed that both soil samples have less H+ concentration in soils. So, it can be concluded that
phosphorus and most micronutrients except boron and molybdenum were tend to decrease in red
soil than black soil. Black soil supposed have acidic pH because their organic matter is higher than
red soil. It may occurred some error which is systematic error when handling the pH meter and
preparation of soil solution.

If pH of soils was 2, so the H+ concentration was 0.01 M. It calculated by this formula :

pH = - log [H+]

− 𝑝𝐻
= [H+]
𝑙𝑜𝑔

10-ph = [H+]

10-2 = [H+]

[H+] = 0.01 M

If in ppm it used this formula :

µ𝑔 25.00 𝑋 10^6
=
𝐿 50

= 500,00 µg/L

Soil exchangeable pH was different in texture loam and sandy soil is based on cation exchange
capacity (CEC). Rayment and Higginson (1992) concluded that, the main ions associated
with CEC in soils are the exchangeable cations calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+)
and potassium (K+), and are generally referred to as the base cations. Base saturation is defined as
the percentage of the soil exchange sites (CEC) occupied by basic cations, such as potassium (K),
magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na) (www.agsourcelaboratories.com , 2018). As the
base saturation increases, soil cation nutrients become more soluble or available. Acid rain was
defined as any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall
to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms. Goulding (2016) defined that soil
acidification is caused by a number of factors including acidic precipitation and the deposition
from the atmosphere of acidifying gases or particles, such as sulphur dioxide, ammonia and nitric
acid. Soil acidification by acid rain is more problematic in unmanaged forest than land in managed
agricultural land is because in unmanaged forest not have a fertilizer that control the acid
composition. In agricultural land it used limestone which is calcium carbonate to reduce the acid
precipitation.

Electrical conductivity (EC) of soils is depend on the amount of moisture held by the soil particles.
EC indicator is to analyzed the presence or absence of salts in soil but does not indicates which
salt might be present. Kitchen et. All (2005) proved that soil electrical conductivity can serve as a
soil quality indicator for soil productivity when they are found that EC and soil properties were
correlated with yield and somehow depending on the precipitation rates.

From the results, it shows that black soil is higher EC than red soil. Black soil had 0.0534 dS/m
and red soil had 0.0320 dS/m. It can be concluded when the probe is immersed in the solution,
ions contained in the solution will permit electrical flow from one electron to another. Black soil
had a large number of ions present which is salty conditions so that it have higher EC that red soils.
USDA class for both samples is A which is sensitive soils.

From this experiment safety must be care like use gloves when handling the soil, hand must be
dried because use the electronic pH meter and EC meter. Most problems occurred when reading
pH usually originate with faulty electrode. Systematic error was occurred when the apparatus used
is not calibrate. Low or inadequate power supply will result in accurate pH readings.

pH meter is sensitive electronic device, so the ball should not to be touched nor allowed to dry.
Improper handling like bumps, hot dash-board storage or solution spills can damage the pH meter.

In conclusions, pH value of soils will affecting the electrical conductivity of soils.

CONCLUSION

The black and red soil samples was determined their pH with pH meter. Black soil had a neutral
pH which is 7.02 and red soils moderately alkaline which is 7.56. Next, the electrical conductivity
of black and red soil was determined by electrical conductivity meter. Black soil have a higher
amount of salt as it have 0.0534 dS/m than red soils 0.0320 dS/m. Lastly both soil samples is A
type of USDA class.

REFERENCES
Aini, N., Ezrin, M., H., and Aimrun, W. (2014). Relationship between Soil Apparent Electrical
Conductivity and pH value of Jawa Series in Oil Plam Plantation. Journal of Agriculture
and Agricultural Science Procedia. 2, 199-206.

Goulding, K., W., T. (2016). Soil acidification and the importance of liming agricultural soils

with particular reference to the United Kingdom. Journal of US National Library of

Medicine National Health. 32 (3), 390-399.

Jung, W.K., Kitchen, N.R., Sudduth, K.A., Kremer, R.J., Motavalli, P.P. (2005). Relationship of
Apparent Electrical Conductivity to Claypan Soil Properties. Soil Science Society of
America, 69, 883-892.