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Conditioning of agricultural soils with fatty acid still pitch
Author(s) -
Paschke R. F.,
Nordgren Robert,
Wheeler D. H.
Publication year - 1957
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02670936
Subject(s) - soil water , cottonseed oil , distillation , environmental science , pulp and paper industry , cottonseed , polyelectrolyte , agronomy , chemistry , soil science , chromatography , food science , engineering , organic chemistry , biology , polymer
Summary Still pitch remaining after the commercial distillation of soy and cottonseed oil fatty acids may be an effective agent for improving the tilth of certain agricultural soils. It greatly increases the water‐holding capacity. Up to 98% of Boston blue clay was converted to water‐stable aggregates by 4% of pitch. One per cent of pitch (.02/1b.) gave 10.8% aggregation while 0.1% of Krilium ($1.47/1b.) gave 8.5%. The cost of soil conditioning with pitch is estimated to be only 15% of the cost in using synthetic polyelectrolytes. Possible methods of application and the use of pitch as a vehicle for trace elements are discussed. Toxicity to plants and effective life in the soil are not known. Field evaluation is urged.