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The use of gypsum for preventing soil sodification: effect of gypsum particle size and location in the profile
Author(s) -
GOBRAN G. R.,
DUFEY J. E.,
LAUDELOUT H.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1982.tb01768.x
Subject(s) - gypsum , leaching (pedology) , soil water , cation exchange capacity , particle size , chemistry , soil science , particle (ecology) , sodium , mineralogy , environmental science , materials science , geology , metallurgy , oceanography , organic chemistry
Summary Laboratory studies were conducted on a mixture of surface soils from the Nile Delta (Egypt). Twenty‐two soil columns, initially saturated both with respect to their water‐holding capacity and to their base exchange capacity with calcium, contained 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 per cent solid gypsum in the total weight of the solid material in the column. Three particle sizes of gypsum (>0.5, 0.5–1 and 1–2 mm) were mixed either with the top layer or with the whole soil column. The result of leaching these columns with saline water (36 meq 1 −1 NaCl+4 meq 1 −1 CaCl 2 ) at 0.1 cm h −1 was compared with a mathematical model based on thermodynamic equilibria. The three different particle sizes gave the same experimental results. Applying a given amount of gypsum to the surface soil was more effective in reducing the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) than mixing the same quantity through the soil. The mathematical model adequately predicted the changes in the soil column.