Premium
Base Exchange Capacity Determination as Influenced by Nature of Cation Employed and Formation of Basic Exchange Salts
Author(s) -
Bower C. A.,
Truog E.
Publication year - 1941
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1941.036159950005000c0016x
Subject(s) - citation , base (topology) , cation exchange capacity , library science , session (web analytics) , section (typography) , computer science , chemistry , sociology , soil water , world wide web , mathematics , geology , soil science , mathematical analysis , operating system
BASE EXCHANGE CAPACITY DETERMINATION AS INFLUENCED BY NATURE OF CATION EMPLOYED AND FORMATION OF BASIC EXCHANGE SALTS C. A. BOWER AND E. TRuoo IT was previously noted (i) that the base exchange capacity of bentonite, when determined by means of divalent cations, is significantly higher than when determined by means of monovalent cations. Results obtained with monovalent cations were in good agreement while those obtained with divalent cations gave increasingly higher values with decrease in strength of the base which is formed by the respective cations. For example, beryllium, the weakest base-former of the group tested, gave a result approximately double that obtained with the monovalent cations. Since many divalent cations form basic salts with common weak acids, it was postulated that the higher results obtained were due to the formation of a basic salt with the weak clay acid to a varying degree, depending upon the strength of the base whichthe cation in question forms. The purpose of the present study was to investigate this hypothesis further. As a means of further studying the influence of nature of cation on results obtained inbase exchange capacity determinations, the exchange capacity of the clay fraction (particles <2 micron diameter) of Miami silt loam and of a montmorillonite sample from Mississippi was determined by means of fifteen different monoand polyvalent cations. The cations involved were (a) monovalent group consisting of hydrogen, sodium, potassium, and ammonium; and (b) polyvalent group consisting of barium, strontium, calcium, magnesium, beryllium, copper, manganese, zinc, ferric iron, lanthanum, and thorium. Results with ammonium, calcium, and magnesium were also obtained for a variety of other clays.