For measurement of exchangeable cations different methods have been suggested but the usual method is using ammonium acetate for extracting exchangeable cations. The problem is that addition of ammonium acetate to soil maybe dissolve the Ca and Mg of calcite and dolomite in soil and subsequently it makes overestimation of measurement.
To ovecome this issue, what is your suggestion? Please tell me your experiences and your comments
Thanks in advance
Feizi
Dear Morteza,
Instead of ammonium acetate, you should use sodium acetate solution adjusted to pH 8.2 in calcareous soils to prevent CaCO3 dissolution. You cannot adjust pH of ammonium acetate solution to 8.2 because of ammonia (NH3) volatilization, pH of ammonium acetate solution is not buffered at 8.2, and a decrease in pH causes the dissolution of CaCO3 and overestimation of exchangeable calcium.
Kind regards
Arzhang
Dear Arzhang
Thanks for your reply
Do you have any references for this procedure?
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