Soil Titratable Acidity to pH = 7 by Filtering the Extract and Controlling the pH with Electrode

Abstract

Whwn measuring the titratable acidity to pH=7 (AT_pH7) the soil is placed down with a buffer solution of pH=7 and the amount of acidity released is quantified with alkali. There is no comparative information about different analytical methods used in Uruguay. The AT_pH7 was measured by three methods: a) the mixture calcium acetate:soil was stirred and allowed a 16 hours rest, the extraction was filtered, and titration at pH = 7 was controlled by electrode (AT_pH7_fil); b) the same as the previous method, but after a 16 hours rest the supernatant was titrated unfiltered (AT_pH7_sob); c) four successive extractions with barium acetate buffered to pH = 7 were done, the extract was filtered and titrated to pH = 7 using phenolphthalein (AT_pH7fen) as an indicator. The AT_pH7fen values were considered as reference. When comparing AT_pH7_sob with AT_pH7_fil the first were considered as reference values. The fit between AT_pH7_fil and AT_pH7_sob was satisfactory. The average difference was 0.36 meq.100g^-1 but differences from -1.00 to 1.70 meq.100g^-1 were observed. There was no bias in the differences. Some sources of acidity may have remained in the sediment and were not evaluated when titrating the supernatant. The AT_pH_fil overestimated the average AT_pHfen values in 0.73 meq.100g¹. The average values of AT_pH_sob and AT_pHfen did not differ. The samples had the same classification according to their base saturation regardless of the method used. Neither the measurement of pH = 7 with electrode instead of phenolphthalein, nor the longest extraction time, or the use of calcium acetate as extractant introduced significant errors of interpretation. The AT_pH_fil method had acceptable precision and accuracy.