Potassium determination by slurry technique

Abstract

A variety of soil types (lime, clay, sandy-clay-loam, stream-deposits, and sandstone) were analysed by the slurry technique. The samples were dried, homogenized, ground, sieved, weighed, suspended in nitric acid solution and calibrated against aqueous standards. The results obtained by this technique were then compared with those from digested samples of the same soil. In order to establish optimum conditions for the slurry method, the following variables were studied: slurry concentration, acid concentration, aspiration rate, time and temperature of the ultrasonic agitation bath. The results have shown that only for soils with a high content of silicon oxide are there significant differences between the two methods.