Cation Exchange Modelling

The cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the capacity of the soil to retain, adsorb and exchange cations. This capacity is variable depending on the organic matter content, pH, textura, etc.., además, para similares capacidades de intercambio, la intensidad del mismo varía en función de la composición química del agua que atraviesa los diferentes horizontes y del agua de poro que encuentra en su camino, debido a que el intercambio se produce con la finalidad de llegar al equilibrio químico entre el agua de poro del suelo y el agua de riego. Es decir, cuanta más diferencia existe entre ambas aguas, mayor intercambio se produce. Por tanto, para similares capacidades de intercambio catiónico en un perfil de suelo, en los horizontes más superficiales se produce un intercambio más intenso que en los inferiores debido a que las diferencias son mayores entre estas aguas; en el horizonte  inferior el agua de riego ya ha comenzado a equilibrarse con el agua de poro del horizonte superior y por tanto las diferencias entre ambas aguas disminuyen conforme va aumentando la profundidad,  y así por tanto el intercambio catiónico.

The intensity of cation exchange of the different soil horizons is a function of the chemical differences between the soil pore water and the irrigation water that penetrates the soil.

The modelling of these phenomena can be carried out using hydrogeology software applied to sports surfaces, taking into account the chemical analysis of irrigation water and soil. Thus, Tiloom offers the modelling of the cation exchange that can occur in different soils irrigated with different waters, even modelling the temperature or CO2 production rates in the different seasons of the year.

See figure for an example of modelling two different soil profiles at a temperature of 8 °C (profile A from 0 to 10 cm and profile B from 10 to 20 cm, both with an edaphic atmosphere of 1% in the content of Soil CO2.

It is possible to quantify the exchange that takes place (a total of 10 times more milliequivalents/kg of soil in the upper horizon than in the lower horizon in this particular case), as well as to know which cations are adsorbed or desorbed.

Therefore, depending on the different irrigation waters and the nutritional or saline content of the soil, the exchanges vary and can even be reversed in the different soil profiles.

If you know exactly what is happening on your floor, you will be able to treat it correctly. Leave nothing to improvisation. Call Tiloom now and your agronomic management will be significantly profitable.