Influence of evaporation suppressants on water movement in soils

Abstract

The soil-water diffusivity was determined as a function of water content for Urrbrae fine sandy loam treated with two fatty alcohols, two amines, Krilium, polyvinyl alcohol, and Carbowax. The fatty alcohols and dodecylamine had the strongest influence on soil-water diffusivity throughout the whole range of soil-water contents. Treatment with these amendments markedly reduced capillary flow of water to the soil surface. Dodecylamine reduced the rate of infiltration into the soil. Heats of wetting of the treated soil samples indicated that penetration rate and diffusivity near saturation were reduced in accordance with the hydrophobic character of the adsorbed compound. Cetyl alcohol was partly desorbed when water permeated through cetyl-alcohol-treated soil, forming a film on the advancing wetting front. This resulted in a slower rate of penetration than would have been expected from the hydrophobic character of the complex.