Interaction of chlorides with soils — a factor in salt retention by saline soils

Abstract

The soluble chloride salts in soils may be divided into two parts, one which is freely soluble even at low moisture contents and may be extracted by a suitable anhydrous solvent, and a second which becomes soluble only when ample moisture is present. The chloride retained in the less soluble form may be estimated by the difference between the chloride extracted from a dry soil sample by an anhydrous mixture of 90% ethanol and 10% ethylene glycol and that extracted by an aqueous solvent, 17% glycerol with 83% water. This technique could be used to identify weakly and strongly salt-retentive soils, and to follow changes in salt retention caused by various types of land use.