International Research Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Sciences

IRJCCS

Vol. 2(2), pp. 025-028, July, 2015. www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 0278-5125.

Research Article

The effects of acid treatment on some soil parameters

*1Stephen Gbaorun Yiase, 2Sylvester Obaike Adejo and 3Joseph Uche Adoga
1*,2,3

Department of Chemistry, Benue State University Makurdi, Nigeria.

The effects of acid treatment on some soil properties were investigated to assess the fertility
of soils in both acid and non-acidic media. Six soil samples were collected around the
Benue State University Makurdi. Each of the samples was divided into equal halves, the first
half was leached with 0.1M HCl solution then washed with deionised water until it tested
negative to 0.1M AgNO3 solution. Both soil samples were analysed; the soil pH in distilled
water was 4.85-5.24 and 2.68-2.94 for the untreated and the treated soils respectively. The pH
in 1M KCl of treated and untreated soils ranged from 2.10-2.22 and 3.60-4.00 respectively. An
increase in exchangeable acidity of the soils was observed from 0.6-0.90 for the untreated
and 3.50-5.50 for the treated samples. Acid treatment lowered the total exchangeable bases
from the range 2.09-11.77 to 0.62-2.25. The values of effective cation exchange capacity of
the acid treated soil samples were lower than those of the untreated samples. Titratable
acidity in each case was lower than exchangeable acidity. The results reveal that soils with
high acid content have lower capacity for cations than soils with low acid content hence are
less valuable for cultivation.

Keywords: Soil, fertility, exchangeable, cation, capacity, complex, nutrients

INTRODUCTION
Many essential plant nutrients are positively charged in
the soil and interact with soil particles, organic matter
and soil solution in a way that could benefit plants. The
soil parameter that describes its nutrient holding
capacity is the cation exchange capacity (CEC). CEC
defines the degree to which the soil can absorb, store,
release and use plant nutrients (cations). These
2+
essential plant nutrients include calcium (Ca ),
2+
+
+
magnesium (Mg ), potassium (K ), sodium (Na ) and
+
ammonium (NH4 ) ions (Brown and Lemon, 2015;
Saidi, 2012). In acidic soils, these cations are replaced
+
3+
2+
by H , Al and Mn , and this exchange acidity has to
be considered when summing the base cations. The
term, effective CEC (ECEC), is applied under this
+
condition. In addition, the hydrogen ion (H ) and anions
2such as chloride (Cl ), nitrate (NO3 ), sulphate (SO4 )
3and phosphate (PO4 ) are important soil fertility
parameters. CEC is conventionally expressed in
centimoles of charge per kilogram of exchanger
(cmol(+)/kg). Values in the range of 15-40 cmol(+)/kg of
soil are considered normal.
Most soil particles especially clay and organic matter
contain negatively charged particles that attract and
hold cations to form thin plates of colloids with

comparatively
large
surface
area
thereby
accommodating large amounts of cations. Cations
absorbed by plants from soil water are immediately
replaced by those from the colloid thereby creating a
steady supply of nutrient minerals for plants. A high
concentration of cations in soil water may also reverse
the process by displacing some other cations on the
colloid. The equilibrium that exists ensures that, while
maintaining a steady supply of the cations, their
concentration in solution does not become too high
provided the soil CEC is sufficiently high.
The greater the colloid's negative charge, the greater its
capacity to hold and exchange cations. In general, soil
CEC increases with the proportion of the silty clay
mineral and organic matter and consequently affects
such soil properties as nutrient availability (Atik and
Noma, 2011), water holding capacity, susceptibility to
leaching and buffering effects during acidification or
liming (Michael, 2014).

*Corresponding Author: Dr. Stephen Gbaorun Yiase,

Department of Chemistry, Benue State University
Makurdi, Nigeria. E-mail: sgyiase@yahoo.com

The effects of acid treatment on some soil parameters

Yiase et al.

025

In effect CEC affects the health of plants and

consequently, the food value and yield of crops.

solution. Analyses were carried out on both the acid

treated and the un-treated samples;

Farmlands in the vicinity of Benue State University,

Makurdi possess soils that are smooth textured but dry
up rapidly when rains stop. Agricultural productivity in
these soils is adversely affected as crops wilt away in
extreme cases. There is need to ascertain measures
that are required to improve crop production. A first line
of approach is to characterize the soil through
measurement of its properties such as the CEC and
base saturation.

The pH of samples was measured with a soil to water

ratio of 1:2 using the Crison micro, 2000, pH meter. 10g
of sample was weighed into a plastic container and 20
3
cm of deionised water was added. The mixture was
stirred severally for thirty (30) minutes. The
suspensions were allowed to stand for 30 minutes
undisturbed. A pH meter was calibrated with standard
buffer solutions of pH 4, 7 and 9. The pH electrode was
then inserted into the settled suspension and the pH of
the soil was measured. The same procedure was used
for the acid-treated and untreated soil samples and with
1:2 soil to 1M KCl mixture (Chimuka et al., 2005).
CEC was determined using the procedure reported by
Jaremko and Kalembasa, (2014) and Liu et al (2001).
Exchangeable acidity, Exchangeable Bases and
Titratable Acidity were all determined using standard
procedures (Robertson et al., 1999; Logan et al., 1985;
Shrivastava and Banerjee, 1998; Rajkovic et al., 2007)

We report here the determination of CEC for the soils

and the effect on it of acid treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sampling Area
Benue State University is located in Makurdi the capital
o
of Benue State. The town is located on latitude 7 45'N
o
of the Equator and longitude 8 33'E. It is situated in a
valley in North Central Nigeria with an elevation of 100
m above sea level.
Sample collection
Samples were taken from six sites labeled A to F
within the study area. The sites were about 200 m from
the banks of River Benue within the University area and
away from cultivated lands. Iorungwa et al, (2013)
reported that the soil found within Makurdi and its
environs is derived from precambrian basement
complex rocks and quartenary alluvial deposits of River
Benue as parent materials. According to Abah (2013),
the soil around the study area is essentially
hydromorphic soil; that is, soil developed on alluvial
sediments.
At each of these sites, five soil samples were obtained
at the surface at the depth of about 10-15 cm and
mixed together to form one composite sample. The
samples reflected the major parent materials in the
study area. Samples were stored in plastic bottles and
thereafter air-dried for three weeks, crushed using a
mortar and pestle and then passed through a 2.0 mm
diameter sieve and stored in screw capped containers
for analysis (Aprile and Lorandi, 2012).
Determination of Soil Parameters
Soil particle size distribution was determined according
to the method by Kettler et al., (2001). In the acid
treatment procedure, samples from each of the study
sites were divided into two equal halves and labeled A
and B. The second half (B) was leached with 30 ml
0.1M HCl solution. The treated soil was washed with
deionised water until it tested negative to 0.1M AgNO 3

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of the soil characteristics (Table 1) indicate
the percentage sand silt and clay to range from 56.80
% to 64.40%, 15.20 % to 27.80 % and 16.2% to
20.40% respectively. These soils thus have higher sand
content than silt and clay. Charge concentration would
be low hence a low CEC is anticipated (Unanaonwi and
Chinevu., 2013). The cation exchange capacity (CEC)
values were found to range from 0.16-0.22 cmol/kg
(Table 1). Cation exchange capacity of the soil is very
low. This may be linked to the fact that soil of the study
area have high proportion of sand, as such, its nutrients
holding capacity will be very low hence low fertility. The
results compared favourably with those obtained by
Pam et al, (2013).
The pH values of the untreated soil (Table 2) ranged
between 4.85 and 5.24. This implies that the soil is
weakly acidic and could relatively hold some important
nutrients like magnesium, potassium, ammonium.
However, its capacity to do so is diminished by the very
low CEC. The results compare favourably with those
reported by Atik and Noma (2011). The pH of acidtreated soils ranged between 3.60 and 4.0. The pH of
untreated soil in 1M KCl solution was found to range
between 2.68 and 2.94, while that of the treated soils
was from 2.10-2.22 (Table 2). The pH of the soils in 1M
KCl was found to be slightly lower. This is in agreement
with Traian (2012), who stated that pH of soil in salt
solutions is usually lower than that in water. The pH
results also indicate that the exchange complex is
dominated by aluminum ion (Curtin et al., 1996, Abreha
et al., 2012). A consideration of the pH range and the
low CEC imply low quality of the soil hence periodic
liming treatment is required but essentially, new farming
practices that incorporate more organic matter into the

The effects of acid treatment on some soil parameters

Int. Res. J. Chem. Chem. Sci.

026

Table 1. Soil Particle Size and Cation Exchange Capacity (cmol/kg) of the Soil

S/No

Sample

1
2
3
4
5
6

(%) Sand
62.40
62.20
56.80
58.60
64.40
58.20

A
B
C
D
E
F

Soil particle type

(%) Silt
19.20
19.40
27.80
25.40
15.20
25.40

(%) Clay
18.40
18.40
16.60
16.20
20.40
16.60

CEC
(cmol/kg)
0.16
0.17
0.16
0.16
0.22
0.16

Table 2. pH of Untreated (A) and Acid Treated (B) Soil Samples

S/No

Samples

1
2
3
4
5
6

A
B
C
D
E
F

pH in H2O
(A)
5.03
5.01
4.93
4.89
5.24
4.85

pH in H2O
(B)
2.77
2.68
2.94
2.74
2.88
2.90

pH in 1M KCl
(A)
3.97
3.66
3.64
3.60
4.00
3.70

pH in 1M KCl
(B)
2.22
2.21
2.15
2.10
2.14
2.11

Table 3. Titratable Acidity (cmol/kg) for Untreated and Acid Treated Soil Samples

S/No.

Samples

1
2
3
4
5
6

A
B
C
D
E
F

Titrable Acidity (A)

Titrable Acidity
(B)
0.75
0.50
0.38
0.38
0.28
0.52

0.20
0.18
0.22
0.40
0.13
0.10

ECEC
(A)
5.97
7.98
6.90
12.57
3.85
2.90

ECEC
(B)
5.82
5.10
5.15
7.75
4.42
4.92

Table 4. Exchangeable Acidity (cmol/kg) of Untreated (A) and Acid Treated (B)
Soil Samples

S/No

Samples

(H+Al) A

1
2
3
4
5
6

A
B
C
D
E
F

0.90
0.60
0.90
0.76
0.70
0.90

(H+Al)
B
5.00
4.00
4.00
5.50
3.50
4.30

soil and application of fertilizers would be beneficial

(Onwuka et al, 2009).
Titratable acidity of the untreated sample ranged from
0.10-0.40 cmol/kg, while that of the treated sample was
0.28-0.75 cmol/kg. The titratable acidity of the
untreated soil was higher than that of the treated.
Curtin et al. (1984), reported that titratable acidity is the
total acidity of a soil. It includes the exchangeable and
the non-exchangeable acidity. The results obtained for
both the treated and the untreated samples are low.
This implies that crops cultivated on this soil could be
prevented from elemental toxicities as a result of
increased solubility in the soil (Curtin eta al., 1998).
The results of the exchangeable acidity and aluminum
(H + Al) (Table 4) of the un-acidified and acidified

Al (A)

Al (B)

H (A)

H (B)

0.50
0.50
0.70
0.50
0.66
0.50

1.00
0.90
1.10
1.30
1.10
1.60

0.04
0.10
0.20
0.20
0.30
0.40

4.00
3.10
2.90
4.20
2.40
2.70

samples were found to range between 0.60-0.90

cmol/kg and 3.50-5.50 cmol/kg respectively. Values of
the exchangeable acidity were observed to be relatively
lower in un-acidified soil samples than the acidified
samples. The higher values for the acidified samples
could be traceable to the effect of acidification which
must have caused the release of aluminum ions to the
exchange complex. Also the lower values of the
titratable acidity (Table 3) compared to the
exchangeable acidity (Table 4) in the acidified soil
suggests that some of the hydroxyl groups initially
present in the soil were both titratable and
exchangeable.
Exchangeable aluminum (Table 4) was observed to be
between 0.50-0.7 cmol/kg and 0.90- 1.60 cmol/kg for
un-acidified and acidified soil samples respectively. The

The effects of acid treatment on some soil parameters

Yiase et al.

027

Table 5. Total Exchangeable Bases (cmol/kg) of Untreated and Acid Treated Soil Samples

S/No

Samples

Na (A)

Na (B)

K (A)

K (B)

Ca (A)

Ca (B)

Mg (A)

Mg (B)

1
2
3
4
5
6

A
B
C
D
E
F

1.05
0.51
0.71
0.44
0.84
0.45

0.32
0.32
0.36
0.30
0.33
0.27

0.32
0.25
0.29
0.13
0.31
0.14

0.12
0.12
0.11
0.10
0.08
0.07

2.20
3.50
3.00
6.10
1.50
1.10

0.25
0.42
0.40
1.20
0.29
0.16

1.50
3.10
2.00
5.10
0.50
0.40

0.13
0.24
0.28
0.65
0.20
0.12

Total (A)

Total (B)

5.07
7.36
6.00
11.77
3.15
2.09

0.82
1.10
1.15
2.25
0.90
0.62

release of aluminum in the exchange complex as a

result of acidification could be responsible for the higher
values of total aluminum observed in the acidified soil
samples. The results of the study confirm that higher
soil acidity could be responsible for the higher
concentration of soluble aluminum ions in soil. Also
increase in both exchangeable acidity and total
aluminum in acid treated soils indicate that there was
some disintegration of some clay minerals (Onwuka et
a.l, 2009).

and assess the soils on their farmlands so as to

ascertain the exact agrochemical to be applied on such
soil for better yield.

The effective cation exchange capacities for the unacidified and acidified soils were found to range
between 2.90-12.57cmol/kg and 4.42-7.75 cmol/kg
respectively. There was significant reduction in effective
cation exchange capacity of the acidified soil which
could be linked to the presence of adsorbed hydroxyl
aluminum ions blocking the negative sites of exchange
complex of the acidified soil.

REFERENCES

The values of exchangeable bases for un-acidified and

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cmol/kg respectively, Ca; 1.10-6.10 cmol/kg, and 0.161.20 cmol/kg respectively and Mg; 0.4-5.1 cmol/kg and
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CONCLUSION
The results reveal that soils with high acid content have
lower capacity to hold essential cations than soils with
low acid content and as such crops cultivated on such
soils may produce poorly. In addition the capacity of
these soils to hold water would be extremely low
thereby adversely affecting crops in times of drought.
Therefore it is recommended that farmers should try

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We wish to acknowledge the contributions of Adoga
Joseph Uche towards the success of this work.

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Accepted 21 July, 2015.
Citation: Yiase SG, Adejo SO, Adoga JU. (2015). The
effects of acid treatment on some soil parameters.
International Research Journal of Chemistry and
Chemical Sciences, 2(2): 025-028.

Copyright: 2015 Yiase et al. This is an open-access

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The effects of acid treatment on some soil parameters