Ion-Selective Electrode Offers Accurate, Inexpensive Method for Analyzing Soil Solution Nitrate in Remote Regions

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis Vol. 45; no. 14; pp. 1974 - 1980
• Main Authors: Tully, Katherine L., Weil, Ray
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis 06.08.2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium; Chemical analysis; colorimetry; Electrodes; Farm management; fertilizers; Field methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; ion-selective electrode; Ion-selective electrodes; Land use; land use change; Leaching; Methods; nitrate; Nitrates; nitrogen; Physical properties; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; rapid methods; researchers; runoff; shipping; Soil science; Soil sciences; Soil solution; specific ion electrodes; United States; Water and solute dynamics; USA; United States; Ion selective electrode; Field methods; Costs; Analysis method; Ionic selectivity; ion-selective electrode; Nitrates; nitrate; Soil solution; Leaching; Field study
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2014.912297

Nitrogen (N) applied as fertilizer is subject to runoff and leaching. Nitrate (NO 3 − -N) concentrations in soil solution reflect the impacts of farm management on N cycling. Some of the most remote regions in the world are undergoing rapid land-use change, yet there are major barriers to conducting research in these locations. Fortunately, new tools such as ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) provide low-cost and simple methods for conducting chemical analysis in the field. Researchers compared soil solution NO 3 − -N concentrations measured using an ISE with concentrations measured on a colorimeter (cadmium reduction) and found good agreement (r 2 = 0.96, P < 0.0001) between the two methods. The ISE is also 66 times less expensive than in-country laboratory analysis or shipping and analyzing the samples in the United States. Thus, the ISE is an excellent tool for rapid analysis of N in soil solution, providing critical information on N dynamics in remote regions.