Soil Chemical Methods Australasia

Describes over 200 laboratory and field chemical tests relevant to Australasia and beyond.

Volume 3 of a three-volume set of Australian Soil and Land Survey Handbooks for the practising chemist/analyst, setting out guidelines for the survey of components of land resources. It is designed to minimise the effect of such variables in surveying as the choice of analytical methods, quality of field sampling, preservation of samples, etc, and to promote standardisation of soil and water analysis.

A thorough presentation of analytical methods for characterizing soil chemical properties and processes, Methods, Part 3 includes chapters on Fourier transform infrared, Raman, electron spin resonance, x-ray photoelectron, and x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopies, and more.

The overall motivation for writing this book is to meet ever increasing need for developing basic philosophy of soil and plant analysis as a key to sustained productivity. This is probably the first attempt to present methods of physical and chemical analysis of soil together with plant analysis in a single volume, so as to meet teaching requirements, to carry out routine soil and plant analysis for advisory purposes and to conduct highly specific basic research. The scope of the book is such as to include non-routine methods of analysing soils and plants and to discuss special techniques and apparatus. Each chapter commances with a brief resume of the theoretical background of the particular analysis. Recommended analytical methods have been chosen with the facilities of the average soil and plant analysis laboratories in mind. Preference has been given to procedures having simple apparatus and commonly available reagents. Analytical methods are also dealt with pre-requisites for proper sampling, practical tips for ensuring accurate, precise and trouble free analysis but not the least the interpretation of results. The book is expected to find wide readership amongst UG and PG students and researchers in India and abroad.