Decreasing electrical conductivity of irrigation water by dilution

Abstract

Although 750 μ mho/cm is the limit for the electrical conductivity (EC) in the “Standard of Taiwan Irrigation Water Quality,”; the EC of irrigation water is usually over limit, resulted from the pollution dumped into the rivers, streams, and creeks. It will be a damage to agricultural crop using polluted irrigation water. The basic principle of dilution can neutralize high EC of polluted water using pure or low EC water. With the increasing quantity of clean water, the polluted water will drop its EC to a certain extent. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between dilute water quantity and its EC. As results shown in this study, pure water or water of low EC mixing with water of high EC can be a basic principle for diluting. The practical principle can be used in the farms and the results meet the irrigation water standard. Moreover, the better quality of dilute water is, the less its quantity is; the worse the quality the more the quantity is. Furthermore, the electrolyte effect and the principle of Le Chatelier in aquatic chemistry are resulted in solubility of salt and EC of mixed water solution increase. All the precipitation, coagulation, and flocculation will decrease free ions’ content and EC in mixed water solution.