The Impact of magnetic water treatment on salt distribution in a large unsaturated soil column

Abstract

The use of saline water for crop production leads to soil salinization. Magnetically-treated water (MTW) has been used for many years and has shown promise in leaching some ions from soil. At the same time, results have been inconsistent and somewhat controversial. In this study, we used large unsaturated columns (diameter 15cm and length 90cm) to determine: 1) salt distributions at depths of up to 90cm after adding magnetically-treated, saline water to soil; 2) whether MTW could reduce the rate of accumulation of salts (measured by EC) in soil, and; 3) whether MTW could increase the leaching effect of soluble salts below root zones compared to control. The soil tested had a lower salt content compared to the water, a real-world scenario often faced when farmers elect to switch from higher-cost municipal water sources to ground water sources that have a higher saline content. Results indicated that the rate of salt accumulation was greater in the control group at the 30–60cm depth. At the same time, the salt content at the 90cm depth was greater in the MTW column. The results have shown that MTW changes the distribution of salts between soil layers reducing their content in the upper layers which are more important for agriculture.