Evaluation of Using Magnetized Water in Leaching Salts in Sandy Loam Soil

Abstract

Many studies and researchers have reported significant evidence that some physical properties of water can be changed as it passes through a magnetic field that can improve water use.  This can have a promising potential for applications, especially in the fields of irrigation and drainage. In this research, magnetized water was used to leach salt-affected sandy loam soil. A test rig was designed and constructed to investigate the effects of magnetized water on leaching soil. The rig consists of a magnetization device that can provide variable intensity. Water was supplied from a constant head reservoir to the magnetization device then to the soils that were placed in plastic columns. Five different magnetic intensities and five different times of exposing the flow of water to the magnetic field were applied. The time of exposure to the magnetic field was represented by the flow velocity of the flow passing through the magnetic field. The treated water is applied to leach each soil column in three consecutive leaching processes. Leaching water drained from the soil samples were tested for EC and pH, K⁺, Na⁺, Mg⁺², Ca⁺², Cl^-, HCO^-3, and SO₄^-2. The results showed that the efficiency of magnetized water in removing salts from the soil is more than the untreated water. As the magnetic intensity and exposure time are increased, more salts were leached out of the soil. When comparing the experiments conducted with magnetized water with that untreated water, the maximum increase in the EC value was 58.6%, and in the pH values was of 2.4%.