SHRISHTI VIDYASHRAM

SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, VELLORE

CHEMISTRY
PROJECT
WORK

TITLE
SOIL ANALYSIS

SUBMITTED
BY INIYA.R
CLASS XII B2

SUBMITTED TO
MR.MANOHARAN
DEPARTMENT OF
CHEMISTRY

1
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that R INIYA has successfully carried out the project

titled SOIL ANALYSIS in partial fulfilment of his/her investigatory project in

Chemistry during the year 2024-2025.

Internal Examiner:

External Examiner: Principal:

2
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank the Almighty for giving me the knowledge,

ability and opportunity to undertake this Investigatory Project and
to persevere and complete it successfully.

I would like to acknowledge all the kind hearts that have featured
this project alongside with me.

First, I would like to thank my parents who have fed me with

immense knowledge. I would also be grateful to my Principal &
Chemistry teacher who has been keen in my development and
my friends who have encouraged me throughout.

I am much grateful to all the faculty members of Shrishti

Vidyashram Sr.Sec.School for their moral support throughout my
project work.

Finally, I thank the lord almighty for having given me a wonderful

surrounding and the opportunity to gain more knowledge.

Thanks to all the unaccredited people who helped me during the

project work. Heartfelt thanks to my parents and family members for
their patience and moral support throughout my project work.

3
 INDEX
S.NO TOPICS PAGE NO
1. INTRODUCTION 5
2. COMPOSITION 6
3. OBJECTIVES OF SOIL SAMPLE 7
4. SOIL FUNCTIONS 7
5. SOIL TESTING 8
6. SOIL TESTING IN PROGRESS 8-10
7. ENGINEERING SOIL TESTING 10-11
8. SOIL CONTAMINANTS 11
9. SOIL MOISTURE 12-13
10. REDUCE THE LEAD RISK 14
11. REASON FOR DOING SOIL ANALYSIS 14
12. PH LEVEL OF SOIL 14
13. SOIL SAMPLING 15
14. CONCLUSION 16
15. BIBLIOGRAPHY 17

4
 INTRODUCTION

Soil test may refer to one or more of a wide variety of soil

analysis conducted for one of several possible reasons.
Possibly the most widely conducted soil tests are those done
to estimate the plant-available concentration of plant
nutrients, in order to determine fertilizer recommendations in
agriculture. Other soil tests may be done for engineering
(geotechnical), geochemical or ecological investigations.

Soil analysis is a set of various chemical processes that

determine the amount of available plant nutrients in the soil,
but also the chemical, physical and biological soil properties
important for plant nutrition.

5
 COMPOSITION:

A typical soil is about 50% solids (45% mineral and 5% organic matter), and
50% voids (or pores) of which half is occupied by water and half by gas. The
per cent soil mineral and organic content can be treated as a constant (in the
short term), while the per cent soil water and gas content is considered highly
variable whereby a rise in one is simultaneously balanced by a reduction in the
other.

The pore space allows for the infiltration and movement of air and water, both
of which are critical for life existing in soil. Compaction, a common problem
with soils, reduces this space, preventing air and water from reaching plant
roots and soil organisms. Given sufficient time an undifferentiated soil will
evolve a soil profile that consists of two or more layers, referred to as soil
horizons.
These differ in one or more properties such as in their texture, structure, density,
porosity, consistency, temperature, colour and reactivity. The horizons differ
greatly in thickness and generally lack sharp boundaries; their development is
dependent on the type of parent material, the processes that modify those parent
materials, and the soil-forming factors that influence those processes.

The biological influences on soil properties are strongest near the surface,
though the geochemical influences on soil properties increase with depth.

6
Mature soil profiles typically include three basic master horizons: A, B, and C.

7
The solum normally includes the A and B horizons. The living component of the
soil is largely confined to the solum, and is generally more prominent in the A
horizon.

It has been suggested that the pedon, a column of soil extending vertically from
the surface to the underlying parent material and large enough to show the
characteristics of all its horizons, could be subdivided in the humipedon (the
living part, where most soil organisms are dwelling, corresponding to the
humus form), the copedon (in intermediary position, where most weathering of
minerals takes place) and the lithopedon (in contact with the subsoil).

The soil texture is determined by the relative proportions of the individual

particles of sand, silt, and clay that make up the soil.

OBJECTIVES OF SOIL SAMPLE:

• Evaluation of fertility status of soil

• Estimation of the available nutrients status of soil
• Evaluation of the suitability of soil for laying garden
• Determination of acidity, salinity and alkalinity problems and
• Recommendation of the required amount of fertilizers, lime or
gypsum based on soil test value.

SOIL FUNCTIONS:

• Medium for plant growth,

• Regulator of water supplies
• Recycler of raw materials,
• Habitat for soil organisms,
• Landscaping and engineering medium
8
SOIL TESTING:

Soil testing is often performed by commercial labs that offer a variety of tests,
targeting groups of compounds and minerals. The advantages associated with
local lab is that they are familiar with the chemistry of the soil in the area
where the sample was taken. This enables technicians to recommend the tests
that are most likely to reveal useful information.

SOIL TESTING IN PROGRESS:

Laboratory tests often check for plant nutrients in three categories:

MAJOR NUTRIENTS: Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P),and potassium (K).

9
SECONDARY NUTRIENTS: Sulfur, calcium, magnesium.

MINOR NUTRIENTS: Iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum,

chlorine.

The amount of plant available soil phosphorus is most often measured with a
chemical extraction method, and different countries have different standard
methods. Just in Europe, more than 10 different soil P tests are currently in use
and the results from these tests are not directly comparable with each other.

Do-it-yourself kits usually only test for the three "major nutrients", and for
soil acidity or pH level. Do-it-yourself kits are often sold at farming
cooperatives, university labs, private labs, and some hardware and gardening
stores. Electrical meters that measure pH, water content, and sometimes
nutrient content of the soil are also available at many hardware stores.
Laboratory tests are more accurate than tests with do-it-yourself kits and
electrical meters. Here is an example soil sample report from one such
laboratory, Wallace Laboratories LLC.

In order to avoid complex and expensive analytical techniques. Prediction

based on regression equations relating to more easily measurable parameters
can be provided by pedo-transfer functions. For instance soil bulk density can
be predicted using easily measured soil properties such as soil texture, pH, and
organic matter.

Soil testing is used to facilitate fertilizer composition and dosage selection for
land employed in both agricultural and horticultural industries.

Prepaid mail-in kits for soil and ground water testing are available to facilitate
the packaging and delivery of samples to a laboratory. Similarly, in 2004,
laboratories began providing fertilizer recommendation along with the soil
composition report.

10
Lab tests are more accurate and often utilize very precise flow injection
technology (or Near InfraRed (NIR) scanning). In addition, lab tests frequently
include professional interpretation of results and recommendations. Always
refer to all proviso statements included in a lab report as they may outline any
anomalies, exceptions, and shortcomings in the sampling and/or analytical
process results.

Some laboratories analyze for all 13 mineral nutrients and a dozen

nonessential, potentially toxic minerals utilizing the "universal soil extractant"
(ammonium bicarbonate DTPA).

ENGINEERING SOIL TESTING:

11
• Grain Size Analysis (Dry/Wet Sieve Analysis)
• Grain Size Analysis (Hydrometer Method)
• Liquid Limit
• Plastic Limit
• Shrinkage Factors
• Free Swell Index
• Swelling Pressure
• Dry Density, Light Compaction
• Dry Density, Heavy Compaction
• Moisture Content, Light Compaction
• Moisture Content, Heavy Compaction

SOIL CONTAMINANTS:

Common mineral soil contaminants include arsenic, barium, Cadmium, copper,

mercury, lead, and zinc.
Lead is a particularly dangerous soil component. The following table from
the University of Minnesota categorizes typical soil concentration levels
and their associated health risks.

12
SOIL MOISTURE:

Soil water content can be measured as volume or weight. Soil moisture levels,
in order of decreasing water content, are saturation, field capacity, wilting
point, air dry, and oven dry. Field capacity describes a drained wet soil at the
point water content reaches equilibrium with gravity. Irrigating soil above
field capacity risks percolation losses. Wilting point describes the dry limit for
growing plants. During growing season, soil moisture is unaffected by
functional groups or specie richness.
Available water capacity is the amount of water held in a soil profile available
to plants. As water content drops, plants have to work against increasing forces
of adhesion and sorptivity to withdraw water. Irrigation scheduling avoids
moisture stress by replenishing depleted water before stress is induced.

Capillary action is responsible for moving groundwater from wet regions of

the soil to dry areas. Subirrigation designs (e.g., wicking beds, sub-irrigated
planters) rely on capillarity to supply water to plant roots.

Capillary action can result in an evaporative concentration of salts, causing

land degradation through salination. Soil moisture measurement— measuring
the water content of the soil, as can be expressed in terms of volume or
weight—can be based on in situ probes (e.g., capacitance probes, neutron
probes), or remote sensing methods. Soil moisture measurement is an
important factor in determining changes in soil activity.

13
Children and pregnant women should avoid contact with soil estimated total lead
levels above 300 ppm

Lead Level Extracted lead (ppm) Estimated total lead (ppm)

Low <43 <500

Medium 43-126 500-1000

High 126-480 1000-3000

Very high >480 >3000

14
SIX GARDENING PRACTICES TO REDUCE LEAD RISK:

 Locate gardens away from old painted structures and heavily

traveled roads
 Give planting preferences to fruiting crops (tomatoes, squash,
peas, sunflowers, corn, etc.)
 Incorporate organic materials such as finished compost, humus, and
peat moss
 Lime soil as recommended by soil test (pH 6.5 minimizes
lead availability)
 Discard old and outer leaves before eating leafy vegetables; peel
root crops; wash all produce
 Keep dust to a minimum by maintaining a mulched and/or
moist soil surface

REASONS FOR SOIL ANALYSIS:

 To determine the level of availability of nutrients or the need for
its introduction.
 To predict the increase in yields and profitability of fertilization
(poor soils do not always provide yield increase due to fertilization
because of possible limiting factors).
 To provide the basis for calculating the required fertilizing of
each crop.
 To evaluate the status of each nutrient element and
simultaneously determine how to manage the nutrients.
 To improve economic planning and decision making for a farmer.

PH LEVEL OF SOIL:

Most soils have pH values between 3.5 and 10. In higher rainfall
areas the natural pH of soils typically ranges from 5 to 7, while in drier areas
the range is 6.5 to 9. A soil pH value above 8.5 indicates the presence of
sodium. High-Sodium soil may reach pH values up to 10. Such high-sodium
soils are termed “sodic” soils, and they may also be saline. Sodic soils contain
so much sodium that the soils become dispersed and almost impervious to
water.

15
 SOIL SAMPLING:

Soil sampling is a particularly difficult task when attempting to get a

representative sample. It is always important to consult standard operating

protocols (SOP’s), colleagues, and private investigations to ensure that you are

collecting, storing, and preparing your samples correctly.

Depending on the analysis to be completed, a typical sample size of 500g is

collected. Depending on your sampling design, this sample could be

representative of a whole field, or a single location within a field. It is

important to consider this when taking your sample to know how much to take,

how well to mix it, where to take from, and the proper protocols to follow

between a sampling location.

16
 CONCLUSION

The soil analysis conducted at [insert location] aimed to evaluate the

fertility of the soil, revealing critical insights into its characteristics
and suitability for agricultural use.

The findings indicated two significant pH levels: 3.5 and 10. The pH
of 3.5 suggests a highly acidic environment, which can severely
limit nutrient availability and negatively impact plant growth.
Conversely, the pH of 10 indicates a highly alkaline condition,
further complicating nutrient uptake for plants. These extreme pH
levels highlight a pressing need for effective soil management
practices to enhance fertility.

While specific nutrient concentrations were not provided, it is

essential to assess the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium to understand the overall nutrient profile of the soil.
Identifying any deficiencies or excesses in these key nutrients will
inform targeted fertilization strategies.

In conclusion, implementing soil amendments to adjust the pH,

along with regular monitoring and testing of nutrient levels, will be
vital in improving soil health and fertility.

17
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373358993_SOIL_ANALYSIS_PROJECT_WORK

https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/chemistry-projectdocx/257362168

https://eos.com/blog/soil-testing/

18
THANK YOU

19