CATION EXCHANGE CAPACITY AS A PARAMETER FOR MEASURING THE HUMIFICATION DEGREE OF MANURES

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Abstract
We attempted to estimate the degree of maturity of cattle, sheep, chicken, and rabbit manures by studying general ratios related to the humification degree. The correlations considered were cation exchange capacity (CEC) versus extractable carbon (Cex), CEC/total organic carbon (Ct) versus (Ct)/total nitrogen (Nt) and CEC/Cex versus fulvic acid carbon (Cfa). The regression analysis for CEC versus Cex is significant only for cattle manure. The rabbit manures have the highest value and the cattle the lowest. The correlation for CEC/Ct versus Ct/Nt seems to be very useful for estimating the degree of maturity for these materials. Any value of CEC/Ct over 1.7 will mean a good humification level for newly formed manures of cattle, sheep, chicken, and rabbit. The correlation for CEC/Cex versus Cfa is useful only for a relatively high quantity of fulvic acids. The slope is negative, probably due to the presence of a large percentage of nonhumic substances in the fulvic acid fraction. © Williams & Wilkins 1988. All Rights Reserved.

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