Does turbulent-flow conditioning of irrigation water influence soil chemical processes: I. Laboratory results

Authors: Lentz, Rodrick

Submitted to: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2021
Publication Date: 2/7/2022
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/7666187
Citation: Lentz, R.D. 2022. Does turbulent-flow conditioning of irrigation water influence soil chemical processes: I. Laboratory results. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 53(5):651-663. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2021.2017964.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2021.2017964

Interpretive Summary: Water is an integral component of earth’s ecosystems and is critical for life yet, in many aspects, remains a mystery. Scientists have debated for more than a century trying to describe the interaction between water molecules in a liquid state, how water’s 3-D structure may change, and how such changes may influence its chemical activity. Accordingly, our fundamental understanding of water behavior in soil is also incomplete. This research first discovered that turbulence-induced, physical agitation of irrigation water changes the chemical composition of soil leachate compared to untreated water; consistently increasing mean concentrations of K, NH4-N, Mg, and Ca by 1.2- to 1.4-fold. The effect was progressive, suggesting that the treatment impacts on soil properties may accumulate over time, potentially influencing soil productivity and management. The treatment’s capacity to increase soil cation leaching may provide an economical means of managing or remediating degraded and marginally productive soils that contain excess salts. Because water is ubiquitous and an important natural reactant, this phenomenon may influence a broad range of abiotic and biotic chemical processes.

Technical Abstract: Variable effects of irrigation water on soil chemistry, groundwater quality, and crop productivity are primarily attributed to the quantity, rate, or chemical composition of the applied water. Implicit in these explanations is the assumption that the intrinsic behavior of molecular water is invariable, yet accumulating evidence suggests that water behavior can be modified via non-chemical means, such as when water flows through a magnetic field. This foundational study hypothesized that turbulent-flow conditioning (CTap) of a mineralized irrigation water source (Tap water) may alter water behavior and the character of soil-water interactions. Here we provide central evidence demonstrating that CTap irrigation water changes the chemical composition of soil leachate; consistently increasing mean concentrations of K, NH4-N, Mg, and Ca by 1.2- to 1.4-fold compared to untreated Tap water. The effect develops after incubated soil is irrigated for a period of 4- to 8-weeks, suggesting that the treatment impacts on soil properties may accumulate over time, potentially influencing soil productivity and management. The treatment’s capacity to increase soil cation leaching may provide an economical means of managing or remediating degraded and marginally productive soils that contain excess salts. Because water is an integral component of earth’s ecosystems, we anticipate that the phenomenon discovered here may also be implicated in a broad spectrum of abiotic and biotic chemical processes.