Determination of Bicarbonate

Bicarbonate in water damages soil and plants by increasing the pH of the water. The presence of high amounts of bicarbonate in irrigation water is especially a problem. Bicarbonate is dissolved in water. When the water dries, the bicarbonates in it combine with the soluble calcium and magnesium in the soil and lock them in the form of insoluble calcium carbonate (limestone) and magnesium carbonate (dolomitic).

As bicarbonate increases pH, many micronutrients such as iron, manganese and zinc become unusable. Even though there is a high amount of micronutrients in the soil, it becomes unusable due to bicarbonate. For this reason, Bicarbonate Determination is carried out in irrigation water.

Consult Nanolab Environment/Water Analysis Laboratory for Bicarbonate Determination in Irrigation Water.