The use of nickel as a displacing ion in the determination of exchangeable cations and cation-exchange capacity was evaluated using several British Columbia soils. The values for exchangeable cations and cation-exchange capacity for the soils examined, using 0.25 normal neutral nickel chloride, were higher than those obtained by the ammonium acetate extraction method. For the most part, in samples examined, values were found to be more readily and consistently reproduced with the nickel chloride extractant. Dispersion of soil organic matter and silicate clay minerals was negligible, and the washing step involving ethanol has been eliminated.
A comparison between three methods for the determination of cation exchange capacity and exchangeable cations in soils
