The most common procedure for correcting sodium affected soils is to amend the soil with materials that replace the exchangeable sodium on the soil colloids. Remediating sodium damaged soils in a timely manner requires preventing exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) conversion in new releases or lowering the (ESP) in historical releases with a stronger, more favorable cationic sources. The result is the displacement of the sodium ions in the soil, which are then free to be flushed out of the growth zone.

In sodium affected areas, nutrients are often stripped from the soil depriving plants of the proper nutrition for growth. Once the sodium has been treated and removed from the soil matrix, proper plant nutrients are required for plant recovery and re-growth.  NaClean removes the sodium, replaces key nutrients and increases the nutrient uptake of the plants, enhancing new growth, and improving plant structure.

R&A Technology utilizes formulas developed by Texas A&M for treating both new and historical salt contamination.

Mechanism of Action (MOA) for NaClean

During a salt-water spill, sodium chloride ions are split almost immediately after hitting the ground. The chlorides begin to flush away and the sodium begins to bind through ionic transfer to the receptor points of the montmorillonite clays. It is the sodium ion binding to the clays that cause the sterilization of the soil. The bound sodium can only be removed by an ion that has a stronger binding affinity than the sodium. In a short period of time, the chlorides will flush away leaving the sodium bound to the clays.

NaClean satisfies the need for a soluble, readily available source of active ions.

The active ions in NaClean, Stabilized Ammonium (NH4), Calcium and other essential micro nutrients, cleaves the bound sodium from clays through ionic transfer, quickly reducing harmful sodium levels within soils. In new spills the NaClean binds to soil particles and prevents the sodium from binding and sterilizing the clays/soils.

After treatment, the NaClean will also flocculate soil particles for improved soil structure and water penetration, providing valuable nutrients for plant development and growth.

During the past, chlorides have been generally used to determine contamination levels in the soil of a salt contaminated spill area. While chlorides may be a marker for sodium contamination, chlorides are no longer listed as a contaminate by the EPA. In 1997 and again in 2003, the EPA reviewed and removed chlorides from the EPA, MCL list of contaminates in drinking water.

New salt water releases can be treated immediately based on the “First Response Guidelines”. Historical salt water releases need to have a soil analysis to determine the scope of the sodium contamination. The most effective analysis for determining historical salt contamination is a Routine Salinity that provides the CEC, SAR, ESP, EC, Mg and Chlorides. Handbook 60; method 18,19 and 20. It is important that ESP% is extracted and not calculated.