ORGANIC MATTER

Reagents
1. Potassium Dichromate Solution (1 N): - Dissolve 49.04 gm of potassium dichromate in
distilled water to prepare 1 litre of solution.
2. Sulphuric acid (concentrated)
3. Phosphoric acid (concentrated)
4. Sodium fluoride (lory powdered)
5. Diphenylamine Indicator: - Dissolve 0.25 gm of diphenylamine in to 10 ml of distilled
water and add gradually 50 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid.
6. Ferrous Ammonium Sulphate Solution (0.5 N):- Add 20 ml of concentrated sulphuric
acid to 800 ml of distilled water and dissolve in it 196.1 gm of ferrous ammonium
sulphate further and distilled water make the volume 1 ltr.
Method
Air dry the soil and take 0.5 gm of it in 500 ml erlenmeyer flask. Add 10 ml of potassium
dichromate solution and gradually 20 ml of sulphuric acid, wait for about half an hour,
and then add 200 ml of distilled water, 10 ml of pholphoric acid, 0.2 gm sodium fluoride
and 1 ml of diphenylamine indicator. Titrate the contents against ferrous ammonium
sulphate solution. At the end point the dull green colour changes through turbid blue to
the brilliant green.
Run distilled water blank simultaneously.
Calculation
OM (mg/gm) = 6.791 / W [1 T1 / T2] x 10
OM (%) = 6.791 / W [1 T1 / T2] x 10
Carbon (%) = 6.791 / W x 1.724 [1 T1 / T2] x 10