Study of the chemical-mineralogical composition, pore structure, and moisture retention characteristics of soils under the influence of organic additives

This study investigates the chemical-mineralogical composition, pore structure, and moisture retention properties of saline soils from the Southern Aral Sea region (Kegeyli and Khalkabad) under the influence of organic additives.The study is driven by the need to improve the agrophysical properties of degraded soils under arid conditions and intensive irrigation.The aim was to assess the effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate on pore structure formation and moisture retention in soils differing in granulometric and mineralogical composition.Mineralogical composition was determined by X-ray diffraction, while granulometric composition was analyzed by sieve method.Sorption properties were evaluated using adsorption isotherms of water vapor and benzene obtained by the desiccator method at 20-25 °C.Pore structure parameters were calculated using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) model.The studied soils are dominated by quartz, feldspars, and clay minerals.Khalkabad soils exhibit higher contents of soluble salts (gypsum and halite), which adversely affect moisture retention.The application of organic additives led to a significant increase in specific surface area and total pore volume, along with pore size redistribution.Parameters obtained from benzene adsorption exceeded those from water vapor by 2-4 times, indicating the development of meso-and macroporosity.The total pore volume increased up to threefold in treated samples.The results demonstrate the effectiveness of organic additives in regulating pore structure and enhancing moisture retention, supporting their use in soil reclamation strategies for irrigated lands in arid regions

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