Open Journal of Soil Science, 2015, 5, 311-318 Published Online December 2015 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojss http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2015.512029 How to cite this paper: Elfaki, J., Gafer, M., Sulieman, M. and Ali, M. (2015) Comparison and Evaluation of Two Analytical Methods for Cation Exchange Capacity and Exchangeable Sodium Percentage of Five Soil Types in Central Sudan. Open Journal of Soil Science, 5, 311-318. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2015.512029 Comparison and Evaluation of Two Analytical Methods for Cation Exchange Capacity and Exchangeable Sodium Percentage of Five Soil Types in Central Sudan Jamal Elfaki 1 , Mohamed Gafer 2 , Magboul Sulieman 3* , Mushtaha Ali 4 1 Department of Seeds Technology, Nile Valley University, Atbara, Sudan 2 Soil and Water Science Department, College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Shambat, Sudan 3 Department of Soil and Environment Sciences, University of Khartoum, Shambat, Sudan 4 General Administration of Natural Resource and Sustainable Development, Khartoum, Sudan Received 22 November 2015; accepted 18 December 2015; published 21 December 2015 Copyright © 2015 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Abstract Twenty-six soil samples were collected from five soil profiles at different climatological and eco- logical regions in central Sudan. Soil profile was dug in each studied area and morphological pro- file description was carried out for different horizons. All samples were analyzed using two dif- ferent methods to determine Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and exchangeable sodium percen- tage (ESP). Statistical analysis (T-test) was used in order to investigate the differences between soil samples for the studied locations. Significant differences appeared when compared the two methods for CEC determination at Gedaref area, Wad Medani and Nile flood plain and that appeared in evalu- ation of ESP at Nile flood plain and Shambat area. The results also revealed that, the developed me- thod used in this study was more practical, simple and reliable for determination of CEC and ESP as the currently used in most soil laboratories. In addition, it will be safer than the other methods in some problematic soils. The adoption of this developed method is advisable because it is less time consuming as it omits the washing step. In contrast, the old method cannot be a good substitute in laboratories which have no possibility to determine sodium by using flame photometer. We con- clude that when the developed method is used to determine CEC and ESP time will be saved, that fewer amounts of chemicals will be used and that accurate results will be achieved. * Corresponding author.