title: Potential nitrification in alum-treated soil slurries amended with poultry manure.
abstract: Alum is used to reduce environmental pollutants in poultry production. Alum decreases NH3 volatilization and increases total N and NH4+-N compared to untreated poultry manure. Nitrification in poultry wastes could therefore be stimulated due to higher NH4+ concentrations or could be inhibited because the soil environment is acidified. A 10-day laboratory study was conducted to study potential nitrification rates in soil slurries (20 g soil in 150 ml water) amended with 2.0 g alum-treated poultry manure. Fecal bacteria, NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, orthophosphate, pH, and NH3 were measured at 2-day intervals. Alum significantly reduced fecal bacteria concentrations through day 6. Water-soluble P was reduced 82% by day 10. Alum-treated manure had significantly increased NH4+ concentrations by day 8 and 10, and significantly decreased NO2- and NO3- concentrations by days 6-10. Alum's effect on potential nitrification was inhibitory in the soil environment. Slurries with alum-treated poultry manure had reduced nitrification rates, fecal bacteria, and soluble P. Therefore, in addition to reducing P loss, alum could temporarily reduce the risk for environmental pollution from land-applied manures in terms of both NO3- and fecal bacteria loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, N-122 Agricultural Science Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0091, USA.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gandhapudi
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Coyne
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matocha
mesh_terms: D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008372:Manure / Q000032:analysis*; D017672:Nitrogen Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000534:Alum Compounds; D008372:Manure; D017672:Nitrogen Compounds; D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus; C041524:aluminum sulfate