title: The composition, leaching, and sorption behavior of some alternative sources of phosphorus for soils.
abstract: Concerns about the sustainability of inorganic fertilizers necessitate the characterization of alternative P source materials for agronomic P-efficiencies and P losses via leaching. Firstly, this study examined nutrient compositions including P speciation of seven soil amendments: sewage sludge (SS), anaerobic digestate (AD), green compost (GC), food waste compost (FWC), chicken manure (CM), biochar, and seaweed. Secondly, soil P leaching and availability was studied on a subset of four materials (SS, AD, GC, and CM). Sorption of extracts onto columns of a test soil showed strong P retention for SS and compost, but weak P sorption for CM and especially AD, suggesting short-term leaching risks for soil applied AD. Limited P desorption with water or citrate indicated sorbed P was strongly fixed, potentially limiting crop availability. These data indicate that variation in P forms and environmental behavior should be understood to maximize P usage, but minimize leaching and soil P accumulation. Hence, different alternative P source materials need differing recommendations for their agronomic management.
authors: The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK, marc.stutter@hutton.ac.uk.
authors: Marc I
authors: MI
authors: Stutter
mesh_terms: D005308:Fertilizers; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus