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Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
Published on: July 22, 2019
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Phosphorus Containing Water Dispersible Nanoparticles in Arable Soil
Journal of Environmental Quality
|December 8, 2015
Summary
Iron oxides are key to phosphorus binding in soil nanoparticles, influencing nutrient dynamics and losses in agriculture. Understanding this soil phosphorus interaction is vital for effective farm management.
Area of Science:
- Soil Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Colloid Science
Background:
- Phosphorus (P) solubility in soil is limited, making its binding in fine colloids crucial for predicting P dynamics and agricultural losses.
- Iron (Fe) is hypothesized to play a significant role in binding P to soil nanoparticles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of iron oxides in binding phosphorus to water-dispersible fine colloids (WDFC).
- To characterize the size distribution and forms of colloidal P in relation to Fe oxides.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of WDFC from arable topsoil.
- Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation coupled with ICP-MS to analyze colloidal P.
- Sequential removal of amorphous and crystalline Fe oxides using oxalate and dithionite.
Main Results:
- Colloidal P was found in nanoparticles (<20 nm) associated with organic matter and amorphous Fe oxides, and in larger aggregates (170-225 nm) with crystalline Fe oxides.
- Approximately 65% of colloidal P was released upon Fe oxide removal, particularly amorphous Fe oxides.
- Fe removal induced nanoparticle disaggregation and altered the size distribution of WDFC.
Conclusions:
- Crystalline Fe oxides contribute to soil P sequestration by cementing fine colloids and binding both inorganic and organic P.
- Fe oxides are critical for stabilizing soil P within WDFC, impacting P availability and loss pathways.
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