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The Phosphorus Cycle

The Phosphorus Cycle

Unlike carbon, water, and nitrogen, phosphorus is not present in the atmosphere as a gas. Instead, most phosphorus in the ecosystem exists as compounds, such as phosphate ions (PO43-), found in soil, water, sediment and rocks. Phosphorus is often a limiting nutrient (i.e., in short supply). Consequently, phosphorus is added to most agricultural fertilizers, which can cause environmental problems related to runoff in aquatic ecosystems.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method

Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method

Published on: May 18, 2018

Recycled Iron Phosphates: A New Phosphorus Fertilizer for Paddy Rice.

Rochelle Joie Saracanlao¹, Toon Saelens¹, Andreas Voegelin²

¹Division of Soil and Water Management, KU Leuven, Heverlee B-3001, Belgium.

Environmental Science & Technology

|May 14, 2024

Summary

Recycled iron phosphates (FePs) show potential as phosphorus fertilizers, especially when applied as powders in flooded soils. This method enhances phosphorus availability for crops, outperforming traditional fertilizers in certain soil types.

Keywords:

P solubility P use efficiency P-loaded Fe oxides circular economy diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) technique fertilizer granulation rice straw vivianites μ-XRF

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Last Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method

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High-Throughput Measurement and Classification of Organic P in Environmental Samples

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Area of Science:

Agricultural Science
Soil Chemistry
Environmental Science

Background:

Recycled iron phosphates (FePs) have limited potential as phosphorus fertilizers due to strong iron-phosphorus interactions.
Understanding phosphorus release from FePs in flooded soils is crucial for optimizing their fertilizer value.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the efficiency of iron phosphates (FePs) as phosphorus fertilizers in flooded acid and calcareous soils.
To investigate the impact of FeP application form (granules vs. powder) on phosphorus release and crop uptake.

Main Methods:

Incubation experiments using diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) and microfocused X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) to assess phosphorus diffusion.
Pot experiments with rice (Oryza sativa) grown in flooded soils to determine the fertilizer value of FePs compared to triple superphosphate (TSP).

Main Results:

Granular FePs showed no detectable phosphorus diffusion, unlike soluble triple superphosphate (TSP).
Powdered FePs significantly increased extractable phosphorus in flooded soils over 120 days.
Powdered FePs demonstrated fertilizer values up to three times higher than TSP in acid soils and similar to TSP in calcareous soils.

Conclusions:

The application form of iron phosphates (FePs) is critical for their efficiency as phosphorus fertilizers.
Powdered FePs are effective in enhancing phosphorus availability in flooded, P-fixing soils, challenging previous assumptions.
Slow phosphorus release from powdered FePs can mitigate phosphorus fixation in acidic soils.