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ARS Home » Plains Area » Temple, Texas » Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309369
Title: Analysis methods for the determination of anthropogenic additions of P to agricultural soils

Author
item Haney, Richard
item Jin, Virginia
item JOHNSON, MARI-VAUGHN - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)
item HANEY, ELIZABETH - Texas Agrilife Research
item Harmel, Daren
item Arnold, Jeffrey
item White, Michael

Submitted to: Open Journal of Soil Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/9/2015
Publication Date: 2/10/2015
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/60417
Citation: Haney, R.L., Jin, V.L., Johnson, M.V., Haney, E.B., Harmel, R.D., Arnold, J.G., White, M.J. 2015. Analysis methods for the determination of anthropogenic additions of P to agricultural soils. Open Journal of Soil Science. 5:59-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2015.52007.

Interpretive Summary: Phosphorus (P) loading to soil and measurement in soils is especially important on lands where biosolids have been applied. Traditional soil testing for plant-available P may be inadequate for the accurate assessment of soil P concentrations in terms of regulation as the reported levels may not correlate well to environmental risk. In order to accurately assess potential P runoff and leaching, as well as plant uptake, we must be able to measure the amount of P released as soil microbes break down organic matter. Soils with varying rates of biosolid application were evaluated for released organic P during a 112-day period using the difference between P measured with two different laboratory instruments. An increase in P mineralized from the treated soils was observed from analysis with one instrument called an ICP-OES but not the RFA instrument. These results confirm that organic P concentrations increased due to increasing biosolid application; however, traditional soil testing would not accurately portray these increases in soil P concentration and potential P losses from treated soils.

Technical Abstract: Phosphorus additions and measurement in soil is of concern on lands where biosolids have been applied. Colorimetric analysis for plant-available P may be inadequate for the accurate assessment of soil P. Phosphate additions in a regulatory environment need to be accurately assessed as the reported levels may not correlate well to environmental risk. In order to accurately assess potential P runoff and leaching, as well as plant uptake, we must be able to measure organic P mineralized by the soil biotic community. Soils with varying rates of biosolid application were evaluated for mineralized organic P during a 112-day incubation using the difference between P measured using a colorimetric rapid-flow analyzer (RFA) and axial flow inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). An increase in P mineralized from the treated soils was observed from analysis with ICP-OES but not the RFA. These results confirm that organic P concentrations increased due to increasing biosolid application; however, traditional soil testing using an RFA for detection would not accurately portray these increases in soil P concentration and potential P losses from treated soils.