A method is developed for estimation of accelerated nutrient release rates into a soil from particulate fertiliser formulations, by carrying out release studies at elevated temperatures. This can provide time-saving targetting of samples to be subsequently used in field trials. The rate of total phosphorus leaching into water from a standard commercial fertiliser product embedded in grey, deep, sandy duplex soil was monitored using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. The time dependence of phosphate concentration at a given temperature was found to obey simple first-order kinetics. These data fitted an Arrhenius relation within acceptable limits, enabling release rates at ambient field temperatures to be estimated significantly faster than by field experiment. A release rate calculated for the accelerated test, i.e. (1.2 ± 0.1) × 10−3/min, when compared with a more standard-type pot-trial leaching rate for the corresponding temperature of 2.3 × 10−4/min, gives a direct correlation of ~1 : 1 when corrected for concentration differences.
Means are developed to improve the metal ion delivery/remediation potential of polyacrylamides (PAMs), by incorporation of the co-monomer N-acryloyl-4-aminosalicylic acid. The polymers were synthesized by solution and inverse emulsion polymerization. The chemical binding of two soil micronutrients, Cu2+ and Fe3+, were investigated using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The modified PAM had an enhanced affinity for metal ions compared with conventional PAMs. This modified PAM has the potential as a delivery tool of plant micronutrients and stabilizers for agricultural soils undergoing intense irrigation. The same polymers may also provide a detoxifying effect in these applications where some micronutrient sources may be in excess and detrimental to productive agriculture.
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