Applicability of zeolites in potassium and nitrate retention in different soil types

Abstract

Environmental protection and sustainable agricultural production require the use of inexpensive and environmentally acceptable soil supplements. Objectives of this study were to investigate the influence of the addition of the natural zeolite-clinoptilolite (NZ) and its iron(III)-modified form (FeZ) on the potassium and nitrate leaching from sandy, silty loam and silty clay soils. The zeolites were added in two amounts: 0.5 (FeZ) and 1.0 wt. % (NZ and FeZ). The experiments were carried out in columns organized in eight experimental systems containing unamended (control specimens) and amended soils. The concentration of K + and NO 3-N in the leachates was monitored during 7 days. The obtained results indicate that the K + and NO 3-N leaching mainly depends on the soil type and pH of the soil. The NZ and FeZ addition has the highest impact on the K + retention in the acidic sandy soil. The highest NO 3-N retention is obtained with FeZ in acidic silty loam soil. The K + leaching kinetics for all the studied soils follow the Avrami kinetics model with the parameter n < 1. This study demonstrates that NZ and FeZ can be a good soil supplement for the K + retention for all studied soils and in the NO 3-N retention for silty loam and silty clay soils.

Advances in the Applications of Clinoptilolite-Rich Tuffs

“…ZT and Fe-ZT were tested as soil supplements for preserving plant nutrients (nitrogen and potassium) in different soil types: sandy, silty loam, and silty clay soils [ 13 ]. This was performed by leaching experiments performed in laboratory conditions using column systems at room temperature ( Figure 3 ).…”

“…The highest retention was evident for sandy soil, which is important since sandy soils are poor in clay content and have limited ability to bind potassium. This effect is minor for the silty loam and clay soils since both can retain potassium [ 13 ].…”

“…In recent decades, the adsorption, catalytic, and antibacterial characteristics of clinoptilolite-rich tuffs (ZT) from two deposits, Vranjska Banja and Slanci (Serbia), containing up to 80 wt.% clinoptilolite, with quartz and feldspar as the primary mineral impurities, have been extensively studied [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. This review compares these results with ZTs from other regions.…”