Influence of soil pH and application rate on the oxidation of calcium sulfite derived from flue gas desulfurization
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States). School of Environmental & Natural Resources
Calcium sulfite hemihydrate (CaSO{sub 3} {center_dot} 0.5H{sub 2}O), a common byproduct of coal-fired utilities, is fairly insoluble and can decompose to release toxic SO{sub 2} under highly acidic soil conditions; however, it can also oxidize to form gypsum. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of application rate and soil pH on the oxidation of calcium sulfite under laboratory conditions. Oxidation rates measured by release of SO{sub 4}-S to solution decreased with increasing application rate. Leachate SO{sub 4}-S from soils amended with 1.0 to 3.0 g kg{sup -1} CaSO{sub 3} increased over a 21 to 28 d period before reaching a plateau. At 4 g kg{sup -1}, maximum SO{sub 4}-S release was delayed until Week 7. Oxidation and release of SO{sub 4}-S from soil amended with 3.0 g kg{sup -1} calcium sulfite increased markedly with decreasing soil pH. After only 3 d incubation, the concentrations of SO{sub 4}-S in aqueous leachates were 77, 122, 1709 220, and 229 mg L{sup -1} for initial soil pH values of 7.8, 6.5, 5.5, 5.1, and 4.0, respectively. At an initial soil pH value of 4.0, oxidation/dissolution did not increase much after 3 d. At higher pH values, oxidation was maximized after 21 d. These results suggest that autumn surface applications of calcium sulfite in no-till systems should permit ample time for oxidation/dissolution reactions to occur without introducing biocidal effects related to oxygen scavenging. Soil and annual crops can thus benefit from additions of soluble Ca and SO{sub 4} if calcium sulfite is applied in advance of spring planting.
- OSTI ID:
- 20862317
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 36, Issue 1; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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