Mineralization of sulfur in soils amended with organic wastes

Journal Article · · Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1991.00472425002000030030x· OSTI ID:5203551

Tabatabai, M A ^[1]; Chae, Y M ^[2]

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1. Iowa State Univ., Ames (USA)
2. Alberta Environment, Edmonton (Canada)

This study was conducted to compare the mineralization of S in soils amended with various types of sewage sludges, animal manures, and plant materials. Field-moist soils amended with organic waste materials at a 50-Mg-ha{sup {minus}1} rate were mixed with glass beads, packed in leaching columns, leached with 5 mM CaCl{sub 2} to remove the mineral S, and incubated at 30C. The leaching procedure was repeated every 2 wk for 26 wk. The leachates were analyzed for SO{sup {minus}2}{sub 4} {minus}S. The rate of SO{sub 4}{sup {minus}2} release from sewage sludges was rapid during the first 6 wk, followed by a slow linear release. The release of SO{sup {minus}2}{sub 4} from animal manures was linear with time of incubation. With the exception of alfalfa, which showed a rapid SO{sub 4}{sup {minus}2} release within the first 2 wk and a subsequent linear release with time up to 26 wk, the addition of all other plant materials resulted in net S immobilization. The total net S mineralized from the organic waste materials varied considerably, depending on the type of soil and the C/N/S ratio of the organic waste material. The amounts of S mineralized in soils amended with sewage sludges and animal manures ranged from 99 to 345 mg S kg{sup {minus}1} and from 32 to 52 mg S kg{sup {minus}1} soil, respectively. The total S mineralized in soils amended with plant materials ranged from 15 to 57 mg S kg{sup {minus}1}. Expressed as a percentage of total organic S added to soils, the S mineralized ranged from 41 to 97% for sewage sludges and from {minus}62 to 127% for animal manures. The percentage of organic S mineralized in the plant materials ranged from {minus}510% for cornstalk to 87% for alfalfa. Soil types have marked effects on the mineralizable S (S{sub o}) pool and the first-order rate constants (k).

• OSTI ID: 5203551
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States) Vol. 20:3; ISSN JEVQA; ISSN 0047-2425
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALFALFA
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
CEREALS
ELEMENTS
GRAMINEAE
GROUND DISPOSAL
LEGUMINOSAE
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
MAIZE
MANAGEMENT
MANURES
MATERIALS
MATTER
NONMETALS
ORGANIC MATTER
ORGANIC WASTES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOILS
SULFATES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES