Distribution and recovery of nitrogen-15-labeled liquid anhydrous ammonia among various soil fractions

Journal Article · · Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6640966

Norman, R J; Kurtz, L T; Stevenson, F J

Since liquid anhydrous ammonia (LAA) is a major N fertilizer, information was sought about the proportions of LAA that enter into various combinations in soils. Liquid anhydrous NH/sub 3/, labeled with /sup 15/N was injected into three soils (Drummer, Typic Haplaquoll; Blount, Aeric Ochraqualf; Cisne, Mollic Albaqualf) in the laboratory at a rate equivalent to a field application of 206 kg N ha /sup 1/ in 76.2 cm knife-spacings. At 1, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 112 d after application, fertilizer N present in different soil fractions was determined in five concentric zones with radii of 0 to 1.5, 1.5 to 3.0, 3.0 to 4.5, 4.5 to 6.0, and 6.0 to 7.0 cm around the point of application. Depending on the soil, from 68 to 83% of the applied /sup 15/N was accounted for as (exchangeable NH/sub 4//sup +/ + NO/sub 3//sup -/ + NO/sub 2//sup -/)-N by the 112th day following application, the remainder being accounted for as clay-fixed NH/sub 4//sup +/ (1.9-4.9%), organic matter-fixed NH/sub 3/ (4.0-6.0%), and biologically immobilized organic N (3.9-9.3%). From 50 to 70% of the organic matter-fixed NH/sub 3/-N was released by hydrolysis with dilute KOH solution as compared to 10 to 15% for the immobilized N. Total recovery of /sup 15/N at 112 d ranged from 77% for the Cisne soil to about 97% for the Drummer and Blount soils. Lateral distributions and transformations of NH/sub 4//sup +/ and NO/sub 3//sup -/ and pH trends after LAA applications were similar to those reported by previous investigators.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Illinois, Urbana
• OSTI ID: 6640966
• Journal Information: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Vol. 51:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMMONIA
RECOVERY
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FERTILIZERS
NITRATES
NITROGEN 15
NITROGEN FIXATION
PH VALUE
SOILS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
DISTRIBUTION
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
STABLE ISOTOPES
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510101 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- Radiometric Techniques- (-1989)