Evaluation of struvite leaching potential relative to monoammonium phosphate through field and soil column trials

Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) is a wastewater-derived phosphorus (P) fertilizer that is hypothesized to reduce phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) losses compared to conventional P fertilizer, such as monoammonium phosphate (MAP). Few studies have examined the fate of struvite compared to MAP at both the field scale and through soil column trials. The objectives of the research conducted for this thesis were to 1) test hypothesized differences in leaching of P and N and test how differences in struvite and MAP solubility influence yield-scaled losses and 2) to assess the P and N leaching of struvite relative to MAP in soil columns. A randomized-complete block design was conducted, with smectitic, mesic Aquic Argiudolls (Urbana, IL) and mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Fragiudalfs (Ewing, IL) fields. Additionally, a series of soil column experiments where struvite was compared to MAP through indirect (labeled) and direct (labeled) methods of determination of P and N leaching in two soil types with contrasting organic matter (OM) content. Yield-scaled P and N losses from struvite were significantly lower than MAP at both sites by 10 and 53%, respectively. Struvite at the field scale appears to reduce P and N leaching and yield-scaled loss risks compared to MAP, pointing towards the potential of struvite to reduce nutrient losses during the offseason. In soil columns, less than 0.13% of granular struvite-P and 3% of struvite-N was leached compared to 14% of granular MAP-P and 83% of MAP-N by 3.67 pore volumes (vp). Struvite across the field scale and soil column scale was found to reduce the risk of P and N losses while having similar yield to MAP, supporting future applications of struvite as a P fertilizer.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Crop Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Leon, Patricia

Contributors dc:contributor

• Margenot, Andrew J
• Villamil, Maria B
• Cusick, Roland D

• struvite
• monoammonium phosphate
• nutrient leaching
• soybean yield
• yield-scaled losses
• soil column
• 33P

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Patricia Leon

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/116290

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F116290