Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Chemical fractionation of fluorine in soils with a long-term phosphate fertiliser history

P. Loganathan A C , Q. Liu A , M. J. Hedley A and C. W. Gray B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

B Marlborough District Council, 15-21 Seymour Street, Blenheim, New Zealand.

C Corresponding author. Email: p.loganathan@massey.ac.nz

Australian Journal of Soil Research 45(5) 390-396 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR07030
Submitted: 27 February 2007  Accepted: 16 July 2007   Published: 16 August 2007

Abstract

Elevated concentrations of fluorine (F) in pasture topsoils resulting from phosphorus (P) fertiliser (1–4% F) use are potentially toxic to grazing livestock if F absorption from ingested soil is high. Fluorine absorption by animals and the potential F toxicity is expected to vary depending on the chemical nature of the F in the ingested soil. In this paper we assess the solubility of F in 6 acidic topsoils (0–75 mm depth) under grazed pastures in New Zealand with widely different chemical characteristics, using a sequential soil P fractionation technique involving a cation/anion exchange resin, 0.1 m NaOH, 0.5 m H2SO4, and a residual fraction (17 m NaOH fusion). The results showed that F accumulates mainly in the NaOH-Fi fraction (inorganic F (Fi) adsorbed to Fe and Al oxides) and residual fractions (occluded F and recalcitrant organic F). In contrast, P accumulates mainly in the NaOH-Po (labile organic P fraction) and H2SO4-P (calcium phosphate compounds) fractions, with minor amounts in the NaOH-Pi fraction. The NaOH-Fo (labile organic F) fraction was not determined but the total F concentration calculated by summing all the extracted F fractions, except NaOH-Fo, was approximately equal to the total F concentration determined by NaOH fusion, indicating negligible F was in the NaOH-Fo fraction. Therefore, we suggest that the mechanisms of release of P and F in soils are different. Some of the F found in the residual fraction may have been derived from the previously extracted H2SO4-F fraction which was precipitated by the Al dissolved during H2SO4 extraction. It may therefore have been an artefact of the fractionation method.

Additional keywords: livestock, fluorosis, soil phosphorus fractions, soil fluorine fractions, labile soil fluorine.


Acknowledgments

We thank Glenys Wallace of Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University for help in some of the F analysis and Massey University Research Committee for funding part of the study.


References


Barrow NJ (1989) The reaction of plant nutrients and pollutants with soils. Australian Journal of Soil Research 27, 475–492.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Beckett PHT (1989) The use of extractants in studies on trace metals in soils, sewage sludges and sludge-treated soils. Advances in Soil Science 9, 143–176. open url image1

Bégin L, Fortin J (2003) Evaluation of an acid ammonium oxalate extraction to determine fluoride resident concentrations in soils. Journal of Environmental Quality 32, 662–673.
PubMed |
open url image1

Blakemore LC , Searle PL , Daly BK (1987) Methods for chemical analysis of soils. New Zealand Bureau Scientific Report No. 80, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

Braithwaite AC (1987) Partially acidulated phosphate rock fertilizers – an FMRA research review. In ‘The use of reactive phosphate rocks and their derivatives as fertilizers’. Occasional Report No. 1. (Eds RE White, LD Currie) pp. 18–26. (Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, Massey University: Palmerston North, New Zealand)

Chang SC, Jackson ML (1957) Fractionation of soil phosphorus. Soil Science 84, 133–144.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Cronin SJ, Manoharan V, Hedley MJ, Loganathan P (2000) Fluoride: a review of its fate, bioavailability, and risks of fluorosis in grazed-pasture systems in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 43, 295–321. open url image1

Day PR (1965) Particle fractionation and particle size analysis. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods, including statistics of measurement and sampling’. Agronomy Monograph No. 9. (Eds CA Black, DD Evans, JL White, LE Ensminger, FE Clark) pp. 545–567. (American Society of Agronomy: Madison, WI)

Elrashidi A, Lindsay WL (1986) Chemical equilibria of fluorine in soils: a theoretical development. Soil Science 141, 274–280.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Evans L, Hoyle RD, Macaskill JB (1971) Fluoride analysis of phosphatic fertilizers. New Zealand Journal of Science 14, 851–855. open url image1

Fixen PE , Grove JH (1990) Testing soils for phosphorus. In ‘Soil testing and plant analysis’. (Ed. RL Westerman) pp. 141–180. (Soil Science Society of America: Madison, WI)

Frankenberger WT , Tabatabai MA , Adriano DC , Doner HE (1996) Bromine, chlorine and fluorine. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 3. Chemical methods’. (Eds DL Sparks, AL Page, PA Helmke, RH Loeppert, PN Soltanpour, MA Tabatabai, CT Johnston, ME Sumner) pp. 833–867. (Soil Science Society of America: Madison, WI)

Grace ND, Loganathan P, Hedley MJ, Wallace GC (2003) Ingestion of soil fluorine: its impact on the fluorine metabolism and status of young grazing sheep. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 46, 279–286. open url image1

Gray CW, McLaren RG, Roberts AHC, Condron LM (2000) Fractionation of soil cadmium from some New Zealand soils. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 31, 1261–1273. open url image1

Hedley MJ, Kirk GJD, Santos MB (1994) Phosphorus efficiency and the forms of soil phosphorus utilised by upland rice cultivars. Plant and Soil 158, 53–62.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Hewitt AE (1998) ‘New Zealand Soil Classification.’ Landcare Research Science Series No. 1. (Manaaki Whenua Press, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd: Lincoln, New Zealand)

Larsen S, Widdowson AE (1971) Soil fluorine. Journal of Soil Science 22, 210–222.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Liu Q, Loganathan P, Hedley MJ, Skinner MF (2004) The mobilisation and fate of soil and rock phosphate in the rhizosphere of ectomycorrhizal Pinus radiata seedlings in an allophonic soil. Plant and Soil 264, 219–229.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Loganathan P, Bretherton MR, Hedley MJ (2007) Effect of soil cultivation and winter pugging on fluorine distribution in soil profiles under pasture following long-term applications of phosphate fertilisers. Australian Journal of Soil Research 45, 41–47.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Loganathan P, Gray CW, Hedley MJ, Roberts AHC (2006) Total and soluble fluorine concentrations in relation to properties of soils in New Zealand. European Journal of Soil Science 57, 411–421.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Loganathan P, Hedley MJ, Grace ND, Lee J, Cronin SJ, Bolan NS, Zanders JM (2003) Fertiliser contaminants in New Zealand grazed pasture with special reference to cadmium and fluorine: a review. Australian Journal of Soil Research 41, 501–532.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

McLaughlin MJ, Tiller KG, Naidu R, Stevens DG (1996) Review: the behaviour and environmental impact of contaminants in fertilizers. Australian Journal of Soil Research 34, 1–54.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Milhaud G, Clauw M, Joseph-Enriquez B (1989) Bioavailability in soil fluoride in sheep. Fluoride 22, 188–194. open url image1

Omueti JAI, Jones RL (1977) Fluoride adsorption by Illinois soils. Journal of Soil Science 28, 564–572.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Pansu M , Gautheyrou J (2006) ‘Handbook of soil analysis. Mineralogical, organic and inorganic methods.’ (Springer-Verlag: Berlin, Heidelberg)

Parfitt RL (1990) Allophane in New Zealand – a review. Australian Journal of Soil Research 28, 343–360.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Perrott KW, Smith BFL, Inkson RHE (1976) The reaction of fluoride with soils and soil minerals. Journal of Soil Science 27, 58–67.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

SAS Institute Inc. (1999) ‘SAS Online Doc.’ Version 8. (SAS Institute Inc.: Cary, NC)

Short TA, Kopittke PM, Mulligan DR, Menzies NW (2007) Growth of Eucalyptus species in a Brown Kandosol, and changes in soil phosphorus fractionation following fertilisation. Australian Journal of Soil Research 45, 190–198.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Shuman LM (1982) Separating soil iron- and manganese-oxide fractions for microelement analysis. Soil Science Society of America Journal 46, 1099–1102. open url image1

Tiessen H , Moir JO (1993) Characterization of available P by sequential extraction. In ‘Soil sampling and methods of analysis’. (Ed. MR Carter) pp. 75–86. (Lewis Publishers: London)

Tongtavee N, Shiowatana J, McLaren RG (2005) Fractionation of lead in soils affected by smelter activities using a continuous-flow sequential extraction system. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 85, 567–583.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Trolove SN, Hedley MJ, Caradus JR, Mackay AD (1996) Uptake of phosphorus from different sources by Lotus pendunculatus and three genotypes of Trifoluim repens. 2. Forms of phosphate utilized and acidification of the rhizosphere. Australian Journal of Soil Research 34, 1027–1040.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Van Kauwenbergh SJ (2003) Mineralogy and characterization of phosphate rock for direct application. In ‘Direct application of phosphate rock and related appropriate technology – latest developments and practical experiences’. (Eds SSS Rajan, SH Chien) pp. 28–49. (IFDC: Muscle Shoals, AL)

Zoysa AKN, Loganathan P, Hedley MJ (1997) A technique for studying rhizosphere processes in tree crops: soil phosphorus depletion around camellia (Camellia japonica L.) roots. Plant and Soil 190, 253–265.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Zoysa AKN, Loganathan P, Hedley MJ (2001) Comparison of the agronomic effectiveness of a phosphate rock and triple superphosphate as phosphate fertilizers for tea (Camellia sinensis L.) on a strongly acidic Ultisol. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 59, 95–105.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1