Abstract
Phosphate minerals of apatite from three mines with different amounts of gangue minerals were activated by milling to increase their microcrystallinity and subsequent dissolution in a citric acid solution to serve as slow-release fertilizers for agricultural production. XRD (X-ray diffraction), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared), and SEM (Scanning electron microscope) were employed to characterize the properties of the prepared samples, such as changes in microcrystallinity, mineral composition, lattice structure, and granule morphology during the milling. With prolonged milling time, accompanied with the progress in microcrystallinity, the ratio of the formed amorphous compositions increased, resulting in higher dissolution in citric acid solution. In the case of carrot plants, the addition of the microcrystalline phosphate rock together with phosphorus bacteria allowed an efficient nutrient (P, K, and N) uptake as high as 77.0%, 36.7%, and 32.2%, which increased by 91.3%, 123.0%, and 105.2%, respectively, from the growth on an original soil without any addition, demonstrating clear contribution of the activated apatites in agricultural production.
Highlights
Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for life—high P content is present in the DNA and RNA backbones and plays a crucial role in cell metabolism [1]
To understand the relationship between energy input, phosphorus release characteristics, and the change in the phosphate rock (PR) powder crystal during microcrystalline activation, we proposed a plausible activation mechanism
It is composed of apocrystalline ultra-microcrystalline apatite microcrystals, as confirmed by electron microscopic results [21,22]
Summary
Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for life—high P content is present in the DNA and RNA backbones and plays a crucial role in cell metabolism [1]. It is known that a high-intensity mechanical activation would cause the distortion of the grain lattice of the phosphate crystal and create micro-cracks within the particles [7]. Different types and grades of PR were chosen and mechanochemically activated for the development of new, environmentally-friendly, highly efficient slow-release fertilizers. To understand the relationship between energy input, phosphorus release characteristics, and the change in the PR powder crystal during microcrystalline activation, we proposed a plausible activation mechanism. One of the most performing minerals was selected for application evaluation via a greenhouse pot experiment This provides insights into the leap-forward development of the phosphorus and phosphating fertilizers for sustainable agricultural application
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