Optimal sequestration of carbon dioxide and phosphorus in soils by gypsum amendment

Abstract

Gypsum has been applied as a natural fertilizer and soil amendment for centuries in agriculture for providing crop nutrients such as Ca and S, and for improving soil physical properties. Recently, gypsum has been tested for sequestrating CO2 from the air and for capturing soluble phosphates in the soil, through formation of insoluble calcium phosphates and carbonates. However, the environmental factors controlling these sequestration processes have not been systemically studied. Here, we calculate optimal conditions of sequestration using chemical equilibrium modeling. Our results show that CO2 carbonation is effective at pH higher than 8.5 at atmospheric concentration. The removal of P is higher than 80 % for pH higher than 6.4, when Ca and P are at stoichiometric ratio. Also, placement of gypsum in subsoil is more effective for CO2 capture than applying it on soil surface since soil pores often contain higher concentrations of CO2 due to the soil respiration process. Overall, increases in medium pH, gypsum application rate, or CO2 partial pressure can increase the effectiveness of the amendment.