Phosphorus leakage from various phosphorus sources in terms of the risk of water pollution

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out with spring wheat on soil, the pH of which was differentiated with calcium carbonate into three pH levels. At each pH level, the effects of four phosphorus fertilizers, which differed in the forms of phosphorus, were tested. During the vegetation period, soil filtrates were collected three times in order to determine the concentration of phosphate ions in the water filtered through the soil. It was found that the amount of phosphorus penetrating deep into the soil from fertilizers depended on the type of fertilizer, soil pH and the time that elapsed from the application of the fertilizer. The greatest amount of phosphates was found in soil filtrates from fertilizers containing mono- and diammonium phosphates, as well as ortho- and polyphosphates. For this type of fertilizers, there is a high risk of phosphorus contamination of waters, therefore their doses should be determined with great care.