Sandy Soil Samples Research Articles

Complete genome sequences of Chitinophaga sp. strain MM2321 and Microbacterium sp. strain MM2322, isolated from a sand sample in Harsewinkel, Germany.

We cultivated bacteria contained in a sandy soil sample, isolated DNA from a single bacterial colony, and assembled from genomic reads the full genome sequence of Chitinophaga and Microbacterium strains, termed MM2321 and MM2322. Besides the genome sequences, the phylogenetic classifications of both strains are reported.

Boron toxicity in young cassava plants

Diagnosis of boron (B) toxicity in cassava grown in soil is still a challenge. The objectives of this work were (i) to describe the symptoms of B toxicity in cassava grown in soil and (ii) to establish critical B toxicity concentrations in soil and leaf blades of the plant. In a greenhouse, plants were grown for 68 days in pots filled with sandy soil samples submitted to B rates of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg dm−3. Application of B increased both concentration of B extracted from the soil with hot water and B concentration in leaf blades. Visual symptoms of B toxicity were only observed in the highest rate of applied B. The symptoms were photographed and described as chlorosis followed by necrosis in the tip and margin of older leaves. Despite the symptoms, there were no significant effects on growth of the plant. As a result, critical concentrations could not be obtained. Alternatively, thresholds based on B toxicity symptoms are suggested. The thresholds for concentration of B in younger leaf blades and older leaf blades were calculated to be 99.9 and 130.7 mg kg−1, respectively. These respective thresholds corresponded to the thresholds for B concentrations in soil of 0.875 and 0.891 mg dm−3. Concentrations above these thresholds could be used to support visual diagnosis of suspected B toxicity symptoms. Photos, description, and thresholds provided in this article can help improve the diagnosis of visual B toxicity symptoms in young cassava plants grown in soil.

Water retention curves of sandy soils obtained from direct measurements, particle size distribution, and infiltration experiments

AbstractAccurate information about soil water retention curves (SWRCs) of sands is essential for evaluating groundwater recharge and vulnerability to contamination in many shallow sandy aquifers which are widespread on post glacial areas in Northern Europe and North America. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) allow to estimate SWRC from basic physical characteristics of soils, such as textural composition. However, in the case of clean sands which are dominated by a single textural fraction, PTFs should be based on more detailed information given by the particle size distribution. In this study we evaluated three parametric PTFs, which estimate parameters of the van Genuchten SWRC based on empirical correlations to the parameters of soil particle size distribution, and five semi‐physical PTFs, which derive the pore size distribution from particle size distribution. PTFs were compared to SWRCs fitted to the results of drainage experiments on sandy soil samples from six locations in Gdańsk region (northern Poland). Although in all samples the content of silt and clay fractions was low (<3.5%), the differences in actual content of fines strongly influenced the shape of SWRC. In contrast, the amount of gravel fraction (varying from 1% to 35%) did not have significant effect on SWRC. Semi‐physical PTFs were found to be more accurate than parametric PTFs. The best overall performance was shown by the semi‐physical Chang and Cheng PTF. Among the parametric PTFs the best accuracy was obtained with the Schaap and Bouten method. However, all considered functions showed limited accuracy in higher suction range. Additionally, infiltration experiments were performed on four sites. SWRCs were obtained from ring infiltrometer tests using the Beerkan estimation of soil transfer parameters (BEST) method and from the tension infiltrometer (TI) tests using numerical solution of the inverse problem based on the Richards equation. In almost all cases the wetting SWRCs were characterized by higher values of the pressure scaling parameter α compared to SWRCs measured in drainage experiments, which is consistent with the well‐known phenomenon of hysteresis in soils. However, the BEST method resulted in significantly higher α and hydraulic conductivity Ks than TI, probably due to activation of the largest soil pores during ponded infiltration.

Deciphering silver nanoparticles perturbation effects and risks for soil enzymes worldwide: Insights from machine learning and soil property integration

Globally extensive research into how silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) affect enzyme activity in soils with differing properties has been limited by cost-prohibitive sampling. In this study, customized machine learning (ML) was used to extract data patterns from complex research, with a hit rate of Random Forest > Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations > Decision Tree > K-Nearest Neighbors. Results showed that soil properties played a pivotal role in determining AgNPs’ effect on soil enzymes, with the order being pH > organic matter (OM) > soil texture ≈ cation exchange capacity (CEC). Notably, soil enzyme activity was more sensitive to AgNPs in acidic soil (pH < 5.5), while elevated OM content (>1.9 %) attenuated AgNPs toxicity. Compared to soil acidification, reducing soil OM content is more detrimental in exacerbating AgNPs’ toxicity and it emerged that clay particles were deemed effective in curbing their toxicity. Meanwhile sand particles played a very different role, and a sandy soil sample at > 40 % of the water holding capacity (WHC), amplified the toxicity of AgNPs. Perturbation mapping of how soil texture alters enzyme activity under AgNPs exposure was generated, where soils with sand (45–65 %), silt (< 22 %), and clay (35–55 %) exhibited even higher probability of positive effects of AgNPs. The average calculation results indicate the sandy clay loam (75.6 %), clay (74.8 %), silt clay (65.8 %), and sandy clay (55.9 %) texture soil demonstrate less AgNPs inhibition effect. The results herein advance the prediction of the effect of AgNPs on soil enzymes globally and determine the soil types that are more sensitive to AgNPs worldwide.

Insights Into Estimation of Sand Permeability: From Empirical Relations to Microstructure-based Methods

Abstract This study evaluates various methods for estimating soil permeability using microtomography-derived data and compares them to the conventional laboratory approaches. Different methods, including measurement in custom-designed permeameter at micro-CT-compatible scale, empirical equations, simulated sifting, semi-theoretical equations, pore-network modeling, and lattice-Boltzmann simulations, were applied to samples of sandy soils with distinct microstructural properties. The empirical equations showed varied results, highly dependent on the method chosen. The simulated sifting method was able to adequately estimate the granulometric properties of the soil, allowing the use of empirical permeability formulations for substantially small samples. Semi-theoretical equations based on the microstructural properties presented reasonable agreement for some samples. The pore-network modeling approach demonstrated computational efficiency but lacked accuracy. The lattice-Boltzmann method required significant computational resources but did not provide substantially closer alignment with the measured hydraulic properties of some samples. None of the simulations was able to properly determine the permeability of silty and organically contaminated sand. The study highlights the complexity of permeability estimation, emphasizing the need for choosing volumes of interest, resolution of micro-CT scans, and methods that match specific soil characteristics and available computational resources.

Experimental investigation on mechanical response of soil reinforced by carbon nanotubes and silica dioxide nanoparticles

In the present study, three-axis dynamic tests were performed on different samples of soil, and the effect of montmorillonite based carbon nanotubes (CNT) and amorphous silica dioxide nanoparticles presence, density, hydrostatic pressure and moisture percentage on the elastic modulus and equivalent damping ratio of soil was investigated. Considering that in the present research, experimental studies and tests were carried out on three samples of sandy soil reinforced with 2 % volume fraction CNT, sandy soil reinforced with 8 % nanosilica and sandy soil reinforced with 0.5 % CNT and 4 % nanosilica. Also, the optimum moisture percentage has been determined for these types of soils. In general, with the increase of hydrostatic pressure and compaction of sand, the elastic modulus increases, and the amount of increase is different according to the type of nanoparticles. For 1 % applied strain and soil sand, with the increase of hydrostatic pressure from 100 kPa to 300 kPa, the elastic modulus of sand with 2 % CNT and 8 % nanosilica increases by 36 % and 214 %, respectively. This shows the favorable effect of silica nanoparticles on increasing the Young's modulus of sand by increasing the amount of hydrostatic pressure. The effect of CNT on improving the elastic modulus of sand in dry state is much higher than the effect of nanosilica. At 1 % strain and 4 % compaction, adding 2 % CNT to sand increases the elastic modulus of sand about 4 times compared to sand reinforced with 8 % nanosilica.

Studying Effect of Saturation Degree on the Bearing Capacity and Failure Mechanism of Sandy Soils

In this research, an experimental method was employed on samples of sandy soils from the Tartous and Palmyra regions. The objective was to investigate the impact of saturation degree on the bearing capacity of partially saturated sandy soil and the associated failure mechanism. To achieve the aim of the research, a series of tests were conducted to determine the basic physical properties of the soils. Additionally, a series of laboratory loading tests were conducted for a footing model atop sandy soil under various saturation degrees. Matric suction was measured, and soil water characteristic curves were determined using the filter paper technique. The results were subjected to analysis and discussion, and the experimental work demonstrated that saturation degree had a clear effect on the bearing capacity. It was observed that the bearing capacity of partially saturated soil is higher than that of fully saturated soil. The values of the increase were found to range between 2.3 and 9.7 times the bearing capacity in the fully saturated state. An empirical relationship was proposed to simulate the bearing capacity of partially saturated sandy soil based on the experimental results. Furthermore, the results indicated that the saturation degree exerted a discernible influence on the failure mechanism. In particular, a failure mode associated with dense soils was discerned in medium-dense soils at specific degrees of saturation for the tested soils.

Predicting soil thermal properties in freeze-thaw cycles using EFAttNet: A comparative analysis.

This study investigates the thermal conductivity (λ) and volumetric heat capacity (C) of sandy soil samples under a variety of conditions, including freeze-thaw cycles at temperatures both above and below zero and differing moisture levels. To estimate these thermal properties, a novel predictive model, EFAttNet, was developed, which utilizes custom-designed embedding and attention-based fusion networks. When compared to traditional de Vries empirical models and other baseline algorithms, EFAttNet demonstrated superior accuracy. Preliminary measurements showed that λ values increased linearly with moisture content but decreased with temperature, whereas C values exhibited a rising trend with both moisture content and freezing temperature. Following freeze-thaw cycles, both λ and C were positively influenced by moisture content and freezing temperature. The EFAttNet-based model proved highly accurate in predicting thermal properties, particularly effective at capturing nonlinear relationships among the influencing factors. Among these factors, the degree of saturation had the most significant impact, followed by the number of freeze-thaw cycles, subzero temperatures, porosity, and moisture content. Notably, dry density exerted minimal influence on thermal properties, likely due to the overriding effects of other factors or specific soil characteristics, such as particle size distribution or mineralogical composition. These findings have significant implications for construction and engineering projects, especially in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency. The demonstrated accuracy of the EFAttNet-based model in estimating thermal properties under various conditions holds promise for practical applications. Although focused on specific soil types and conditions, the insights gained can guide further research and development in managing soil thermal properties across diverse environments, thereby enhancing our understanding and application in this field.

The effect of maximum diameter of geogrid-reinforced sandy soil particles on shear strength parameters

Geogrid reinforcement is an effective method for improving the strength characteristics and bearing capacity of granular soils. The dimensional ratio of the diameter of soil particles to the mesh size of geogrid apertures can be effective on the strength performance and stress- deformation of the reinforced soil. To explore these factors, a sandy soil sample from Tonekabon (Iran) was separated into three gradations with a maximum particle diameter of 4.75, 2, and 0.425 mm, with an average relative density of about 57%. The samples were reinforced with two types of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) mesh as a geogrid, with aperture dimensions of 5 and 3 mm. All the samples were subjected to compressive loading in the triaxial shear apparatus under effective stress conditions. With a relative increase in the mesh size of the geogrid aperture to the maximum dimension of the reinforced soil grains, the internal friction angle decreased. Moreover, reinforcement of non-cohesive sandy soil caused apparent cohesion in the consolidated undrained conditions, and this was more evident with the reduction of the maximum diameter of sand particles. Decreasing the maximum diameter of the particles from 4.75 to 0.425 mm in the unreinforced and reinforced conditions caused the internal friction angle of the soil to drop by about 8%–10%. For the non-cohesive sandy soil, the results showed that soil reinforcement caused a more salient apparent cohesion in the soil with the maximum diameter of smaller particles. The sand passing through sieve #40 (0.425 mm) showed a cohesion of 0.2 to 0.34 kg/cm2 upon reinforcement with both types of meshes, while the soil lacked significant cohesion in the unreinforced conditions.

Environmental distribution and genomic characteristics of Solirubrobacter, with proposal of two novel species.

Solirubrobacter spp. were abundant in soil samples collected from deserts and other areas with high UV radiation. In addition, a novel Solirubrobacter species, with strain CPCC 204708T as the type, was isolated and identified from sandy soil sample collected from the Badain Jaran Desert of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Strain CPCC 204708T was Gram-stain positive, rod-shaped, non-motile, non-spore-forming, and grew optimally at 28-30°C, pH 7.0-8.0, and in the absence of NaCl. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain CPCC 204708T showed its identity within the genus Solirubrobacter, with highest nucleotide similarities (97.4-98.2%) to other named Solirubrobacter species. Phylogenetic and genomic analyses indicated that the strain was most closely related to Solirubrobacter phytolaccae KCTC 29190T, while represented a distinct species, as confirmed from physiological properties and comparison. The name Solirubrobacter deserti sp. nov. was consequently proposed, with CPCC 204708T (= DSM 105495T = NBRC 112942T) as the type strain. Genomic analyses of the Solirubrobacter spp. also suggested that Solirubrobacter sp. URHD0082 represents a novel species, for which the name Candidatus "Solirubrobacter pratensis" sp. nov. was proposed. Genomic analysis of CPCC 204708T revealed the presence of genes related to its adaptation to the harsh environments of deserts and may also harbor genes functional in plant-microbe interactions. Pan-genomic analysis of available Solirubrobacter spp. confirmed the presence of many of the above genes as core components of Solirubrobacter genomes and suggests they may possess beneficial potential for their associate plant and may be important resources for bioactive compounds.

Assessment of the water content of the soil and utilization of the energy balance model to promote environmentally friendly development of green, low-carbon industries

Abstract The use of energy balance models to study the water content of soil can effectively solve some problems in agricultural production, ecosystem management, and environmental management. The application of the energy balance model requires a large amount of data, and its application in agricultural production is proposed mainly for the prediction and evaluation of the water content of the soil. Various water content values of the soil were determined using an energy balance model and an oven-drying method. The natural water content of the sandy soil determined by oven drying was between 30% and 40% for the sample soil from the same batch, with the second sandy soil sample having the highest value of 39.2% and the 15th sandy soil sample having the lowest value of 30.3%. The natural water content of sandy soils determined using an energy balance model was between 30% and 35%, among which the natural water content of the fifth sandy soil sample was the lowest at 30.12% and the natural water content of the third sandy soil sample was the highest at 34.46%.

Investigation of Amended Sandy Soil's Water Retention Characteristics

Purpose: Soil water retention studies are important for evaluating soil quality and water movement in soils. This study assesses the water content capacity and changes in the retention curve of sandy soil after using zeolite X, activated charcoal, and rice husk ash as amendments. Design/Methodology/Approach: Sandy soil samples were collected from the study area, Keta District of Ghana, and a core borer and a pot experiment were used to determine the pressure head and water content of the soil. One-way analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) was used to analyze the data. Water retention curve analyses were conducted using COMSOL multi-physics simulation and experimental work. Research Limitation/Implication: The amendments used were restricted to zeolite X, activated charcoal, and rice husk ash. Practical Implications: The study contributes to the field of sustainable agriculture and land management by exploring amendments that can potentially reduce water usage in irrigation, mitigate soil erosion, and enhance soil fertility. This aligns with global efforts to promote sustainable and efficient resource use. Social Implications: These findings can be implemented for cases of poor yield by farming communities by applying zeolite X, activated charcoal, and rice husk ash to improve crop productivity.

Comparison of the effectiveness of various parasitological methods in detecting nematode eggs in different types of soil.

Natural fertilizers, sewage sludge, digestates, as well as organic fertilizers produced on their basis, can become a source of parasitological contamination of cultivated land. High concentration of invasive forms of parasites in the soil may pose a threat to human and animal health. Therefore, it is necessary to control the hygienic condition of fertilizers and fertilized soils with particular emphasis on parasites. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of methods commonly used for parasitological examination of soil with own methods which were used to develop the standards. The study was carried out using samples of sandy soil (SS), horticultural mix soil (HS) and peat-based substrate (PS). Each sample was spiked with 100 dyed Ascaris suum eggs and examined with the use of 6 methods: Vasilkova, Dada, Quinn, and 3 methods according to the Polish Standards (PN-19000, PN- 19005, PN-19006). For each variant, 8 repetitions were made. The largest number of A. suum eggs were found with PN-19006 (mean number of detected eggs was 21.25, 46.50, 23.00 for HS, SS, PS, respectively. Slightly lower results were obtained using PN-19005 - the mean number eggs was 21.25, 36.00, 16.75, respectively. On the other hand, the mean number of A. suum eggs found with the Dada method was about 2-3 times lower than with the PN-19006 - 15.75, 22.50, 6.50 for HS, SS, PS soil, respectively. Other methods were much less effective. PN-19006 method turned out to be the most effective in detecting A. suum eggs. This method can be used for parasitological examination of soils and can be the basis for developing a system of methods dedicated to testing different types of soils for the presence of nematode eggs.

Estimación de la curva característica suelo agua en suelos arenosos mediante el ensayo de papel filtro

The unsaturated soils mechanics is strongly related to the suction phenomenon that occurs between solid soil particles, which changes when the soil water content does not remain constant. The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) provides information related to suction and water content of the soil; and to obtain such a curve different direct and indirect methods can be used. In this research the soil-water characteristic curve for sands is obtained through the implementation of the filter paper test. For this purpose, three reconstituted samples of sandy soils from Lima – Peru (relative density between 20% and 60%) were tested following the wet path of the curve. The samples were stored at least seven days until equilibrium was reached. In this way, discrete points of the soil-water characteristic curve were obtained. SWCC equations such as Brooks and Corey (1964), Van Genuchten (1980), and Fredlund and Xing (1994) were used to adjust the data and obtain their respective parameters for sandy soils. Results show that the filter paper test can be used to obtain the soil-water characteristic curves of reconstituted sandy soils; and that the matric suction of sandy soil can be obtained in seven days period by means of this method; whereas a longer storage time could require to reach the equilibrium and to obtain the total suction for these soils.

Multimodal spectroscopy with chemometrics: Application to simulated forensic soil casework

A multimodal analytical sequence in combination with chemometrics was applied to a blinded case simulation to showcase its suitability for use within the context of forensic casework involving arid, sandy soils low in clay and organic matter. Using microspectrophotometry, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, in combination with principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis, an unknown “recovered” sample was able to be associated with a single reference soil and discriminated from the other soils. The spectroscopic techniques employed produced varying results, however, these results offered complementary information that was able to be interpreted collectively to discriminate between the reference soils and identify the source of the “recovered” soil with greater confidence. The use of chemometric methods to interpret the data provided an objective, statistical measure of the similarities and/or variation between samples that could be presented as weighting for evidence in court. Hence, this approach was deemed suitable for incorporation into forensic casework to provide discrimination between similar sandy soil samples in an objective manner.

Coprostanol adsorption behavior in agricultural soil, riverbed sediment, and sand

The occurrence of coprostanol in soil, surface, and groundwater has recently been reported in several studies. Coprostanol indicates the presence of feces from mammals. For this reason, it is important to establish adsorption behavior in different kinds of geologic media. To our knowledge, we present for the first-time adsorption behavior of coprostanol in soil, sediment, and sand and an estimation of its potential bioavailability, fate, and transport behavior. Adsorption experiments were conducted in agricultural soil, riverbed sediment, and sandy soil samples. The Henry model fitted experimental adsorption curves best for soil and sediment samples. Henry adsorption coefficients (KD) were 193.7 L kg−1 for soil, 120.8 L kg−1 for sediment, and 94.8 L kg−1 for sand, which suggests that the adsorption of coprostanol is different in soil (high absorption), sediment (medium), and sand (low). Further, results showed that the Freundlich model fits observed adsorption better as compared to the Langmuir model, indicating that the sorption process is of the multilayer type for the heterogenous surface of soil sample. The Langmuir model fitted best the adsorption in sediment, and sand. This supports the hypothesis that the process here is of a monolayer adsorption type. The mean maximum sorption capacity estimated by the Langmuir model was 345.1 µg g−1 for soil, 133.2 µg g−1 for sediment, and 80.9 µg g−1 for sand. The high adsorption capacity of coprostanol in soil is predominantly controlled by organic matter, high CEC, clay content, possible intermolecular H-bonding, and hydrophobic interaction. The organic carbon content normalized sorption coefficient (KOC) revealed that coprostanol is considered a sub-high adsorbed and slightly mobile compound that has leaching properties and can migrate to groundwater posing potential risks to the groundwater system.

The presence of parasitic structures in sandy soil samples from beaches located along the north coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Beaches are a source of parasite contamination because protozoan cysts and helminth eggs and larvae can remain viable in sandy soils for months. Parasitic infections are mainly related to hygiene conditions, health, and environmental education, and can affect the life quality of the population. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the presence of parasitic structures in five beaches located along the north coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Eighty samples were collected in August and September 2020 at the beaches of Torres, Tramandaí, Capão da Canoa, Arroio Teixeira, and Arroio do Sal and processed with the spontaneous sedimentation method for microscopic analyses. The results showed that 32% (26/80) of samples were positive for the presence of parasitic structures, and there was a significantly higher frequency of positive samples in September than in August. Torres was the beach with the highest frequency of positive samples, while Arroio Teixeira and Arroio do Sal presented the lowest frequency of contamination. Nematode larvae, including hookworm larvae, were the most prevalent parasitic structures in the samples. Hence, the sandy soil from beaches must be monitored to develop programs and strategies for improving infrastructures and basic sanitation conditions, thus ensuring the health of the population.

Experimental Study on the Mechanical Behavior of Sandy Soil Reinforced by Disposable Face Mask Chips under Different Stress Paths

Since 2020, with the global spread of major respiratory infectious diseases, such as COVID–19, the demand and consumption of personal protective equipment, such as masks, have increased dramatically worldwide. The environmental pollution caused by numerous waste disposable face masks has gradually attracted people’s attention. In this study, the mechanical properties of mask–chip–reinforced soil are evaluated from a new perspective, through the uniaxial, biaxial, conventional triaxial, and true triaxial compression tests on reshaped sandy soil samples mixed with different contents of mask chips. The experimental results show that the mechanical properties of the sandy soil can be improved by the mask chips. With the proper content of mask chips, the failure strength is substantially improved, and the failure of soil is delayed. Meanwhile, the strength and stiffness are significantly affected by the stress path and the content of mask chips, even if the soil samples with the same mask–chip content can also show different mechanical properties under different stress paths. Additionally, the mechanical properties of soil are not necessarily improved constantly with the increasing content of mask chips. The failure strength of sandy soil samples under conventional and true triaxial stress paths decreases when the mass content of mask chips exceeds 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. This study confirms the potential of mask chips applied to subgrade, slope, and other engineering construction fields in a sustainable way.

Evaluation of Electrical Impedance Spectra by Long Short-Term Memory to Estimate Nitrate Concentrations in Soil.

Monitoring the nitrate concentration in soil is crucial to guide the use of nitrate-based fertilizers. This study presents the characteristics of an impedance sensor used to estimate the nitrate concentration in soil based on the sensitivity of the soil dielectric constant to ion conductivity and on electrical double layer effects at electrodes. The impedance of synthetic sandy soil samples with nitrate nitrogen concentrations ranging from 0 to 15 mg/L was measured at frequencies between 20 Hz and 5 kHz and noticeable conductance and susceptance effects were observed. Long short-term memory (LSTM), a variant of recurrent artificial neural networks (RNN), was investigated with respect to its suitability to extract nitrate concentrations from the measured impedance spectra and additional physical properties of the soils, such as mass density and water content. Both random forest and LSTM were tested as feature selection methods. Then, numerous LSTMs were trained to estimate the nitrate concentrations in the soils. To increase estimation accuracy, hyperparameters were optimized with Bayesian optimization. The resulting optimal regression model showed coefficients of determination between true and predicted nitrate concentrations as high as 0.95. Thus, it could be demonstrated that the system has the potential to monitor nitrate concentrations in soils in real time and in situ.

Can Organic Matter from Waste-Derived Amendments Limit Phosphorus Losses from Soil to the Aquatic Environment?

When introducing innovative waste-derived amendments, their potential impact on soil retention capacity towards phosphorus (P) should be accounted for to limit its losses and thus water eutrophication. The study was aimed at evaluating P sorption properties of organic waste-derived amendments conifer woodchip biochar (BIO) and brown coal waste (BCW), and assessing their impact on P sorption properties in soil five years after their application in terms of limiting P losses from soils to the water sources. In batch tests samples of amendments and sandy acid soil (Haplic Luvisol) were exposed for 24 h to balancing solutions with a different P content, respectively 0–80 mg P L−1 for amendments and 0–20 mg P L−1 for soil. Three treatments were studied: (1) conifer woodchip biochar (BIO, (2) brown coal waste (BCW) and (0) soil without amendment (control). Organic amendments were applied to soil at a rate equivalent of 10.2 t C ha−1 once at the start of the trial and they amounted to 24.2 t ha−1 for BCW and 12.8 t ha−1 for BIO. Based on the results of the bath tests and the Langmuir and Freundlich equations, sorption parameters of P were determined for BIO, BCW and the soil after their application. The maximum sorption capacities (Smax) of BIO and BCW were 832.3 and 250.4 mg kg−1, respectively, and were controlled mainly by the organic surfaces of their structures. Within the range of concentrations used in the balancing solutions (5–20 mg P L−1), sorption of P was generally higher in unfertilized soil compared to soil amended with BCW and BIO. The application of BIO significantly (p &lt; 0.05) decreased the Smax (17%), while BCW decreased the bonding energy of P (k) by 15% compared to the untreated soil. The content of dissolved P increased significantly in the case of both BCW and BIO applications, which may indicate an increase in soil susceptibility to P losses. However, the effectiveness of these amendments in limiting P losses with the use of other doses and in different soil and climatic conditions cannot be excluded. Further research is recommended to better understand the effect of biochar feedstock and temperature of its production on P retention/losses in various types of soils.