Determination of Total Ammonium Nitrogen in Pig and Cattle Slurry: Sample Preparation and Analysis

Abstract

In order to supply the correct amount of ammonium to the crop when slurry is spread on the field, it is necessary to know the ammonium concentration. Slurry is a heterogeneous substance and there is a risk that organic N-compounds and the ionic strength will interfere with the determination of ammonium. The usability of five different methods for the determination of ammonium in solution has been tested on 18 different cattle and pig slurries and compared to a manual distillation titration technique. Colorimetric determination using an autoanalyzer and an automatic titration distillation device using MgO were highly accurate, and the precision was close to 1%. Distillation with NaOH caused interference from hydrolysable organic compounds. An ammonium electrode could be used, but the accuracy was not good. When using the automatic titration distillation device, samples should immediately be transferred to Kjeldahl flasks with water or acidified to prevent loss of volatile ammonia, unless they are to be distilled within 30 min.     

两种农田土壤中的氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌对硝化抑制剂DCD和DMPP的响应-盆栽试验

Taking two important agricultural soils with different pH, brown soil （Hap-Udic Luvisol） and cinnamon soil （Hap-Ustic Luvisol）, from Northeast China, a pot culture experiment with spring maize （Zea mays L.） was conducted to study the dynamic changes in the abundance and diversity of soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria （AOB） and ammonia-oxidizing archaea （AOA） populations during maize growth period in response to the additions of nitrification inhibitors dicyandiamide （DCD） and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate （DMPP） by the methods of real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） assay, PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE）, and construction of clone library targeting the amoA gene. Four treatments were established, i.e., no urea （control）, urea, urea plus DCD, and urea plus DMPP. Both DCD and DMPP inhibited growth of AOB significantly, compared to applying urea alone. Soil bacterial amoA gene copies had a significant positive linear correlation with soil nitrate content, but soil archaeal amoA gene copies did not. In both soils, all AOB sequences fell within Nitrosospira or Nitrosospira-like groups, and all AOA sequences belonged to group 1.1b crenaxchaea. With the application of DCD or DMPP, community composition of AOB and AOA in the two soils had less change except that the AOB community composition in Hap-Udic Luvisol changed at the last two growth stages of maize under the application of DCD. AOB rather than AOA likely dominated soil ammonia oxidation in these two agricultural soils.     

硝/铵营养对香蕉枯萎病尖孢镰刀菌生长的影响

通过室内平板培养,研究了不同硝/铵配比的氮源,以及不同的pH对香蕉枯萎病尖孢镰刀菌生长的影响。结果表明: 1）在所有不同硝/铵配比处理中,低pH（pH=4）均抑制尖孢镰刀菌的生长。在相同pH值条件下,100%铵态氮处理中尖孢镰刀菌的生长受到明显抑制,其菌落直径均小于4 cm; 2）在不同浓度铵处理后,尖孢镰刀菌的生长在铵态氮大于5 mmol/L时受到强烈的抑制; 3）通过模拟植物细胞壁被尖孢镰刀菌侵染并穿透的过程中发现,尖孢镰刀菌在100%铵态氮处理下不能穿透赛璐膜。本研究结果说明,铵态氮能够控制香蕉尖孢镰刀菌的生长,并抑制其侵染穿透寄主细胞壁。     

A short discussion on the chemical composition of allophane based on the data of Yoshinaga in 1966

Many scientists have attempted to discern the chemical composition and the structure of allophane (2, 4–6). Yoshinaga (7) presented the chemical composition of eighteen samples of pure allophane in detail, and concluded as follows: All samples consisted principally of silica, alumina, and water. The silica-alumina molecular ratio ranged from about 1.3 to 2. Molecular ratios of ignition loss (+H₂0) and total water (±H₂O) to alumina were nearly constant, with the averages about 2.5 and 5.7, respectively. The chemical composition of soil allophane fell into a relatively narrow range, and the change in the percentage composition of the three major elements had a regularity.     

K/Ca and NH4/Ca selectivity of hydroxyaluminum-interlayered vermiculite and montmorillonite: Contribution from regular and frayed edge exchange sites

Cation distribution in adsorbed and solution phases and their mobility in the soil profile are largely influenced by the cation exchange capacity and selectivity coefficient of the soil. Vermiculites (Vt) and montmorillonites (Mt) in acid soils and sediments are frequently interlayered by hydroxyaluminum (HyA). Such interlayering causes significant changes in various properties of Vt and Mt. We evaluated the contribution of HyA-induced frayed edge sites (FES) in Vt and Mt to the overall selectivity of K/Ca and NHJCa. A more preferential adsorption and exchange of K to Ca was observed in the case of Vt in contrast to Mt. The overall K/Ca selectivity of Vt increased markedly by HyA-interlayering, whereas that of Mt was slightly affected. An increased overall K/Ca selectivity, especially of Vt was also observed due to the larger amount of HyA adsorption at higher initial basicity of the HyA ionic solution. Selective adsorption of K and NH₄ predominantly occurred on the FES. Interlayering substantially enhanced such FES contribution. The overall K/Ca and NH₄/Ca selectivity coefficients did not indicate any striking competitiveness of NH₄ with K, unlike that for the natural micaceous clay minerals. However, the parameter of FES contribution suggested that NH₄ could be slightly more competitive with K for the FES. The relative abundance of FES on different clay specimens determining K/Ca and NH₄/Ca selectivity and a slightly higher preference of NH₄ to K on FES played a major role at low K or NH₄-saturation.     

Use of soil color meter for aqueous iron and ammonium measurements

Abstract

In this paper, we proposed a new approach for on-site colorimetric analysis of ferrous ions (Fe²⁺) and ammonium-nitrogen (NH₄ ⁺-N) using a soil color meter as an alternative method to conventional spectrophotometry. The soil color meter we used can express solution color numerically on the basis of L*a*b* color space. After coloring of water by the 1, 10 phenanthroline method and the Indophenol blue method, the color of solution was measured by the soil color meter. A linear relationship between Fe²⁺ and a* or b* values, and systematic change of NH₄ ⁺-N with L* value, enable us to make a calibration curve. The Fe²⁺ and NH₄ ⁺-N concentrations in groundwater samples (Fe²⁺: 0.3–1.3 mg L^?1; NH₄ ⁺-N: 0.02–0.62 mg L^?1) determined by the proposed method agreed well with those determined by conventional spectrophotometry with the difference being ± 0.05 mg L^?1 and ± 0.02 mg L^?1, respectively. Since a similar apparatus is widely used in the soil science field, this technique would facilitate field surveys.     

Effect of Organic matter application on the fate of 15N-labeled ammonium fertilizer in an upland soil

Abstract

The clay mineral composition of two “terra roxa estruturada” (TRE) soils occurring in the tropical rain forest and tropical forest/savannah transition zone, and a reddish brunizem in the savannah/semi-arid transition zone was studied comparatively in the southeast Amazon region.

Kaolin minerals were dominant in these soils, and hematite and goethite were found in the clay fraction. A small amount of 2 : 1-type clay minerals was found in two soils. The mineral composition of the clay fraction in the TRE soils was hardly influenced by the difference of the meteorological factor or their water condition in this region, and this factor should not control the influence of parent materials derived from basic rocks. The TRE soils were developed under the condition of laterite genesis, and were regarded claymineralogically as a kind of the lateritic soils.     

粉砂壤土对铵离子的吸附特性

平衡状态下粉砂壤土吸附铵离子的实验结果表明，土壤溶液中NH4＋的质量浓度产ρ（NH4＋）影响土壤对NH4＋的吸附模式。当ρ（NH4＋）低于某一数值ρk（NH4＋）时土壤中的NH4＋将被溶解到土壤溶液中；当ρ（NH4＋）较大时土壤对NH4＋的吸附作用可用Langmir吸附模式描述；当ρ（NH4＋）较小（但大于ρk（NH4＋）时，土壤对NH4＋的吸附作用可用线性等温的Frundlich吸附公式描述。     

放牧率对短花针茅根际和非根际土壤氮素的影响

以短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原为研究对象,研究不同放牧强度下,短花针茅根际与非根际土壤氮素的变化。结果表明,不同处理间短花针茅根际的土壤氮素含量均高于非根际的。在相同放牧率下,随着土层深度增加根际与非根际土壤全氮、铵态氮、硝态氮含量都表现出降低的趋势;不同放牧率,0-10、20-30cm土层,根际土壤全氮含量总体变化趋势与非根际变化趋势相同;相同土层深度,轻度放牧区短花针茅根际土壤氨态氮与硝态氮含量明显升高,证明适度放牧对土壤氮素积累有积极作用。垂直方向上,不同放牧率下,0-10cm土层的全氮含量高于20-30cm土层的。     

不同放牧强度下羊草十大针茅草地植被与土壤氮素的空间异质性分析

以河北坝上的羊草(Leymus chinensis)+大针茅(Stipa grandis)典型草原为研究对象,用方差和地统计分析相结合的方法,研究了不同放牧强度对植被和土壤氮素的空间分布格局的影响.结果表明,植被密度与土壤氮素的变异函数大多符合球状和指数模型;轻牧与中牧的植被群落密度的空间分布受随机因素的影响较大,禁牧与重牧地受空间结构性因素影响较大,但重牧区土壤氮素的空间分布受随机因素影响相对较大;放牧降低了植被密度的空间异质性,而禁牧区的空间异质性(基台值0.116 8)大于放牧区(基台值均值0.019 5);随放牧强度的增加,土壤铵态氮、硝态氮的空间异质性均呈降低-增加的趋势,且重牧明显增加了土壤铵态氮和硝态氮的空间异质性,基台值分别为5.642 0和2.681 0,大于其余3个处理铵态氮和硝态氮的均值(0.315 8和0.168 7);整体上,在相同放牧处理的植被密度与土壤硝态氮的空间分布有相近的变化趋势.