Use of NH4 HCO3‐DTPA soil test to assess availability and toxicity of selenium to alfalfa plants

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine if ammonium bicarbonate‐DTPA soil test (AB‐DTPA) of Soltanpour and Schwab for simultaneous extraction of P, K, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn can be used to determine the availability index for Se. Five Mollisols from North Dakota were treated with sodium selenate and were subjected to several wetting and drying cycles. These soils were extracted with hot water and with ammonium bicarbonate‐DTPA (AB‐DTPA) solution for Se analysis. Alfalfa plants were grown in these soils in a growth chamber to determine plant uptake of Se. In addition to the above experiment, coal mine soil and overburden materials from Western Colorado were extracted and analyzed as mentioned above.

It was found that hot water and AB‐DTPA extracted approximately equal amounts of Se from Mollisols. A high degree of correlation (r =0.96) was found between Se uptake by plants and AB‐DTPA extractable Se. Extractable level of Se in treated soils was decreased with time due to change of selenate to less soluble Se forms and plant uptake of Se. An AB‐DTPA extractable Se level of over 100 ppb produced alfalfa plants containing 5 ppm or higher levels of Se that can be considered toxic to animals. Soils with about 2000 ppb of extractable Se were highly toxic to alfalfa plants and resulted in plant concentrations of over 1000 ppm of Se. The high rate of selenate (4ppm Se) was less toxic to alfalfa plants in soils of high organic matter content. This lower toxicity was accompanied with lower extractable levels of Se.

The AB‐DTPA solution extracted on the average about 31% more Se than hot water from the mine and overburden samples and was highly correlated with the latter (r =0.92). The results indicated the presence of bicarbonate‐exchangeable Se in these materials.     

稻菜轮作制下土壤有效态汞提取剂和提取条件研究

选择长三角地区代表性人为耕作土——青紫泥为研究对象,通过网室盆栽和室内试验,选用CaCl2,HCl,DTPA(二乙烯三胺五乙酸)和NH4OAc共4种提取剂,研究了水稻—小白菜—萝卜作物轮作系统中土壤有效态汞提取剂的选择与提取条件的优化问题。结果表明,不同提取剂提取的有效态汞含量随提取时间的延长而逐渐增加,30min可作为提取剂提取土壤有效态汞的最佳平衡时间;随土水比的减小,提取剂提取的土壤有效态汞量明显提高,1∶5为较适宜的土水比;不同提取剂的提取能力不同,对供试土壤,提取剂提取能力的大小顺序为:CaCl2>HCl>NH4OAc>DTPA。提取剂提取的土壤有效态汞量之间存在显著正相关,其中CaCl2和NH4OAc之间相关性最高;在土壤—水稻系统和土壤—萝卜系统中作物可食部位汞含量与提取剂提取的土壤有效态汞含量之间存在显著正相关关系,但在土壤—小白菜系统中相关性不强。综合分析,确定CaCl2为供试土壤汞有效态的最佳化学提取剂。     

Evaluation of Soil Tests for Plant‐available Mercury in a Soil–Crop Rotation System

A reliable soil test is needed for estimating mercury (Hg) availability to crop plants. In this study, four extraction procedures including 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl), 1 M ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) (pH 7.0), 0.005 M diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and 0.1 M calcium chloride (CaCl₂) (pH5.0) were compared for their adequacy in predicting soil Hg availability to crop plants of a rice–cabbage–radish rotation system. The amounts of Hg extracted by each of the four procedures increased with increasing equilibrium time. The optimal time required for extraction of soil Hg was approximately 30 min, though it varied slightly among the four extractants. The amounts of Hg extracted decreased with increasing soil/solution ratio, and a soil/solution ratio of 1:5 appeared to be adequate for soil Hg availability tests. The amounts of Hg extracted increased in the order of NH₄OAc < CaCl₂ < DTPA < HCl in silty loam soil (SLS) soil, and the order was NH₄OAc < CaCl₂ ≈ DTPA < HCl in yellowish red soil (YRS) soil. Significant positive correlations among the four extractants were obtained in SLS soil. In contrast, the correlations were poor in YRS soil, especially for HCl. There were significant correlations between concentrations of Hg in edible tissue of three plants and the amounts of soil Hg extractable to the four extractants for soil–rice system and soil–radish system, but not for soil–Chinese cabbage system. The 0.1M HCl extraction overall provided the best estimation of soil‐available Hg and could be used to predict phytoavailability of Hg in soil–crop systems.     

Distribution and Availability of Zinc in Soil Fractions to Wheat on Some Alkaline Calcareous Soils

Experiments under laboratory and greenhouse conditions were conducted to investigate the response of wheat to Zn application in five loess-derived alkaline calcareous soils and to assess the contribution of Zn in various soil fractions on its uptake by plants. Zinc in soil extracted by different reagents was also determined. Total Zn ranged from 58 to 81 mg/kg. On an average 45% of total Zn in all soil fractions was associated with sand, silt and clay. Whereas silt alone held 33% of total Zn among soil fractions in the five soils. Ammonium acetate extractable and acid residual Zn (Sand, silt and clay) explained 98% of variation of Zn in plants, and 70 or 75% of Zn in the AB-DTPA extract and DTPA extract respectively. Application of 10 mg Zn/kg soil significantly (P < 0.01) increased plant shoot dry weight, Zn concentration and total Zn content in plants over control. Concentration of Zn in plants was significantly positively correlated with Zn extracted with DTPA and AB-DTPA in soils.     

Distribution and bioavailability of selenium fractions in some seleniferous soils of Punjab,India

Soil-solid phase associations of Se in seleniferous soils of Punjab were investigated by following sequential extraction procedures involving multiple extractions with 0.2 M K2SO4 (2 times), 0.1 M Na2SeO3 (4 times), 0.05 M NH4OH (4 times), 6 M HCl (2 times) and 9 M HNO3 (2 times) vis-a-vis single extractions with 0.25 M KCl, 0.1 M KH2PO4, 4 M HCl and concentrated HCl. Soil samples were equilibrated with 75Se (as Na2SSeO3) @ 9.25 kBq g - 1 soil by incubating at field capacity moisture regime and subjecting to alternate wetting and drying cycles. Following multiple extraction procedure, out of total 75Se added, 8.8 - 26.1% was present in readily available form (0.2 M K2SO4 extractable); 27.6 - 49.0% as isotopically exchangeable (0.1M Na2SeO3 extractable) and 5.3 - 12.0% as organic Se (0.05 M NH4OH extractable). Selenium extractable in K2SO4 was significantly correlated with free iron (r = - 0.774, p < 0.05) and CaCO3 (r = 0.670, p <0.10) content of the soils. Negative relationship was observed between Se uptake by maize (Zea mays L.) and ammonium hydroxide extractable (r = - 0.752, p <0.05) as well as residual Se (r = - 0.726, p <0.05) in soils. Highly positive coefficients of correlation between isotopically exchangeable Se and Se content (r = 0.851, p <0.01) as well as its uptake by maize (r = 0.841, p <0.01) indicated that the isotopically exchangeable form of Se may be considered as an index of bioavailable Se in seleniferous soils of Punjab. None of the fractions defined by following single extraction procedure was correlated with either the soil characteristics or Se uptake by maize plants. Multiple extraction procedure could, thus, better explain the distribution of Se in different fractions and uptake by plants.     

Use of Single Extraction Methods to Predict Bioavailability of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils to Rice

Human exposure to toxic heavy metals via dietary intake is of increasing concern. Heavy-metal pollution of a rice production system can pose a threat to human health. Thus, it was necessary to develop a suitable extraction procedure that would represent the content of metal available to rice plants (Oryza sativa L.). The aim of this study was to predict, on the basis of single extraction procedures of soil heavy metals, the accumulation of heavy metals (cadium, lead, copper, and zinc) in rice plants. Six extracting agents [Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3, EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), DTPA–TEA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid–triethanolamine), ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc), and calcium chloride (CaCl₂)] were tested to evaluate the bioavailability of heavy metals from paddy soils contaminated with lead–zinc mine tailings to rice. The extraction capacity of the metals was found to be of the order EDTA > Mehlich 3 > Mehlich 1 > DTPA–TEA > NH₄OAc > CaCl₂. The correlation analysis between metals extracted with different extractants and concentrations of the metals in the grain and stalk of the plant showed positive correlations with all metals. The greatest values of correlation coefficients were determined between the NH₄OAc- and CaCl₂-soluble fractions of soil and contents in plants in all four metals studied. Therefore, NH₄OAc and CaCl₂ were the most suitable extractants for predicting bioavailability of heavy metals in the polluted soils to rice. The results suggested that uptake of heavy metals by rice was mostly from exchangeable and water-soluble fractions of the metals in the soils. Soil-extractable metals were more significantly correlated with metal accumulation in the stalk than in the grain. The pH had more significant influence on availability of heavy metals in the soils than total content of metals and other soil properties. The bioavailability of metals for rice plants would be high in acidic soils.     

Influence of residual phosphate fertilizer on labile and extractable zinc in hawaii soils

Abstract

Zinc availability was studied using five soils from Hawaii which had histories of massive phosphorus applications. Heavy phosphate fertilization usually increased extractable Zn, irrespective of the extractant used. The extra extractable Zn associated with the added P probably came from Zn as an accessory element in the fertilizer. Treble superphosphate commonly used in Hawaii contains about 1400 ppm Zn. The Zn content of phosphate fertilizers must be considered before making statements about the effect of fertilizer P on Zn solubility and availability in soils.

Two solutions (0.1N HCl and 0.005M DTPA) were compared as Zn extractants for Hawaii soils. DTPA extracted less Zn than 0.1N HCl. Zinc extracted by repeated HCl treatment was more closely related to the labile Zn pool (E‐values and L‐values) than was DTPA‐extractable Zn. The results suggest that 0.1N HCl extractable Zn, Zn E‐value and Zn L‐value measured the quantity of a single fraction of soil Zn.

Repeated extraction of soil with 0.1N HCl seems to be a suitable procedure for evaluating the Zn status of acid, highly weathered soils of Hawaii.     

Chemical Characterization of Inorganic Phosphorus Desorbed by Ion Exchange Membranes in Short‐ and Long‐Term Extraction Periods

Abstract

The chemical characterization of soil phosphorus (P) desorbed by anion and cation exchange membranes is of major importance to better understand which P forms are available to plants in short‐ and long‐term time periods. Two distinct soils, one acidic and one calcareous, were analyzed for P using two extraction procedures with mixed anion and cation exchange membranes. The short‐term (ST) experiment evaluated the effect of increasing the extraction periods up to 24 h, whereas the long‐term (LT) experiment consisted of a sequential extraction procedure using up to seven successive 24‐h extractions. In both experiments, the Chang and Jackson inorganic P fractionation methodology was carried out after each extraction treatment, and each treatment consisted of three replicates. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and nonlinear regressions. In the ST experiment, increasing the extraction time increased the extracted P according to an asymptotic relationship (y=c?ab ^x ). Extracted P proceeded from the most labile fractions in the acidic soil. In calcareous soils, calcium phosphates may also contribute for extractable P. The LT experiment revealed that a single extraction, regardless of that extraction method, cannot predict the long‐term capacity of soils to supply P to the plants. An exponential relationship (P=a×n ^b ) was found between extracted P and the extraction number. Desorbed P proceeded from the most labile fractions in the acidic soil. However, in calcareous soils, some precaution is needed when considering the biological meaning of the results, because the occluded Fe phosphates also revealed significant decreases, probably due to the redox conditions in which these long extractions are performed.     

Influence of air drying and soil gas‐phase carbon dioxide on DTPA‐extractable iron in calcareous soils

Abstract

The extraction of a field‐moist soil with DTPA will result in a level of extractable iron (Fe) lower than that of the air‐dried soil. Soil gas‐phase carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels may be considerably higher than ambient atmospheric levels, especially in wet soils in the field. This study was undertaken to determine whether gas‐phase CO₂ level influences the quantity of Fe extracted by DTPA. Three moist calcareous soils were incubated for 21 days, each at three different partial pressures of CO₂, after which the moist soils were extracted with DTPA. A sample of each soil was also air dried, and was subsequently extracted with DTPA. In each case, DTPA‐extractable Fe from the moist sample was lower than that from the air‐dried sample; however, DTPA‐extractable Fe increased with increasing CO₂ partial pressure of in the moist soils. DTPA‐extractable Fe concentration for a given soil following air drying was not significantly influenced by the CO₂ partial pressure during incubation of the originally field‐moist soil. DTPA‐extract pH of the moist soils followed the same trend as soil‐solution pH (i.e., as CO₂ concentration of the soil gas‐phase increased, soil solution pH and DTPA extract pH both decreased); however, the slope of the pH versus log P_CO2 curve was less pronounced in the DTPA extract due to the buffering capacity of the triethanolamine. From this study, it is concluded that elevated soil gas‐phase CO₂ partial pressure does not contribute to the lower level of DTPA‐extractable Fe observed when the extraction is performed on a field‐moist versus an air‐dried soil; increased CO₂ partial pressure actually resulted in a slight increase in concentration of DTPA‐extractable Fe obtained from a field‐moist soil.     

Forms and extractability of manganese in potting media

Abstract

Sequential extraction of pine bark medium alone and after amendment with either manganese sulfate (MnSO₄), composted rice hulls, or soil showed that at pH 5.5–7.0 most of the manganese (Mn) exists in a form that is extracted by acidic hydroxylamine hydrochloride, and which could therefore be in oxide or strongly‐bound forms. Acidification to pH 4.5–5.0 transferred large amounts of this ‘oxide’ Mn into ‘readily available’ and ‘weakly adsorbed’ fractions. Similar extractions of Sitka spruce bark showed that most of its Mn was extracted by weak cationic reagents ('readily available’ and ‘weakly adsorbed’ fractions). Growth of oats in pine bark, peat, and eucalypt sawdust media, with and without MnSO₄ amendment, lowered the amounts of Mn in ‘readily soluble’ and ‘weakly adsorbed’ fractions and caused some loss of ‘oxide’ Mn. Comparison of data for Mn extracted by 2 mM DTPA (1:1.5 v/v) with Mn in sequential fractions showed that DTPA dissolves some ‘oxide’ Mn. The data further suggest that up to about 36 mg/L DTPA‐extractable Mn would not be toxic to most plants growing in media of pH 6.0, but 60 mg/L DTPA‐extractable Mn may be if the medium pH falls below 5.5.     

Evaluation of toxicity risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in crops rhizosphere of contaminated field with sequential extraction

Purpose

The assessing bias of rhizosphere effect on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation in soils would come out from formation of nonextractable PAHs and extractability difference of various solvents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of rhizosphere effect in long-term PAHs polluted soils by using sequential extraction approach.

Material and methods

The scheme of sequential extraction included methanol/water extractable PAHs, butanol extractable PAHs, DCM extractable PAHs, humic acid-bound PAHs, crude humin-bound PAHs, and organic-C enriched humin-bound PAHs. PAHs in plant tissues were extracted by dichloromethane after saponifying. The correlations between PAHs in plant tissues and sequentially extracted fractions were generated by partial least squares regression.

Results and discussion

The profiles of sequentially extracted PAHs varied with plant species. The discrepancy of toxicity equivalency concentrations between rhizosphere and bulk soils was much more significant than that of total PAHs concentrations. In partial least squares regression models, the concentration of PAHs in plant tissues was correlated with fractions strongly associated with soil.

Conclusions

The novelty of this study is the evaluation of concentration and toxicity equivalency concentration of PAHs in rhizosphere of crops sampled in a field polluted with PAHs for long term. This study has highlighted more significant role of rhizosphere in cleanup of cancerogenic toxicity of soil than amount of PAHs in polluted soils.     

Comparison of four extractants and chemical fractions for assessing available zinc and copper in soils of India

Abstract

Relative suitability of different extraction procedures for estimating available zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in soils was assessed using DTPA, 0.1 N HCl, ammonium acetate+EDTA, and double acid (HCl+ H₂SO₄) as extractants and rice as a test crop in Neubauer experiment. The relationships between Zn concentration and uptake of Zn by rice plants and Zn extracted by the different methods showed that DTPA‐TEA, pH 7.3, could very suitably be used to assess Zn availability in soils. However, 0.1 N HCl was better for assessing the Cu availability in soils to the rice plants. Water‐soluble and exchangeable fractions of Zn and Cu had significant positive correlations with Zn and Cu concentrations, respectively obtained by all the four extractants tested. The results also showed that DTPA and ammonium acetate+EDTA extracted organically bound Zn, whereas DTPA, 0.1 N HCl and ammonium acetate+EDTA extracted organically bound Cu. Water‐soluble, exchangeable and organic matter bound fractions exhibited significant relationships with Zn and Cu concentrations, their uptake and rice dry matter yield.     

Extractable Concentrations of Cobalt from Serpentine Soils with Several Single‐Extraction Procedures

In this study, we selected three soil pedons on the shoulder, backslope, and footslope along a serpentine toposequence to measure cobalt (Co) extractability using six single‐extraction procedures. These extraction procedures are distilled water, 0.11 M acetic acid in the first step of the BCR sequential extraction (BCR1), 1 M ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc; pH 7.0), 0.01 M calcium chloride (CaCl₂), diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), and 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). Although the Co concentrations in the water extracts of the study soils ranged from 0.15 to 0.93 mg kg^?1, those with HCl extraction can be up to 22.1 mg kg^?1. The extractable Co concentrations in the study soils demonstrate that the extraction capacity is in the order HCl > DTPA > CaCl₂ ? NH₄OAc > BCR1 > H₂O. The percentages of extractable Co after applying the six single‐extraction procedures reveal that Co mobility is greatest in the soils on the backslope, moderate on the footslope, and least mobile on the shoulder.     

Evaluation of the BCR sequential extraction for trace elements in European reference volcanic soils

Trace metal behaviour in volcanic ash soils displays distinctive features related to the soils’ large contents of metal‐binding phases and to the rapid release of trace metals from glasses and weatherable minerals. In this work, the BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction scheme (exchangeable + weak acid soluble, reducible, oxidizable, and non‐extractable metal fractions) was applied to selected COST‐622 European reference volcanic soils to determine partitioning of zinc and copper between various solid‐phase constituents, along with the major elements Al, Fe and Mn. The total extracted Al (ΣAl) was strongly correlated with acid ammonium oxalate extractable Al (Al_o) (ΣAl = 0.985Al_o+ 0.11, R²= 0.98), while the total extracted Fe clearly underestimated the amorphous fraction. Large values for the non‐extractable Al fraction were associated with the presence of gibbsite and phyllosilicates. Although the Zn and Cu contents of the soils were generally large, total amounts extracted (the potentially mobilizable fraction) were small, especially for Zn and for soils with crystalline secondary minerals. The fraction of the total Cu which was potentially mobilizable generally exceeded that of Zn. In the potentially mobilizable Cu the oxidizable fraction was generally dominant. Biocycling appears to play an important role in the surface enrichment of potentially mobilizable Zn and Mn. Although further methodological research seems necessary, the BCR sequential extraction appears to be a valuable tool for studies on metal dynamics in soils with andic properties.     

外源铜和镍在土壤中的化学形态及其老化研究

采用连续提取法测定了外源铜和镍进入田间土壤后的化学形态分布,比较研究了这2种重金属在3种不同类型土壤(红壤,水稻土和潮土)中随老化时间的形态转化和分布.结果表明,外源铜以残留态(40%～60%)和EDTA可提取态(40%)为主;随老化时间,EDTA可提取态、易还原锰结合态及铁铝氧化态向残留态转化;外源镍在酸性红壤中以可交换态(40%)和残留态(30%～50%)为主,在中性水稻土中以EDTA可提取态(30%)和残留态(30%～50%)为主,在碱性潮土中以铁铝氧化态(20%)和残留态(40%)为主.随老化时间,水溶态、可交换态、EDTA可提取态等向残留态转化.土壤pH较低时水溶态和可交换态含量较高,但是同时随老化时间的降低量也明显;pH较高时有利于易还原锰结合态和有机质结合态的转化.     

Evaluation of preflooding effects on iron extractability and phytoavailability in highly calcareous soil in containers

Previous pot cropping and laboratory incubation experiments were consistent with field observations showing that temporary flooding before cropping can increase the availability of soil Fe to plants. To study the effect of temporary flooding on changes in soil Fe phytoavailability we used 24 highly calcareous, Fe chlorosis–inducing soils to carry out a pot experiment where peanut and chickpea were successively grown after flooding for 30 d. At the end of the cropping experiment, the preflooded soil samples exhibited higher concentrations of acid oxalate‐, citrate/ascorbate‐ and diethylenetriaminepentacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable Fe (Fe_ox, Fe_ca, and Fe_DTPA, respectively) than the control (nonflooded) samples. Also, Fe_ox and Fe_ca exhibited no change by effect of reflooding of the cropped soils or three wetting–drying cycles in freeze‐dried slurries of soils previously incubated anaerobically for several weeks. Leaf chlorophyll concentration (LCC) in both peanut and chickpea was greatly increased by preflooding. The best predictor for LCC was Fe_ox, followed by Fe_ca and Fe_DTPA. The LCC–soil Fe relationships found suggest that the Fe species extracted by oxalate and citrate/ascorbate from preflooded soils were more phytoavailable than those extracted from control soils. However, the increased phytoavailability of extractable Fe forms was seemingly limited to the first crop (peanut). Flooding dramatically increased Fe_DTPA; however, high Fe_DTPA levels did not result in high LCC values, particularly in the second crop. Therefore, this test is a poor predictor of the severity of Fe chlorosis in preflooded soils.     

Optimization of DTPA and calcium chloride extractants for assessing extractable metal fraction in polluted soils

Abstract

Metal availability in soils is often assessed by means of extraction with chemical solutions, among others the chelating agent DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) and the non‐buffered salt calcium chloride (CaCl₂). The same procedures are used for polluted soils that were originally created to assess the nutrient status of arable soils. We studied the influence of various parameters (type of shaker, shaking time, soil to solution ratio, and concentration of chemical extractant) and modify the DTPA and CaCl₂ extraction procedures to make them suitable for the study of polluted soils. The chosen extraction ratio and extractant concentration were the followings: 8 g/20 mL of 0.1 MCaCl₂ and 2 g/20 mL of 0.005 M DTPA. The optimized procedures were applied to nine soil samples affected by different sources of pollution (mine works, vehicle emissions, and various industries). Cadmium (Cd) showed the highest extractability with both extractants. Depending on the soil, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) (using DPTA) and Cu and manganese (Mn) (using CaCl₂) were the followings in the extractable amounts. Cadmium, Cu, and Zn were highly correlated in both extractions and with total contents.     

Measuring reactive metal in soil: a comparison of multi‐element isotopic dilution and chemical extraction

The isotopically exchangeable metal pool (E‐value) of zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were simultaneously measured, using stable isotope dilution, in soils contaminated by Pb/Zn mining activities and varying in properties likely to affect metal reactivity, including pH, organic matter content, metal concentration and land use. E‐values were compared with single and sequential extraction schemes. Results showed a wide range of metal reactivity (approximately 1–100% of total) depending on the extent of contamination and on the prevailing soil conditions. Across the range of soils, the E‐values showed no consistent correspondence to any single chemical extraction procedure (EDTA, DTPA and HNO₃) although there was reasonable agreement with the extractants 0.05 m EDTA and 0.43 m HNO₃ in acidic organic soils. Extraction with 0.005 m DTPA substantially under‐estimated the isotopically exchangeable metal content. E‐values corresponded reasonably well with the exchangeable metal (fraction 1 (F1) of the sequential extraction procedure) in calcareous soils but relatively poorly and inconsistently with F1–F2, F1–F3 or F1–F4 in acidic‐neutral soils. Operational aspects associated with determination of multi‐element E‐values are discussed.     

Bestimmung von Mikronährstoffen und Schwermetallen in Böden mit dem Verfahren der Elektro‐Ultrafiltration (EUF) durch Zugabe von DTPA

With the electro–ultrafiltration (EUF) technique, the plant availability of several plant nutrients in soils can be characterized. The basic principle of EUF is that an electric field is induced using platinum electrodes. Ions in the soil suspension move either to the cathode or to the anode and are filtrated through ultra‐membrane filters. In the standard EUF procedure, two extractions steps are used: 30 min at 20°C and 5 min at 80°C. However, the determination of micronutrients and heavy metals with the standard EUF procedure is not possible, because the solubility of these elements in water is low and most of the watersoluble elements are precipitated when passing the platinum electrodes. The addition of DTPA, a well known complexing agent, during a third EUF fraction (5 min at 80°C) enables extraction of micronutrients and heavy metals. Highest concentrations in the 33 soils of the study were found for iron, followed by zinc, manganese, lead, copper, and nickel. Lower concentrations were obtained for cobalt, chromium, cadmium, and molybdenum. For two soils, the EUF/DTPA procedure was compared to CaCl₂/DTPA and EDTA soil extraction methods, showing that higher or comparable amounts were found with CaCl₂/DTPA and much higher amounts with the EDTA method. These results reveal that the EUF/DTPA technique in principle can be used for the determination of plant‐available micronutrients and heavy metals. However, in a next step the relationship between EUF/DTPA‐extractable elements and their availability for plants needs to be quantified.     

Influence of organic amendments on Fe,Cu, Mn,and Zn availability and clay minerals of different soils

The effects of application of composted olive mill wastewater sludge (A) and depotassified sugarbeet vinasse (V) on total diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and sequential extracted micronutrients were investigated. The mineralogy of the fine fraction of soils was also studied. The soils used were a Typic Rhodoxeralf (soil R), a Typic Xeropsamment (soil S), and a Typic Xerorthent (soil C). Fertilization with A and V during 3 years, in general did not significantly affect the total concentration of Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn versus the control. However, the elements extracted with DTPA generally increased with the organic amendments, more with A than with V. The BCR (European Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction indicated that the addition of organic matter generally increased Zn and Mn in the two more available fractions. A great amount of Fe was found in the second and third fractions from the unamended and amended soils. Nevertheless, the sum of the three fractions was enhanced for the organic amendment, except for calcareous soil. The distribution of these elements in the different fractions was significantly affected by the type of soil. The addition of both fertilizers caused modifications in particle size and consequence redistribution of the calcite content between the different fractions.