Phosphate sorption by red mediterranean soils from Greece

Abstract

In nineteen surface horizons of red Mediterranean soils from various locations of Greece, phosphorus (P) sorption experiments were conducted and the sorption characteristics were studied in relation to soil properties. Phosphate sorption data were fitted both to the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. From these equations, the following P sorption parameters were determined from the Freundlich equation, X = ACⁿ, the parameters A (the phosphate sorbed at C = 1 mg P/L), n (the P sorption intensity), the P sorption index (PS = X/log C) and maximum P sorption (Xmfr). From the Langmuir equation, C/X = 1/KXm + C/Xm, the parameters K (showing the bonding energy), maximum P sorption (Xmla), the quantity of P adsorbed at a standard concentration of 0.2 mg P/L (P0.2), and P maximum buffering capacity (PMBC). The Freundlich parameter A was strongly correlated to the clay and sesquioxides ("free”; iron and aluminum oxides and amorphous iron oxides) content. Seventy‐four percent of the variance of this parameter was explained by clay and “free”; iron (Fe) content. The Freundlich parameter n was significantly correlated with pH and amorphous iron oxides content, while 52% of its variance was explained by amorphous Fe and dithionite extrac‐table aluminum (Al). The P sorption maxima calculated from the Freundlich equation were in general lower than those calculated by the Langmuir equation. Both these parameters were strongly correlated with clay and more slightly with sesquioxides content. About 50% of their variance was explained by clay content of the soils. The P sorption index was strongly correlated with the clay content and less strongly with dithionite‐extractable Fe and Al. The P‐buffering capacity calculated from the data of Langmuir equation was also strongly correlated with these two parameters. In addition, clay content and dithionite‐extractable Fe and Al were well correlated to the amounts of P required to obtain an equilibrium concentration of 0.2 mg P/L while 61% of the variation of this parameter was explained by the clay and the dithionite‐extractable Fe content. From these findings, it seems that for the red Mediterranean soils from Greece, P sorption is affected by clay content and iron and aluminum oxide contents.