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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Extractable iron and aluminium predict the P sorption capacity of Thai soils

W. Wiriyakitnateekul A B , A. Suddhiprakarn A D , I. Kheuruenromne A and R. J. Gilkes C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Soil Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

B Present address: Office of Science for Land Development, Land Development Department, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

C School of Earth and Geographical Science, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: agrals@ku.ac.th

Australian Journal of Soil Research 43(6) 757-766 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR05026
Submitted: 21 February 2005  Accepted: 16 June 2005   Published: 22 September 2005

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if dithionite- and oxalate-extractable Fe and Al can be used to predict the P sorption capacity of Thai soils. Forty-five samples from diverse soil types were taken from surface and subsurface horizons of soils on sandstone, shale/limestone, granite, and basalt. The samples were analysed for P sorption, dithionite- and oxalate-extractable Fe and Al (Fed, Feo, Ald, Alo), specific surface area (SSA), and other soil properties. Generally P sorption data for these soils were slightly better fitted by the Langmuir equation than the Freundlich equation. The Langmuir P sorption maximum ranged from 35 to 1111 μg/g with a median value of 370 μg/g soil. Soils developed on basalt had higher values of P sorption maximum (xm) (range 400–1111 μg/g, median 597 μg/g) than soils on other parent materials. Fed concentrations in soils (4–74 g/kg) were much higher than Feo concentrations (0.2–13.8 g/kg) with values of Feo/Fed ranging from 0.01 to 0.28 (median 0.09), indicating that most of the free iron oxides were crystalline. Amounts of Ald and Alo were about equal with median values of 1.6 and 1.0 g/kg, respectively. About 80% of the samples had SSA values <40 m2/g. Both the P sorption maximum and Freundlich k were linearly related to SSA (R2 = 0.77, 0.74), Ald (R2 = 0.78, 0.79), Alo (R2 = 0.64, 0.74), Fed (R2 = 0.48, 0.41), Feo (R2 = 0.43, 0.72), and clay content (R2 = 0.48, 0.36). Stepwise regression indicated that 81% of the variability in P sorption by these soils could be explained by a combination of dithionite and oxalate Fe and Al, however, Ald alone is almost as effective in predicting the P sorption capacity of Thai soils.

Additional keywords: tropical soils, sesquioxides, kaolins, Ultisols.


Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the support of this work by the Royal Golden Jubilee PhD program under the Thailand Research Fund for financial support. Also thanks to Michael Smirk, University of Western Australia, for assisting with the analyses.


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