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Preventing phosphorus losses during perchloric acid digestion of sodium bicarbonate soil extracts
Author(s) -
Brookes Philip C.,
Powlson David S.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740320707
Subject(s) - chemistry , perchloric acid , digestion (alchemy) , sodium bicarbonate , bicarbonate , phosphorus , volatilisation , chromatography , sodium , environmental chemistry , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry
Between 10 and 40% of P was lost during perchloric acid digestion of NaHCO 3 soil extracts for measurement of organic P. This observation was confirmed by 32 P tracer experiments. Addition of MgCl 2 prevented P loss, reduced variability of replicate determinations and ensured virtually 100% recovery of P added to NaHCO 3 solution and NaHCO 3 soil extracts before digestion. Losses were due both to P volatilisation and conversion of P to forms other than ortho‐P in the digestion mixture.