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Phosphorus bioavailability in ash from straw and sewage sludge processed by low‐temperature biomass gasification
Author(s) -
MüllerStöver D. S.,
Jakobsen I.,
Grønlund M.,
Rolsted M. M. M.,
Magid J.,
HauggaardNielsen H.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/sum.12399
Subject(s) - sewage sludge , biomass (ecology) , raw material , straw , phosphorus , bioavailability , bioenergy , environmental science , pulp and paper industry , wood ash , nutrient , agronomy , chemistry , waste management , sewage treatment , biofuel , environmental engineering , biology , bioinformatics , organic chemistry , engineering
Reuse of phosphorus (P) from waste streams used for bioenergy conversion is desirable to reduce dependence on nonrenewable P resources. Two different ash materials from low‐temperature biomass gasification of wheat straw and sewage sludge, respectively, were investigated with regard to their P bioavailability. A set of pot experiments with spring barley was carried out to compare the ash P fertiliser value with mineral P fertiliser and the sewage sludge feedstock. An indirect radioactive labelling approach with 33 P was used to determine the amount of P taken up from the fertiliser materials. Depending on the application rate, straw gasification ash produced a fertiliser response comparable to mineral P. However, P uptake from the ash was generally less than uptake from equivalent amounts of mineral P, and the calculated relative effectiveness was 44% after 6 weeks of plant growth. In contrast, the P fertiliser value of Fe‐rich sewage sludge after low‐temperature gasification was practically zero. These results suggest that ash from low‐temperature gasification could be developed into alternative P fertilisers; however, as the P bioavailability depends greatly on the feedstock used, a greater emphasis on feedstock composition is required.