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Mineralization of Sulfur in Soils Amended with Organic Wastes
Author(s) -
Tabatabai M. A.,
Chae Y. M.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1991.00472425002000030030x
Subject(s) - soil water , mineralization (soil science) , leaching (pedology) , chemistry , amendment , leachate , sewage sludge , environmental chemistry , organic matter , sewage , agronomy , environmental science , environmental engineering , soil science , biology , organic chemistry , political science , law
This study was conducted to compare the mineralization of S in soils amended with various types of sewage sludges, animal manures, and plant materials. Field‐moist soils amended with organic waste materials at a 50‐Mg‐ha −1 rate were mixed with glass beads, packed in leaching columns, leached with 5 m M CaCl 2 to remove the mineral S, and incubated at 30 °C. The leaching procedure was repeated every 2 wk for 26 wk. The leachates were analyzed for SO 2− 4 ‐S. The rate of SO 2− 4 release from sewage sludges was rapid during the first 6 wk, followed by a slow linear release. The release of SO 2− 4 from anhnal manures was linear with time of incubation. With the exception of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), which showed a rapid SO 2− 4 release within the first 2 wk and a subsequent linear release with time up to 26 wk, the addition of all other plant materials resulted in net S immobilization. The total net S mineralized from the organic waste materials varied considerably, depending on the type of soil and the C/N/S ratio of the organic waste material. The amounts of S mineralized in soils amended with sewage sludges and animal manures ranged from 99 to 345 mg S kg −1 and from 32 to 52 mg S kg −1 soil, respectively. The total S mineralized in soils amended with plant materials ranged from 15 to 57 mg S kg −1 . Expressed as a percentage of total organic S added to soils, the S mineralized ranged from 41 to 97% for sewage sludges and from −62 to 127% for animal manures. The percentage of organic S mineralized in the plant materials ranged from −510% for cornstalk ( Zea mays L.) to 87% for alfalfa. Soil types have marked effects on the mineralizable S (S 0 ) pool and first‐order rate constants ( k ).