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Effects of Alum and Aluminum Chloride on Phosphorus Runoff from Swine Manure
Author(s) -
Smith D.R.,
Moore P.A.,
Griffis C.L.,
Daniel T.C.,
Edwards D.R.,
Boothe D.L.
Publication year - 2001
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/jeq2001.303992x
Subject(s) - alum , manure , chloride , phosphorus , chemistry , eutrophication , surface runoff , zoology , aluminium , sulfate , aluminium sulfate , manure management , agronomy , environmental chemistry , nutrient , ecology , biology , organic chemistry
Phosphorus (P) runoff from fields fertilized with swine ( Sus scrofa domesticus ) manure may contribute to eutrophication. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of aluminum sulfate (alum) and aluminum chloride applications to swine manure on P runoff from small plots cropped to tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Shreb.). There were six treatments in this study: (i) unfertilized control plots, (ii) untreated manure, (iii) manure with alum at 215 mg Al L −1 , (iv) manure with aluminum chloride at 215 mg Al L −1 , (v) manure with alum at 430 mg Al L −1 , and (vi) manure with aluminum chloride at 430 mg Al L −1 Manure application rates were equivalent to approximately 125 kg N ha −1 Alum and aluminum chloride additions lowered soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) levels from about 130 mg P L −1 to approximately 30 mg P L −1 at low rates. At high rates, SRP levels in swine manure were around 1 mg P L −1 Soluble reactive P concentrations in runoff were 5.50, 3.66, 3.00, 0.87, 0.87, and 0.55 mg P L −1 , for normal manure, low alum, low aluminum chloride, high alum, high aluminum chloride, and unfertilized control plots, respectively. Hence, high alum and aluminum chloride reduced SRP concentrations in runoff by 84% and were not statistically different from SRP concentrations in runoff from unfertilized control plots. These data indicate that treating swine manure with alum or aluminum chloride could result in significant reductions in nonpoint‐source P runoff.