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Ammonia Volatilization from Liquid Digested Sewage Sludge as Affected by Placement in Soil
Author(s) -
Adamsen F. J.,
Sabey B. R.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1987.03615995005100040047x
Subject(s) - sewage sludge , loam , volatilisation , chemistry , ammonia volatilization from urea , ammonia , fertilizer , environmental chemistry , nitrogen , sewage , zoology , soil water , environmental science , environmental engineering , soil science , biology , organic chemistry
In a laboratory study, liquid sewage sludge was added to an Olney sandy loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic, Ustollic Haplargids) at a rate equivalent to 7.6 Mg ha −1 either on the surface or 25 mm below the surface. The sludge contained 11.2 g kg −1 NH 4 ‐N and 21.6 g kg −1 organic‐N on a dry weight basis and 27 g L −1 solids. Surface applied sludge lost 40.3% of its NH 4 ‐N as NH 3 in the first 2 weeks (95% of the total loss) while subsurface applied sludge lost 0.35% of added NH 4 ‐N as NH 3 in the same period. Total NH 3 ‐N loss from surface applied liquid sludge was 36.0 kg ha −1 , which was 42.4% of added NH 4 ‐N. Soil analyses at the end of the study showed that 96% of the inorganic‐N was in the form of NO 3 in sludge amended treatments. Fertilizer value of liquid sludge will be greater with subsurface injection than surface application. Where available N limits sludge loading rates surface application would reduce land requirements.