Measurement of total phosphorus in organic amendments using dry and wet digestion
Keywords:
bokashi, compost, wet digestion, dry digestion, total phosphorusAbstract
The objective of this study was to compare the efficiency of wet and dry digestion methods in the treatment of various agricultural amendments for the subsequent determination of total phosphorus. To this end, a diverse range of matrices was evaluated, including samples of compost, bokashi, leonardite, commercial substrates, and phosphate rock. The dry digestion method involved incinerating the samples at 550 °C for a period of 4 hours, while wet digestion was performed using strong acids. The results suggest that both procedures yield total phosphorus values that, from a practical standpoint, do not differ significantly. However, it was observed that the levels obtained via dry digestion tend to be slightly higher than those from wet digestion, a trend that remains consistent regardless of the organic matter content of the analyzed soil amendment. The discussion suggests that, although dry digestion appears to offer a marginally higher recovery rate, the current findings do not allow for a definitive conclusion regarding the superiority of one technique over another. It is concluded that both methods are viable for the characterization of organic and mineral fertilizers, although further experimental investigation is required to validate these observations. This study provides a technical foundation for the standardization of analytical protocols in soil laboratories, optimizing the accuracy of nutrient quantification critical to agricultural sustainability.
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