Adsorption Properties of Adsorption Tower Filled with Calcium Superphosphate on NH_3 Emitted from Composting System of Animal Wastes

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the adsorption properties of the adsorption tower filled with calcium superphosphate on ammonia volatilized with aer- ation. [Method] Adsorption tower filled with calcium superphosphate was adopted as experimental apparatus, which was constructed by poly vinyl chloride （PVC） circular tubes. With hartshorn as the source of ammonia volatilization, the effect of different ratios of height to diameter of the tower filled with equal amount of calcium super-phosphate on ammonia adsorption was investigated. In addition, adsorption tower with height-diameter ratio of 9.9 was selected to adsorb the ammonia emitted from the composting systems of pig manure and chicken manure with optimized and reg- ulated carbon-nitrogen ratio. [Result] Under certain volatilization rate, calcium super- phosphate particles in the adsorption tower could effectively adsorb the ammonia, and the adsorption efficiency was enhanced with the increase of height-diameter ra-tio, which could reach above 90% with height-diameter ratio of more than 1.1; the ammonia emitted from composting systems of pig manure and chicken manure with optimized and regulated carbon-nitrogen ratio could be completely absorbed using adsorption tower with height-diameter ratio of 9.9 filled with calcium superphosphate accounting for about 8% of the weight of composting materials. [Conclusion] Experi- mental results of this study provided reference for the application of adsorption tower filled with calcium superphosphate in the treatment of waste gas emitted from com- posting materials.

Does the long-term application of calcium superphosphate lead to an increase of the soil rare earth element contents？

In order to test whether the long-term application of calcium superphosphate leads to an increase of the soil rare earth element contents, superphosphate fertilized soils were sampled and compared with superphosphate-free soils. Spectrophlame inductively coupled argon plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer （ICP-AES） was applied to quantify the rare earth elements （REEs）. The total rare earth element contents in calcium superphosphate from Zhijin County, west part of Guizhou Province, China （produced by the sulphuric acid treatment of the apatites） are about 2.54 mg/g. Between 38 and 189 gREEs/hm^2 per year （available for plants, estimated by 2% citric acid） will be introduced into the soil solution when applying 320 kg superphosphate/hm^2 per year. The long-term application of the latter will increase the REE content by about 18% in the soil surface layer in these areas. A statistically significant increase of the content of the rare earths in some cultivated soils should not be neglected.

Mercury in some chemical fertilizers and the effect of calcium superphosphate on mercury uptake by corn seedlings (Zea mays L.)

Mercury （Hg） contents in ten chemical fertilizers were determined, and the effect of calcium superphosphate （CSP） on the uptake and translocation of Hg in corn seedlings was investigated by pot experiments. CSP was applied at the levels of 0, 66.7, and 133.4 mg P2O5/kg to Hg-treated （2 mg/kg） and untreated soils. CSP had the highest Hg content （5.1 mg/kg）, followed by the NPK compound fertilizer 15-5-5 （15% N, 5% P2O5, 5% K2O） （1.2 mg/kg）, then by nitrogen fertilizers （except for ammonia sulfate） and potassium fertilizers. Application of CSP did not obviously iuence the biomass of corn roots, but it significantly increased the biomass of corn shoots in Hg-treated soil. Application of CSP at the levels of 66.7 and 133.4 mg P2O5/kg did not obviously iuence the uptake of Hg by corn seedlings on soils without Hg treatment, but it decreased the Hg uptake of corn seedlings significantly on Hg-treated soils. The transfer coefficient of Hg in corn seedlings improved slightly on soils without Hg treatment, but decreased slightly on Hg-treated soils with the application of CSP. These results implied that CSP could ameliorate Hg toxicity to corn seedlings by inhibiting the uptake and the translocation of Hg in plants on Hg-polluted soils.

Effects of Urea Ammonium Chloride of Different Fertilization Patterns on Maize Yield and Yield Components

[Objective] To understand the application effects of urea ammonium chloride fertilizer on maize production. [Methods] A field plot experiment was conducted to study the effects of urea ammonium chloride of different fertilization patterns on summer maize yield and yield components. [Results] Urea ammonium chloride had a long fertilizer effect and the same yield-increasing effect with urea, which could im- prove the agronomic traits and economic traits of maize apparently and the applica- tion of urea ammonium chloride with nutrient reduction of 40% （namely just use urea ammonium chloride equaled 60% pure nitrogen）, had the same yield-increasing effect with urea of traditional fertilization patterns, and input-output ratio was high and the economic benefit was remarkable. [Conclusion] To provide scientific theoretical direc- tion for large area popularization and application of urea ammonium chloride.