Behaviour and dynamics of di-ammonium phosphate in bauxite processing residue sand in Western Australia—II. Phosphorus fractions and availability

Background, aim and scope The production of alumina involves its extraction from bauxite ore using sodium hydroxide under high temperature and pressure. This process yields a large amount of residue wastes, which are difficult to revegetate due to their inherent hostile properties—high alkalinity and sodicity, poor water retention and low nutrient availability. Although phosphorus (P) is a key element limiting successful ecosystem restoration, little information is available on the availability and dynamics of P in rehabilitated bauxite-processing residue sand (BRS). The major aim of this experiment was to quantify P availability and behaviour as affected by pH, source of BRS and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) application rate. Materials and methods This incubation experiment was undertaken using three sources of BRS, three DAP application rates (low, without addition of DAP; medium, 15.07 mg P and 13.63 mg N of DAP per jar, 100 g BRS; and high, 30.15 mg P and 27.26 mg N per jar, 100 g BRS), and four BRS pH treatments (4, 7, 9 and 11 (original)). The moisture content was adjusted to 55% water holding capacity and each BRS sample was incubated at 25°C for a period of 119 days. After this period, Colwell P and 0.1 M H₂SO₄ extractable P in BRS were determined. In addition, P sequential fractionation was carried out and the concentration of P in each pool was measured. Results and discussion A significant proportion (37% recovered in Colwell P and 48% in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ extraction) of P added as DAP in BRS are available for plant use. The pH did not significantly affect 0.1 M H₂SO₄ extractable P, while concentrations of Colwell P in the higher initial pH treatments (pH 7, 9 and 11) were greater than in the pH 4 treatments. The labile fractions (sum of NH₄Cl (AP), bicarbonate and first sodium hydroxide extractable P (N(I)P)) consisted of 58-64% and 70-72% of total P in the medium and high DAP rate treatments, respectively. This indicates that most P added as DAP remained labile or moderately labile in BRS, either in solution, or in adsorbed forms on the surface of more crystalline P compounds, sesquioxides and carbonate, or associated with amorphous and some crystalline Al and Fe hydrous oxides. In addition, differences in the hydrochloric acid extractable P and the residual-P fractions among the treatments with and without DAP addition were relative small comparing with other P pools (e.g., NaOH extractable P pools), further indicating the limited capacity of BRS for