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pH and buffer component dynamics in the surface layers of animal slurries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

S. G. Sommer  and
R. R. Sherlock
S. G. Sommer
Affiliation:
Department of Soil Science, Danish Institute of Plant and Soil Science, Research Centre Foulum, PO Box 23, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
R. R. Sherlock
Affiliation:
Department of Soil Science, PO Box 84, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand
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Summary

The changes in the buffer components and pH in the surface layer of a pig and a cattle slurry were studied in the laboratory of the Department of Soil Science, Lincoln University in 1994. The slurries were spread to a depth of 7 mm in Petri dishes open to the atmosphere. Slurry pH, total inorganic carbon (TIC = CO2 + HCO- + H2CO3), total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN = NH3 + NH4+) and volatile fatty acids (VFA = C2-C5 acids) were determined at 8–10 intervals after 1–96 h of incubation at 10, 16 and 22 °C. A great increase in pH over the first 8 h was due to the release of CO2. If the initial TIC > TAN, pH then increased steadily but slowly from 8 to 96 h. When the initial TIC < TAN, the pH declined or did not change after 20 h incubation. The initial pH elevation rate increased with temperature and initial concentration of TIC. Calculation indicated that the NH3 partial pressure (PNH3) in equilibrium with the slurry increased and pH decreased at increasing temperature if gases could not exchange between the slurry and the atmosphere. From the open slurry system PNH3 increased with temperature during the first 1–20 h. At 16 and 22 °C the PNH3 declined to low values after 20 h, whereas at 10 °C the PNH3 remained appreciable after 20 h. This explains why high accumulated NH3 losses may occur when slurry is applied to the field at low temperatures.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 127 , Issue 1 , August 1996 , pp. 109 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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