Drinking water treatment residuals as an amendment to alkaline soils: Effects on the growth of corn and phosphorus extractability

Drinking water treatment residuals (alum) are waste products of water purification that have potential for environmental remediation as a soil amendment and a potential plant growth medium. In this study, the influence of added Drinking water treatment residuals on the extractability and availability of phosphorus to plants; determination of the agronomic rate of alum to different agricultural soils and evaluation of the alum as ameliorating material for soil conditions and plant growth were investigated. In all studied soils, increasing drinking water treatment residuals rate up to 30 g/kg significantly increased dry matter yield. Application of 10, 20 and 30 g/kg alum significantly increased plant P concentrations in the plant materials (shoots and roots) taken from clay, sandy and calcareous soils. Further increase in alum application rate has resulted in negative significant impact on plants P concentration, especially in clay and calcareous soils, but in sandy soils the increase in phosphorusconcentration extended to 40 g/kg alum rate. Application of alum at rates up to 30 g/kg significantly increased available phosphorus concentrations of the three studied soils. However, application of alum at a rate of 40 g/kg to clay and calcareous soils significantly decreased available phosphorus concentrations. Combined analyses of all soils and alum rates studied clearly indicated significant relationship between available phosphorus concentration and phosphorus uptake (r = 0.87, P < 0.001). Based on our experiment results, the rate of 30 g/kg is considered the best application rate of alum because of its positive effects on plant dry matter. Our study clearly demonstrates that alum has potential as a soil amendment to increase plant growth; however, more research is needed to determine beneficial and / or detrimental aspects of this practice under field conditions.     

Phosphorus desorption kinetics in two calcareous soils amended with P fertilizer and organic matter

We studied the effects of poultry manure and pistachio compost with and without phosphorus fertilizer on the kinetics of phosphorus desorption in two calcareous soils of Kerman and Koohbanan farms in the southeastern of Iran. For this purpose mono potassium phosphate, at rates of 0, and 100 parts per million of phosphorus, and air-dried manure, at rates of 0 and 4% were mixed with the soils. The soils were incubated at 24–25°C and near field capacity for 90 days in the greenhouse. Afterwards, the desorption of P was studied by the successive extraction with 0.5 M NaHCO₃. The results of this research indicated that application of OM and fertilizer P combined increased P recovery in each of the extraction time, adding poultry manure and 100 mg phosphorus together to the soils, increased P desorption more than pistachio compost in the soils. The phosphorus desorption rate was initially rapid and then became slower until equilibrium was approached. Kinetic data were best described by power function and simple Elovich equations. Subsequent to these equations, parabolic diffusion equation was also well fitted the time-dependent P desorption data.     

Chemical speciation and fate of tripolyphosphate after application to a calcareous soil

Adsorption and precipitation reactions often dictate the availability of phosphorus in soil environments. Tripolyphosphate (TPP) is considered a form of slow release P fertilizer in P limited soils, however, investigations of the chemical fate of TPP in soils are limited. It has been proposed that TPP rapidly hydrolyzes in the soil solution before adsorbing or precipitating with soil surfaces, but in model systems, TPP also adsorbs rapidly onto mineral surfaces. To study the adsorption behavior of TPP in calcareous soils, a short-term (48 h) TPP spike was performed under laboratory conditions. To determine the fate of TPP under field conditions, two different liquid TPP amendments were applied to a P limited subsurface field site via an in-ground injection system. Phosphorus speciation was assessed using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, total and labile extractable P, and X-ray diffraction. Adsorption of TPP to soil mineral surfaces was rapid (< 48 h) and persisted without fully hydrolyzing to ortho-P. Linear combination fitting of XAS data indicated that the distribution of adsorbed P was highest (~ 30–40%) throughout the site after the first TPP amendment application (high water volume and low TPP concentrations). In contrast, lower water volumes with more concentrated TPP resulted in lower relative fractions of adsorbed P (15–25%), but a significant increase in total P concentrations (~ 3000 mg P kg soil) and adsorbed P (60%) directly adjacent to the injection system. This demonstrates that TPP application increases the adsorbed P fraction of calcareous soils through rapid adsorption reactions with soil mineral surfaces.     

Overestimation of the importance of phytate in NaOH-EDTA soil extracts as assessed by P NMR analyses

Solution ³¹P NMR analysis of NaOH-EDTA extracts is the most widely used method for determining the speciation of organic P in soils. In this paper, we bring together results from a number of our recent studies that highlight some of the difficulties in obtaining accurate quantitative results and propose that these difficulties may have resulted in the systematic overestimation of soil phytate concentrations. The first problem is peak identification, which is complicated by variations in chemical shift with pH and ionic strength, and the impracticality of the primary ³¹P chemical shift reference (85% H₃PO₄). Unambiguous peak assignment can be achieved by spiking suspected compounds directly into soil extracts prepared for NMR analysis; this ensures native and added compounds experience exactly the same chemical environment. The second problem is quantifying NMR signal for individual species in the crowded and overlapping phosphate monoester region. Spectral deconvolution has been employed for this purpose, but very different results are obtained depending on whether or not the fitting procedure includes a broad signal that probably comes from P in large, “humic” compounds. In particular, failing to consider this broad peak in the deconvolution procedure results in overestimation of small organic P compounds, including phytate. The ready decomposition of phytate is demonstrated with an incubation experiment in which phytate added at various concentrations to a calcareous soil is shown to be decomposed to produce orthophosphate. The decomposition follows a first order exponential decay with a half-life of 4-8 weeks.     

Quantitative phosphorus measurement: A field test procedure for archaeological site analysis at Piedras Negras,Guatemala

Currently there is a wide interest in the use of chemical analyses for the evaluation of anthropogenically altered soils and other archaeological deposits. Because soil phosphorus levels increase in areas of human habitation, and leave a permanent signature that can only be removed by erosion of the soil itself, phosphorus mapping has become a popular field procedure to indicate areas of habitation where overt evidence of ancient occupance is absent. We have developed a methodology to obtain accurate acid‐extractable phosphorus concentrations (mg/kg) in calcareous soils under the primitive field conditions of Piedras Negras, Guatemala. Predicated on Mehlich‐II acid extractant and colorimetric methods, this procedure processed 36 samples per hour at very low cost per sample. Based on eight replicate measurements of a group of samples, the coefficient of variation of the procedure was 8.3%. Subsequent analysis of 35 soil samples in a controlled laboratory revealed a moderate correlation of 0.44 between the Mehlich‐extractable phosphorus and total phosphorus. The correlation was 0.91 between the Mehlich procedure and Olsen bicarbonate extractable phosphorus, indicating that Mehlich‐based results are similar to those obtainable using a traditional extractable phosphorus method on soils of neutral to alkaline pH. There was a moderate correlation between Mehlich P and ring‐test rating (r = 0.42). The wider dynamic range of the Mehlich extraction, coupled with the use of a battery‐operated colorimeter, facilitated the finding of a refuse midden within an area of phosphate enriched soils. Further tests indicated that phosphorus concentrations measured in the field deviated by only 7% from those made under controlled laboratory conditions. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Geochemistry of lead contaminated wetland soils amended with phosphorus

To remediate Pb contaminated soils it is proposed that phosphorus can be amended to the soils to transform the Pb into poorly soluble Pb-phosphate mineral phases. However, remediation strategies must account for variable Pb speciation and site-specific factors. In this study soil mineralogy and Pb speciation in soils from P-amended field trials at sites within the Coeur d’Alene River Basin in Idaho, USA were investigated. The soils are contaminated from mining activities and are enriched with Fe and Mn. Selective extraction of the soils indicated that the Fe oxides are poorly crystalline. XRD of the soil clay size fractions identified quartz, muscovite, kaolinite, siderite, lepidocrocite, and chlorite minerals. Amendment with P fertilizer dissolved the siderite. No Pb–phosphate minerals were detected by XRD. Electron microprobe analysis showed direct correlations between Pb, Fe, and Mn in the unamended soils, and negative correlations between Pb and Si. Lead and Mn were strongly correlated. In the amended soils Fe and P were strongly correlated. Results indicate that the Pb is associated with poorly crystalline Fe and Mn oxides, and that added P is primarily associated with Fe oxide phases. Comparisons of pore water Pb concentrations with chloropyromorphite and plumbogummite solubility suggest that in the phosphate-amended soils the pore waters are undersaturated in these phases, whereas several of the control soil pore waters were oversaturated, indicating the added phosphate suppressed the Pb solubility. Results from this research provide insight into the geochemistry occurring in the P-remediated soils that will help in making management and remediation decisions.     

Impact of municipal compost on soil phosphorus availability and mineral phosphorus fractions in some calcareous soils

The phosphorus (P) resources worldwide are limited, and the prices of commercial P fertilizer continue to increase. Therefore, the use of P containing wastes is important for P recycling in agriculture. The P fractionation methods have been widely applied to characterize the effect of land use practice on soil P dynamics. Information about effect of organic manures on available P and inorganic P (P_i) fractions in calcareous soils of Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province is limited. The objectives of this research were to study the effect of municipal compost (MC) on available P and P_i forms in five calcareous soils. Municipal compost was applied at the rates of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% (w/w). Samples were incubated at 25?±?1°C and 20% moisture content for 150?days. At the end of incubation, available P in MC-treated soils was extracted by Olsen, AB-DTPA and 0.01?M CaCl₂ methods. Also, phosphorus was fractionated chemically into labile P (LP), non-occluded P(NP), re-adsorbed P (RP), occluded P (OP), calcium phosphates (CaP) and residual P. The results showed that there was a linear increase in soil available P with MC application. There was a significant positive relationship between Olsen-P, AB-DTPA-P and 0.01?M CaCl₂-P, and MC additions with slopes ranged from 0.471 to 0.583, 0.032 to 0.106, and 0.033 to 0.081, respectively. The increase in soil test P (STP) from MC additions was not related to the initial STP of the soils. A sharp increase in LP, NP and CaP and decrease in residual P concentration occurred in all soils with MC application. It can be concluded that MC applied to calcareous soils may enhance P nutrition of plants. Furthermore, applied P partitioning into the relatively available forms means the potential erosion losses of P to streams and other bodies of water.     

天然胶结钙质土强度及微观结构研究

自20世纪80年代起,国内就开展了关于岛礁钙质土岩土工程性质的研究工作,至今已经取得了大量的研究成果,但上述研究工作均是针对松散钙质土进行的,针对岛礁上广泛分布的胶结钙质土的研究工作尚未系统开展。而国外大量工程实践表明,胶结钙质土具有完全不同于松散钙质土的工程性状。针对天然胶结钙质土的空间各向异性,从微观角度研究影响其强度的主要参数,为今后的胶结钙质土的分类研究提供理论指导。文中采用多种试验研究方法,最后建立了天然胶结钙质土的密度、胶结度、孔隙度、颗粒大小等参数与强度间的对应关系,当前的研究结果表明,天然胶结钙质土的密度及胶结度与强度间存在良好的相关性。     

Mercury concentration in some calcareous soils of western Iran with a focus on pedological evolution and weathering process

The aim of this study was to evaluate total mercury concentration and its lithogenic and exogenic fractions in some calcareous soils of western Iran, where water contamination and bioaccumulation of mercury have been reported in the bottomland’s reservoir. In particular, we investigated soil physico-chemical properties and weathering conditions related to lithogenic and exogenic fractions of mercury for two groups of calcareous soils with a known comparative pedological evolution and weathering condition that was evident in the presence or absence of underlying layers of accumulated clay. Our results showed that the total mercury content of the studied soils ranged from 45.40 to 830.36 with a mean of 486.81 μg kg^?1. Furthermore, calculation of mercury fractions revealed that lithogenic and exogenic fractions vary slightly according to the three reference elements (Fe, U and Nb) used in the calculations for the two groups of studied soils. The results also illustrated that most of the mercury content is of exogenic origin; therefore, total mercury variations are closely related to the content of exogenic mercury, while the lithogenic fraction exhibited no relationship with total mercury concentration. Moreover, application of the weathering indexes of Parker and the CaO/ZrO₂ molar ratio supported the dependence of lithogenic mercury accumulation on weathering intensity in the studied calcareous soils. However, the significance of this relationship is stronger for more weathered calcareous soils; in such cases, fine-particle fractions are more developed, which encourages carrier phases such as organic materials and iron oxyhydroxides to become involved in more efficient fixation of mercury. Nevertheless, the formation of underlying layers of accumulated clay, i.e. argillic horizons, may restrain fixation of exogenic mercury by limiting its atmospheric input.     

Responses of differences in iron and manganese partitioning patterns within and among organs on legume biomass in limestone and sandstone areas

In consideration of the poor correlation between soil and plant nutrient levels, biogeochemists often focus on nutrient stoichiometry, which is mostly used in ecology to indicate the limitation of nutrients in environments. The previous work indicated that the studies of nutrient cycles must go beyond linkage between environmental conditions and plant nutrient concentrations to consider plant internal processes such as growth and nutrient stoichiometry. The plant species composition in calcareous soils with higher pH, generally to be considered P-limited conditions, is expected to differ from that in acidic soils. Many vascular plant species are unable to colonize limestone soils. Thus, floristic composition and soil properties of adjacent limestone and sandstone altitudinal gradients differ greatly in Southwest China. Until now, mechanisms regulating this differing ability of plants to colonize limestone sites have not been elucidated. It is reported that the inability of many plants to establish in limestone sites seems to be related to a low capacity of such plants to solubilize phosphate from these soils. It is reported that the toxicity of manganese and the deficiency of iron were also closely correlated with floristic compositions. We focus on whether similar trends of nutrient distributions occur across different experimental plots during legume growing,     

The effect of pH and natural microbial phosphatase activity on the speciation of uranium in subsurface soils

The biomineralization of U(VI) phosphate as a result of microbial phosphatase activity is a promising new bioremediation approach to immobilize uranium in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In contrast to reduced uranium minerals such as uraninite, uranium phosphate precipitates are not susceptible to changes in oxidation conditions and may represent a long-term sink for uranium in contaminated environments. So far, the biomineralization of U(VI) phosphate has been demonstrated with pure cultures only. In this study, two uranium contaminated soils from the Department of Energy Oak Ridge Field Research Center (ORFRC) were amended with glycerol phosphate as model organophosphate source in small flow-through columns under aerobic conditions to determine whether natural phosphatase activity of indigenous soil bacteria was able to promote the precipitation of uranium(VI) at pH 5.5 and 7.0. High concentrations of phosphate (1-3 mM) were detected in the effluent of these columns at both pH compared to control columns amended with U(VI) only, suggesting that phosphatase-liberating microorganisms were readily stimulated by the organophosphate substrate. Net phosphate production rates were higher in the low pH soil (0.73 ± 0.17 mM d⁻¹) compared to the circumneutral pH soil (0.43 ± 0.31 mM d⁻¹), suggesting that non-specific acid phosphatase activity was expressed constitutively in these soils. A sequential solid-phase extraction scheme and X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements were combined to demonstrate that U(VI) was primarily precipitated as uranyl phosphate minerals at low pH, whereas it was mainly adsorbed to iron oxides and partially precipitated as uranyl phosphate at circumneutral pH. These findings suggest that, in the presence of organophosphates, microbial phosphatase activity can contribute to uranium immobilization in both low and circumneutral pH soils through the formation of stable uranyl phosphate minerals.     

Amelioration of calcareous sandy soil productivity via incorporation between biochar and some organic manures

Most arid and semi-arid soils, especially calcareous sandy soils, are widely distributed in the Middle East region; the deficiency in their content of many nutrients particularly phosphorus and organic matter limits crops production. This study aimed to assess the effects of adding biochar (B) with farmyard manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) on some soil properties, phosphorus (P) availability, and barley growth in calcareous sandy soil. The pot experiment includes the following treatments: Control, B, B?+?FYM (1:1), B?+?PM (1:1), B?+?FYM (2:1), B?+?PM (2:1), FYM?+?B (2:1), and PM?+?B (2:1). Biochar combined with FYM and PM enhanced the water holding capacity (WHC) and soil organic matter (SOM) content in calcareous sandy soil. Phosphorus availability was increased significantly by applying biochar mixed with farmyard manure and poultry manure at all treatments. Green biomass of barley improved because of adding biochar alone, poultry manure alone, and biochar co-applied with poultry manure at all mixing ratios. Biochar application caused significant increases in phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) by barley plants compared to all other treatments, except for the control. We recommend adding biochar either individually or mixed with poultry manure to improve the productivity of calcareous sandy soil.     

Concentrations of major and trace elements in soil and grass at Shimba Hills National Reserve,Kenya

Concentrations of major and trace elements in soils and grass are determined at Shimba Hills National Reserve in Kenya using geochemical mapping techniques. The study investigates the influence of soil and vegetation type on the concentrations of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, P, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ni and Se in soils and grass. The implications are assessed for the nutrition of the sable antelope, of which the Reserve supports the last remaining viable population in Kenya. Low concentrations in surface soils of a number of major and minor elements are attributed to the geochemical nature of the underlying parent materials of sands, sandstone and grits. Within the Reserve, variations in the element status of surface soils are related to the vegetation and soil types. Elevated element concentrations in surface soils in natural forest areas are attributed to the influence of litterfall whilst in grassland areas, soil element status is controlled by soil type and decreases in the order ferralsols > acrisols > arenosols. The general depletion of major and minor elements in soils at Shimba Hills is not reflected as fully in grasses in which nutrient concentrations were of similar magnitude to those reported from other Kenyan conservation areas. Burning of grassland areas leads to elevated concentrations of K, P, Co, Cu and Mo in grasses, elevated soil-plant uptake ratios for P and K and elevated soil pH. It is suggested that increased availability of P in soils at elevated soil pH levels contributes to its enhanced uptake into grass. A tentative assessment of the mineral status of grass at the Reserve using guidelines developed for domestic ruminants indicates deficiencies of Na, K, P and Zn and that the Ca:P ratio exceeds the tolerable range for animals. In addition, the low concentrations of Cu, Co and Zn in surface soils in the Reserve indicate that the potential supply of these elements to plants is limited.     

岩溶区典型土壤对Cd2+的吸附特性

文章采用有序批试验,就岩溶区两种典型石灰土（棕色、黑色石灰土）对Cd2+的吸附行为进行研究。试验结果表明:石灰土对重金属Cd2+具有较强的吸附能力（平均吸附率范围89.84~98.84）,黑色石灰土的吸附能力高于棕色石灰土,吸附量随平衡浓度的增加而增大;Langmuir和Freundlich方程均能很好地描述两种石灰土对Cd2+的等温吸附过程,Freundlich方程拟合最优;两种石灰土吸附镉的动力学特征相似,吸附过程可分为快速反应、慢速反应和吸附平衡3个阶段,棕色石灰土对Cd2+吸附动力学的最优模型为Elovich方程和双常数方程（R>0.9）,黑色石灰土仅在Cd2+初始浓度为100 mg/L条件下,Elovich方程、双常数方程和W-M方程的模拟达到较显著水平（R>0.8）;有机质、碳酸钙含量及CEC值是影响石灰土对Cd2+吸附能力的主控因素,铁、铝、硅氧化物含量对Cd2+吸附影响不大;综合热力学、动力学及影响因素分析认为石灰土对Cd2+吸附机理包括土壤颗粒表面官能团的专性吸附及不均匀粒内扩散、静电作用等非专性吸附过程。      

Competitive adsorption of trace elements in calcareous soils as affected by sewage sludge,poultry manure,and municipal waste compost

The competitive adsorption of trace elements is a key issue in assessing the mobility of trace elements in calcareous soils and can be affected by disposal of sewage sludge, municipal waste, and poultry manure. The effect of municipal sewage sludge, poultry manure, and municipal waste compost on the sorption of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni) in surface samples of three calcareous soils was studied. As the applied concentrations increased, Cu and Cd adsorption increased, while Zn and Ni adsorption decreased in all treatments. Based on the distribution coefficient (K _d) values and proportion of increase or decrease in metal adsorption, the selectivity sequence in control and amended soils found was Cu ≫ Cd ≫ Ni > Zn and Cu ≫ Cd ≫ Zn > Ni, respectively. In general, among control and amended soils, control soils showed the highest K _d for Cd, Cu, and Ni, while sludge, poultry manure, and composted waste-amended soils had lowest K _d for Cd, Cu, and Ni, respectively. In the case of Zn, composted waste-amended and control soils had highest and lowest K _d, respectively. The present experimental results indicated that the addition of organic amendments to these calcareous soils reduced the sorption of Cd, Cu, and Ni. Thus, the effects of preferential adsorption and organic matter should be considered in assessing the risk associated with applying sewage sludge, poultry manure, and composted material to calcareous soils.     

Arsenic in groundwater affected by phosphate fertilizers at São Paulo, Brazil

. This paper studies metalloid mobility in soils produced by conventional farming methods. The mobility of arsenic in soils depends on several factors including redox potential, soil mineralogy, pH, and the presence of other anions that compete with As for soil retention sites, for example, phosphate. Phosphate enhances the mobility of As in soils by competing for adsorption sites. Arsenic may accumulate in soil through the application of fertilizers. Ingestion of inorganic arsenic contained in drinking water is known to cause cancer. Studies were carried out in an area of Jundiaí, São Paulo in Brazil with high arsenic levels in natural water from domestic wells. The mobility of arsenic in the soil of Jundiaí was studied in the period 1998–2001. The application of phosphate fertilizers on a wide scale is a common agricultural practice. Based on data from the field and laboratory experiments, the deterioration of soil and groundwater quality is a result mainly of fertilizer use due to excessive P application, overdosing of soil with phosphate, and undesirable additions of arsenic in P fertilizers.     

Kinetics of copper desorption from soils as affected by different organic ligands

Desorption of Cu and low molecular weight dissolved organics are the primary factors that impact fate and transport of Cu in soils. To improve predictions of the toxicity and threat from Cu contaminated soil, it is critical that time-dependent desorption behavior be understood. In this paper, the effect of organic ligands citrate, malate, and succinate on the kinetics of Cu desorption from contaminated soils varying widely in soil characteristics was investigated at 25° C and the soils used were referred to as clay, calcareous and sandy soils. The amount of Cu released by the used organic ligands varied greatly with physicochemical properties of the soils. The rate of Cu release by different extractants was in the order citric > malic > succinic, which was consistent with the stability constants of Cu complexes with these ligands. The modified Freundlich and the Elovich and Parabolic diffusion models were used to describe dsorption of Cu²⁺ from the three studied soils as affected by the organic ligands. All of the models fit the data well with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.83 to 1.00 (P < 0.01). Each Model has a set of assumptions for the different physical and chemical properties of the systems to which they are being applied. The uses of these equations yield different magnitudes for the calculated variable, but the relationships between the soil + organic ligands and their effect (i.e., increase or decrease) on these variables are the same. Such information is critical, since Cu is used in a variety of industrial and manufacturing processes and is one of the most common contaminants found at hazardous waste sites.     

Buffering from secondary minerals as a migration limiting factor in lead polluted soils at historical smelting sites

Examination of calcareous slags from several historical smelting sites has indicated that the specific soil environment, in particular the soil pH, may have a very significant effect on the rate of weathering and metal release. A series of acid titration experiments were used to investigate whether the weathering of the calcareous slags could be increasing the buffering effect of the soils through accumulating CaCO₃ in the slag-rich horizons. Such a buffering mechanism would maintain high pH levels and so limit the migration of Pb through the soil profile. Three sites were chosen; one with high levels of Ca in the soil, one with relatively low Ca levels and one with intermediate Ca levels. Analysis of metal concentrations was determined using ICP-AES. The results support the hypothesis that, while the soil pH remains between 8 and 5, the CaCO₃ provides an effective buffer against the mobilisation of Pb. Between soil pH 5 and 4 it is suggested that both CaCO₃ and PbCO₃ participate in the buffering reaction, which slows down with a further drop in pH. However, this reaction ultimately releases Pb into the soil solution, although at a much slower rate than would be the case in an unbuffered soil. An important implication of these findings is that migration rates of metals in soils cannot be assumed to be constant over time, if such buffering mechanisms are operational.     

Fractionation of oxygen isotopes in phosphate during its interactions with iron oxides

Iron (III) oxides are ubiquitous in near-surface soils and sediments and interact strongly with dissolved phosphates via sorption, co-precipitation, mineral transformation and redox-cycling reactions. Iron oxide phases are thus, an important reservoir for dissolved phosphate, and phosphate bound to iron oxides may reflect dissolved phosphate sources as well as carry a history of the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus (P). It has recently been demonstrated that dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) in rivers, lakes, estuaries and the open ocean can be used to distinguish different P sources and biological reaction pathways in the ratio of ¹⁸O/¹⁶O (δ¹⁸O_P) in PO₄³⁻. Here we present results of experimental studies aimed at determining whether non-biological interactions between dissolved inorganic phosphate and solid iron oxides involve fractionation of oxygen isotopes in PO₄. Determination of such fractionations is critical to any interpretation of δ¹⁸O_P values of modern (e.g., hydrothermal iron oxide deposits, marine sediments, soils, groundwater systems) to ancient and extraterrestrial samples (e.g., BIF’s, Martian soils). Batch sorption experiments were performed using varied concentrations of synthetic ferrihydrite and isotopically-labeled dissolved ortho-phosphate at temperatures ranging from 4 to 95 °C. Mineral transformations and morphological changes were determined by X-Ray, Mössbauer spectroscopy and SEM image analyses.Our results show that isotopic fractionation between sorbed and aqueous phosphate occurs during the early phase of sorption with isotopically-light phosphate (P¹⁶O₄) preferentially incorporated into sorbed/solid phases. This fractionation showed negligible temperature-dependence and gradually decreased as a result of O-isotope exchange between sorbed and aqueous-phase phosphate, to become insignificant at greater than ∼100 h of reaction. In high-temperature experiments, this exchange was very rapid resulting in negligible fractionation between sorbed and aqueous-phase phosphate at much shorter reaction times. Mineral transformation resulted in initial preferential desorption/loss of light phosphate (P¹⁶O₄) to solution. However, the continual exchange between sorbed and aqueous PO₄, concomitant with this mineralogical transformation resulted again in negligible fractionation between aqueous and sorbed PO₄ at long reaction times (>2000 h). This finding is consistent with results obtained from natural marine samples. Therefore, ¹⁸O values of dissolved phosphate (DIP) in sea water may be preserved during its sorption to iron-oxide minerals such as hydrothermal plume particles, making marine iron oxides a potential new proxy for dissolved phosphate in the oceans.