Determination of phosphate froms in soils and detection of uranium, thorium and chromium (VI) in P-fertilisers by raman and synchrotron radiation infrared spectroscopy

• Applicant: Dr. Christian Vogel
• Subject Area: Soil Sciences ; Analytical Chemistry
• Term: from 2011 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 202085023

Phosphorus is an essential element of all life forms. It is necessary for the metabolism process (ADP/ATP) and is a component of DNA. For this reason phosphorus is inserted in the form of phosphates in the fertiliser industry. Previously, phosphate rock based fertilisers were used. Nowadays, with decreasing phosphate rock resources, recycling-phosphate fertilisers from wastewater are of increasing importance as a phosphate source. In this research project phosphate forms in soils will be analysed by micro-Raman and synchrotron radiation infrared micro spectroscopy to enable a better resource-conserving mode of fertilisation in the future. Furthermore, the fertiliser-soil reactions of recycling phosphates will be clarified in order to improve the fertilisation properties of these fertilisers. The outcomes of this research will be of importance because the form of the transformed products in soil as well as the phosphate form of the fertiliser is important for the healthy growth of plants. This research makes a contribution to phosphate dependent agriculture becoming more independent of the phosphate rock selling countries by the use of recycling fertilisers from local wastewater treatment plants. In contrast to the new recycling phosphates rock based phosphate fertilisers contain uranium, thorium and sometimes chromium (VI), which are toxic elements that can reach the human body over the food chain. To identify compounds of these elements rapid analysis methods are necessary and these will be developed in the project on the basis of vibrational spectroscopy.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: Australia
• Host: Professor Donald McNaughton, Ph.D.