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New Zealand’s reputation as a quality food producer is growing.
The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand promotes and encourages responsible and scientifically-based nutrient management.
Defining a standard method to measure the total and bioavailable concentration of fluorine in New Zealand soils
Geretharan, P Jeyakumara, M Bretherton, Christopher W. N. Anderson
Completed 2018
Introduction
The concentration of fluorine (F) in New Zealand pastoral soils is increasing as a consequence of Phosphorus(P) fertiliser application, and there is concern over the long-term impact of this F on animal and soil microbiological health.
Ongoing soil F monitoring to underpin comprehensive soil F management practices requires an accurate and simple test to quantify both the total and bioavailable concentration of F in soil. In this study, soils were collected from various locations across New Zealand, representing different soil orders and land uses.
The research describes a simple analytical method for total soil F concentration. It found that for New Zealand soils at risk of F contamination, 4 mol L−1 NaOH extraction gives reliable results.
The researchers propose that 0.01 mol L−1 CaCl2 extraction should be adopted as a standard method to assess the bioavailable F concentration of New Zealand pastoral soils.
Read more
- This report has been published in the Microchemical Journal.
- Read an article on Thangavelautham Geretharan’s (Gere) PhD research on soil fluorine.
