Distribution of phosphorus in particulate, colloidal and molecular-sized fractions of soil solution

The total P in soil solution can be divided into three procedurally defined components namely molybdate reactive P (MRP), organic P (OP) and condensed P (CP). The amounts of these components in different size fractions of soi l solution from a peaty podzol was determined using 1.6 and 1.2-mu m filter s to remove particles, and 0.45- and 0.22-mu m filters to remove colloids. For MRP, 55% was associated with particles >1.2 mu m and a further 23% with colloids >0.22 mu m. For OF, 34% was associated with particles > 1.2 mu m and a further 46% with colloids >0.22 mu m in size. CP behaved differently with no significant amount (P greater than or equal to 0.05) associated wit h particles >1.2 mu m, and around 54% associated with colloids >0.22 mu m. In a separate experiment, the distribution of MRP, OP and CP in different m olecular sized fractions of 0.45-mu m filtered soil solution was determined using 100-. 10- and 1-kD ultrafilters in a stirred cell, part filtering th e soil solution to minimize compositional changes in the retained fraction, and adding NaCl to minimize electrostatic exclusion. The 0.45-mu m filtrat e contained 116 of MRP, 212 of OP and 332 mu g dm(-3) of CP. Ultrafiltratio n showed 32% of the MRP, 95% of the OP and 90% of the CP was > 10 kD. Durin g ultrafiltration a gel, containing P mostly as OF, accumulated on the tilt er. The results highlight the quantitative importance of P associated with particulate, colloidal and high molecular weight materials in soil solution from an organic soil. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. Ail rights reserved.