Phosphorus fertiliser equivalent value of dairy processing sludge-derived STRUBIAS products using ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Authors

W Shi, Environment Research Centre, Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland; Civil Engineering and Ryan Institute, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
Owen Fenton, Environment Research Centre, Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland; Civil Engineering and Ryan Institute, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
S M. Ashekuzzaman, Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering;Sustainable Infrastructure Research & Innovation Group, Munster Technological University, Cork, IrelandFollow
K Daly, Environment Research Centre, Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland
J J. Leahy, Chemical and Environmental Science, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
N Khalaf, Chemical and Environmental Science, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
K Chojnacka, Department of Advanced Material Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
C Numviyimana, Department of Advanced Material Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
J Warchol, Department of Advanced Material Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
M G. Healy, Civil Engineering and Ryan Institute, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland

ORCID

0000-0003-4463-9503

Abstract

Background

Struvite, biochar and ash products (collectively known as STRUBIAS) derived from different waste streams are used as fertilisers in agriculture. Raw dairy processing sludge (DPS) shows promise as bio-based fertilisers, but secondary STRUBIAS-derived products need further testing as fertilisers.

Aims

The objective of this study was to calculate the phosphorus mineral fertiliser equivalency (P-MFE) for some STRUBIAS products derived from DPS.

Methods

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) pot trials were used to determine the P-MFE using the apparent P recovery (APR) method for Fe-DPS and DPS-derived struvites (Struvite 1–4), hydrochars (HC1–3) and ash.

Results

The tested STRUBIAS products can be divided into two groups: (1) a range of products that can (i.e. Struvite 1–3) and (2) cannot (i.e., Struvite 4, HC1–3, ash and Fe-DPS) be considered fertilisers. In the first group, the P-MFE ranged from 66.8% to 76.7% for ryegrass and from 77.9% to 93.5% for spring wheat grain. In the second group, the P-MFE ranged from 7.8% to 58.3% for ryegrass and from −34.5% to −151.3% for spring wheat grain. The negative agronomic effects of some products for wheat grain (struvite and HC) in this study were mainly caused by high Fe content, which could be overcome by improved treatment processes.

Conclusions

Future policy and research must be aware that not all the DPS-derived STRUBIAS products are suitable as fertilisers and therefore need to be tested individually.

Disciplines

Civil and Environmental Engineering

DOI

10.1002/jpln.202300164

Full Publication Date

2024

Publication Details

Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science

Publisher

Wiley

Funder Name 1

European Commission

Award Number 1

814258

Funder Name 2

IReL

Resource Type

journal article

Resource Version

http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85

Access Rights

open access

Open Access Route

Hybrid Open Access

License Condition

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Alternative Identifier

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jpln.202300164

Recommended Citation

Shi, W., Fenton, O., Ashekuzzaman, S.M., Daly, K., Leahy, J. J., Khalaf, N., Chojnacka, K., Numviyimana,C., Warchoł, J., & Healy, M. G. (2024). Phosphorus fertiliser equivalent value of dairy processing sludge-derived STRUBIAS products using ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum). Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science,187, 215–224. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.202300164