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Long-term Phytoavailability of Soil-applied Organo-borates

Univ. of Georgia Inst. of Ecology, Savannah River Ecol. Lab., Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29801.

^* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Sodium tetraphenylboron (NaTPB) is expected to be used in large quantities to separate radiocesium from high-level nuclear wastes. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the long-term effects of NaTPB, diphenylboric acid (DPBA, a major degradation by-product of NaTPB) and boric acid (BA) on the extractability of soil B and plant B nutrition. Sorgrass (Sorghum vulgare sudanense Hitchc. ‘Dub-L-Graze’) was planted in sandy and loamy sandy soils in two separate 2-yr studies. Results indicate that initial differences between effects of the B sources on biomass, plant B concentration, plant B uptake and hot-water extractable B disappeared after the first harvest, while differences among these parameters due to soil type and application rate remained throughout the experiments. Extractable soil and plant B concentrations tended to decrease more gradually in the loamy sand than in the sandy soil. Plant toxicity from organic sources was noted only during the first harvest while BA had no adverse effects. Both NaTPB and DPBA reduced biomass, the former more than the latter. Initially, plant B concentrations were higher in NaTPB than BA treatments. The cumulative percentage of soil-applied B removed after 2 yr by sorgrass remained fairly similar, 20.0 ± 1.7% (1 SD) among B sources and application rates. This suggests that a large fraction of B applied to the soil was not taken up by the plant, presumably due to soil fixation. Biphenyl, another major breakdown product of NaTPB, had no effect on sorgrass growth, tissue B concentration, and soil B concentration.

Contribution from the Biogeochemistry Div., Savannah River Ecology Lab. (Univ. of Georgia), P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29801. Research was made possible through DOE contract no. DE-AC09-76SROO-819.

Received for publication October 14, 1987.