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Comparison of Methods for the Determination of Total Phosphorus in Waters Containing Particulate Material¹

ABSTRACT

Perchloric acid digestion compared favorably with Na₂CO₃ fusion for the determination of total P in a range of waters containing varying concentrations of both P and particulate material. The recovery of particulate P by persulfate digestion tended to decrease with increasing particulate material concentration in both natural unfiltered samples and in filtered samples to which particulate material was added. Recovery of added soil particulate P by persulfate digestion also decreased with increasing particle size. Low recovery of P by persulfate digestion was caused by the incomplete extraction of P occluded within oxides and hydrous oxides of iron. Between 58 and 86% of the P not recovered by persulfate digestion was in the inorganic form. Persulfate digestion is not recommended for the determination of total P in waters containing particulate inorganic materials of soil origin. Perchloric acid digestion is considered to be a more suitable method for such samples.

Key Words: perchloric acid digestion • sodium carbonate fusion • persulfate digestion • occluded P

¹ Research supported by grants from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Zealand.

² Post Doctoral Research Fellow and Professor, respectively, Dep. of Soil Sci., Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Received for publication November 5, 1974.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Pagel, K. Ilg, J. Siemens, and M. Kaupenjohann Total Phosphorus Determination in Colloid-Containing Soil Solutions by Enhanced Persulfate Digestion Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., May 1, 2008; 72(3): 786 - 790. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]