Ammonia volatilization from five nitrogen compounds used as fertilizers following surface application to soils

Abstract

SUMMARY Measurements were made of the volatilization of ammonia from mono‐ammonium phosphate (MAP), di‐ammonium phosphate (DAP), ammonium sulphate (AS), ammonium nitrate (AN) and urea, applied to the surface of five contrasting soils. The compounds were applied as solids, at a rate equivalent to 100 kg N ha −1 , to samples of moist soil packed into columns (48 mm diameter) and placed individually in jars through which a stream of air was passed for a period of 8 d. Volatilization ranged from nil to 53% of the N applied, with both the nature of the compound and soil type having large effects. Taking all combinations into account, there was a close relationship between the extent of volatilization, expressed as a percentage of the ammonium or urea N, and the pH attained after 24 h by the corresponding mixtures of soil and compound. Using the results of these and other experiments, the proportion of fertilizer N volatilized as ammonia is estimated to be about 3.4% over the UK as a whole.