Elucidation of phosphorous sorption by calcareous soils using principal component analysis

This study was conducted to understand the mechanisms governing P-sorption and desorption by calcareous soils (up to 48% CaCO 3). Batch experiments with KCl as background were carried out by adding varying amount of P up to 100 mgP.L−1. The desorption percentage (%DES) results show that little P was released from the adsorbed phase. Principal component analysis was applied to evaluate the combined influence of soil components on P sorption. The complex P sorption process can be related to specific soil components by the following equation: P− sorption=−2.20 (CaCO 3% )−0.04 (Fe− oxide)+0.04 (pHe)+11.02 (sand % )+3.35 (silt)−10.73 (clay)−1.24 (EC)−0.22 (OM)−0.81 (CEC)−1.93 (P− Olsen) (R2=0.9941, SSE=380). Sand% and clay% are the most significant variables for modelling P sorption data. The derived equation could be applied to predict P sorption in other soils that have similar compositions to those investigated herein. The degree of P saturation (DPS) threshold level for all soils was less than 3% except in the soil with the lowest iron oxide. All of the studied soils have exceeded the environmentally unacceptable P concentration except the soil with the lowest iron oxide content.