Summary
This paper presents the first published protocol for separating and purifying organic phosphorus from soil sequential extractions to determine its oxygen isotopic signature (δ18O-P). The method was validated on reference compounds and soil and plant materials from multiple climatic zones, recovering 30-80% of NaOH-EDTA-extractable organic phosphorus. This methodological advance enables improved characterisation of phosphorus cycling in soil-plant systems by providing the isotopic signature of organic phosphorus pools, which cannot be reliably inferred from inorganic phosphorus measurements.
UK applicability
The protocol is directly applicable to phosphorus research in UK soils and agricultural systems, providing a standardised method for determining organic phosphorus isotopic signatures in temperate climate soils. This methodological tool could support UK soil science research investigating phosphorus cycling and plant uptake pathways in different soil types and land management contexts.
Key measures
Oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O-P) of organic and inorganic phosphorus; separation efficiency between organic and inorganic P; ultraviolet hydrolysis efficiency; δ18O-P values (12.7-20.3‰ in soils, 17-27‰ in plants)
Outcomes reported
The study developed and validated a protocol to separate and purify organic and inorganic phosphorus extracted by NaOH-EDTA sequential extraction, enabling measurement of oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O-P) in organic phosphorus pools. The method recovered 30-80% of organic phosphorus extracted by NaOH-EDTA from soils and plant materials across temperate and tropical climates.
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