Fate of wastewater phosphorus in soil

The fate of wastewater orthophosphate applied to the land is controlled primarily by two mechanisms. First, phosphorus is sorbed by the soil with the formation of relatively weak bonds and then the phosphorus combines with elements commonly found in the soil to form relatively insoluble compounds. The previous mechanisms are examined showing how they control the phosphorus concentration in the soil solution. In addition, kinetic theories are applied to experimental phosphorus sorption data. Using these kinetic theories, when combined with a mass balance equation, it is possible to project the time and space phosphorus concentration in a soil system.