Characterization of phosphorus in sludges and sludge amended soils using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

31P NMR spectroscopy was an effective tool in the characterization of phosphorus (P) in municipal sewage sludges and sludge amended soils. Waste activated and aerobically digested sludges contained higher percentages of organic P than anaerobically digested sludges. The 31P Cross Polarization Magic Angle Spinning (31P CP MAS) spectrum of an aerobically digested sludge indicated the presence of a significant organic P fraction over the inorganic P fraction. The 31P NMR spectra of sludge-borne phospholipids dissolved in cholate, to which a complexing agent was added, were found to be better resolved than those dissolved in chloroform. Phytic acid and ribonucleic acid were shown to be constituents of organic P in sludges based upon their susceptibility to different phosphoric ester hydrolases. Sludge amended soils were incubated to examine the transformations of sludge-borne P in soils. It was found that soil pH affected the biodegradation of organic P as well as that of pyrophosphate. Phosphorus-monoesters and pyrophosphates hydrolyzed after 70 days of incubation under alkaline soil condition while they persisted beyond 140 days of incubation under acid soil condition. The P-diesters completely hydrolyzed after 28 days of incubation under acid and alkaline soil conditions. The solubility study showed that the P in a sludge amended soil was undersaturated with respect to Ca-P, Fe-P and Al-P minerals considered. The finding suggested that the activity of the P solid phase under study might be less than unity which would be indicative of a coprecipitated solid solution