Guidelines for the Use of Isotopes of Sulfur in Soil–Plant Studies
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TRAINING COURSE SERIES No. 20 Guidelines for the use of isotopes of sulfur in soil–plant studies INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, VIENNA, 2003 The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was: Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF ISOTOPES OF SULFUR IN SOIL–PLANT STUDIES IAEA, VIENNA, 2003 IAEA-TCS-20 ISSN 1018–5518 © IAEA, 2003 Printed by the IAEA in Austria August 2003 FOREWORD Sulfur (S) is an essential element in plant, human and animal nutrition. This publication provides an overview of the sulfur cycle and how isotopic tracers can be used to obtain unique and precise information on the fluxes and movement of S between and within different compartments of the soil– plant system. It provides information on the theory and measurement of 35S and 34S, safety procedures using 35S, preparation of labelled S fertilizers and plant residues, estimation of the quantity of isotope required for different temporal and spatial scales, preparation (digestion/extraction) and analysis of soil and plant samples and guidelines on comparative advantages with non-nuclear techniques and applications, including case studies and references. It is a timely publication in that greater attention is now being focused on S deficiencies in agriculture, which are becoming more common due to reduced atmospheric accretions from industrial sources and to the reduced use of fertilizer materials that contain sulfur as a secondary nutrient. The sub-programme in Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition is committed to the dissemination of information to Member States on the practical applications of nuclear techniques through the IAEA Training Course Series. The present publication is preceded by IAEA-TCS-14 (2001), Use of Isotope and Radiation Methods in Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition, and IAEA-TCS-16 (2002), Neutron and Gamma Probes: Their Use in Agronomy. This publication was authored by two eminent scientists in the field of S cycling in the soil–plant– animal system — G. Blair and R. Till, Division of Agronomy and Soil Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. It brings together the accumulated experiences and specialized knowledge gained during their professional careers on the application of nuclear techniques to study the dynamics of sulfur in crop–pasture–animal systems. This publication will ensure that up-to-date practical information on the application of both radioactive (35S) and stable (34S) isotopic tracers is retained and disseminated. The guidelines provide a valuable educational resource for students, technicians, fellowship trainees and scientists in national agricultural and environmental research institutes. The IAEA officers responsible for this publication are P. Chalk of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture and G. Hardarson of the Agency’s Laboratories, Seibersdorf. EDITORIAL NOTE The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: THE SULFUR CYCLE AND THE ADVANTAGES OF USING S ISOTOPES IN SOIL–PLANT STUDIES ....................................................................................................1 1.1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................1 1.2. The S cycle.....................................................................................................................................2 1.3. Soil sulfur........................................................................................................................................4 1.3.1. Organic sulfur.......................................................................................................................4 1.3.2. Inorganic sulfur.....................................................................................................................5 1.4. The sulfur balance and its impact on fertiliser requirements..........................................................6 1.5. The impact of intensive agriculture on S losses in crop residues ..................................................7 1.6. Incorporation of S cycling knowledge into simulation models to predict fertiliser requirements ....8 1.7. S sources and their management ..................................................................................................9 1.8. Soil and tissue analysis ................................................................................................................12 References .............................................................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 2: MEASUREMENT OF S IN SOILS AND FERTILISERS AND ISOTOPES OF S.............19 2.1. Radioactivity and radiation ...........................................................................................................19 2.1.1. Alpha, beta and gamma radiation ......................................................................................19 2.1.2. Units of radioactivity ...........................................................................................................19 2.2. Radioactive isotopes as tracers ...................................................................................................20 2.2.1. Isotopes of S ......................................................................................................................20 2.2.2. Techniques available to use S isotopes in soil/plant studies .............................................21 2.3. Calculation of fertiliser 35S uptake by plants.................................................................................22 2.3.1. Calculation of the total amount of fertiliser taken up by plants ..........................................23 2.4. Measurement of 35S......................................................................................................................24 2.4.1. Preparation of scintillation mixture of LSC .........................................................................25 2.4.2. The phenomenon of quenching .........................................................................................26 2.5. Applications using stable 34S........................................................................................................27 2.6. Measurement of 34S......................................................................................................................27 2.6.1. Calculation of δ34S and 34S recovery in soil and plant........................................................27 2.6.2. Calculation of 34S enrichment.............................................................................................27 2.6.3. Calculation of proportion and quantity of fertiliser S in the soil from 34S data....................28 2.7. Measurement of total S in soil and plant samples........................................................................28 2.7.1. Nitric/perchloric acid digest of plant samples for S, P, K, Ca, Mg.....................................29 2.7.2. Sealed chamber digest for plant samples for S, P, K, Na, Mg, Ca and trace elements....................................................................................................................29 2.7.3. Nitric acid digest procedure - for S, P, K, Na, Mg, Ca and trace elements........................30 2.7.4. Combined phosphorus and sulfur digest method for soils and fertilisers ..........................31 2.7.5. Extractable soil sulfate methods ........................................................................................32 2.7.6. Determination of sulfate in solution....................................................................................34 References .............................................................................................................................................36 CHAPTER 3: SAFETY PROCEDURES WHEN USING 35S ..................................................................37 3.1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................37 3.2. Radioisotope laboratory safety rules ............................................................................................37 3.3. Accidents and emergency procedures .........................................................................................38 3.4. Decontamination...........................................................................................................................38 3.4.1. Laboratory glassware/plasticware......................................................................................38 3.4.2. Laboratory equipment ........................................................................................................38 3.4.3. Minor spills .........................................................................................................................38