Coal Clinker Ash Influence in Mineral Nitrogen Sorption and Leaching in Sandy Soil

Agnes Aron Dube, Meseret Gutema Abebe, Elizabeth Manneh, Mitsuru Tsubo, Kuniaki Sato and Eiji Nishihara ()
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Agnes Aron Dube: The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
Meseret Gutema Abebe: The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
Elizabeth Manneh: The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
Mitsuru Tsubo: Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan
Kuniaki Sato: Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu, Matsue 690-8504, Japan
Eiji Nishihara: Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Global energy demands continue to make coal-fired power plants important; however, this has resulted in massive production of clinker ash (CA). The utilisation of CA to improve nutrient retention in agrarian soils is unclear. Nitrogen (N) leaching is one of the greatest limitations in crop production. This study assessed CA’s potential to improve N retention in sandy soil. CA was characterised, and an N sorption study and two-cycle column leaching experiments were conducted. Two CAs were used, with particle sizes of <3 mm (CA1) and <5 mm (CA2). The treatments included control (sandy soil only), CA1 10 , CA1 20 , CA2 10 , and CA2 20 , at 10 and 20% ( w / w ), respectively, and rice husk biochar (positive control) at 5% ( w / w ), replicated three times. The results showed that both CAs adsorbed NH 4 + -N and NO 3 − -N, with NH 4 + -N adsorption higher than NO 3 − -N. NO 3 − -N leaching was significantly inhibited by applying CA 10 of both CAs from day 1 to day 20. NH 4 + -N retention by CA2 did not enhance the growth of maize seedlings; the same was observed in CA1 20 , which had retained the highest N for the two cycles. CA successfully reduced N leaching and increased N retention in sandy soil.

Keywords: ammonium; clinker ash; nitrate; nutrient loss; retention; sorption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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