Comparison of Colorimetric and ICP Methods of Phosphorus Determination in Soil Extracts

The traditional method for quantifying phosphorus (P) in Manitoba soil extracts is the molybdate blue–ascorbic acid colorimetric method. The shift from this traditional method to newer and more sophisticated analytical methods such as inductively coupled plasma (ICP) optical emission spectroscopy for P determination in soil extract could have serious implications on agronomic and environmental P management. Thus, the objectives of this study were to compare P determination by colorimetric and ICP methods in four extractants, namely Olsen, Mehlich 3, CaCl2, and water extraction methods and to evaluate the possibility of developing conversion equations for P determination for the two methods in Manitoba soils. A laboratory experiment was conducted to establish relationships between P determination by colorimetric and ICP methods. Sixty surface soil samples (30 manured and 30 nonmanured) were collected from across Manitoba and extracted with Mehlich 3 reagent, Olsen solution, calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution, and deionized water. Extractable P in the extract was determined by colorimetric (Col-P) and ICP (ICP-P) methods. The concentrations of P measured by the two methods were statistically analyzed. Mean comparison showed that P amounts determined by ICP in Mehlich 3, water, and CaCl2 solutions were significantly greater than those determined by colorimetric method (P < 0.05) in the study. The differences between P determinations by the two analytical methods in the extractants were probably due to the presence of organic P, which was included in ICP determination but not in colorimetric determination. The influence of other factors such as the presence of colloidal particles on the P that was determined by the two methods could not be ruled out. However, Olsen P determined by the colorimetric method was not significantly different from the values determined by ICP (P > 0.05) probably because the alkaline nature of this extractant enhanced the hydrolysis of organic P in the extract, thus including organic P in the colorimetric determination of P. There were significant correlations between the two methods of P determination in the various extracting solutions with correlation coefficients ranging between 0.94 and 1.00. The two methods of P determination were linearly related for all the extracting solutions.