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A Closed, Well-oxygenated System for the Determination of the Emission of Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, and Ammonia¹

ABSTRACT

A simple closed system was set up for the measurement of CO₂, N₂O, and NH₃ emission from soil samples kept under well-oxygenated atmosphere. The system is an adaptation of a method suggested by Cornfield (1961a). Carbon dioxide is precipitated from the atmosphere as BaCO₃, while O₂ is generated from a BaO₂ solution in equivalent amounts. With the aid of the proposed method, the simultaneous and quantitative determination of the mineral N forms in soils, of the gaseous N forms, and of CO₂ may be performed even in well-oxygenated conditions. Tests carried out in incubated soilsludge mixtures indicated that gaseous N forms may constitute a large fraction of the organic N ammonified. This may result in an underestimation of the mineralization potential of the organic N. Gas measurement may be needed where losses of N gases are likely or for the testing of the suitability of incubation techniques for the assessment of N mineralization capacities. The method is especially useful for the study of C and N dynamics in soil-sludge mixtures.

¹ Contribution from the ARO, Volcani Center, P.O. B. 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.

² Former Graduate Student and Soil Scientist, Dep. of Soil Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Inst. Soils & Water, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel, and Professor, Dep. of Botany, Tel-Aviv Univ., Tel-Aviv Israel, respectively.

Received for publication November 4, 1985.