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Struvite behaves differently in various pH conditions. Struvite dissolves very slowly under neutral to basic conditions (pH 7 or greater). Soil becomes somewhat acidified (pH less than7) around plant roots. And under acidic soil conditions, struvite's ability to dissolve increases. As struvite slowly dissolves near plant roots, the phosphorus, nitrogen, and magnesium become available for plant uptake when the plants need the nutrients. is is a bit like slow- release pain medicine. As a result, struvite has slow-release properties in soil when used as an agricultural phosphorus source. Struvite has been applied to fields either by surface application or mixing into the soil. When other commercially available inorganic fertilizer sources are used, typically, the phosphorus quickly binds to the soil. is makes the phosphorus unavailable for plant uptake. Because of struvite's slow-release behavior, it may reduce the amount of phosphorus escaping into waterways and be helpful to the environment. Electrochemically precipitated struvite applied to the soil surface for a corn study in 2020. Struvite slowly dissolves in the soil, which may reduce nutrient losses in runoff and help the crops grow. Credit: Niyi Omidire 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. is Act aims to restore and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the nation's water resources. Struvite may play a future role in accomplishing the objectives of the Clean Water Act. Struvite may also play an integral role in supporting the sustainability of agriculture and food production with recycled nutrient fertilizer sources. Research about struvite and its uses will help keep people fed and protect the environment, just as the Clean Water Act envisioned. Drs. Kristofor R. Brye and Lauren Greenlee recently published their research in Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment Journal, a publication of the American Society of Agronomy, and the Crop Science Society of America. For more information, visit the Soils Maer blog : hps://soilsmaer.wordpress. com/2022/02/15/what-is-struvite-and-how-is-it-used Precipitating phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater are also helpful for aquatic ecosystems. Both excess phosphorus and nitrogen can cause eutrophication, which can eventually create dead zones. is is a major water quality issue globally, including Lake Erie and the Gulf of Mexico. Algae need nutrients to grow, and phosphorus and nitrogen are part of those nutrients. When too much of either nutrient, particularly phosphorous, algae production increases more than usual. e algae cover the water's surface, followed by oxygen-consuming decomposition that can create a zone of oxygen depletion. is can kill other plants and even fish. e removal of excess nutrients from wastewaters, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, improves the quality of the water discharged back into the environment. A pure magnesium electrode before precipitation (left) and an electrode with precipitated struvite shown as the white powder (right). Credit: Laszlo Kekedy-Nagy Does precipitating struvite have other benefits? Struvite's slow release may benefit the environment farm406 46

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