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in Fertilizer Samples
Sheenly Anne P. Saavedra1 and Jasper C. Villasis2
National Institute of Physics, College of Science and 2Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of
Home Economics
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
1
ABSTRACT The major component of fertilizer is given by its nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium (NPK) . The weight declared for phosphorus in commercial fertilizers is usually
30% in the form of P2O5 which is the largest percent by weight . Meanwhile, moisture content of
a fertilizer determines its purity . In this experiment, phosphorus content is determined as well
as moisture content of fertilizer using gravimetric method . Gravimetry generally involves a
known solution reaction between analytes and reagents to give sparingly soluble products that
can be weighed; specifically, the precipitation method was used . The moisture content was
obtained from the difference of the weight of the wet and the dry sample, and was found to be
1.2(0.9)% . The phosphorus content was determined through precipitation gravimetry where
the sample was reacted with MgSO4 7H 2O and NH3 to form a white precipitate, MgNH 3PO 4H 2O.
The net weight of the dried precipitate obtained was 1.1407(0 .0003)g. Using stoichiometric
relations and gravimetric factor, %P2 O5 and %P for the dried sample showed to be 8.3(0 .4)%
and 3.6 0.4% respectively . Comparing to theoretical P2O5, which represented 30% P in
fertilizer labels, it resulted to 21 .7% difference and 72 .33% error to the theoretical claim .
INTRODUCTION
Another
important
component
in
fertilizers is its moisture content . The
moisture content influences the physical
properties of a substance such as weight,
density, viscosity, refractive index, electrical
conductivity and many more . This component
shows if the fertilizer contains standard
properties such as concentration or purity,
nutritional value, and dry substance content .
Drying techniques are used to determine this
content .
Gravimetric analysis is a technique
through which the amount of the substance
being analyzed can be determined through
the measurement of mass 2 . It is composed of
two types of methods: precipitation and
volatilization .
In
this
experiment,
precipitation gravimetric methods and its
concepts were used to determine the
moisture content and phosphorus content of
fertilizer samples .
For moisture content determination, mass
of sample (as received) and the constant
[2]
[2]
Q = concentration of any
species at any instant
S = equilibrium solubility
A low VWR results in large crystals. This
qualitatively
indicates
that
solute
concentration must be low and solubility
must be high 3.
In
this
experiment,
quantitative
determination of percent moisture is done
through constant weighing and quantitative
determination of phosphorus in fertilizer is
done using gravimetric method of analysis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
apparatus and
of sample
Loss
of
phosphorus
content during
1st filtration
REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]
Shakhashiri.
Agricultural
Fertilizers.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/pdf/A
gricultural_Fertilizers.pdf (accessed June 28,
2016).
Weighing
by
Difference.
www.ic.sunysb.edu/Class/che133/techniques/
weighbydiff/wei ghbydiff.pps (accessed June
28, 2016).
APPENDIX
Data Tables
TABLE 1. Constant weighing of crucibles with covers
Crucible w/ covers
Weighing 1
32.3844 0.0002
Weighing 2
32.3842 0.0002
Constant weight
32.3842 0.0002
TABLE 2. Constant weighing of crucibles with covers + fertilizer sample
Crucible + Fertilizer Sample
Weighing 1
35.3515 0.0002
Weighing 2
35.3514 0.0002
Constant weight
35.3514 0.0002
Net weight of dried sample
2.9672 0.0003
TABLE 3. Weight of sample, filter paper and precipitate
Crucible + Fertilizer Sample
Sample weight (as received), g
3.0024 0.0002
Sample weight (dried), g
2.9672 0.0003
Weight of filter paper, g
0.8698 0.0002
Weight of dried filter paper with
1.7195 0.0002
precipitate, g
0.8497 0.0003
Net weight of dried precipitate, g
Working Equations
Important Formulas
Guide Questions
1. What are the other methods used for moisture determination besides oven drying?
Other methods of direct measurement are: iIgnition at 1000C or burning of crucible
with Bunsen burner.
Saavedra, S.A.P. and Villasis, J.C., 2016 | 5
Calculations