THE FERTILIZER INDUSTRY

Presented by

N.W. Noble M.R.M.B. Casitas M. Magnata

WHAT IS A FERTILIZER?
Fertilizer

(or fertiliser) is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. The purpose of fertilizers is to make good for certain nutrient-deficiencies of soil.

FERTILIZER

LABELING
the combined percentages of "pure" nitrogen, "phosphorus" and "potassium" proportion of "soluble potash" (measured as K2O), simply designated as "potassium", K

2:3:2 (26)

proportion of elementary nitrogen, N

proportion of "available phosphorus" (measured as P2O5)

% N = 2/7 x 26 = 7.4%; % P (actually P2O5) = 3/7 x 26 = 11.1%; % K (actually K2O) = 2/7 x 26 = 7.4%.

HISTORY

Early scientists such as Francis Bacon and Johann Glauber describe the beneficial effects of the addition of saltpeter to soil. Glauber developed the first complete mineral fertilizer. The chemical fertilizer industry could be said to have its beginnings with a patent issued to Sir John Lawes, which outlined a method for producing a form of phosphate that was an effective fertilizer. The modern understanding of plant nutrition dates to the 19th century and the work of Justus von Liebig, among others. Management of soil fertility, however, has been the preoccupation of farmers for thousands of years. Mined inorganic fertilizers have been used for many centuries, whereas chemically synthesized inorganic fertilizers were only widely developed during the industrial revolution. Increased understanding and use of fertilizers were important parts of the pre-industrial British Agricultural Revolution and the industrial Green Revolution of the 20th century.

FORMS
Organic

Inorganic

Organic fertilizers include naturally occurring organic materials, (e.g. manure, worm castings, compost, seaweed, guano), or naturally occurring mineral deposits (e.g. saltpeter).

often synthesized using the Haber-Bosch process, which produces ammonia as the end product. HaberBosch process is the nitrogen fixation reaction of nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas, over an enriched iron or ruthenium catalyst, which is used to industrially produce ammonia.

Eutrophication Blue Baby Syndrome Radioactive element accumulation

Soil acidification

HAZARDS
Atmospheric effects Heavy metal accumulation

Persistent organic pollutants

The nitrogen-rich compounds found in fertilizer runoff is the primary cause of a serious depletion of oxygen in many parts of the ocean, especially in coastal zones; the resulting lack of dissolved oxygen is greatly reducing the ability of these areas to sustain oceanic fauna.

Eutrophication

Nitrate levels above 10 mg/L (10 ppm) in groundwater can cause 'blue baby syndrome or acquired methemoglobenia, leading to hypoxia (which can lead to coma and death if not treated).

Runoff of soil and fertilizer during a rain storm

Soil acidification Nitrogen-containing inorganic and organic fertilizers can cause soil acidification when added
Persistent organic pollutants Toxic persistent organic pollutants ("POPs"), such as Dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzop-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) have been detected in agricultural fertilizers and soil amendments.

Heavy metal accumulation The concentration of up to 100 mg/kg of cadmium in phosphate minerals increases the contamination of soil with cadmium. Steel industry wastes, recycled into fertilizers for their high levels of zinc (essential to plant growth), wastes can include the following toxic metals: lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and nickel.

Radioactive element accumulation Uranium is another example of a contaminant often found in phosphate fertilizers (at levels from 7 to 100 pCi/g). Average annual intake of uranium by adults is estimated to be about 0.5 mg (500 g) from ingestion of food and water and 0.6 g from breathing air.

Also, highly radioactive Polonium-210 contained in phosphate fertilizers is absorbed by the roots of plants and stored in its tissues; tobacco derived from plants fertilized by rock phosphates contains Polonium-210 which emits alpha radiation estimated to cause about 11,700 lung cancer deaths each year worldwide.

Methane emissions from crop fields (notably rice paddy fields) are increased by the application of ammoniumbased fertilizers; these emissions contribute greatly to global climate change as methane is a potent greenhouse gas.

The use of fertilizers on a global scale emits significant quantities of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Emissions come about through the use of: animal manures and urea, which release methane, nitrous oxide, ammonia, and carbon dioxide in varying quantities depending on their form (solid or liquid) and management (collection, storage, spreading) fertilizers that use nitric acid or ammonium bicarbonate, the production and application of which results in emissions of nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide, ammonia and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

PRODUCTION

Nitrogen Component

Electric current

HNO3 NH3

magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 )

H2 N2 CO2

O2

NH4NO3

natural gas and steam

air

Anhydrous NH3

oxidation

Nitric oxide

air

NO2 Subjected for reoxidation in H2O

Nitric acid & nitric oxide

Phosporus Component
To isolate phosphorus from phosphate rock, it is treated with sulfuric acid, producing phosphoric acid. Some of this material is reacted further with sulfuric acid and nitric acid to produce a triple superphosphate, an excellent source of phosphorous in solid form. Some of the phosphoric acid is also reacted with ammonia in a separate tank. This reaction results in ammonium phosphate, another good primary fertilizer.

Potassium Component Potassium chloride is typically supplied to fertilizer manufacturers in bulk. The manufacturer converts it into a more usable form by granulating it. This makes it easier to mix with other fertilizer components in the next step.

STEPS AFTER COMPONENT PRODUCTION

Granulating and blending

Bagging

MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR ORGANIC COMPOUND FERTILIZERS

Dickerson Sludge Composting Process Active Sewage Pasteurization (Asp) Process

Taiwan Fertilizer Company (TFC) Special No. 4

TFC Tobacco Organic Compound Fertilizers Etc.

ACTIVE SEWAGE PASTEURIZATION (ASP) PROCESS

Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of the Asp Process

Figure 2 Diagram of Manufacturing Process of TFC Special No. 4

Figure 3 Diagram of the Manufacturing Process for TFC Tobacco Organic Compound Fertilizer

Figure 4 Manufacturing Process for Organic Compound Fertilizer Made from Composted Livestock Manure

Macro nutrients
Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Sulphur

Micro nutrients
Boron Copper Iron Manganese Molybdenum Zinc