Abstract :
Iron chlorosis is a relevant and limitant nutrional disorder in plants grown in alkaline soils. Application of synthetic iron chelates is the most solution to correct this abiotic stress. Nowadays the use of these recalcitrant chelating agents is under discussion and more sustainable ways are being researched to be used as natural raw materials-based iron fertilizers. This study deals with particle analysis of iron oxides and carbonates from Jerissa and Tamra iron mines, and their preliminary potential for agricultural valorization as iron fertilizers will be assessed. Physic and chemical characterization of both iron ores will be performed by using FTIR, BET, SEM, EDX, XR and AAS analytical techniques. Batch experiments were arranged by interacting diluted solutions of ultrapure water, chelating agents (EDDS, HBED, IDHA), low molecular weight organic acids LMWOA (citrate) and Humic substances (HS) with both tested iron ores to determine those soluble and extractable iron fractions. Batch experiments showed that Citrate, EDDS, IDHA, HS and HBED diluted solutions were able to extract large amounts of iron from both tested iron ores. High extractability rate of iron ore by Citrate and HBED confirm the potential valorization of those iron ore as mineral fertilizers.
Keyword :
iron ore, fertilizers, iron chelate, complex, Tunisia, valorization