This study quantified phosphorus in effluents of a Brazilian Rodhic Haplustox (Red Latosol) aggregates, in relation to diffusion time, using distilled water, Mehlich-1 extractor (HCl 0.05 mol L-1 + H2SO4 0.0125 mol L-1), and ammonium acetate 0.1 mol L-1 solution at pH 7 as eluates. Treatments corresponded to a 4 x 5 factorial scheme: four aggregate classes (2.0-1.0, 1.0-0.5, 0.5-0.25, and 0.25-0.105 mm) and five diffusion times (0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 days). The columns which corresponded to zero diffusion time received an eluate volume equal to ten times the pore volume, collected in five effluent fractions, each one with two pore-volumes. In the remaining experimental units, the elutions were accomplished with two pore-volumes at intervals indicated for each diffusion time. The distilled water leached greater amount of phosphorus from the smallest aggregates which increased with the increasing diffusion time. The Mehlich-1 extractor leached three to sixty times more phosphorus than the distilled water, showing a reverse behavior in relation to aggregate class and contact time. Phosphorus quantities leached with the ammonium acetate solution did not reach the minimum concentration required for detection.
solute transport; leachate; Latosol
