ADULTERATION ADULTERATION OF FERTILIZERSOF FERTILIZERS

Dr. T. R. BaggiDr. T. R. BaggiDirector (Retd.) CFSL, HyderabadDirector (Retd.) CFSL, Hyderabad

Currently Academic Coordinator (Forensic Currently Academic Coordinator (Forensic Science),Science),

Univ. Coll. of Science Osmania University, Univ. Coll. of Science Osmania University, Hyderabad Hyderabad

trbaggi@gmail.comtrbaggi@gmail.com 09246212364 09246212364

FERTILIZERSFERTILIZERS

•FertilizerFertilizer is any organic or is any organic or inorganic material of inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the nutrients essential to the growth of plants.growth of plants.

• India, being the third largest producer and consumer of fertilizers, consumes nearly 40 million tonnes of fertilizer materials, equivalent to over 18 million tonnes of nutrient, consisting of a variety of nitrogenous, phosphatic, potassic and complex fertilizers, catering to nearly 106 million farming families.

FertlizersFertlizers

• Fertilizers typically provide, in varying Fertilizers typically provide, in varying proportions:proportions:

• six macronutrients: nitrogen (N), six macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S); (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S);

seven micronutrients: seven micronutrients: boronboron (B), (B), chlorinechlorine (Cl), (Cl), coppercopper (Cu), (Cu), ironiron (Fe), (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), and zinc (Zn). and zinc (Zn).

• Fertilizer Grade• All fertilizer labels have three bold

numbers. The first number is the amount of nitrogen (N),

the second number is the amount of phosphate (P2O5) and the third number is the amount

of potash (K2O). These three numbers represent the primary nutrients

• This label, known as the fertilizer grade, is a national standard. A bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer

contains 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphate and 10 percent potash. phosphorus(P) - potassium (K). Fertilizer grades are made by mixing two or more nutrient sources together to form a blend

• That is why they are called "mixed fertilizers." Blends contain particles of more than one colour. Manufacturers produce different grades for the many types of plants.

• You can also get fertilizers that contain only one of each of the primary nutrients. Nitrogen sources include ammonium nitrate (33.5-0-0), urea nitrogen (46-0-0), sodium nitrate (16-0-0) and liquid nitrogen (30-0-0). Phosphorus is provided as 0-46-0 and potash as 0-0-60 or 0-0-50.

Fertilizer Specifications

• Specifications are the requirements with which a fertilizer should conform, as agreed upon between buyer and seller. Fertilizer specifications meet differing requirements depending on the use or intent of the specification information.

• Specifications are normally used in the contract between the buyer and seller of a fertilizer to ensure agreement on product characteristics or more often to define the product in sufficient detail to effect the satisfaction of both buyer and seller.

• Terminology and Definitions• The below specified definitions are

those given by International Association for Standardization (ISO) and Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO)

• Fertilizer Material- A fertilizer that meets any of the following conditions (AAPFCO):

• 1. Contains important quantities of no more than one of the primary plant nutrients

(nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium).• 2. Has 85% or more of its plant nutrient

content present in the form of a single chemical compound.

• 3. Is derived from a plant or animal residue or by product or natural material deposit which has been processed in such a way that its content of plant nutrients has not been materially changed except by purification and concentration.

• Fertilizer- In the simplest terminology, a material, the main function of which is to provide plant nutrients.

• Soil Conditioner – Material added to soils, the main function of which is to improve their physical and/ or chemical properties and/ or their biological activity.

• Liming Material – An inorganic soil conditioner containing one or both of the elements calcium and magnesium, generally in the form of an oxide, hydroxide, or carbonate, principally intended to maintain or raise the pH of soil.

• Straight Fertilizer: A qualification generally given to a nitrogenous, phosphatic, or potassic fertilizer having a declarable content of only one of the primary plant nutrients, i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium.

• Compound Fertilizer: A fertilizer that has a declarable content of at least two of the plant

nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, obtained chemically or by blending or both.

• Granular Fertilizer:– Solid material that is formed into particles of a predetermined mean

• size.• Coated Fertilizer – Granular fertilizer that

is covered with a thin of a different material in

• order to improve the behavior and/ or modify the characteristics of the fertilizer.

• Other related terms are:

• Coated Slow-Release Fertilizer (AAPFCO)- A product containing sources of water soluble

nutrients, release of which in the soil is controlled by a coating applied to the fertilizer.

• Polymer-Coated Fertilizer (AAPFCO)-A coated slow-release fertilizer consisting of fertilizer particles coated with a polymer (plastic) resin. It is a source of slowly available plant nutrients.

• Controlled-Release Fertilizers- Fertilizers in which one or more of the nutrients have limited solubility in the soil solution, so that they become available to the growing plant over a controlled period.

• Nitrogen Stabilizer (AAPFCO) - A substance added to a fertilizer to extend the time that the nitrogen component of the fertilizer remains in the soil in the ammoniacal form.

• Liquid Fertilizer – A term used for fertilizers in suspension or solution and for liquefied ammonia (ISO).

• Solution Fertilizers (ISO) – Liquid fertilizer free of solid particles.

• Suspension Fertilizer (ISO) – A two-phase fertilizer in which solid particles are maintained in suspension in the aqueous phase.

• Suspension Fertilizer (AAPFCO) – A fluid containing dissolved and UN dissolved plant

nutrients. The suspension of the undissolved plant nutrients may be inherent with the materials or produced with the aid of a suspending agent of nonfertilizer properties.

• Mechanical agitation may be necessary in some cases to facilitate uniform suspension of undissolved plant nutrients.

• Suspension Fertilizer – A liquid (fluid) fertilizer containing solids held in suspension, for example, by the addition of a small amount of clay. The solids may be water-soluble in a saturated solution, or they may be insoluble, or both.

• Slurry Fertilizer (AAPFCO)–A fluid mixture that contains dissolved and undissolved plant nutrient materials and requires continuous mechanical agitation to assure homogeneity.

• Powder – A solid substance in the form of very fine particles. Powder is also referred to as

• “no granular fertilizer” and is sometimes defined as a fertilizer containing fine particles, usually with some upper limit such as 3 mm nut no lower limit.

• Formula – A term used in some countries to express, by numbers, in the order N-P-K

(nitrogen- phosphorus- potassium), the respective content of these nutrients in a compound fertilizer.

• Bulk – Qualification given to a fertilizer or soil conditioner not packed in a container (ISO).

• Guarantee (of Composition) – Quantitative and/ or qualitative characteristic with which

a market product must comply for contractual or legal requirements.

• Declarable – Content – That content of an element (or an oxide) which, according to

national legislation, may be given on a label or document associated with a fertilizer or soil

conditioner.

• Fertilizer unit – The unit mass of a fertilizer nutrient (in the form of the element or an

• oxide) generally I kg.• Plant Food Ratio – The ratio of the

numbers of fertilizer units in a given mass of fertilizer

• expressed in the order N – P – K.

Essential Commodities Essential Commodities Act 1955Act 1955

• The Essential Commodities Act (ECA) was The Essential Commodities Act (ECA) was enacted by the Parliament in 1955. Under enacted by the Parliament in 1955. Under this Act, Government is empowered to this Act, Government is empowered to regulate production, supply and regulate production, supply and distribution, trade and commerce of distribution, trade and commerce of commodities essential for sustenance of commodities essential for sustenance of the common man. Fertilizer, with its the common man. Fertilizer, with its inextricable linkage with agricultural inextricable linkage with agricultural development has been declared as one of development has been declared as one of the essential commodities.the essential commodities.

Fertilizer Control order Fertilizer Control order (FCO) 1985(FCO) 1985

• The Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) - of the The Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) - of the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), which Essential Commodities Act (ECA), which was originally introduced in 1957 and was originally introduced in 1957 and subsequently revised in 1985 provides for:subsequently revised in 1985 provides for:

• Compulsory registration of fertilizer Compulsory registration of fertilizer makers, importers and sellers. makers, importers and sellers.

• Specifications for all fertilizers produced, Specifications for all fertilizers produced, imported or sold in India. imported or sold in India.

• A set of regulations on the manufacture of A set of regulations on the manufacture of fertilizer mixtures. fertilizer mixtures.

Fertilizer Control order Fertilizer Control order (FCO) 1985(FCO) 1985

• Packing and labeling of fertilizer Packing and labeling of fertilizer bags. bags.

• Appointment of enforcement Appointment of enforcement agencies and creation of quality agencies and creation of quality control laboratories. control laboratories.

• Banning of the manufacture or Banning of the manufacture or import and sale of non-standard, import and sale of non-standard, spurious or adulterated fertilizers. spurious or adulterated fertilizers.

Restriction on manufacture/import/sale of

fertilizers• The manufacture/import/sale/stock

distribution etc. is prohibited under clause 19 of

• fertilizer :• a) Which is not of prescribed standard,• b) Which is not packed and marked as

specified,• c) Which is an imitation or a substitute for another fertilizer,

Restriction on manufacture/import/sale of

fertilizers• d) Which is adulterated,• e) Whose label or container gives

fictitious address of manufacturer or any false or misleading information,• f) Whose label or container does not

exhibit the grade, and• g) Which is in fact not a fertilizer.

Quick detection of adulteration in fertilizers

• For effective enforcement of quality the State Government have set up Fertilizer Control

Laboratories to test the fertilizer samples drawn by the Fertilizer Inspectors. However, some qualitative test have been developed by the Central Fertilizer Quality Control &

Training Institute, Faridabad which can help the farmers to know if the fertilizer is genuine or adulterated.

Quick detection of adulteration in fertilizers

• These are simple tests and only indicate if the product is genuine or adulterated, but the extent of deficiency will not be known and also it may not lead to the prosecution of offender in a court of law. However, it may forewarn the farmer to be careful from those dealers or suspected material.

• The Fertilizer (Control) Order which first came into affect in 1957, Government feels that it has served the purpose in that the farmers spread over the length and breadth of the country are assured of getting quality fertilizers.

• To ensure that the fertilizer reaches the farmers in the right quality, such checks are carried out by the field staff of the industry.

The samples are drawn randomly for analysis in the laboratories of the manufacture. These samples are drawn from various storage

points/warehouses as also from the companies’ dealers on a regular basis to keep a check on the quality of the fertilizer. Analytical reports of such samples are reviewed on a regular basis.

Adulteration of Adulteration of FertilizersFertilizers

• As of today it is reported that despite the As of today it is reported that despite the above measures taken by the above measures taken by the Government adulteration of fertilizers is Government adulteration of fertilizers is rampart in many states of India and rampart in many states of India and farmers are suffering great losses.farmers are suffering great losses.

• Adulteration of fertilizers involves the Adulteration of fertilizers involves the practice of adding extraneous material practice of adding extraneous material to a standard fertilizer to lower its to a standard fertilizer to lower its quality. A fertilizer is said to be quality. A fertilizer is said to be adulterated when: adulterated when:

• a) It contains harmful or deleterious a) It contains harmful or deleterious ingredient or unwanted crop or weed ingredient or unwanted crop or weed seeds in quantities sufficient to harm the seeds in quantities sufficient to harm the plant when applied according the plant when applied according the directions on the label.directions on the label.

• b) Its composition falls below or differs b) Its composition falls below or differs from that given on the label and / orfrom that given on the label and / or

• c) Useless extraneous material like salt, c) Useless extraneous material like salt, sand, soil, ash and other waste material sand, soil, ash and other waste material are added to it. are added to it.

• When a complaint is received from the farmers When a complaint is received from the farmers or other individuals about the adulteration of or other individuals about the adulteration of fertilizers the appropriate authorized law fertilizers the appropriate authorized law enforcement agency through the legal enforcement agency through the legal procedure of search and seizure collects the procedure of search and seizure collects the sample/s and after due process of panchanama sample/s and after due process of panchanama in the presence of two witnesses sends the in the presence of two witnesses sends the seized samples in sealed covers or containers to seized samples in sealed covers or containers to authorized laboratories under the Essential authorized laboratories under the Essential commodities Act or Fertilizer Control Order commodities Act or Fertilizer Control Order 1985 or to Forensic Science Laboratories for 1985 or to Forensic Science Laboratories for analysis.analysis.

Laboratory AnalysisLaboratory Analysis

•Nitrogen:Nitrogen: i) Formaldehyde Titration Method:i) Formaldehyde Titration Method: (Used (Used

for Ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulphate for Ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulphate nitrogen)nitrogen)

Ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate Ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate produce when they react with formaldehyde produce when they react with formaldehyde produce nitric acid and sulphuric acid produce nitric acid and sulphuric acid respectively. The liberated acids can be respectively. The liberated acids can be titrated with standard sodium hydroxide using titrated with standard sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein indicator. The result obtained phenolphthalein indicator. The result obtained as ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate as ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate can be converted to % N by multiplying with can be converted to % N by multiplying with the factors 0.349978 or 0.212 respectively. the factors 0.349978 or 0.212 respectively.

• ii) Urease digestion / Titration ii) Urease digestion / Titration Method: Method: Used for Urea NitrogenUsed for Urea Nitrogen