Current Solutions

for Incorporating
Sulfur in
Fertilizers
Moza Al Kaabi, Muneera Al-Reyahi, Omar Elshal, Nadin Mohamed
 Introduction

Objective : To explore many different uses of sulfur, especially in fertilizers.

What problem are we trying to solve?

● Sulfur should be re-used rather than simply exporting it abroad.

 Purpose and Scope
Purpose Scope
● Make use of sulfur instead of ● Plant nutrition
exploring it ● Food security
● Find alternative solutions for the
use of sulfur in fertilizers.
● Produce a fertilizer product that
would make a change.
 Stakeholders
Who would be interested in whether or not our solution works?
● Government
● Farmers
● QAFCO
Stakeholder needs:
● Fertilizer containing a mixture of sulfate and elemental Sulfur.
★ A fertilizer that is rich in sulfur to support crops.
Learning more about the problem
Why are sulfur fertilizers needed? [4]

● Important macronutrient after N, P, K

● Increasing sulfur deficiency in plant nutrition

[1]
More about S fertilizers...
Type of sulfur fertilizers Advantages Disadvantages

Elemental Sulfur Fertilizers 1. Most concentrated S form 1. Must be converted into sulfate

E.g: Sulfur Bentonite, S coated

fertilizers (sulfur coated urea)
2. Offers reserve availability 2. Requires breakdown by soil
microorganisms

Sulfate (SO4-) Containing 1. Readily available for plant 1. Causes high acidity in soil
Fertilizers uptake
E.g: Ammonium Sulfate,
2. Risk of leaching
Potassium Sulfate, Single 2. Water soluble
Superphosphate, Gypsum

[4]
[2] [2]
Existing Solutions
1. Sulfate and Elemental sulfur-enriched Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP)
[4]

a. to contain 50% elemental S and 50% sulfate

2. Elemental sulfur-enriched Single Superphosphate (SSP) [4]

3. Fine-particle elemental S [4]
a. to be incorporated into P fertilizers
Process

● 3 possible ways:
○ Elemental Sulfur
○ X-Sulfates Hydrogen Sulfuric Acid
○ Phosphate Sulfide
● Process of getting sulfate

Potassium Sulfate
National Food Security

318% 70%

Vegetable Sales Self-Sufficiency

 Expected Revenue

4m 0.8m 4B
tonnes/Annum tonnes/Annum USD/Annum

Sulfur Target Share Revenue

Production (20%) 5 USD/KG
 Our Question

What would be the best type of S fertilizer to focus on for the remainder of the
project? Elemental S or Sulfate?
References
[1] “Sulphur’s Important Role in Proper Fertilization”, Sulphur Institute, [Online] Available:
https://www.sulphurinstitute.org/pub/cc821eeb-bc30-5bd9-0719-d97683630f50 [Accessed October 7, 2019]

[2] “Sulfate and Elemental Sulfur – The Dynamic Duo”, CropNutrition, [Online] Available:
https://www.cropnutrition.com/sulfate-and-elemental-sulfur-the-dynamic-duo [Accessed: October 7, 2019]

[4] D.L. Messick, M.X. Fan and C. de Brey, “Global sulfur requirement and sulfur fertilizers”, in 1st Sino-German Workshop on Aspects of Sulfur
Nutrition of Plants, [Online], Shenyang, China, 2004, pp. 97-104, Available:
https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/bitv/zi037562.pdf#page=103 [Accessed October 8, 2019]