Metal content of plants and soils in a tree nursery treated with composted sludge
Digested sewage sludge compost from Washington, DC, was applied to a Downer sand at rates of 0, 56, 112, 224, and 448 dry metric tons/ha. A fertilized control treatment was also utilized. Pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) K. Schum.) was grown as a summer cover crop prior to fall tree seeding. Leaf samples of red oak (Quercus ruba L.) and black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) seedlings were taken the summer of the first growing season. The total metal contents (..mu..g/g) of the compost were 2154 Zn, 517 Cu, 13.9 Cd, and 69 Ni. The treated soils were monitored for DTPA extractable Zn, Cu, Cd, and Ni throughout the 2.4 years of the experiment. No visual, foliar effects were noted on the growth of pearl millet or tree seedlings from the increasing rates of compost, however, pearl millet tissue Cd levels were significantly increased with increasing levels of compost from about 0.40 to about 1.62 ..mu..g/g. Metal contents of the tree seedlings were low and within normal levels recorded in the literature. Extractable soil Zn, Cd, and Cu decreased with time, however, soil Ni extractability tended to increase with time. Compost additions resulted in an increased soil pH which was maintained throughout the experiment. Poor correlations (r/sup 2/ ranged from 0.002 to 0.543) were obtained between DTPA extractable metals and metal concentrations of pearl millet, red oak, or black walnut.
- Research Organization:
- Maryland Agriculture Experiment Station, College Park
- OSTI ID:
- 5368918
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 8:1; ISSN JEVQA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Field study of the agricultural use of sewage sludge. III. Effect on uptake and extractability of sludge-borne metals
Soil temperature and sewage sludge effects on metals in crop tissue and soils
Related Subjects
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AMINO ACIDS
CADMIUM
CALCIUM
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CEREALS
CHELATING AGENTS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COPPER
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DATA FORMS
DRUGS
DTPA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EXTRACTION
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
GROWTH
INFORMATION
LEAVES
MAGNESIUM
MANAGEMENT
MANGANESE
METALS
MILLET
NICKEL
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OAKS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
POTASSIUM
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
SEEDLINGS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SOILS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
TABLES
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TREES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
ZINC