Some heavy metals in soils treated with sewage sludge, their effects on yield, and their uptake by plants

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1983.00472425001200010007x· OSTI ID:5532871

Valdares, J M.A.S. ^[1]; Gal, M; Mingelgrin, U; Page, A L

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1. Univ. of California, Riverside

The possible use of sludge with high heavy metal concentrations and at high rates in calcareous soil was demonstrated in this study. Mixtures of two sludges were added to soils in various proportions up to 4% sludge content. One sludge was rich in Ni and Cd, while the other was relatively poor in heavy metals. Three soils varying in pH from 7.7 to 5.5 were tested. The concentrations of Cd, Ni, Cu and Zn in the DTPA and saturation extracts of the soil-sludge mixtures were determined and correlated with their uptake by plants and the yield of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L., cv. Ford Hook Giant) grown on these mixtures. The metal-poor sludge hardly affected the yield of the relatively salt-resistant Swiss chard. The metal-rich sludge reduced the yield drastically in noncalcareous soils after a critical amount of that sludge (1.5%) was added to the soils. Yet, even 4% of this metal-rich sludge increased the yield of Swiss chard, as compared with the sludge-free control in a calcareous soil. The best fit to yield was obtained by multiple regression with metal content in the soil saturation extract. The solubility in soil solution of Cd, Ni and Zn was strongly affected by the pH. The uptake of Ni and Zn by plants was significantly larger in the acid soil than in the calcareous soil. The difference in the uptake of Cd and Cu between the soils was smaller. Plant uptake of the metals was generally predicted better by the total metal addition or concentration in the DPTA extract than by metal concentration in the soil saturation extract. In noncalcaeous soils the total metal addition correlated as well as metal content in the DTPA extracts with the metal concentration in the soil solution, with the uptake by plants and with the yield.

• OSTI ID: 5532871
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 12:1; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200 -- Environment
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.
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
AMINO ACIDS
CADMIUM
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHELATING AGENTS
COPPER
DRUGS
DTPA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GROUND DISPOSAL
MANAGEMENT
METALS
NICKEL
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
SATURATION
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOILS
SOLUBILITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
ZINC