Cadmium and zinc uptake by corn (Zea mays L. ) with repeated applications of sewage sludge
Annual applications of digested sewage sludge were made on plots of an acid silt loam soil and a calcareous strip mine spoil material for a period of 12 and 7 years, respectively, to determine their effects on concentrations of Cd and Zn in the leaves and grain of one particular corn hybrid. On the acid soil, leaves and grain of corn had Cd and Zn contents that were proportional to amounts of sludge-borne Cd and Zn applied during the previous growing season by furrow irrigation. But, repeated sludge applications on the same acid soil in successive years did not cause concentrations of Cd in leaves and grain of corn to increase further. Zinc concentrations were increased significantly only in leaves of plants growing on soil repeatedly irrigated with the two lower rates of sewage sludge. In contrast, repeated sludge applications on calcareous strip mine spoil resulted in additive increases of both Cd and Zn contents in corn leaves and grain. Since the uptake of heavy metals by growing plants generally decreases as soil pH is increased, these results were contrary to those expected. Concomitant applications of sludge-borne organic matter and phosphorus may have been the cause for enhanced uptake of Cd and Zn by corn in response to repeated sludge applications on calcareous strip mine spoil but not on the acid soil. 26 references, 10 figures, 6 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Illinois, Urbana
- OSTI ID:
- 6094530
- Journal Information:
- J. Agric. Food Chem.; (United States), Vol. 32:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
CADMIUM
UPTAKE
MAIZE
CONTAMINATION
SEWAGE SLUDGE
GROUND DISPOSAL
ZINC
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
PH VALUE
PHOSPHORUS
SOILS
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
CEREALS
DATA
ELEMENTS
GRASS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
METALS
MINING
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
SEWAGE
SLUDGES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects