Heavy metals in sewage sludge may make it unsafe fertilizer

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Farm Chem.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6191362

Sewage sludge may contain too much cadmium, zinc, and copper to allow safe application of the sludge as fertilizer on farm lands. Although crop growth can be enhanced by nutrients in sewage sludge, the levels of heavy metals in the edible parts of corn, potatoes, soybeans, wheat, and sorghum crops should be monitored. During recent tests in which 20 tons of sewage sludge per acre were applied to the soil, a significant increase in cadmium and other heavy metals was observed in corn, potatoes, and wheat planted the following year. Levels of cadmium were increased by 22 times in corn, 27 times in wheat grain, and 4.3 times in potatoes. The average diet presently contains about 80% of the safe level of cadmium. Therefore it is suggested that cadmium levels not be increased in soil through the application of heavy metal-rich sludges.

• OSTI ID: 6191362
• Journal Information: Farm Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Farm Chem.; (United States) Vol. 140:11; ISSN FARCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510100* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
AGRICULTURE
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CROPS
DIET
ELEMENTS
FERTILIZERS
GROWTH
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
LIQUID WASTES
METALS
MONITORING
NUTRIENTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANT GROWTH
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
TOXICITY
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER