Plant uptake of trace elements from coal gasification ashes. [L. multiflorum Lam]
Uptake of trace elements in annual ryegrass (L. multiflorum Lam.) grown in mixtures of three gasification ashes and two soils under greenhouse conditions is reported. The gasification ashes selected were those produced in fluidized-, fixed-, and entrained-bed gasification processes. Soils consisted of a surface agricultural soil and a subsurface weathered shale. Plant uptake was evaluated under two management regimes, with and without lime and fertilizer amendments. Six harvests were made over 180 d. Ryegrass yields were highly dependent on application of lime and fertilizer regardless of quantity or type of ash in the soil-ash mixtures. Yields from unlimed/unfertilized treatments were low because of the limited supply of N, P, and K and phytotoxic levels of Al, Cd, Ni, and Zn. The entrained-bed ash contained a relative high S concentration (38 g/kg) that oxidized and made the soil-ash mixtures very acid (pH < 4). Ryegrass grown in unlimed/unfertilized soil-ash mixtures of this ash contained very high concentrations of Al, B, Cd, Co, Mo, Ni, and Zn (up to 2449, 97, 24, 38, 5, 532, and 1109 mg/kg, respectively). Many of these concentrations were considered to be phytotoxic and/or sufficiently high to be toxic to animals under continuous long-term grazing conditions. However, applications of the same gasifier ash to soils that were limed and fertilized with N, P, and K produced ryegrass that did not contain phytotoxic levels of any of the trace elements examined or concentrations that would be of concern in the transport of these metals along food chains to man. Risk was related to soil pH, a factor that can be managed with proper liming and fertilizing practices.
- Research Organization:
- Science Associates Inc., Oak Ridge, TN
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6253741
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 14:4; ISSN JEVQA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM
ASHES
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BORON
CADMIUM
COAL GASIFICATION
COBALT
ELEMENTS
FERTILIZERS
FOOD CHAINS
GASIFICATION
GRASS
INJURIES
LAND POLLUTION
LIMING
METALS
MOLYBDENUM
NICKEL
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
PH VALUE
PHOSPHORUS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POTASSIUM
RESIDUES
SEMIMETALS
SOLID WASTES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
WASTES
ZINC