Accumulation of heavy metals in sewage sludge-treated soils

Journal Article · · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7008947

Chang, A C; Warneke, J E; Page, A L; Lund, L J

The accumulation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in sewage slude-treated soils was studied after 6 y of continued annual sludge application at a cropland disposal site. Soil samples were taken at 15-cm depth increments from Greenfield sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, thermic, Typic Haploxeralf) and Domino loam (fine-loamy, mixed, thermic Xerollic Calciothid) that received 0 (control), 22.5, 45, and 90 MG ha/sup -1/ y/sup -1/ of composted sludges or 0 (control), 3.75, 7.5, and 15 cm y/sup -1/ of liquid sludges since 1976. Samples were also obtained from areas where liquid sludge treatment was terminated after 1978. Heavy metals in soils were extracted by 4M HNO/sub 3/ and analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Over 90% of the deposited heavy metals were found in the 0- to 15-cm soil depth where sludges were incorporated; no statistically significant increase in heavy metal contents of the soil was detected below the surface 30 cm of the soil profile. Although crop absorption of heavy metals has increased with the sludge application rates, the total uptake amounted to < 1% of the metal introduced through sludge application. Through a material balance calculation, it was found that recovered heavy metals were low relative to amounts added due to incomplete extraction of metals from soils by 4M HNO/sub 3/ and changes in soil bulk density.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Riverside
• OSTI ID: 7008947
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 13:1; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303 -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
BUILDUP
CADMIUM
CALCULATION METHODS
CHROMIUM
COPPER
CROPS
ELEMENTS
GROUND DISPOSAL
LEAD
MANAGEMENT
MATERIAL BALANCE
METALS
NICKEL
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOILS
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES
ZINC