Accumulation of heavy metals from extended wastewater irrigation
Municipal wastewater has been used to spray irrigate reed canary grass and corn over periods of 10 and 11 years, respectively, on clay loam soil. Average concentrations of copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, nickel, and cobalt in the applied effluent were 68, 197, 2.7, 140, 50, and 40 parts per billion, respectively. The corresponding metal concentrations in an effluent-sludge mixture used to irrigate the reed canary grass during 1971 to 1973 were 501, 730, 5, 299, 75, and 57 parts per billion. Soils sampled in various years were extracted with 0.1 N HCl for heavy metals analyses. Copper and zinc levels in the reed canary grass soils ((0 to 30 cm; 0 to 1 ft)) increased significantly following 3 years of irrigation with effluent containing sludge. In the corn area, only copper showed increased concentrations in the soil after 11 years of irrigation with effluent alone. The soil cadmium : zinc ratios in both areas were less than that of the applied wastewater.
- Research Organization:
- Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park
- OSTI ID:
- 7215430
- Journal Information:
- J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States) Vol. 49:2; ISSN JWPFA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOMASS
BUILDUP
CADMIUM
CEREALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
CLAYS
COBALT
COPPER
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IRRIGATION
LEAD
LIQUID WASTES
LOAM
MAIZE
METALS
MINERALS
MUNICIPAL WASTES
NICKEL
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SLUDGES
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
ZINC