Municipal sludge metal contamination of old-field ecosystems: Do liming and tilling affect remediation

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620121019· OSTI ID:5698902

Benninger-Truax, M; Taylor, D H ^[1]

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1. Miami Univ., Oxford, OH (United States). Dept. of Zoology

Mechanisms of ecosystem recovery following 11 years of sewage sludge disposal were addressed by examining the effects of tilling and/or liming on soil chemistry and the heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in soil, earthworms, vegetation, spiders, and crickets. In 1989 and 1990, subplots in each of three former 0.1-ha, long-term treatments (sludge, fertilizer, and control) were either unmanipulated or manipulated via tilling and/or liming. Liming significantly increased the pH of soil from the long-term sludge and fertilizer plots, and the combination of tilling and liming affected the heavy metal concentrations in earthworms, as lower concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were found in earthworms collected from subplots that had been both tilled and limed. However, most observed significant differences in heavy metal concentrations reflected the long-term treatments, as heavy metal concentrations tended to be greater in the soil and biota collected from sludge-treated plots. Thus, heavy metals remained in the soil in forms available to the biota, regardless of the cessation of sludge application or subplot manipulations (liming and/or tilling) for two years following cessation of sludge application.

• OSTI ID: 5698902
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 12:10; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CADMIUM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
COPPER
LEAD
SEWAGE SLUDGE
WASTE DISPOSAL
SOILS
CONTAMINATION
ZINC
ANNELIDS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
INSECTS
LIMING
PLANTS
SPIDERS
ANIMALS
ARACHNIDS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
ELEMENTS
INVERTEBRATES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
SEWAGE
SLUDGES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology