Abstract
Copper is an essential micronutrient, but at increased concentrations, it quickly becomes toxic to plants, and remediation is needed. Because the land disposal of copper containing sewage sludge is increasing each year, there is a need to evaluate the mobility of copper in soil as affected by sewage sludge and low molecular weight organic acids (citric acid and oxalic acid). Copper mobility was studied in a Marvyn soil (fine-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic, Typic Kanhapludult) without or with 1 of 2 sewage sludges from the Birmingham, Alabama area. A total of 5 column experiments were performed. The columns were leached with solutions containing potassium sulfate (10−2 M/L) to maintain proper ionic strength, in addition to different combinations of copper, oxalic acid, and citric acid. The Cu2+ concentration in all applied solutions was 1000 mg Cu2+ per kg of solution. In the column experiments containing sewage sludge, the effluent copper concentration did not reach the influent concentration. In the column experiments without sewage sludge, the influent copper concentrations were easily reached in the effluent, independent of the addition of oxalic or citric acid. A batch equilibrium study showed that both sewage sludges could adsorb more than 50,000 mg of copper per kilogram of sewage sludge, compared with 1250 mg of copper per kilogram of Marvyn soil. This amount is so high that sewage sludges could possibly be used for copper detoxification in mine tailings or farm lands where copper pollution is a potential problem for vegetation.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.