Heavy metal chemistry in soils received long-term application of organic wastes

Abstract

This study was carried out to understand the long-term effect of organic waste treatment on the fate of heavy metals originated from the organic wastes, together with examination of changes in soil properties. For this, the soils received three different organic wastes (municipal sewage sludge, alcohol fermentation processing sludge, pig manure compost) in three different rates (12.5, 25, 50 ton/ha/yr) for 7 years (1994 - 2000) were used. To see the long-term effect, plant growth study and soil examination were conducted twice in 2000 and 2010, respectively. There was no additional treatment of organic wastes for post ten years after ceasing organic waste treatment for seven years. Soil examination conducted in 2010 showed decreases in soil pH, EC, total nitrogen, organic matter, available phosphorus, exchangeable cations and heavy metal contents in all soils received organic wastes compared to the results obtained in 2000. Speciation of heavy metals in soil through sequential extraction showed that organically bound Cu was the dominant species in all treatment and exchangeable Cu was increased in the plots treated with municipal sewage sludge and alcohol fermentation processing sludge. organically bound Ni increased from 25% - 30% to 32% - 45% in 2010 inall treatment while Pb showed increase in carbonate form in all treatments. Zn existed mainly as sulfide and residual forms, showing increases in organically bound form in all treatment during post ten years.