Heavy Metals in Compost and their Effect on Soil Quality

Abstract

Application of compost to soils is of considerable interest as means of maintaining a suitable soil structure as well as adding organic matter which is lost due to the practice of intensive agriculture. Among the possible negative effects of compost application to cropland is the potential release of toxic heavy metals into the environment, and the transfer to these elements from the soil into the food chain. A thorough evaluation of the effect of heavy metals following compost application may be supported by the knowledge of their behaviour in the soil environment. ‘Low metal compost’ deriving from source separated collection can be regarded as valuable resource in soil management practices because of their nutrient supply and organic matter content, particularly in Mediterranean soils which generally contain very low quantities of humified organic matter