Heavy Metals in Water Percolating Through Soil Fertilized with Biodegradable Waste Materials.

Jadwiga Wierzbowska,Stanisław Sienkiewicz,Teresa Bowszys,Sławomir Krzebietke

doi:10.1007/s11270-016-3147-x

Jadwiga Wierzbowska, Stanisław Sienkiewicz + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-3147-x

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Abstract

The influence of manure and composts on the leaching of heavy metals from soil was evaluated in a model lysimeter experiment under controlled conditions. Soil samples were collected from experimental fields, from 0- to 90-cm layers retaining the layout of the soil profile layers, after the second crop rotation cycle with the following plant species: potatoes, spring barley, winter rapeseed, and winter wheat. During the field experiment, 20 t DM/ha of manure, municipal sewage sludge composted with straw (SSCS), composted sewage sludge (SSC), dried granular sewage sludge (DGSS), “Dano” compost made from non-segregated municipal waste (CMMW), and compost made from municipal green waste (CUGW) was applied, i.e., 10 t DM/ha per crop rotation cycle. The concentrations (μg/dm3) of heavy metals in the leachate were as follows: Cd (3.6–11.5) < Mn (4.8–15.4) < Cu (13.4–35.5) < Zn (27.5–48.0) < Cr (36.7–96.5) < Ni (24.4–165.8) < Pb (113.8–187.7). Soil fertilization with organic waste materials did not contaminate the percolating water with manganese or zinc, whereas the concentrations of the other metals increased to the levels characteristic of unsatisfactory water quality and poor water quality classes. The copper and nickel content of percolating water depended on the concentration of those metals introduced into the soil with organic waste materials. The concentrations of Cd in the leachate increased, whereas the concentrations of Cu and Ni decreased with increasing organic C content of organic fertilizers. The widening of the C/N ratio contributed to Mn leaching. The concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Mn in the percolating water were positively correlated with the organic C content of soil.

Highlights

Sewage sludge produced in wastewater treatment plants should be disposed of, in accordance with the national Waste Management Act of 14 December 2012, for legal, esthetic, and practical reasons
The experiment, conducted in 2004–2011, covered two crop rotation cycles: potatoes, spring barley, winter rapeseed, and winter wheat, and included the following fertilizer treatments: control, NPK, manure (FYM), municipal sewage sludge composted with straw (SSCS), composted sewage sludge (SSC), dried granular sewage sludge (DGSS), “Dano” compost made from non-segregated municipal waste (CMMW), and compost made from municipal green waste (CUGW)
The concentrations of heavy metals in composted sewage sludge and dried granular sewage sludge were below the limits set forth in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment (2015), which allows their use in agriculture and for land reclamation for agricultural purposes (Table 3)

Summary

Introduction

Sewage sludge produced in wastewater treatment plants should be disposed of, in accordance with the national Waste Management Act of 14 December 2012, for legal, esthetic, and practical reasons. 456 Page 2 of 10 treatment plants is used in agriculture (GUS 2015) This is the simplest and cheapest method of permanent disposal (Sadecka et al 2011), consistent with the principles of municipal sewage sludge management set forth in the National Waste Management Plan 2014, which outlines perspectives for 2015–2022, aimed at maximizing the recovery of biogenic elements from sewage sludge. In many cases, this is the only option available for the use and disposal of municipal sewage sludge in small- and medium-sized wastewater treatment plants that produce sludge characterized by moderate or low levels of heavy metal contamination (Wilk and Gworek 2009; Wieczorek and Frączek 2013). The lowest amounts of copper and nickel were leached from the NPK treatment, and the lowest quantities of manganese and iron

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