Metal sorption on soils as affected by the dissolved organic matter in sewage sludge and the relative calculation of sewage sludge application

Abstract

To evaluate the influences of sewage sludge-derived organic matters on metal sorption and on the resultant sludge loading estimates, a batch experiment was conducted to compare the sorption of Ni, Cu and Pb in sewage sludge filtrates (1:20 sewage sludge to water) on eight soils and the adsorption of metals in a reference solution which had the same matrix as the sewage sludge filtrate except dissolved organic material (henceforth referred to as reference solution). Metal sorption could be well fitted by linear isotherm and the dissolved organic matter in sludge significantly depressed the sorption ( p < 0.01). The main factor controlling sorption of Ni on different soils was dominated by soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) and sorption of Cu and Pb was by soil organic matter (SOM). The parameters obtained from the sorption isotherm equations were then used to estimate sludge loadings into the soils. When the sorption parameters derived from the reference solution were used for calculation, that is the effect of dissolved organic matter was not considered, the calculated safe application rates are approximately 47.8, 51.4, 34.2, 31.3, 21.7, 46.3, 187.1 and 27.6 t-sludge/ha for the Beijing, Jiangxi, Xiamen, Jilin, Guangdong, Wuhan, Gansu and Xinjiang soils, respectively. However, when the sorption parameters derived from the dissolved organo-metallic complexes are used for calculation, the corresponding application rates are reduced to approximately 6.0, 3.4, 1.9, 10.0, 6.3, 3.6, 7.3 and 3.5 t-sludge/ha, respectively. By this study we can get a conclusion that the effect of sewage sludge derived dissolved organic matter on heavy metal sorption and soil properties should be considered in the course of regulating the safe application rates of sewage sludge to soil.