Abstract
ABSTRACT One of the major limitations of sewage sludge agricultural use is the presence of chlorobenzenes (CBs), which are toxic to the environment. The use of techniques of sewage sludge phytoremediation can be an important alternative for the degradation of these substances in the waste. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Pennisetum purpureum cultivation time on the reduction of the concentrations of 1,4-CB and 1,3,5-CB in sewage sludge. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, using a randomized block design. The treatments consisted of five periods of Poaceae cultivation in sewage sludge plots (30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days) and a control (sludge plots not cultivated). At 150 days, the control, in the layer of 0-20 cm, showed higher concentrations of 1,3,5-CB, compared with the same layer of cultivated sludge. In the cultivated sludge, in the 10-20 cm layer, there was a decrease in the concentrations of 1,4-CB, while in the layer of 20-30 cm, both concentrations decreased. The observed reductions may be the result of mutualistic interactions between decomposer organisms and the roots of P. purpureum, favoring the decomposition process.
Highlights
Sewage sludge is a waste rich in organic matter and essential elements to plant nutrition
Despite all benefits from the utilization of sewage sludge in agricultural systems, care must be taken, because this waste may have in its composition high concentrations of organic contaminants, such as chlorobenzenes (CBs)
These compounds are generally found at high concentrations in sewage sludge, for being present in the composition of cleaning material, solvents, pharmaceutical products, graphic materials, pesticides, deodorants and air purifiers (Kamarei et al, 2010)
Summary
Sewage sludge is a waste rich in organic matter and essential elements to plant nutrition. Despite all benefits from the utilization of sewage sludge in agricultural systems, care must be taken, because this waste may have in its composition high concentrations of organic contaminants, such as chlorobenzenes (CBs). Because of the risks posed by CBs, it is necessary to conduct studies on the chemical behavior of these contaminants in bioremediation processes, to define the ideal conditions for their biodegradation (Adebusoye et al, 2007). Such fact can be extended to studies on sewage sludge, since the presence of the previously mentioned substance is inherent to this waste
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