Fate of heavy metals and major nutrients in a sludge-soil-plant-leachate system during the sludge phyto-treatment process

Environmental Technology
Tianfen XuJonathan W C Wong

Abstract

Land application of sewage sludge usually leads to increased levels of heavy metals in soil, plants and groundwater. Pre-treatment using plants has been proposed to reduce the contents of heavy metals and water in sludge prior to land application. This study quantified the transfer of Zn, Cd, Pb and major nutrients in a sludge-soil-plant-leachate system during the treatment of sewage sludge. To accomplish this, a two year pot experiment was carried out to collect leachate, mono- and co-cropping of Sedum alfredii and feed crops was conducted in sludge with an under-layer soil support. Sludge phyto-treatment increased Zn and Cd concentrations in the under-layer soil, but not Pb. Specifically, 70%, 70% and 80% of the original Zn, Cd and Pb, respectively, remained in the sludge, while about 40%, 70% and 60% of the original N, P and K remained. Only 3% to 5% of Cd and Zn and < 1% of Pb were transferred into the under-layer soils or leachates, while more than 12% of the N and P were transferred. Co-planting S. alfredii and feed crops led to a significant reduction of heavy metals in leachates when compared with sludge without planting. Overall, sludge leachate is more appropriate than whole sludge for recycling in agriculture since i...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 11, 2014·Environmental Technology·Tianfen XuQi-Tang Wu
Oct 1, 2015·Environmental Technology·Malwina TytłaEwa Zielewicz
Jan 28, 2017·Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering·Lenka DemkováJán Jobbágy

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
atomic absorption spectrometry

Software Mentioned

SAS
Excel

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