engleski

Transfer of potentially toxic elements to Chinese cabbage from soil amended with compost derived from the sewage sludge

The agricultural utilization of sewage sludge is currently one of the available options for sludge treatment and disposal in the EU. Sludge application to soil is efficient in recycling valuable components such as organic matter, N and P. However, soil amendment with sewage sludge can influence the accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in soil and consequently there is a risk of phytoaccumulation of PTE. To assess the hazard related to accumulation of PTE by edible plants, the transfer of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, U and Th to Chinese cabbage grown in soil amended with composted sewage sludge was investigated. Test plants were grown under greenhouse conditions in pots filled with soils amended with different rates of compost. For substrate and plants, the total element concentrations were measured and soil-plant concentration ratios determined. Soil characteristics were assayed, since they directly affect bioavailability of PTE. Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, U and Th in cabbage leaves varied from 0.20−0.37, 0.09−4.26, 9.90−189.76, 1.14−2.12, 26.50−61.90, 0.02−0.10 and 0.01−0.68 mg kg-1 dry weight, respectively. Data obtained revealed that phytoaccumulation of Zn and Cu was significantly affected by compost amendment to soil. Soil-plant transfer of Cd, Pb and U was negligible as their concentration levels in plants were near the limit of detection. The relationships between the PTE amounts in plants and soil characteristics are also shown and the concentration ratios are discussed.

Potentially toxic elements, Chinese cabbage, Sewage sludge, Compost, Phytoaccumulation

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