Extraction and bioavailability of heavy metals in response to the addition of sewage sludge to the soil

Abstract

To evaluate environmental risk of sludge application in agriculture, a greenhouse experiment was carried out in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, to compare the efficiency of extractors in the availability of heavy metals to plants, in soil treated with sewage sludge. The effect of the sludge was also evaluated combined or not with P, K and PK, on the accumulation of metals in the shoot. Soil samples, collected from the 0-20 cm layer of a Typic Hapludalf were placed in pots and mixed with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 Mg ha-1 (dry-basis) of sludge. Thirty days after incubation, soil samples were taken from each pot for determination of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr and Pb (extracted by HCl 0.1 mol L-1, Mehlich-3 and DTPA pH 7.3). Two Rates of phosphate as were applied (0 and 100 Mg ha-1) as well as two rates of potassium (0 and 100 Mg ha-1). Maize (Zea mays L.) plants were grown for 50 days, collected and submitted to heavy metal determination. The application of sewage sludge increased the amounts of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn accumulated in plants, whereas the addition of potassium increased dry matter yield and decreased the accumulation of Zn. The pH reduction and soil native metal influenced the availability of Mn. All extractors were efficient in predicting the Zn and Cu availability to plants. For Mn and Fe the most efficient solutions were: HCl and Mehlich-3, HCl and DTPA, respectively. For the other metals, none of the extractors was efficient.