Nitrogen Effects on Mobility and Plant Uptake of Heavy Metals in Sewage Sludge Applied to Soil Columns

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Abstract
Cation movement in soil under leaching conditions has been associated with N fertilization. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine whether the mobility of some heavy metals applied in the inorganic form or in sewage sludge is enhanced in the presence of various sources of N. Columns of heavy metal‐amended soil in plastic well casings were cropped with tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and leached three times with deionized H2O. Heavy metal concentrations above check values were not detected in leachates from any column. Mobility of the heavy metals from the inorganic sources was slightly greater than that from the sewage sludge. Nitrogen fertilization did not affect the downward movement of Zn, Cd, Cr, Pb, or Ni in soil but enhanced uptake of these metals by fescue because of increased growth. These results suggest that heavy metal contamination of ground water is not likely in heavy textured soils when sewage sludge applications are accompanied by N fertilization, at least for short periods of time.

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