Author: Murat KÜÇÜKHEMEK, Kemal GÜR, Ali BERKTAY
Publishing Date: 2006
Volume 21 Issue 3_4
This field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of municipal sewage sludge, on heavy metal (Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Pb and Cd) contents of the pasture grass (Mixture 4M “Star” 0126827) which grown in poor soil. The sewage sludge was incorporated into the soil at four different rates (0 as a control, 40, 80, and 120 t/ha) with three replications as a factorial experimental design. The experiment was run for two years. It was determined that sewage sludge applications have increased the grass plant Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr and Pb contents on the plant samples but, the grass plant Mn contents were decreased with the sewage sludge applications as compared to the control. It was observed that grass plant samples Zn deficiency occurred in the control treatments. However, levels of Zn in the grass plant samples amended with the sewage sludge were sufficient levels. Therefore, it was suggested that 40‐120 t/ha levels of sewage sludge, with no industrial input, could be incorporated as a source of organic material for this kind of soil and also for this kind of plants without any heavy metal risk.
Key Words: Sewage sludge; soil; pasture grass; heavy metal.