Title:
Heavy Metal Distribution in Soil and Crops after Agricultural Application of Biowaste-Based Digestates
Author(s):
Ross, C-L., Sensel-Gunke, K., Wilken, V., Nielsen, K., Knoop, C.
Document(s):
Paper
Slide presentation
Abstract:
The influence of different processing technologies for the treatment of anaerobically digested and subsequently composted biowaste on heavy metal release and uptake were tested in a field experiment. The total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Cr and Pb and plant nutrients were measured in the soil and in the aboveground biomass of winter rye and maize after two applications. Heavy metal contents in soil were not changed by the application of biowaste composts. Comparing maize and rye, Cu and Cd are easily accumulated in rye, indicating that rye has a higher potential to transfer these metals from soil in the aboveground biomass depending on the nitrogen supply of the crop. Maize shows a restriction to the intake of Cd from soil but was found to accumulate Cr at concentrations up to six times higher than in rye. The uptake of Pb was in both crops not influenced by the application of biowaste compost or nitrogen fertilization. Different treatments of biowaste based digestates have obviously no significant influence on the bioavailability and consequently, overall uptake of heavy metals by plants. The characteristics of heavy metal withdrawal and their accumulation depend essentially on the crop and heavy metal, respectively.
Keywords:
fertilization, heavy metals, digestate, compost, biowaste treatment
Topic:
Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability
Subtopic:
Environmental impacts of bioenergy
Event:
24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
4DO.8.2
Pages:
1405 - 1410
ISBN:
978-88-89407-165
Paper DOI:
10.5071/24thEUBCE2016-4DO.8.2
Price:
FREE
