EJPAU 2006. Gondek K. , Kopeć M. HEAVY METAL BINDING BY ORGANIC SUBSTANCE IN SEWAGE SLUDGE OF VARIOUS ORIGIN

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2006
Volume 9
Issue 3

Topic:

Environmental Development

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Gondek K. , Kopeć M. 2006. HEAVY METAL BINDING BY ORGANIC SUBSTANCE IN SEWAGE SLUDGE OF VARIOUS ORIGIN, EJPAU 9(3), #01.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue3/abs-01.html

HEAVY METAL BINDING BY ORGANIC SUBSTANCE IN SEWAGE SLUDGE OF VARIOUS ORIGIN

Krzysztof Gondek, Michał Kopeć
Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural University of Cracow, Poland

ABSTRACT

Due to an important role of organic substance, particularly humus acids in forming chelate complexes with heavy metals in soil, research was carried out aimed at determining quantitative and qualitative composition of organic substance in sewage sludge and the amount of heavy metals bound by it. Organic substance in sewage sludge of municipal origin retained more cadmium and zinc, whereas in tannery sludge more chromium and lead. Comparable amounts of copper and nickel bound by organic substance were detected in all researched sewage. Total contents of trace metals in the sludge is not a sufficient criterion for the assessment of its usability for agricultural use, because the occurrence of considerable amounts of some elements in organic compounds (recognized as potential source of trace metals) may pose a hazard of their excessive uptake by plants. Contents of carbon and fractional composition of organic substance in the investigated sewage sludge point to them as a possible source of humus forming substances once they meet the microbiological and chemical requirements.

Key words: sewage sludge, heavy metals, organic substances.

Krzysztof Gondek
Department of Agricultural Chemistry,
Agricultural University of Cracow, Poland
Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Cracow, Poland
email: kgondek@ar.krakow.pl

Michał Kopeć
Department of Agricultural Chemistry,
Agricultural University of Cracow, Poland
Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Cracow, Poland

Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.