| Abstract: | The influence of sewage sludge on microbial activity in soil The effect of untreated, pasteurized and irradiated sewage sludge on soil biology was studied in model and field experiments. Sewage sludge from the sewage plant Geiselbullach in the west of Munich city was used for these experiments. The investigations were performed with 4 soil types according to the different locations. All the results demonstrate that there is an increase in biomass after application of sewage sludge while there were definite influences from the location. No significant relation could be observed according to sewage sludge treatment. Under favourable lab conditions the mineralization of the organic matter applied to the soil with higher amounts of sewage sludge induces in short time a definite decrease in pH. In accordance with these changes in pH there is a corresponding decrease in microbial biomass. Early results on the influence of microbial N-cycle demonstrated that amounts of sewage sludge applied under practical conditions brought an increase in denitrification capacity of the soil. In the experiment with soils nitrification rate was doubled after sewage sludge application. |
