Leaching Behavior of Heavy Metals In Biosolids Amended Sandy Soils

Use of biosolids in agriculture to improve crop production and soil quality have created concerns due to content of heavy metals that may affect surface or ground water quality. A column leaching study was conducted to evaluate the leaching potential of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cdmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) from two typical agricultural sandy soils in South Florida (Spodosol and Alfisol) with increasing application of pelletized biosolids (called PB) at the rates of 0, 1.25, 5.0, 10.0 g kg^?1, respectively together with chemical fertilizer (CF). Elevated PB rate resulted in reduced leaching loss of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Co, Ni from Spodosol, but resulted in increased loss of Pb, Zn, Cd, and Co from Alfisol. Significant reduction in Cu loss occurred in both soils, which can be attributed to the strong binding of Cu with organic matter from the applied PB. Percentage of Cd loss as of total Cd was 13% – 41%, the highest in all the heavy metals, whereas loss of Pb as of total Pb was less than 6.6%, though the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Co, and Ni in leachate were mostly above the limits of U.S. EPA drinking water standards or the national secondary drinking water standards. These results indicate that soil properties, PB application rates, and chemical behavior of elements jointly influence the leachate total loads of heavy metals in sandy soils applied with biosolids. Application of CF together with BP at a rate higher than 10.0 g kg^?1 for sandy soils may pose potential threats to water quality due to enhanced leachate loads of Cr and Ni in Spodosol and Pb, Zn, Cd, Co and Ni in Alfisol.     

砂质土壤积累的铜和锌的可提取性与移动性研究

An investigation was conducted to study problems of determining a reasonable percentage for ecological water-use in the Haihe River Basin of China. Three key aspects for the ecological water requirement （EWR） were analyzed, involving i） the EWR for river system, ii） the EWR for wetlands and lakes, and iii） the EWR for discharge into the sea to maintain the estuary ecological balance of the Haihe River. The Montana method and related water level-flow relationships, and the statistic approach based on hydrological records were applied to estimate different components of EWR. The results showed that the total ecological water demand in the region, was about 3.47-14.56 billion m^3. Considering flow regime change and uncertainty, the ecological water demand could be estimated by the hydrological frequency approach. Preliminary analysis showed that for different annual runoff under the frequencies of 20%, 50%, 75% and 95%, the ecological water demand approached 12%-50%, 18%-74%, 24%-103%, 35%-148% and 16%-66%, respectively. By further analysis to balance ecological water-use and socioeconomic water-use, the rational percentage of ecological water-use was estimated as 35%-74%, that provides useful information to judge whether the allocation of water resources is reasonable, and was proved to be satisfactory by comparing with the practical condition.     

有机无机肥配施对玉米产量及土壤氮磷淋溶的影响

【目的】氮、磷是农作物生长所必需的营养元素,对提高农作物产量和改善产品品质均有重要作用,但由于肥料不合理施用,农田土壤中养分大量盈余,在降雨或灌溉条件下易随水流失,导致水环境质量下降。因此,研究有机无机肥料配施对土壤氮、磷淋溶风险的影响,可为地下水环境质量保护提供依据。【方法】采用田间渗滤池法,对华北地区玉米季氮磷淋溶状况连续5年进行监测,具体施肥处理如下:对照(不施用氮肥,PK)、单施化肥(NPK)、单施有机肥(与NPK处理等氮量,SW)、有机肥无机肥料配施(用猪粪中氮替代50%NPK处理中氮用量,SNP)。采集120 cm处淋溶水,测定氮、磷含量,研究在总氮投入量相同条件下,有机无机肥料配施对华北地区玉米产量及土壤剖面120 cm处氮磷淋溶的影响。【结果】1)有机无机肥料配施(SNP)处理,可以保证玉米较高产量,5年平均产量较单施化肥处理(NPK)提高10.3%。2)有机无机肥料配施可以显著减少总氮(TN)淋溶量,SNP处理较NPK处理减少71.4%;NPK处理淋溶水中NO-3-N浓度显著高于SNP处理,其平均浓度分别为54.93 mg/L、13.47 mg/L。3)在等氮量投入条件下,有机肥的投入带入了大量磷素,单施有机肥(SW)较NPK处理总磷(TP)淋溶量增加了0.6倍,分别为0.056 kg/hm2、0.035 kg/hm2;淋溶水中TP浓度分别为0.09 mg/L、0.066 mg/L。在氮磷养分淋溶损失中,NO-3-N占淋溶水TN的80%以上,可溶性总磷(TDP)占淋溶水TP的70%左右。4)在监测淋溶水中,NPK处理NO-3-N平均浓度已超过我国地下水Ⅲ类水质量标准(GB/T 14848-9),SW处理TP平均浓度0.09 mg/L,也高于水体富营养化TP浓度(0.02 mg/L)的临界值,可对水体造成污染。【结论】在氮磷养分淋溶损失中,NO-3-N占淋溶水TN的80%以上,TDP占淋溶水TP的70%左右。采用猪粪氮替代50%化肥氮素的有机无机肥料配施处理,5年玉米平均产量显著高于单施化肥处理,证明该施肥方法不仅可以确保产量,还可降低氮素淋溶,基本保证淋溶水中NO-3-N浓度低于地下水Ⅲ类水质量标准(GB/T 14848-9)。     

Heavy‐metal displacement in chelate‐treated soil with sludge during phytoremediation

Heavy metals (HMs) in domestic sewage sludge, applied to land, contaminate soils. Phytoremediation is the use of plants to clean‐up toxic HMs from soil. Chelating agents are added to soil to solubilize the metals for enhanced uptake. Yet no studies report the displacement of HMs in soil with sludge following solubilization with chelates. The objective of this work was to determine the uptake or leaching of HMs due to a chelate added to a soil from a sludge farm that had received sludge for 25 y. The soil was placed in long columns (105 cm long; ?? 39 cm) in a greenhouse. Columns either had a plant (hybrid poplar; Populus deltoides Marsh. × P. nigra L.) or no plant. After the poplar seedlings had grown for 144 d, the tetrasodium salt of the chelating agent EDTA was irrigated onto the surface of the soil at a rate of 1 g per kg of soil. Drainage water, soil, and plants were analyzed for three toxic HMs (Cd, Ni, Pb) and four essential HMs (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn). At harvest, extractable and total concentrations of each HM in the soil with EDTA were similar to those in soil without EDTA. The chelate did not affect the concentrations of HMs in the roots or leaves. With or without plants, EDTA mobilized all seven HMs and increased their concentrations in drainage water. Lower concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn in leachate from columns with EDTA and plants compared to columns with EDTA and no plants showed that poplars can reduce groundwater contamination by intercepting these HMs in the soil. But the poplar plants did not reduce Pb and Mn in the leachate from columns with EDTA. Concentrations of Cd and Pb in the leachate mobilized by EDTA remained above drinking‐water standards with or without plants. The results showed that a chelate (EDTA) should not be added to a soil at a sludge farm to enhance phytoremediation. The chelate mobilized HMs that leached to drainage water and contaminated it.     

外来种互花米草对江苏省潮间带生物地球化学过程的影响研究

Spartina alterniflora Loisel, a species vegetating in intertidal flats along the eastern coast of the United States, was introduced in China almost 30 years ago and has become an urgent topic due to its invasiveness in the coastal zone of China. The impacts of this alien species S. alterniflora on intertidal ecosystem processes in the Jiangsu coastland were investigated by comparing the sediment nutrient availability and trace element concentration characteristics in a mud flat and those of a four-year old Spartina salt marsh that had earlier been a mudflat. At each study site, fifteen plots were sampled in different seasons to determine the sediment characteristics along the tidal flats. The results suggested that Spartina salt marsh sediments had significantly higher total N, available P, and water content, but lower pH and bulk density than mudflat sediments. Sediment salinity, water content, total N, organic C, and available P decreased along a seaward gradient in the Spartina salt marsh and increased with vegetation biomass. Furthermore, the concentrations of trace elements and some metal elements in the sediment were higher under Spartina although these increases were not significant. Also, in the Spartina marsh, some heavy metals were concentrated in the surface layer of the sediment. The Spartina salt marsh in this study was only four years old; therefore, it is suggested that further study of this allen species on a longer time frame in the Jiangsu coastland should be carried out.     

武汉市城郊区集约化露天菜地生产系统硝态氮淋溶迁移规律研究

以武汉市及其周边区域的典型露天菜地为研究对象,对菜地土壤、土壤溶液及菜地附近井水中硝态氮（NO3--N）含量进行了周年监测分析。结果表明:菜地土壤100 cm内各土层NO3--N平均含量为11.2 mg/kg,其中0~20 cm土壤剖面NO3--N含量为21.1 mg/kg;60 cm深度处土壤溶液中NO3--N含量为27.5 mg/L;井水中NO3--N含量为19.6~39.8 mg/L,其含量达到了饮用水安全标准的2~4倍。由此说明:武汉城郊菜地土壤NO3--N淋失量较大,已造成地下水NO3--N污染;且硝酸盐淋失量随着氮肥施用量和水分输入量的增加而增大,同时与种植蔬菜的种类有一定相关关系;由于土壤理化性质不同,土壤硝酸盐含量在正常范围内并且尚能够安全种植作物时,地下水可能已受到严重的污染,这种情况在砂性土壤中表现更为明显。本文的研究为科学评价露天菜地土壤和地下水NO3--N污染提供了科学理论依据。     

Impact of Organic Amendments on Groundwater Nitrogen Concentrations for Sandy and Calcareous Soils

Experiments were conducted on calcareous and sandy soils to investigate the effects of organic amendments for vegetable production on groundwater nitrogen (N) concentration in south Florida. The treatments consisted of applying yard and food residuals compost, biosolids compost, a cocompost of the municipal solid waste and biosolids, and inorganic fertilizer. Nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄-N), and total N concentrations were collected for a period of two years for both soils. Statistical analysis results revealed that for the three species tested, there were no significant differences among treatments. NO₃-N concentrations for all treatments remained less than the maximum contamination level (10 mg/L). NO₃-N transport to groundwater was higher in calcareous soil (mean=5.3 mg/L) than in sandy soil (mean=0.6 mg/L). NH₄-N concentrations ranged from 0 to 13.6 mg/L throughout the experiment. Calcareous soil had lower NH₄-N concentrations (mean=0.1 mg/L) than sandy soils (mean=0.7 mg/L). Total N ranged from 0.4 to 21.7 mg/L for all treatments for both soils reflecting high adsorption of dissolved organic N in both soils. Overall, results indicated that all the compost treatments were comparable to inorganic fertilizer with regard to N leaching and N concentrations in the groundwater while producing similar or higher yields.     

Biochar addition enhanced growth of Dactylis glomerata L. and immobilized Zn and Cd but mobilized Cu and Pb on a former sewage field soil

The mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals in soils contaminated by irrigation with wastewater increase with increasing mineralization of accumulated organic substance and decreasing pH. In laboratory experiments addition of biochar reduced heavy metal availability to plants and enhanced plant growth. However, literature from field trials is scarce. Therefore, we conducted a 2‐year field experiment with orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) to study the effects of miscanthus‐derived biochar applied to sewage field soil on biomass production and concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and various nutrients in plants and in the soil solution. Biochar was mixed into the contaminated topsoil (30 cm) with addition rates of 0, 1, 2.5 and 5% on a dry‐mass basis (g 100 g^?1). The soil solution was collected with suction plates installed at a depth of 30 cm. Addition of biochar increased biomass production and reduced Zn and Cd concentrations in the soil solution. Zinc concentrations were also reduced in plants. This effect seems to be attributable to an increase in pH caused by biochar addition. In contrast, Pb and Cu concentrations in the soil solution generally increased and were related to the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Copper concentrations also increased in the plants; however, only at the beginning of the measurement period. Our data indicate that increased concentrations of DOC, Cu and Pb in the soil solution might be a transient effect. Therefore, further research is needed to determine the long‐term effect of biochar amendment on element immobilization and leaching into groundwater.     

Variability and relationships between Pb,Cu, and Zn concentrations in soil solutions and forest floor leachates at heavily polluted sites

Seasonal variability of Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in litter leachates and soil solutions was examined in an afforested zone surrounding a copper smelter in SW Poland. Litter leachates (with zero‐tension lysimeters) and soil solutions (with MacroRhizon suction‐cup samplers, installed at a depth of 25–30 cm) were collected monthly at three sites differing in contamination levels in the years 2009 and 2010 (total Cu: 2380, 439, and 200 mg kg^–1, respectively). Concentrations of Cu in the litter leachate were correlated with dissolved organic C (DOC), whereas Zn and Pb were mainly related to leachate pH. Metal concentrations in the soil solution were weakly influenced by their total content in soils and the monthly fluctuations reached 300, 600, and 700% for Cu, Pb, and Zn, respectively. Metal concentrations in soil solutions (Cu 110–460 μg L^–1; Zn 20–1190 μg L^–1; Pb 0.5–36 μg L^–1) were correlated with their contents in the litter leachates. Chemical speciation, using Visual Minteq 3.0, proved organically‐complexed forms even though the correlations between metal concentrations and soil solution pH and DOC were statistically insignificant. The flux of organically‐complexed metals from contaminated forest floors is believed to be a direct and crucial factor affecting the actual heavy metal concentrations and their forms in the soil solutions of the upper mineral soil horizons.     

Leaching of Nitrate,Ammonium, and Phosphate From Compost Amended Soil Columns

Compost amendment to agricultural soils has been reported to reduce disease incidence, conserve soil moisture, control weeds, or improve soil fertility. Application rate and placement of compost largely depends on the proposed beneficial effects and the rate may vary from 25 to 250 Mg ha^?1 (N content up to 4 percent). Application of high rates of compost with high N or P levels may result in excessive leaching of nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate into the groundwater. Leaching could be a serious concern on the east coast of Florida with its inherent high annual rainfall, sandy soils and shallow water table. In this study, five composts (sugarcane filtercake, biosolids, and mixtures of municipal solid wastes and biosolids) were applied on the surface of an Oldsmar sand soil (in 7.5 cm diameter leaching columns) at 100 Mg ha^?1 rate and leached with deionized water (300 ml day^?1, for five days; equivalent to 34 cm rainfall). The concentrations of NO₃-N, NH₄-N, and PO₄-P in leachate reached as high as 246, 29, and 7 mg L^?1, respectively. The amount of N and P leached accounted for 3.3-15.8 percent of total N and 0.2-2.8 percent of total P in the compost. The leaching peaks of NO₃-N occurred following the application of only 300-400 ml water (equivalent to 6.8-9.1 cm rainfall).     

石灰土壤原状土柱上硼和锌的迁移

Leaching of boron （B） and zinc （Zn） can be significant in some pedomorphic conditions, which can cause contamination of shallow groundwater and economic losses. Boron and Zn adsorption and transport was studied using 8.4 cm diameter × 28 cm long intact columns from two calcareous soil series with differing clay contents and vadose zone structures： Lyallpur soil series, clay loam （fine-silty, mixed, hyperthermic Ustalfic Haplargid）, and Sultanpur soil series, sandy loam （coarse-silty, mixed, hyperthermic Ustollic Camborthid）. The adsorption isotherms were developed by equilibrating soil with 0.01 tool L^-1 CaCl2 aqueous solution containing varying amounts of B and Zn and were fitted to the Langmuir equation. The B and Zn breakthrough curves were fitted to the two-domain convective-dispersive equation. At the end of the leaching experiment, 0.11 L 10 g L^-1 blue dye solution was also applied to each column to mark the flow paths. The Lyallpur soil columns had a slightly greater adsorption partition coefficient both for B and Zn than the Sultanpur soil columns. In the Lyallpur soil columns, B arrival was immediate but the peak concentration ratio （the concentration in solution at equilibrium/concentration applied） was lower than that in the Sultanpur soil columns. The breakthrough of B in the Sultanpur soil columns occurred after about 10 cm of cumulative drainage in both the columns; the rise in effluent concentration was fast and the peak concentration ratio was almost 1. Zinc leaching through the soil columns was very limited as only one column from the Lyallpur soil series showed Zn breakthrough in the effluent where the peak concentration ratio was only 0.05. This study demonstrates the effect of soil structure on B transport and has implications for the nutrient management in field soils.     

Nutrient accumulation and nitrate leaching under broiler litter amended corn fields

Abstract

Alabama's broiler chicken (Gallus gallus) industry produces large amounts of waste, which are disposed of by application to crop and pasture land. Land application of litter (manure and bedding) from broiler production can lead to contamination from losses of nutrients accumulated in soil. A study was conducted on 2 and 4% slopes from 1991 to 1993 at Belle Mina, Alabama, to determine the effects of broiler litter (BL) on soil elemental concentrations and nitrate leaching under a corn (Zea mays L.) ‐ winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cropping system amended with either: l) 9 mg#lbha^‐1 of BL, 2) 18 mg#lbha^‐1 of BL, or 3) commercial fertilizer (F) at a recommended rate. Soil was sampled to 100 cm prior to corn planting and subsequent to com harvest. Soil leachate samples were collected biweekly with wick lysimeters installed at a depth of 100 cm. Litter applications increased concentrations of soil organic carbon (C), extractable phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Post harvest soil sampling indicated leaching of soil nitrate that was generally highest under BL18. Soil electrical conductivity measurements were highest under BL18, but values were not in the range considered detrimental to crops. Nitrate‐N (NO₃‐N) concentrations measured in soil percolate at 1‐m depth on the 2% slope were higher under F than litter treatments. Both the F and BL18 treatments produced some NO₃‐N concentrations above the primary drinking water standard, but averaged only 8.3 and 4.8 mg#lbL^‐1, respectively. The BL9 treatment consistently remained under 10 mg NO₃‐N#lbL^‐1 with a mean concentration of 1.3 mg#lbL^‐1. Overall, litter applied a 9 mg#lbha^‐1 produced agronomic results comparable to F and appeared to be the optimal rate of application under the conditions of this study.     

Potential phosphorus leaching from sandy topsoils with different fertilizer histories before and after application of pig slurry

This study investigated the effects of historical long‐term and recent single applications of pig slurry on phosphorus (P) leaching from intact columns of two sandy topsoils (Mellby and Böslid). The soils had similar physical properties, but different soil P status (ammonium lactate‐extractable P; P‐AL) and degree of P saturation (DPS‐AL). Mellby had P‐AL of 220–280 mg/kg and DPS‐AL of 32–42%, which was higher than for Böslid (P‐AL 140 mg/kg and DPS 21%). The study investigated the effects since 1983 of four treatments with different fertilizer histories, in summary high (HighSlurryMellby) and low (LowSlurryMellby) rates of pig slurry and mineral P (MinMellby) applications at Mellby and mineral P application at Böslid (MinBöslid). The columns were irrigated in the laboratory five times before and five times after a single application of pig slurry (22 kg P/ha). Concentrations of dissolved reactive P (DRP), dissolved organic P and total‐P (TP) in leachate and loads were significantly higher (P < 0.005) from the treatments at Mellby than those at Böslid. TP concentrations followed the trend: HighSlurryMellby (0.57–0.59 mg/L) > MinMellby (0.41–0.49 mg/L) > LowSlurryMellby (0.31–0.36 mg/L) > MinBöslid (0.14–0.15 mg/L), both before and after the single slurry application. DRP concentrations in leachate were positively correlated with DPS‐AL values in the topsoil (R² = 0.95, P < 0.0001) and increased with greater DPS‐AL values after the single slurry application (R² = 0.79, P < 0.0001). Thus, DPS‐AL can be an appropriate indicator of P leaching risk from sandy soils. Moreover, the build‐up of soil P because of long‐term repeated manure applications seems to be more important for potential P losses than a single manure application.     

Effects of Slow‐Release Fertilizers on Tomato Growth and Nitrogen Leaching

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were grown in 9.46‐L plastic pots in a glasshouse for evaluation of their growth and nitrogen (N) losses through leaching. Plants were fertilized with either ammonium nitrate (AN) or one of three slow‐release N fertilizers. The slow‐release N fertilizers were Georgia Pacific liquid 30‐0‐0 (L30), Georgia Pacific granular 42‐0‐0 (N42), and Georgia Pacific granular 24‐0‐0 (N24). Each fertilizer was applied at 112 low N rate (L) and 224 high N rate (H) kg N ha^?1. The pots were filled with either a sandy soil from Florida or a loam soil from Georgia. Increasing the N rate did not influence shoot biomass at 19 days after transplanting (DAT) and increased biomass production at 77 DAT. Shoot biomass differed significantly among fertilizer treatments. The accumulation of N in shoots was significantly influenced by fertilizer source, rate, and soil type. The plants grown in the loam soil accumulated significantly more N than those grown in the sandy soil with the same treatment. In the loam soil, the highest and lowest N accumulations occurred in the N42‐H and N24‐L treatments, respectively; and in the sandy soil the corresponding treatments were AN‐H and N24‐L. The amount of N leached varied with the different fertilizers, soils, and time. The net leaching of N ranged from ?0.4% to 6.3% of the fertilizer N applied for the loam soil and 6.5% to 32.9% for the sand soil. The net amount of N leached from the loam soil at both high and low application rates declined in the following order: AN > N24 > N42 > L30; the corresponding order for the sandy soil was AN‐H > N42‐H > L30‐H > N24‐H. L30 had the least leaching potential, and ammonium nitrate had the most. Slow‐release fertilizers had significantly less leaching N than did ammonia nitrate.     

Leaching of Metals from Oxidising Sulphide Mine Tailings with and without Sewage Sludge Application

A 20-month column experiment investigated leaching of Al, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb during sulphide oxidation in mine tailings with and without sewage sludge (SS) amendment. Leachate pH decreased gradually in all columns during the experiment, irrespective of treatment, due to sulphide oxidation. As the degree of sulphide oxidation, and thus the pH trajectory, differed between replicates (n?=?3), running data for each column used are reported separately and the relationships between sulphide oxidation, metal leaching and treatment in each column compared. Mean pH in the columns correlated negatively with total amounts of leached SO₄ ^2-. In the beginning of the experiment the leachate concentrations of Al, Cu, Zn, Ni and Pb were higher in SS-treated columns due to high initial concentrations of dissolved organic carbon. As leaching proceeded, however, the amounts of Al, Cu, Mn and Ni leached from the columns were closely related to the degree of sulphide oxidation in each column, i.e. to its mean pH. There were no statistically significant differences between treatments regarding the total amounts of metals leached and thus addition of sewage sludge to the tailings appeared to play a minor role for metal leaching patterns. Peak concentrations of Al and Cu in the leachate from untreated tailings and of Zn in the leachate from both untreated and SS-treated tailings at pH 4 exceeded national background values for groundwater.     

淹水条件下水稻田中磷的淋溶研究

采用地下垂直埋入钢管收集土壤淋溶液的方法，在江苏宜兴对水稻生长季节内稻田土壤中P向下迁移作了研究，重点主要集中在淋溶液中P的浓度、渗漏速度以及P的淋溶量测定几个方面。结果表明，在整个水稻生长季中淋溶液的溶解P与全P浓度均不高，溶解P的浓度维持在0．02mg／L以下，全P的浓度则在0．03-0．08mg／L之间；土壤直渗速度为0．53cm／天；本实验方法测得的淋溶量中，整个水稻生长季在施P量为30kg/hm^2的条件下，P的淋溶量为3．77kg/hm^2，其各土壤层次中土壤表层淋溶量所占比例最大，占各层总淋溶量的36％。     

Effects of grazing strategy on limiting nitrate leaching in grazed grass‐clover pastures on coarse sandy soil

Urinations of ruminants on grazed pastures increase the risk of nitrate leaching. The study investigated the effect of reducing the length of the grazing season on nitrate leaching from a coarse sandy, irrigated soil during 2006–2007 and 2007–2008. In both years, precipitation was above the long‐term mean. The experiment was initiated in a 4‐yr‐old grass‐clover sward in south Denmark. Three treatments were as follows grazing only (G), spring cut followed by grazing (CG) and both spring and autumn cuts with summer grazing (CGC). Nitrate leaching was calculated by extracting water isolates from 80 cm depth using ceramic suction cups. Because of considerable variation in measured nitrate concentrations, the 32 installed suction cups per treatment were insufficient to reveal differences between treatments. However, weighted nitrate leaching estimations for G, CG and CGC showed estimated mean nitrate N concentrations of 23, 19 and 13 mg/L for an estimated proportion area occupied by urine patches of 0.33, 0.26 and 0.16, respectively. Thus, N concentrations in G and CG exceeded the EU limit of 11.3 mg N/L. Under the prevailing conditions, the time of urination did not appear important. The estimated background leaching calculated from suction cups presumably not situated under urine patches resulted in mean nitrate N concentrations of 2.6 mg/L.     

Pilot-scale counter-current acid leaching process for Cu,Pb, Sb,and Zn from small-arms shooting range soil

Purpose

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of a counter-current leaching process (CCLP) on 14 cycles with leachate treatment at the pilot scale for Pb, Cu, Sb, and Zn removal from the soil of a Canadian small-arms shooting range.

Materials and methods

The metal concentrations in the contaminated soil were 904?±?112 mg Cu kg^–1, 8,550?±?940 mg Pb kg^–1, 370?±?26 mg Sb kg^–1, and 169?±?14 mg Zn kg^–1. The CCLP includes three acid leaching steps (0.125 M H₂SO₄?+?4 M NaCl, pulp density (PD)?=?10 %, t?=?1 h, T?=?20 °C, total volume?=?20 L). The leachate treatment was performed using metal precipitation with a 5-M NaOH solution. The treated effluent was reused for the next metal leaching steps.

Results and discussion

The average metal removal yields were 80.9?±?2.3 % of Cu, 94.5?±?0.7 % of Pb, 51.1?±?4.8 % of Sb, and 43.9?±?3.9 % of Zn. Compared to a conventional leaching process, the CCLP allows a significant economy of water (24,500 L water per ton of soil), sulfuric acid (133 L H₂SO₄ t^–1), NaCl (6,310 kg NaCl t^–1), and NaOH (225 kg NaOH t^–1). This corresponds to 82 %, 65 %, 90 %, and 75 % of reduction, respectively. The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure test, which was applied on the remediated soil, demonstrated a large decrease of the lead availability (0.8 mg Pb L^–1) in comparison to the untreated soil (142 mg Pb L^–1). The estimated total cost of this soil remediation process is 267 US$ t^–1.

Conclusions

The CCLP process allows high removal yields for Pb and Cu and a significant reduction in water and chemical consumption. Further work should examine the extraction of Sb from small-arms shooting range.     

Relation between soil P test values and mobilization of dissolved and particulate P from the plough layer of typical Danish soils from a long‐term field experiment with applied P fertilizers

Accumulation of phosphorus (P) in agricultural topsoils can contribute to leaching of P which may cause eutrophication of surface waters. An understanding of P mobilization processes in the plough layer is needed to improve agricultural management strategies. We compare leaching of total dissolved and particulate P through the plough layer of a typical Danish sandy loam soil subjected to three different P fertilizer regimes in a long‐term field experiment established in 1975. The leaching experiment used intact soil columns (20 cm diameter, 20 cm high) during unsaturated conditions. The three soils had small to moderate labile P contents, expressed by water‐extractable P (3.6–10.7 mg/kg), Olsen P (11–28 mg/kg) and degree of P saturation (DPS) (25–34%). Mobilization of total dissolved P (TDP) increased significantly (P < 0.05) from the intact soil columns with increasing labile P, whereas the increase in particulate P (PP) with increasing labile P content was modest and statistically insignificant. We found concentrations up to 1.5 mg TP/L for the plough layer of this typical Danish sandy loam soil. This highlights that even a moderate labile P content can be a potential source of TDP from the plough layer, and that a lower concentration margin of optimum agronomic P levels should be considered.     

Evaluation of Dolomite Phosphate Rock–N‐Viro Soil Mixtures for Growth of a Horticultural Crop in an Acidic Sandy Soil

Abstract

Most agricultural soils in the Indian River area, South Florida, are sandy with minimal holding capacity for moisture and nutrients. Phosphorus (P) leaching from these soils has been suspected of contributing to the eutrophication of surface waters in this region. Dolomite phosphate rock (DPR) and N‐viro soil are promising amendments to increase crop production and reduce P loss from sandy soils. Soil incubation and greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to examine the effects of Florida DPR–N‐viro soil mixtures on the growth of a horticultural crop in an acidic sandy soil and to generate information for developing a desired formula of soil amendments. Dolomite phosphate rock and N–viro soil application increased soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), extractable P, calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). N–viro soil had greater effect on soil pH, organic matter content, and microbial biomass than the DPR. Comparatively higher nitrification rates were found in the N–viro soil treatment than the DPR treatment. A systematic decrease in soil‐extractable P was found with increasing proportions of N‐viro soil from the combined amendments. Greenhouse study demonstrated that the application of DPR and N‐viro soil significantly improved dry‐matter yield and increased plant P, Ca, and Mg concentrations of radish (Raphanus sativus L.). Based on dry‐matter yield and plant N uptake, the combined amendments that contained 30% or 20% of DPR materials appear to be optimal but remain to be confirmed by field trials.