The Influence of Sewage Sludge Applicati
THE INFLUENCE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE APPLICATION ON SOME CHEMICAL
PROPERTIES OF A AND B HORIZONS IN A RED MEDITERRANEAN SOIL
1
2
1
N. Chouliaras , C. Tsadilas , K. Tsitsias , and D. Dimoyiannis
2
1
: Technological Educational Institution, Larissa, Greece, 2: National Agricultural Research Foundation
(N.A.R.F.), Institute of Soil Classification and Mapping, Larissa, Greece
INTRODUCTION
The correction of soil acidity in cultivated lands is necessary for red soils, characterized by acid A horizons
(Soltner, 1982). All these treatments for the improvement of A horizon, have an effect on B horizon,
intentionally or not. Among the materials used to correct soil acidity are sewage sludges (Hue, 1992).
In the present work, the correction of soil acidity was tried to an A horizon of a red Mediterranean soil, in
an incubation experiment using sewage sludge. The influence of this application on some chemical
properties of A horizon, is compared with the effects induced by the same application on B horizon of the
same red soil.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ιn a red Mediterranean soil (Typic Rhodoxeralf) selected from Almiros region of Magnesia, urban sludge
(biological cleaning of Larissa) was applied in both A and B horizons. The pH, organic matter content,
cation exchange capacity of the A horizon were 4.82, 1.5%, and 7 cmol(+)/Kg, respectively. The values of
the previous characteristics of the B horizon were pH 7.34, organic matter content 0.8% and cation
exchange capacity 20 cmol(+)/Kg. The rates of sludge applied were 0, 1.8, 3.6, and 5.4 g of air dried
sludge per 100 g soil. The treatments were prepared in triplicate and the samples were maintained in a
temperature 28o for 9 weeks. All samples were saturated at 2/3 of water holding capacity, during the first 3
and the last 3 weeks, while they were maintained dry for the rest of the time.
During the incubation period and every third week, soil samples were taken and analysed for NH 4+-N and
NO3--N content. At the end of the incubation period, soil samples were analysed for NH 4+-N, NO3--N,
electrical conductivity, pH, organic matter, inorganic-P, organic-P, P-Olsen, exchangeable forms of K, Ca,
Mg and available forms of Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu extracted by DTPA. Similar observations for the influence
of sewage sludge application on the above mentioned soil properties were reported and by other workers
(Soon et al. 1978, Higgings 1983, Kuo et al. 1985).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Some results of this experiment are quoted in Table-1.
The results of this work, show a significant increase of the value in the following properties which were
observed at the end of the incubation period: i.e. pH, organic matter content, mineral nitrogen (NH 4+ +
NO3-), electrical conductivity, exchangeable Ca, P-Olsen, inorganic and organic P, and Zn and Cu
200
extracted by DTPA. On the contrary the exchangeable K was not significantly affected by the sludge
application, while Fe and Mn were significantly reduced. P-Olsen, Fe, and Mn extracted by DTPA were
strongly negatively correlated with pH, though Cu was positively correlated with pH. On the other hand, POlsen and Zn extracted by DTPA were well correlated with organic matter content. In general the influence
of sewage sludge was more intense on the A horizon.
Table-1: Effect of sewage sludge on soil properties.
pH (1:5) susp.
P-Olsen, μg/g
Kex, me/100g
Fe μg/g ***
Zn μg/g
Mn μg/g
Cu μg/g
A*
E0
E1
E2
E3
4,82d** 5,49c 5,91c 6,90b
39d
54c 62b 69a
0,58a 0.55a 0,568a 0,58a
10,7a
8,8b 7,6b
8,3b
1,4c 7,2b 10,1a
10,4
299,2a 123,3b 98,3bc 82,6cd
2,1d 2,7bcd 3, 1bc
3,2bc
B
E0
E1
E2
E3
7,34ab 7,94a 7,92a 7,87a
7g
16f 23e
37d
0,58a 0.55a 0,568a 0,58a
5,0c 3,6c 4,2c
4,8c
0,0c 6,8b 9,9a
9,9a
41,7e 35,9e 43,5e 57,9de
2,6cd 3,3bc 3,4b 4,3a
* A, B: Soil horizons, E: sewage sludge rates, ** Mean separation by Tukey's multiple range test at the 0,05
level, *** Extracted by DTPA
REFERENCES
Higgins, A.J. 1984. Land application of sewage sludge with regard to cropping systems and pollution
potential. J. Environ. Qual. 13:441-448.
Hue, N.V. 1992. Correcting soil acidity of a highly weathered ultisol with chicken manure and sewage
sludge. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal., 23(3&4):241-264.
Kuo, S., Jellum, E.J., and Baker, S.A. 1985. Effects of soil type, liming, and sludge application on zinc
and cadmium availability to Swiss chard. Soil Sci. 139(2):122-130.
Soltner, D. (1982): Les bases de la production végétale. tome 2, 2e Ed. Sc. et Techn. Agr. 312 p.
Soon, Y.K., Bates, T.E., Beauchamp, E.G., and Moyer, J.R. 1978. Land application of chemically
treated sewage sludge: I. Effects on plant and soil phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and soil
pH.
200
PROPERTIES OF A AND B HORIZONS IN A RED MEDITERRANEAN SOIL
1
2
1
N. Chouliaras , C. Tsadilas , K. Tsitsias , and D. Dimoyiannis
2
1
: Technological Educational Institution, Larissa, Greece, 2: National Agricultural Research Foundation
(N.A.R.F.), Institute of Soil Classification and Mapping, Larissa, Greece
INTRODUCTION
The correction of soil acidity in cultivated lands is necessary for red soils, characterized by acid A horizons
(Soltner, 1982). All these treatments for the improvement of A horizon, have an effect on B horizon,
intentionally or not. Among the materials used to correct soil acidity are sewage sludges (Hue, 1992).
In the present work, the correction of soil acidity was tried to an A horizon of a red Mediterranean soil, in
an incubation experiment using sewage sludge. The influence of this application on some chemical
properties of A horizon, is compared with the effects induced by the same application on B horizon of the
same red soil.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ιn a red Mediterranean soil (Typic Rhodoxeralf) selected from Almiros region of Magnesia, urban sludge
(biological cleaning of Larissa) was applied in both A and B horizons. The pH, organic matter content,
cation exchange capacity of the A horizon were 4.82, 1.5%, and 7 cmol(+)/Kg, respectively. The values of
the previous characteristics of the B horizon were pH 7.34, organic matter content 0.8% and cation
exchange capacity 20 cmol(+)/Kg. The rates of sludge applied were 0, 1.8, 3.6, and 5.4 g of air dried
sludge per 100 g soil. The treatments were prepared in triplicate and the samples were maintained in a
temperature 28o for 9 weeks. All samples were saturated at 2/3 of water holding capacity, during the first 3
and the last 3 weeks, while they were maintained dry for the rest of the time.
During the incubation period and every third week, soil samples were taken and analysed for NH 4+-N and
NO3--N content. At the end of the incubation period, soil samples were analysed for NH 4+-N, NO3--N,
electrical conductivity, pH, organic matter, inorganic-P, organic-P, P-Olsen, exchangeable forms of K, Ca,
Mg and available forms of Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu extracted by DTPA. Similar observations for the influence
of sewage sludge application on the above mentioned soil properties were reported and by other workers
(Soon et al. 1978, Higgings 1983, Kuo et al. 1985).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Some results of this experiment are quoted in Table-1.
The results of this work, show a significant increase of the value in the following properties which were
observed at the end of the incubation period: i.e. pH, organic matter content, mineral nitrogen (NH 4+ +
NO3-), electrical conductivity, exchangeable Ca, P-Olsen, inorganic and organic P, and Zn and Cu
200
extracted by DTPA. On the contrary the exchangeable K was not significantly affected by the sludge
application, while Fe and Mn were significantly reduced. P-Olsen, Fe, and Mn extracted by DTPA were
strongly negatively correlated with pH, though Cu was positively correlated with pH. On the other hand, POlsen and Zn extracted by DTPA were well correlated with organic matter content. In general the influence
of sewage sludge was more intense on the A horizon.
Table-1: Effect of sewage sludge on soil properties.
pH (1:5) susp.
P-Olsen, μg/g
Kex, me/100g
Fe μg/g ***
Zn μg/g
Mn μg/g
Cu μg/g
A*
E0
E1
E2
E3
4,82d** 5,49c 5,91c 6,90b
39d
54c 62b 69a
0,58a 0.55a 0,568a 0,58a
10,7a
8,8b 7,6b
8,3b
1,4c 7,2b 10,1a
10,4
299,2a 123,3b 98,3bc 82,6cd
2,1d 2,7bcd 3, 1bc
3,2bc
B
E0
E1
E2
E3
7,34ab 7,94a 7,92a 7,87a
7g
16f 23e
37d
0,58a 0.55a 0,568a 0,58a
5,0c 3,6c 4,2c
4,8c
0,0c 6,8b 9,9a
9,9a
41,7e 35,9e 43,5e 57,9de
2,6cd 3,3bc 3,4b 4,3a
* A, B: Soil horizons, E: sewage sludge rates, ** Mean separation by Tukey's multiple range test at the 0,05
level, *** Extracted by DTPA
REFERENCES
Higgins, A.J. 1984. Land application of sewage sludge with regard to cropping systems and pollution
potential. J. Environ. Qual. 13:441-448.
Hue, N.V. 1992. Correcting soil acidity of a highly weathered ultisol with chicken manure and sewage
sludge. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal., 23(3&4):241-264.
Kuo, S., Jellum, E.J., and Baker, S.A. 1985. Effects of soil type, liming, and sludge application on zinc
and cadmium availability to Swiss chard. Soil Sci. 139(2):122-130.
Soltner, D. (1982): Les bases de la production végétale. tome 2, 2e Ed. Sc. et Techn. Agr. 312 p.
Soon, Y.K., Bates, T.E., Beauchamp, E.G., and Moyer, J.R. 1978. Land application of chemically
treated sewage sludge: I. Effects on plant and soil phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and soil
pH.
200