Domestic sewage sludge applied to farm fields at a rate of 44.9 kg/ha in a mixture with lime and sawdust was found to increase the soil levels of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc. The average levels in sludge treated soil were: 0.11, 0.56, 3.59, 2.72, 0.068, 1.49 and 2.57 ppm, respectively. The increases were small and the overall loading factors were well below recommended maximums. The uptake of these heavy metals by grass and legume plants was variable with cadmium, copper and zinc levels being higher in those plants growing in the sludge treated soils but only copper was significantly higher. The heavy metal contents found were all within the levels normally found in grass
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