Chemical and Biochemical Properties of Oxisols after Sewage Sludge Application for 16 Years

Abstract

the large production of sewage sludge (ss), especially in large urban centers, has led to the suggestion of using this waste as fertilizer in agriculture. the economic viability of this action is great and contributes to improve the environment by cycling the nutrients present in this waste, including high contents of organic matter and plant nutrients. this study evaluated the chemical and biochemical properties of dystrophic and eutroferric Latossolos Vermelhos (oxisols) under corn and after SS application at different rates for 16 years. The field experiment was carried out in Jaboticabal, são Paulo state, Brazil, using a randomized block design with four treatments and five replications. Treatments consisted of control -T1 (mineral fertilization, without SS application), 5 mg ha -1 SS -T2, 10 Mg ha -1 SS -T3, and 20 Mg ha -1 SS -T4 (dry weight base). The data were submitted to variance analysis and means were compared by the duncan test at 5 %. sewage sludge increased P extracted by resin in both the Latossolos Vermelhos, dystrophic and eutroferric, and the organic matter content in the dystrophic Latossolo Vermelho. the waste at the rate 20 Mg ha -1 on a dry weight basis promoted increases in acid phosphatase activity in eutroferric Latossolo Vermelho, basal respiration and metabolic quotient in dystrophic Latossolo Vermelho. The rate 20 Mg ha -1 sewage sludge on a dry weight basis did not alter the soil microbial biomass in both the Latossolos Vermelhos; in addition, it improved corn yields without inducing any symptoms of phytotoxicity or nutrient deficiency in the plants.

Ten years of application of sewage sludge on tropical soil. A balance sheet on agricultural crops and environmental quality

“…All values referring to SBR and qCO 2 suggested that microbial populations operate in the absence of metabolic stress (Silva et al, 2014). We know that organic matter from SS when applied to soils of tropical regions is rapidly degraded (Busato et al, 2012;Vieira et al, 2014 and the increase of organic matter in the soil over time is very low or zero (Yada et al, 2015, Kirchmann et al, 2017. In the present study, no increase of soil organic matter was observed due to the addition of SS in the first ten years of the experiment (Table 2).…”

Characterization of sewage sludge generated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and perspectives for agricultural recycling

“…Some studies have demonstrated the advantages of fertilizing these crops with sewage sludge, such as improved soil quality, productivity gains, less dependence on chemical fertilizers, lower production costs, among others (CHIBA et al, 2009;FRANCO et al, 2010;JUNIO et al, 2013;MAIA, 2013;MARTINS et al, 2005;YADA et al, 2015). Sewage sludge recycling in these agricultural areas can represent considerable savings with chemical fertilizers, providing economic, environmental, and social benefits.…”

Zinc, copper and manganese availability in soils treated with alkaline sewage sludge from Paraná state (Brazil)

“…Between 2007 and 2010 the sewage treatment plants in the Curitiba metropolitan region allocated 33,404 Mg (dry basis) of sanitized sewage sludge for use on 2,288 hectares of agricultural areas (Bittencourt et al, 2014). Studies have found that the sewage sludge have significant amounts of some elements essential to plants, such as Zn and Cu (Fia;Matos;Aguirre, 2005;Yada et al, 2015), and which can improve physical and biological soil properties (Bonini;Alves;Montanari, 2015;Mondal et al, 2015).…”