The Effect of a Fly Ash-Based Soil Conditioner on Corn and Wheat Yield and Risk Analysis of Heavy Metal Contamination

Abstract

The utilization of coal fly ash (CFA) as a soil conditioner has been a research hotspot in recent years. In this paper, the continuity and stability of the yield-increasing effect of a fly ash-based soil conditioner were investigated through field trials for three consecutive years. The yield-increasing effect and applicability were also investigated by planting a variety of crops in different types of soil. Field test results revealed that the new fly ash-based soil conditioner had wide adaptability and stability under the condition of reducing the application of traditional fertilizers by 20%. For corns grown in castano-cinnamon soil and dark brown soil, the application of the new fly ash-based soil conditioner for three consecutive years has steadily increased the yield by more than 10%. The yield of wheat planted in castano-cinnamon soil also increased by 15%. Additionally, considering that heavy metals (HMs) contained in the fly ash-based soil conditioner may cause environmental contamination, this paper calculated and analyzed the bio-concentration factor (BCF) and the translocation factor (TF) of Cr, As, Cd, Hg and Pb in the corn experimental fields. The results showed that the five heavy metals were not significantly enriched in various parts of the corn stalk after application of the soil conditioner, and there was temporarily no environmental risk in terms of returning straws to the field or raising livestock.

Assessing the Effect of Intensive Agriculture and Sandy Soil Properties on Groundwater Contamination by Nitrate and Potential Improvement Using Olive Pomace Biomass Slag (OPBS)

“…From another point of view, the OPBS, which has a similar composition to fly ashes, could represent a great solution for the immobilization of heavy metals in the soil. Indeed, several studies reported the efficiency of fly-ash addition to soil on trace-element immobilization [57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65].…”

Applicability of Ash Wastes for Reducing Trace Element Content in Zea mays L. Grown in Eco-Diesel Contaminated Soil

“…For the most part, fly ash is used as a substitute for mineral fertilizers to improve the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils [ 31 , 51 , 52 ]. It is also used as an ameliorant and yield enhancer [ 36 , 53 , 54 ] and a potential means of reducing trace element accumulation in plants [ 55 ].…”

Development and Characterization of a Novel Soil Amendment Based on Biomass Fly Ash Encapsulated in Calcium Alginate Microspheres

“…Besides increasing the yields of many crops, biomass fly ash often contains trace concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb, Hg, As, etc. ), leading to possible toxic accumulation in crops, and this should be properly monitored [ 8 , 9 ]. Biomass ashes exhibit significant variations in composition, properties, and characteristics depending on plant species, the origin of the plant, the process parameters during incineration, and the storage conditions of the combustion residues [ 10 , 11 ].…”