HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sawhney, B. L. Articles by Stilwell, D. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Sawhney, B. L. Articles by Stilwell, D. E. Agricola Articles by Sawhney, B. L. Articles by Stilwell, D. E.

Leachability of Heavy Metals from Growth Media Containing Source-Separated Municipal Solid Waste Compost

Department of Soil and Water, The Connecticut Agric. Exp. Stn., 123 Huntington St., Box 1106, New Haven, CT 06504.

^* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

The leaching of heavy metals in source-separated municipal solid waste (MSW) compost was determined by irrigation leaching of growth medium, admixed with varying amounts of compost, used for container grown plants. Perennial flowers (black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta L.) were grown in 2-L containers filled with the growth medium for a 10-wk period. Rainfall was supplemented with overhead irrigation to supply 2 cm of water per day. Leachates collected over each 2-wk period were analyzed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn using atomic spectrometry. Concentrations of the heavy metals in the leachates increased with increasing proportions of MSW compost in the growth medium, but decreased with time of leaching. Leaching of the metals occurred at relatively high concentrations initially, followed by continued leaching at low concentrations. The initial leaching of heavy metals is attributed to their soluble or exchangeable forms and the subsequent slow leaching to the solid compounds. The concentrations of the heavy metals remained below the current drinking water standards in all treatments throughout the leaching period. The results thus suggest that contamination of ground water with heavy metals from source-separated MSW compost applied as a soil amendment should be negligible, as the low concentrations in the leachates leaving the surface soil would be further attenuated by the subsoil.

Contribution from the Dep. of Soil and Water and Analytical Chemistry. The Connecticut Agric. Exp. Stn., New Haven, CT 06504.

Received for publication May 28, 1998.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. A. Al-Wabel, D. M. Heil, D. G. Westfall, and K. A. Barbarick Solution Chemistry Influence on Metal Mobility in Biosolids-Amended Soils J. Environ. Qual., July 1, 2002; 31(4): 1157 - 1165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]