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 Sloan, J. J. Articles by Basta, N. T. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Sloan, J. J. Articles by Basta, N. T. Agricola Articles by Sloan, J. J. Articles by Basta, N. T.

Remediation of Acid Soils by Using Alkaline Biosolids

USDA-ARS, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108;

N. T. Basta^*

Dep. of Agronomy, Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK 74078.

^* Corresponding author (ntb{at}soilwater.agr.okstate.edu).

ABSTRACT

Alkaline biosolids may be suitable as a liming amendment for acid soils. The efficacy of two alkaline biosolids, lime-stabilized sewage sludge (LS) and N-Viro Soil (NV), for remediating soil acidity and Al toxicity in strongly acid soils were evaluated. For comparison, soils were also treated with unlimed anaerobically digested sewage sludge (SS) and agricultural lime (L). Three acid soils were amended with LS, NV, SS, and L and incubated at 25°C. Soil solution was extracted at 1, 30, 90, and 180 d incubation and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), Al, Mn, Ca, Mg, Na, K, F, Cl, PO₄, NO₃, and SO₄. In general, soil pH increased linearly with amendment rate for all soils and all amendments. The magnitude of increase in soil pH after 6 mo for the four amendments followed the order L NV>LS>>SS. All amendments decreased soluble Al, but lime-containing amendments (LS, NV, and L) decreased soluble Al below detection limits (<0.4 mmol L^–1). The largest decreases in exchangeable Al were associated with lime-containing amendments. Lime-containing amendments reduced soluble Mn but unlimed sewage sludge had no effect on soil solution Mn. Soluble Al speciation using MINTEQA2 showed that all rates of lime-containing amendments (LS, NV, and L) decreased Al³⁺ activity to nontoxic levels (<10 mmol L^–1). Saturation indices indicated sewage sludge amendments may have resulted in precipitation of Al as alunite [KAl₃(OH)₆(SO₄)₂·H₂O]. Although SS decreased phytoavailable Al, alkaline biosolids caused greater reductions in potentially phytotoxic Al than nonalkaline biosolids (SS).

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. T. Basta, J. A. Ryan, and R. L. Chaney Trace Element Chemistry in Residual-Treated Soil: Key Concepts and Metal Bioavailability J. Environ. Qual., January 1, 2005; 34(1): 49 - 63. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Ippolito, K. A. Barbarick, D. M. Heil, J. P. Chandler, and E. F. Redente Phosphorus Retention Mechanisms of a Water Treatment Residual J. Environ. Qual., September 1, 2003; 32(5): 1857 - 1864. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Conder, R. P. Lanno, and N. T. Basta Assessment of Metal Availability in Smelter Soil Using Earthworms and Chemical Extractions J. Environ. Qual., July 1, 2001; 30(4): 1231 - 1237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Christie, D.L. Easson, J. R. Picton, and S. C.P. Love Agronomic Value of Alkaline-Stabilized Sewage Biosolids for Spring Barley Agron. J., January 1, 2001; 93(1): 144 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text]