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 Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dowdy, R. H. Articles by Larson, W. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dowdy, R. H. Articles by Larson, W. E. Agricola Articles by Dowdy, R. H. Articles by Larson, W. E.

The Availability of Sludge-Borne Metals to Various Vegetable Crops¹

ABSTRACT

The uptake of metals by seven vegetable crops was studied after 0, 112, 225, and 450 tonnes/ha (110C basis) of sewage sludge was applied to a coarse, sandy soil. Sewage sludge additions did not adversely affect either potato yields or specific gravity. Generally, metal contents of the vegetative tissue were higher than those of the fruiting, root, and tuber tissue. In most edible tissue heavy metal accumulations did not increase more than two- or threefold as a result of amending the soil with 450 tonnes/ha sludge. Lettuce tissue was an exception, with increases from 21 to 225 ppm, 1.6 to 11.9 ppm, and 0.61 to 2.67 ppm for Zn, Cu, and Cd, respectively. Lettuce is an accumulator of metals, whereas potatoes and carrots are excellent nonaccumulators and may be very desirable crops for utilizing sludge-amended soils. Approximately three times as much Zn accumulated in pea vine tissue as in the edible fruit. The increased accumulation was linear over the sludge application range studied. The Cd/Zn ratios for edible portions of radishes, potatoes, peas, and corn grown on sludge-amended soil did not exceed that of the applied sludge (0.007).

Key Words: heavy metals • zinc • copper • cadmium • lead • heavy metal ratios • vegetable crops • metal uptake • sewage sludge disposal

¹ Contribution from the Soil and Water Management Research Unit, North Central Region, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, St. Paul, MN 55108, in cooperation with the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, Paper No. 8715, Scientific Journal Series.

² Soil Scientists, USDA, ARS; and Associate Professor and Professor, University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Received for publication August 7, 1974.