article · Environmental Geochemistry and Health
This study examined how adding biosolids influences the competitive retention and mobility of cadmium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc in fluvial and calcareous soils. Metal sorption was generally higher in fluvial soil, with copper and lead binding more strongly than cadmium, nickel, and zinc across all tests. Adding two and a half percent biosolids produced contrasting effects depending on metal concentrations. At low metal levels, biosolids decreased metal sorption, particularly for copper and lead, while increasing the mobility and associated environmental risk of several metals. Conversely, at high metal concentrations, biosolids substantially increased sorption across both soils, notably raising copper retention more than fifteen-fold. Biosolids also decreased the mobility of cadmium, lead, and zinc at high concentrations, while consistently increasing nickel mobility in fluvial soil.
Using biosolids on agricultural land can alter how toxic heavy metals behave in different soil types. Understanding how metal concentration influences whether biosolids trap or release metals helps land managers avoid unintended contamination. It clarifies under what conditions biosolids can safely reduce heavy metal availability in soil or inadvertently increase metal leaching into the wider environment.
This early-stage research provides fundamental data for soil remediation specialists and agricultural waste managers considering biosolids as soil amendments. Depending on metal contamination levels, biosolids could potentially serve as an immobilising agent for cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, or as a mobilising agent for nickel extraction. Further applied and field-scale testing is required before these findings can guide practical soil treatment products or industrial waste-application protocols.
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The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of biosolids on the competitive sorption and lability of the sorbed Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in fluvial and calcareous soils. Competitive sorption isotherms were developed, and the lability of these metals was estimated by DTPA extraction following their sorption. Sorption of all metals was higher in the fluvial than in the calcareous soil. Sorption of Cu and Pb was stronger than that of Cd, Ni, and Zn in all soils. Biosolids application (2.5%) reduced the sorption of all metals especially Cu and Pb (28-43%) in both soils (especially the calcareous soil) at the lower added metal concentrations (50 and 100 mg L<sup>-1</sup>). However, it increased the sorption of all metals especially Pb and Cu in both soils (especially the calcareous soil; 15.5-fold for Cu) at the higher added concentrations (250 and 300 mg L<sup>-1</sup>). Nickel showed the highest lability followed by Cd, Zn, and Pb in both soils. Biosolids increased the lability of the sorbed Ni in the fluvial soils at all added concentrations and the lability of Cd, Pb, and Zn at 50 mg L<sup>-1</sup>, but decreased the lability of Cd, Pb, and Zn at 250 and 300 mg L<sup>-1</sup> in both soils. We conclude that at low loading rate (e.g., 50 mg L<sup>-1</sup>) biosolids treatment might increase the lability and environmental risk of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. However, at high loading rate (e.g., 300 mg L<sup>-1</sup>) biosolids may be used as an immobilizing agent for Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and mobilizing agent for Ni.
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DOI: 10.1007/s10653-017-9927-4
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