Abstract
Poplar (Populus euramericana ‘Robusta’), oats (Avena sativa L. ‘Leander’), maize (Zea mays L. ‘Ona 36’), English ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), butter head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. ‘Reskia’), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. ‘Subito’) and French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Prelude’), were grown in pots with pure sewage sludge (pH 6.7), amended with Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn acetates, either added singly or in combination, to study metal effects on plant growth and metal uptake. Phytotoxic metal doses varied with metal and plant species, increasing in the order Cd<Ni<Cu<Zn<Cr and Pb. The threshold dose of toxic metals applied in combination was generally lower than that of metals given singly. Addition of Cd, Ni and Zn was clearly reflected in the respective plant concentrations. This was much less so for Cu, whereas Cr and Pb concentrations were not affected in most plant species. Critical plant (leaf) metal concentrations were lower for metals applied in combination than for single metals. Because of such phenomena the use of critical levels as a diagnostic tool for determining potential multiple metal toxicity is limited.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Anderson, A. J., Meyer, D. R. and Mayer, F. K. 1973 Heavy metal toxicities: Levels of nickel, cobalt and chromium in the soils and plants associated with visual symptoms and variation in growth of an oat crop. Aust. J. Agric. Res.24, 557–571.
Boawn, L. C. and Rasmussen, P. E. 1971 Crop response to excessive zinc fertilization of alkaline soil. Agron. J.63, 874–876.
Carlson, R. W. and Rolfe, G. L. 1979 Growth of rye grass and fescue as affected by lead-cadmium-fertilizer interaction. J. Environ. Qual.8, 348–352.
Cunningham, J. D., Keeney, D. R. and Ryan, J. A. 1975 Phytotoxicity and uptake of metals added to soils as inorganic salts or in sewage sludge. J. Environ. Qual.4, 460–462.
Cunningham, J. D., Ryan, J. A. and Keeney, D. R. 1975 Phytotoxicity in and metal uptake from soil treated with metal-amended sewage sludge. J. Environ. Qual.4, 455–460.
Dowdy, R. H. and Ham, G. E. 1977 Soybean growth and elemental content as influenced by soil amendments of sewage sludge and heavy metals: Seedling studies. Agron. J.69, 300–303.
Haan, S. de 1975 Land application of liquid municipal wastewater sludges. J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.47, 2707–2710.
Haghiri, F. 1974 Plant uptake of cadmium as influenced by cation exchange capacity, organic matter, zinc and soil temperature. J. Environ. Qual.3, 180–183.
Judel, G. K. und Stelte, W. 1977 Gefässversuche mit Gemüsepflanzen zur Frage der Bleiaufnahme aus dem Boden. Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Bodenkd.140, 421–429.
Kick, H. und Braun, B. 1977 Wirkung von chromhaltigen Gerbereischlammen auf Wachstum und Chromaufnahme, bei verschiedenen Nutzpflanzen. Landwirtsch. Forsch.30, 160–173.
Kloke, A. und Schenke, H. D. 1979 Der Einfluss von Cadmium im Boden auf den Ertrag verschiedener Pflanzenarten und deren Cadmiumgehalt. Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Bodenkd.142, 131–136.
Maclean, A. J. 1976 Cadmium in different plant species and its availability in soils as influenced by organic matter and additions of lime, P, Cd and Zn. Can. J. Soil Sci.56, 129–138.
Maclean, A. J. and Dekker, A. J. 1978 Availability of zinc, copper and nickel to plants grown in sewage-treated soils. Can. J. Soil Sci.58, 381–389.
Miller, J. E., Hassett, J. J. and Koeppe, D. E. 1977 Interactions of lead and cadmium on metal uptake and growth of corn plants. J. Environ. Qual.6, 18–20.
Mitchell, G. A., Bingham, F. T. and Page, A. L. 1978 Yield and metal composition of lettuce and wheat grown on soils amended with sewage sludge enriched with cadmium, copper, nickel and zinc. J. Environ. Qual.7, 165–171.
Nosbers, R. 1968 Die Afnahme von Blei, Chrom, Nickel und Zink durch landwirtschaftliche Nutzpflanzen bei Anwendung von Abwasserklärschlamm. Diss. Landw. Fakultät Rheinischen Friedrich Wilhelms Univ. Bonn, 93 p.
Smilde, K. W. 1976 Toxische gehalten aan zware metalen (Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb en Cd) in grond en gewas. Een literatuuroverzicht. Inst. Bodemvruchtbaarheid, Haren (Gr.) Nota25, 36 p.
Sommer, G. und Stritesky, A. 1976 Gefässversuche zur Ermittlung der Schadgrenzen von Cadmium, Kupfer, Blei und Zink im Hinblick auf den Einsatz von Abfallstoffen in der Landwirtschaft. Landwirtsch. Forsch.29, 88–100.
Strickland, R. C., Chaney, W. R. and Lamoreaux, R. J. 1979 Organic matter influences phytotoxicity of cadmium to soybeans. Plant and Soil52, 393–402.
Wallace, A. and Romney, E. M. 1977 Synergistic trace metal effects in plants. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal.8, 699–707.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smilde, K.W. Heavy-metal accumulation in crops grown on sewage sludge amended with metal salts. Plant Soil 62, 3–14 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02205020
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02205020