Can the Application of Municipal Sewage Sludge Compost in the Aided Phytostabilization Technique Provide an Effective Waste Management Method?
Maja Radziemska,
Zygmunt M. Gusiatin,
Agnieszka Bęś,
Justyna Czajkowska,
Zbigniew Mazur,
Tereza Hammerschmiedt,
Łukasz Sikorski,
Eliska Kobzova,
Barbara K. Klik,
Wojciech Sas,
Ernesta Liniauskienė,
Jiri Holatko,
Martin Brtnicky
Affiliations
Maja Radziemska
Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Zygmunt M. Gusiatin
Faculty of Geoengineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Słoneczna St. 45G, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Agnieszka Bęś
Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Pl. Łódzki 4, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland
Justyna Czajkowska
Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Zbigniew Mazur
Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Pl. Łódzki 4, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland
Tereza Hammerschmiedt
Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Łukasz Sikorski
Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Pl. Łódzki 4, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland
Eliska Kobzova
Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Barbara K. Klik
Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Wojciech Sas
SGGW Water Centre, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Ernesta Liniauskienė
Hydrotechnical Construction Department, Kaunas University of Applied Sciences, Liepu Str. 1, LT-53101 Girionys, Kaunas District, Lithuania
Jiri Holatko
Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Martin Brtnicky
Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
(1) Background: sewage sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment, which needs to be managed appropriately, e.g., in composting processes. The application of municipal sewage sludge composts (MSSCs) as a soil amendment is a potential way to effectively manage sewage sludge. (2) Methods: this paper presents the results of a vegetation pot experiment undertaken to assess the suitability of Dactylis glomerata L. and MSSC in the aided phytostabilization technique when applied on soils from an area effected by industrial pressure; this is characterized by high levels of heavy metal (HM). The contents of HMs in the test plant (the roots and above-ground parts), as well as in the soil and MSSC, were determined via an atomic spectrometry method. (3) Results: the application of MSSC positively contributed to an increased production of plant biomass and an increase in the pH in the soil. Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cr were higher in the roots than in the above-ground parts of Dactylis glomerata L. The addition of MSSC contributed most significantly to the considerable reduction in Ni, Pb, and Zn contents in the soil after the experiment. (4) Conclusions: MSSC can support the phytostabilization of soils contaminated with high levels of HMs.
