The Lixiviation of Metals When Amending Agricultural Soil of the Mediterranean Basin with Biosolids: Trials in Leaching Columns

Abstract

An appropriate handling and use of urban and agricultural biosolids on soils are the best means to protect them from erosion, prevent the loss of nutrients due to runoff and washing, and preserve and restore soil productivity. Heavy metal concentrations in biosolids are one of the decisive factors when using this type of waste on soil, due to potentially being harmful to crops and reaching the human food chain. There is a clear need to study the incidence of these metals in agricultural practices in Mediterranean soils. Research for this article was performed as a controlled study using leaching columns. Three treatments were performed by applying different amounts of biosolids (T50: 50,000 kg ha−1, T90: 90,000 kg ha−1, T130: 130,000 kg ha−1), as well as a blank test or control treatment (T0). The presence of macronutrients (K, Na, Ca and Mg), micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn) and three contaminating heavy metals (Cr, Cd and Ni) in lixiviated water was analyzed. Relevant amounts of metals in the wash water were not found. This indicates that, under the watering conditions used, the contaminants and micronutrients analyzed are not a relevant source of water contamination on a common calcareous soil of the Mediterranean Basin.