Phytoavailability of metals in maize (Zea mays) grown with sewage sludge application

Abstract

The recycling and use of sewage sludge in agriculture is an increasingly widespread practice in Brazil, however, studies related with the possible contamination with heavy metals due to the use of this material are needed. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the phytoavailability of heavy metals in corn grown under different sewage sludge doses, incremented or not with mineral fertilizer N: P2O5: K2O. The experiment was conducted in a randomized design, with a 5x2 factorial scheme, with four replications. At 45 days after plant emergence the experiment was terminated and the plants collected to evaluate the levels of heavy metals Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb and Cr. The results showed that only Zn levels increased gradually with increasing of sewage sludge doses, and the use of biosolids along with chemical fertilizer did not provide different means in relation to sewage sludge alone. We also observed that there were no phytotoxic levels of heavy metals assessed in maize. It was concluded with this experiment that a single biosolids application was not sufficient to provide environmental contamination, but highlights the need for further studies with respect to successive applications of this material.