Availability of lead in agricultural soils amended with compost of biosolid with wood shavings and yard trimmings

Abstract

Lead-polluted agricultural soils are a serious problem for food safety, with organic amendment being a promising mitigation method from the environmental perspective. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate lead availability and the effectiveness of the application of compost of biosolid with wood shavings and yard trimmings in contaminated soils. The physicochemical (Pb distribution, organic matter, pH, electric conductivity, cation exchange capacity, nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, carbonates, exchangeable cations, sodium) and biological parameters (the microbial activity obtained by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis) in Pb-polluted and non-polluted agricultural soils were evaluated after the addition of biosolid with wood shavings and yard trimming compost. Topsoils (lead-polluted and control) were collected in the vicinity of a former battery-recycling plant, amended with compost (0%, 5%, and 10%), and incubated in controlled conditions for 118 days. The results showed that lead availability decreased significantly, and the nutritional quality of the soils increased in the soils amended with 10% of compost. Taken together, the results of the present study indicated that compost amendment could be an effective method for mitigating the negative effects of lead in agricultural soils.