SREL Reprint #2205

Zinc uptake by plants on amended polluted soils

Anna Chlopecka and Domy C. Adriano

The University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA

Abstract: This study evaluated the efficacy of various soil amendments in reducing Zn availability in an ultisol Appling silt loam. Zinc was added to the soil at two rates (1000 and 2000 mg kg-1) as a defined mixture of various Zn sources (40% of ZnSO4, 25% of ZnCO3, 20% of ZnO, and 15% of ZnCl2). After soil equilibration, one of five amendments was added: lime, apatite, natural zeolite (phillipsite), Fe-richTM, and N-viro (an alkaline stabilized sewage sludge). Lime was added to adjust soil pH to a value of 6.5 and the zeolite, apatite, Fe-richTM, and N-viro were added at a rate of
25 g kg-1. Early plant mortality resulted from Zn-treated soils receiving no amendment. In contrast, each of the soil amendments reduced Zn uptake by plants. Based on plant yield, Zn tissue concentrations, and extractability of Zn in treated soils, Fe-richTM, apatite, and N-viro appear to be more effective in reducing Zn availability than either lime or zeolite.

Keywords: alkaline sewage sludge, amendment, apatite, Fe oxide, zeolite

SREL Reprint #2205

Chlopecka, A. and D.C. Adriano. 1997. Zinc uptake by plants on amended polluted soils. pp. 527-532 In: T. Ando, K. Fujita, T. Mae, H. Matsumoto, S. Mori, and J. Sekiya (Eds.). Plant Nutrition for Sustainable Food Production and Environment. XIII International Plant Nutrition Colloquium. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Tokyo, Japan.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).