Carbon and nitrogen mineralization and macronutrient recovery in soils ammended with sewage sludge

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences Vol. 14; no. 23
• Main Authors: Gonçalves, Paula Wellen Barbosa, Cardoso, Paulo Henrique Silveira, de Oliveira Alves, Gustavo, Sampaio, Regynaldo Arruda, Azevedo, Alcinei Mistico, Pegoraro, Rodinei Facco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Availability; Carbon; Composting; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Mineralization; Monitoring; Nitrogen; Organic carbon; Organic nitrogen; Original Paper; Recovery; Residues; Sandy soils; Sewage; Sewage disposal; Sewage sludge; Sludge; Soil; Soil investigations; Soil properties; Soil texture; Texture; Tropical climate; Tropical environments; Tropical soils; Organic matter; Decomposition; Residue recycling; Biosolid; Mineralization rate
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-021-08886-3

The recommended dose of sewage sludge is based on the availability of mineral nitrogen and its mineralizable organic fraction, which varies according to sewage sludge, soil type, and several climatic factors. This study evaluated the mineralization and recovery of macronutrients from dried and composted sewage sludge in clayey, medium, and sandy soils textures for 120 days. The behavior of organic carbon (OC), mineral and organic nitrogen (ON), and the available P, K, Ca, and Mg in the soil were investigated. The sewage sludge showed to be an alternative source of P as it presented a mean availability rate higher than 72%. The most severe sewage sludge degradation occurred in the first weeks of monitoring. The highest OC mineralization rate (MR) were equal to or greater than 30% and occurred in the first 30 days of evaluation in all treatments. The MR for OC and ON in the soils that received the residues, at the end of 120 days of monitoring, were greater than 45%, indicating that in tropical soils the mineralization occurs intensely. Soil texture influenced the N mineralization of sewage sludge, with higher MR in the soils with higher sand concentration, for both residues. In field condictions, the application of dried and composted sewage sludge showed ON mineralization rates above 50% for clayey, medium, and sandy soils.