Land application of biosolids. Soil response to different stabilization degree of the treated organic matter

The effect of land application of biosolids on an agricultural soil was studied in a 2-month incubation experiment. The soil microbial biomass and the availability of heavy metals in the soil was monitored after the application of four different composting mixtures of sewage sludge and cotton waste, at different stages of composting. Land application caused an increase of both size and activity of soil microbial biomass that was related to the stabilization degree of the composting mixture. Sewage sludge stabilization through composting reduced the perturbance of the soil microbial biomass. At the end of the experiment, the size and the activity of the soil microbial biomass following the addition of untreated sewage sludge were twice those developed with mature compost. For the mature compost, the soil microbial biomass recovered its original equilibrium status (defined as the specific respiration activity, qCO2) after 18 days of incubation, whereas the soil amended with less stabilized materials did not recover equilibrium even after the two-month incubation period. The stabilization degree of the added materials did not affect the availability of Zn, Ni, Pb, Cu, Cr and Cd in the soil in the low heavy metal content of the sewage sludge studied. Stabilization of organic wastes before soil application is advisable for the lower perturbation of soil equilibria status and the more efficient C mineralizatio

Caracterização da matriz orgânica de resíduos de origens diversificadas Characterization of the organic matrix of residues from different origins

Vários fatores controlam a velocidade de decomposição e a liberação de nutrientes por resíduos orgânicos. Dentre esses fatores, destacam-se o grau de humificação e a natureza química dos resíduos. Com este trabalho, objetivou-se caracterizar a matriz orgânica de amostras de lodo de esgoto, estercos de galinha, suíno, codorna e bovino, além de composto, substrato orgânico e material húmico comerciais. Analisaram-se o pH, condutividade elétrica (CE), capacidade de troca de cátions (CTC), capacidade de retenção de água (CRA), teores de N total e N-mineral, matéria orgânica, carbono orgânico total (COT) e as frações de COT: C-fração ácido húmico (C-FAH), C-fração ácido fúlvico (C-FAF), C solúvel em água (CSA), C lábil e teor e diversidade de ácidos orgânicos de baixa massa molar (AOBMM). Quanto maior o teor de C-fração ácido húmico, mais elevada é a capacidade de adsorver cátions dos resíduos orgânicos. Considerando-se o índice de humificação (IH), a razão de humificação (RH) e a CTC, e seus respectivos valores críticos (19 %, 28 % e 67 cmol c kg-1) para separar materiais decompostos daqueles suscetíveis à decomposição, os estercos de suíno, bovino, galinha e codorna, a amostra de composto e o lodo de esgoto 1 podem ser classificados como resíduos ainda não completamente humificados. O C lábil não foi adequado para predizer a biodisponibilidade dos resíduos avaliados. Os estercos de galinha e de codorna foram os materiais mais ricos em ácidos orgânicos de baixa massa molar.<br>The humification degree and the chemical nature of organic residues are essential factors controlling their degradation and nutrient release. To characterize the organic matrix, samples of sewage sludge, poultry, pig, cattle and quail manure, besides commercial compost, organic substrate and humic material were analyzed for: pH, electric conductivity, cation exchange capacity (CEC), water retention capacity, concentration of total N and mineral N, organic matter, total organic carbon (TOC) and the TOC fractions: humic acid C-fraction; fulvic acid C-fraction, water soluble C, labile-C and concentration and diversity of low mass molecular organic acids. The higher the humic acid C-fraction content, the greater was the CEC of the organic residues. Based on the humification index (HI), humification ratio (HR), the CEC and their respective critical values (19 %, 28 % and 67 cmol c kg-1), to separate decomposed material from material in decomposition, the pig, cattle, poultry and quail manures and the organic compost and sludge sewage 1 were classified as not completely decomposed residues. Labile-C was not appropriate to predict the bioavailability of the studied residues. The concentration of low molecular weight organic acids was higher in poultry and quail manure