Effects of Modified Excess Sludge on the Growth of Artemisia ordosica and Transformation of Heavy Metals

A greenhouse experiment was accomplished to investigate the feasibility of excess sludge modified by coal fly ash pretreatment and γ-ray irradiation in soil application for cultivation of Artemisia ordosica. The results showed that modified excess sludge provided a positive effect on the growth of Artemisia ordosica. The modified excess sludge and aeolian sandy soil at the volume ratio of 1:2 was optimal, and nutrient concentrations of Artemisia ordosica reached the highest. In the aeolian sandy soil, the bio-concentration factor values of most heavy metals were less than 1.0 except for Cu, Zn, and Ni. The average bio-concentration factor values of heavy metals in Artemisia ordosica increased in a sequence of Mo