Availability of Cd, Ni and Zn to ryegrass in sewage sludge-treated soils at different temperatures

A pot experiment to compare the availability of Cd, Ni and Znto ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was conducted at 15 and 25 °C. For this purpose, three ratesof sewage sludge (0, 10 and 50 t ha^sup -1^) were applied in aloamy sand (LS) and a clay loam (CL). Heavy metal availabilityassessed by soil extractions with 0.05 M CaCl^sub 2^ and the organic matter content were monitored during a period of twoyears, while uptake by ryegrass was monitored over one year after addition of the sludge. The concentrations of Cd and Ni in both the ryegrass and the soil extracts increased significantly, during the first year, especially at 50 t ha^sup -1^. However, in the second year metal availability reached a plateau. During the first year, in the ryegrass Znconcentrations did not show an increase, but in the soil CaCl^sub 2^-extracted Zn increased. During the same period,the organic matter content decreased rapidly, especially at25 °C, in the first year and much more slowly in thesecond, giving a total decrease of 16%. Temperature had a marked effect on metal availability; both soil extracts andplant samples from the 25 °C treatment had greater concentrations of Cd, Ni and Zn than those at 15 °C. This may be attributed to the organic matter, which decomposedmore rapidly at 25 °C. Moreover, soil-plant transfercoefficients (Tc) of the metals were significantly higher at 25 °C than at 15 °C, with Cd showing the greatest difference, followed in decreasing order by Zn and Ni.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]