Investigation of potentially toxic heavy metals in different organic wastes used to fertilize market garden crops

M. Tella (1, 2) , E. Doelsch (2) , P. Letourmy , S. Chataing (3) , F. Cuoq (1) , M. N. Bravin , H. Saint Macary

1 CEREGE - Centre européen de recherche et d'enseignement des géosciences de l'environnement
2 Cirad-PERSYST - Département Performances des systèmes de production et de transformation tropicaux
3 UR MALY - Milieux aquatiques, écologie et pollutions

The benefits of using organic waste as fertilizer and soil amendment should be assessed together with the environmental impacts due to the possible presence of heavy metals (HMs). This study involved analysing major element and HM contents in raw and size-fractionated organic wastes (17 sewage sludges and composts) from developed and developing countries. The overall HM concentration pattern showed an asymmetric distribution due to the presence of some wastes with extremely high concentrations. HM concentrations were correlated with the size of cities or farms where the wastes had been produced, and HM were differentiated with respect to their origins (geogenic: Cr-Ni; anthropogenic agricultural and urban: Cu-Zn; anthropogenic urban: Cd-Pb). Size fractionation highlighted Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb accumulation in fine size fractions, while Cr and Ni were accumulated in the coarsest. HM associations with major elements revealed inorganic (Al. Fe, etc.) bearing phases for Cr and Ni, and sulfur or phosphorus species for Cd, Cu Pb and Zn. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mots clés: Trace element; Agricultural recycling; Manure; Size fractionation; Principal component analysis

Domaines: Sciences de l'environnement

M. Tella, E. Doelsch, P. Letourmy, S. Chataing, F. Cuoq, et al.. Investigation of potentially toxic heavy metals in different organic wastes used to fertilize market garden crops. Waste Management, 2013, 33 (1), pp.184-192. ⟨10.1016/j.wasman.2012.07.021⟩. ⟨hal-01426273⟩