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SOIL CHEMISTRY

The Effect of Long-Term Annual Application of Biosolids on Soil Properties, Phosphorus, and Metals

^a Dep. of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK 74078
^b Institute of Soil Science, Nanjing, China
^c School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH 43210
^d Dep. of Statistics, Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK 74078
^e STV Incorporated, 80 Ferry Blvd., Stratford, CT 06615

^* Corresponding author (jschrod{at}okstate.edu).

The USEPA Part 503 rule did not directly specify the amount of sludge-borne P that can be applied but allowed application rates based on the recommended N requirement of a crop. Monitoring of long-term application of biosolids is important to protect both soil and water quality. Biosolids and ammonium nitrate were annually applied for 13 yr to winter wheat at six plant available N (PAN) rates: 0, 45, 90, 180, 269, 536 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1. Biosolids application did not increase soil pH but increased levels of total C, total N, NH₄–N, NO₃–N, and electrical conductivity (EC). Soil concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, Mo, and Zn were greater in biosolid-treated plots but were <24% of their respective cumulative pollutant loading rates. Application of biosolids increased plant micronutrient B, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations. The addition of biosolids to the Norge soil (fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Udic Paleustoll) increased Mehlich 3 plant available P (M3P) and water soluble P (WSP) and these P levels were well correlated with biosolids application rate. Application of biosolids at rates of 2 times the recommended agronomic rate of 90 kg PAN ha^–1 resulted in M3P concentrations that exceeded an environmental threshold of 200 mg kg^–1 established by the USDA-NRCS for the land application of manures in Oklahoma non-nutrient limited watersheds. Significant relationships were found between the ammonium oxalate P saturation index (PSI_ox) and M3P as well as between PSI_ox and WSP. It appears the repeated long-term application of biosolids above the N agronomic rate should be avoided and application should be based on other criteria such as an agronomic P threshold, an environmental P threshold, or a P site index.

Abbreviations: Al_ox, ammonium oxalate extractable Al • CRM, certified reference materials • EC, electrical conductivity • Fe_ox, ammonium oxalate extractable Fe • M3P, Mehlich3 P • opm, oscillations per minute • PAN, plant available N • P_ox, ammonium oxalate extractable P • WSP, water soluble P