Effect of Different Levels of Domestic Sewage Sludge on concentration of heavy of Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb in in Radish and basil and some of chemical Soil Properties

According to the population growth and increasing production of urban waste, environmental hazards of these wastes are on of the most important challenges in most cities that the safest way to prevent them from accumulating is to add them to the agriculture lands. This case is especially considered in countries with dry climates because of lacking organic matter in soils. Due to the high consumption of vegetables in the country and the use of sewage sludge as soil fertilizer, the risk of soil pollution for the peresence of heavy metals in soil and plant may threaten human and creature health. Consequently, studies need to be conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of sewage sludge on of zinc (Zn), cupper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) concentration in root and shoot of radish (Raphanus sativus) and and basil (Ocimum basilicum) vegetables.

This study aims to investigate the effect of domestic sewage sludge on concentration of zinc (Zn), cupper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in radish (Raphanus sativus) and and basil (Ocimum basilicum) vegetables. A pot experiment in greenhouse was conducted at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Faculty of Agriculture, in 2018. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with three replications. Sewage sludge was consumed at five levels (0, 10, 20, 40, 80 t ha-1) during plant growth. Available form of heavy metals in soil samples was extracted by DTPA 0.005 M solution. total concentration of heavy metals in sewage sludge and soil measured by Aqua regia method and concentration of plant metals measured by dry digestion method.

The results indicated that the use of the sewage sludge in different treatments levels had significant impact (p < 0.05) on the concentration on of these heavy metals in the two plants studied. increase of sewage sludge enhanced metals concentration in shoot and root rather than control plant. particularly for Zn, in root and shoot in both plants. Increase in concentration metals in the two plants were followed Zn> Cu> Pb> Cd in both roots and shoots, The metals uptake in radish was drastically higher than basil. the value of all the metals at 10 t sludge per ha were lower than permissible concentration and at 80 t per ha were higher than permissible concentratoin for all of them.

in general, application of different levels of sewage sludge in soil caused changes in soil chemical properties including decrease of soil pH, increase of electrical conductivity, and soil organic carbon. Also, in the treatment of last level of sewage sludge, two plants were toxic and in the lowest level of treatment of sewge sludge, no toxicity and damage were observed in the plants. However, continuously application of the sludge at 10 t per ha did not plluted the plants, should be recommended cautiously As the results of the study indicate, application of the lowest level of sewage sludge should also be performed with constant precision and monitoring.