Bernard Gałka

Arsenic extractability and uptake by velvetgrass Holcus lanatus and ryegrass Lolium perenne in variously treated soils polluted by tailing spills.

Phytostabilization should be considered as an appropriate phytoremediation technique to restore the area affected by tailing spills in Zloty Stok, where arsenic ores were mined and processed for several centuries. The study aimed to compare the suitability of velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus L.) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) for development of plant cover in that area. Various treatments commonly applied to support phytostabilization were examined. A pot experiment was carried out to assess the effects of soil amendment with phosphate (P), sewage sludge (SS) and iron salts (Fe) on arsenic extractability and its uptake by grass. Four kinds of soil material, containing 356-5350 mg kg(-1) As, were examined. Velvetgrass proved to be more resistant than ryegrass to the toxicity of soil arsenic. Ammonium sulphate extractability of As in soils correlated well with As concentrations in the biomass of both grass species. In three of four tested soils, application of Fe failed to decrease As extractability and to reduce its concentrations in the aboveground parts of grasses. Application of P and SS resulted in increased As solubility in soils, but their effects on plant biomass and As uptake were ambiguous. SS had a strong beneficial influence on the growth of velvetgrass, while such an effect was not observed for ryegrass.

Variability of soil properties in an intensively cultivated experimental field

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine whether long-term intensive cultivation that used variable ploughing and fertilisation technologies and schemes influences the differentiation of soil properties which may impact the results of growing experiments in a relatively small experimental field (0.1 ha). The field under study is located in Wrocław, in an agricultural experimental station that has been operating for more than 60 years. A transformation of rusty gleyic soils (Brunic Gleyic Arenosols) into anthropogenic black earths (Gleyic Phaeozems (Arenic)) was noticed. The content of organic carbon and nitrogen, pH and the content of exchangeable base cations in the plough layer were positively (statistically and spatially) correlated and their increased values were observed in soils with a deeper and darker plough level. The present differentiation of the physical and chemical properties of soils in the experimental field do not result from such primary soil-forming factors as a kind and texture of parent material, topography, moisture regime, or (micro-)climatic conditions, which are not differentiated within the field, but from various intensity of former cultivation on individual sections of the experimental field. The variability cśfficient of the crucial soil properties was found to exceed 30%, which might significantly influence the results of micro-plot vegetation experiments.

Some adverse effects of soil amendment with organic Materials—The case of soils polluted by copper industry phytostabilized with red fescue

ABSTRACT The study was aimed to examine the effects of soil amendment with organic waste materials on the growth of red fescue and the uptake of Cu and Zn by this grass, in view of its potential usage for phytostabilization of Cu-polluted soils. Five soils, containing 301–5180 mg/kg Cu, were collected from the surroundings of copper smelter Legnica, and amended with lignite (LG) and limed sewage sludge (SS). Plant growth and the concentrations of Cu and Zn in the shoots and roots of grass were measured in a pot experiment and related to the results of Pytotoxkit and Microtox® tests performed on soil solution. The effects of soil amendment with LG and SS differed greatly, and depended on soil properties. In some cases, the application of alkaline SS resulted in dramatic increase of Cu phytotoxicity and its enhanced uptake by plants, while application of LG to slightly acidic soil caused increased accumulation of Zn in plants, particularly in their roots. The study confirmed good suitability of red fescue for phytostabilization of Cu-contaminated soils except for those extremely polluted. Organic amendments to be used for metal immobilization should be thoroughly examined prior to application.

Soil Pollution with Copper, Lead and Zinc in the Surroundings of Large Copper Ore Tailings Impoundment

Abstract Analysis of the top-soil total content of heavy metals was carried out inthe vicinity of large copper ore tailings pound in the south-western Poland with regard to soil properties, direction and distance from the tailings pound. None of the soils under study ex-ceeded the limits admitted in the official standards for soil quality, but the assessment made in accordance with IUNG-guidelines to soil contamination determination showed that more than half of the monitoring sites have elevated metal content, Cu, in par-ticular. The results confirmed high effectiveness of dust control preventing its eolian spread from the tailings pound.

The quantitative changes of nutrients in two contrasting soils amended with sewage sludge compost evaluated by various statistical tools

ABSTRACT Introduction: The application of organic fertilisers to replenish soil organic matter and improve soil fertility and productivity has become common agricultural practice. Aim of the study: This research deals with the effects of soil amendment with sewage sludge compost (SSC) on organic carbon, nitrogen total, nitrogen mineral and available P, K, S and Mg mineralisation in two contrasting soils. The various statistical tools used in this study have allowed us to present another conceptualisation of nutrient increments or losses as an effect of SSC applied. In order to distinguish groups of nutrients which are similar, a cluster analysis was used. A two-way analysis of variance was applied to compare the increments of the content of nutrients in the soils. Material and Methods: A 3-year pot experiment was conducted, employing a randomised, factorial design with two soils (light and medium) and one amendment treatment as a compost at a rate equivalent to 6 Mg ha−1. The following parameters of chemical soil properties were determined: contents of organic carbon (Corg), total nitrogen (Ntot), amounts of available P, K, Mg, S and mineral nitrogen (Nmin). Results: The SSC showed a similar influence on the fertility of both soils. It was affirmed that application of SSC results in a statistically significant increase in the contents of soil organic carbon. The amounts of total and mineral N, as well as available P and S were subjected to different patterns of quantity changes expressed by both increase and loss. Moreover, a statistically significant loss of available K amounts was observed in both soils. Conclusions: The findings of the study indicated that mature SSC becomes a long lasting fertiliser, slowly subjected to decomposition processes. Therefore, it may influence small increases in nutrient amounts in soils, in relation to the contents obtained for the control soil.

Influence of pH on the solubility of arsenic in heavily contaminated soils / Wpływ pH na rozpuszczalność arsenu w glebach silnie zanieczyszczonych

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the impact of pH on arsenic solubility in soils heavily contaminated by the former arsenic industry. For the purpose of the study, three soil samples were collected from the area affected by ore processing in Złoty Stok. Soils differed in initial pH, calcium carbonate content, organic matter content and total arsenic concentration. The amounts of arsenic released from soils at various pH were measured using extraction tests, where soil samples were shaken with various doses of HCl and NaOH in the presence of 0.01 mol • dm−3 CaCl2 as the background solution. Arsenic solubility in soils was considerably low at neutral or slightly acidic pH and increased considerably in both strongly acidic and alkaline conditions. The importance of these effects for environmental risk was discussed. Streszczenie Celem badań było określenie wpływu zmian pH na rozpuszczalność arsenu w glebach silnie zanieczyszczonych przez dawny przemysł arsenowy. W doświadczeniu badano trzy różne gleby z obszaru zanieczyszczonego przez procesy przetwórcze rud w Złotym Stoku. Gleby różniły się początkowym odczynem pH, zawartością CaCO3 i materii organicznej oraz całkowitą zawartością As. Badano ilości As uwalniane z gleb przy różnych wartościach pH. W tym celu próbki gleby poddano testom ekstrakcji z użyciem różnych dawek HCl i NaOH, w obecności 0,01 mol • dm−3 CaCl2 jako elektrolitu podstawowego. Rozpuszczalność arsenu w glebach w warunkach obojętnego i lekko kwaśnego odczynu była niewielka, natomiast radykalnie wzrastała zarówno w warunkach odczynu silnie kwaśnego jak i alkalicznego. Dyskusji poddano znaczenie tych efektów dla oceny ryzyka środowiskowego.

Kationowa pojemność wymienna gleb na różnym podłożu geologicznym w górach Stołowych

Efektywna pojemnośc wymiany kationow w powierzchniowych warstwach gleb Gor Stolowych oscyluje wokol 8–10 cmol(+) kg-1, z czego az do 60% zajmuje glin wymienny. Suma kationow zasadowych zalezy od zawartości materii organicznej oraz od uziarnienia gleb, powiązanego z rodzajem skaly macierzystej. Najwieksza jest w glebach wytworzonych zwietrzelin mulowcow kredowych, mniejsza z piaskowcow permskich i granitow, najmniejsza z piaskowcow kredowych. Spośrod gleb wytworzonych z mulowcow najubozsze w kationy zasadowe (2–2,5 cmol(+) kg-1) są gleby brunatne kwaśne. Gleby plowe mają sume kationow zasadowych dwu-, a gleby brunatne wlaściwe – trzykrotnie wyzszą. Wysycenie kompleksu sorpcyjnego zasadami osiąga 60% w glebach brunatnych wlaściwych i 45–47% w glebach plowych, a w glebach brunatnych kwaśnych, wytworzonych zarowno z mulowcow, jak i granitow oraz piaskowcow permskich, tylko 25%. Suma wymiennych kationow zasadowych oraz stopien wysycenia kationami zasadowymi wyraźnie roznicują warunki troficzne siedlisk leśnych Gor Stolowych, odzwierciedlając wspoloddzialywanie podloza geologicznego i typologicznych procesow glebotworczych.

The usefulness of the rock dust for the remediation of soils contaminated with nickel.

Abstract The purpose of this research was to examine whether the addition of waste rock dust to light soil contaminated with nickel will increase the yields of cultivated plants and reduce their excessive nickel content. The research was conducted in concrete microplots of 1 m2 dimension in the complete randomisation system, as a twofactor experiment in four replications. The first factor was the level of soil contamination: (1) Ni0 - soil with natural Ni content; (2) Ni1 - 100; (3) Ni2 - 150 and (4) Ni3 - 270 mg • kg-1 of the soil. The second factor was the level of remediation: (1) control without remediation and (2) rock dust at a dose of 3 kg • m-2. The test results indicate that the use of waste rock dust can improve growth conditions of reed canary grass on the soil contaminated with nickel, in the first year of its cultivation. Addition of rock dust to the soil contaminated with nickel 150 mg • kg-1 caused an increase in tolerance of reed canary grass to nickel (tolerance index) from 0.55 to 0.77. There was an increase in the yield of biomass of aerial parts and a decrease in the concentration of nickel in plants growing in soils with the addition of dust. Streszczenie Celem badań było sprawdzenie, czy dodatek odpadowego pyłu skalnego do gleby lekkiej zanieczyszczonej niklem, wpłynie na poprawę plonowania rośliny uprawnej oraz na zmniejszenie w niej nadmiernych zawartości niklu. Badania przeprowadzono w betonowych mikropoletkach o powierzchni 1 m2 w układzie kompletnej randomizacji, jako dwuczynnikowe, w czterech powtórzeniach. Pierwszy czynnik stanowił poziom zanieczyszczenia gleby niklem: 1) Ni0 - gleba z naturalną zawartością Ni; 2) Ni1 - 100; 3) Ni2 - 150; 4) Ni3 - 270 mg • kg-1 gleby. Drugim czynnikiem był poziom remediacji: 1) kontrola bez remediacji 2) pył kamienny w dawce 3 kg • m-2. Wyniki badań wskazują, że zastosowanie odpadowego pyłu skalnego może poprawić warunki wzrostu mozgi trzcinowatej na glebie zanieczyszczonej niklem, w pierwszym roku jej uprawy. Przy zanieczyszczeniu gleby niklem 150 kg•mg-1 dodatek pyłu kamiennego do gleby spowodował wzrost tolerancji mozgi na nikiel (tolerance index) z 0.55 do 0.77. Stwierdzono wzrost plonu biomasy części nadziemnej oraz obniżenie koncentracji niklu w roślinach rosnących na glebie z dodatkiem pyłu.

Usefulness of rock dust waste for the remediation of zinc contaminated soils / Przydatność odpadowego pyłu skalnego do remediacji gleb zanieczyszczonych cynkiem

Abstract The aim of this study was to check whether the addition of waste rock dust to the soil contaminated with zinc will improve the yield of reed canary grass and reduce excessive amounts of zinc in its biomass. The study was carried out in the micro-plots made of concrete, as a two-factorial experiment, in a randomized complete block design, with four replicates. The first factor of the experiment was the level of soil contamination with zinc: 1) Zn0 - the soil with natural Zn concentration; 2) Zn1 - 200; 3) Zn2 - 400; 4) Zn3 - 800 mg/kg soil. The second factor was the level of remediation: 1) control, without remediation, 2) with remediation (rock dust applied at the rate 3 kg • m-2). The results of the study indicate that application of waste rock dust can improve the conditions of reed canary grass growth in the soil contaminated with zinc. At the highest level of contamination (Zn3), soil amendment with rock dust resulted in increased yields of reed canary grass dry matter, in two crops, by 136 and 176%, respectively, as compared with corresponding control objects without dust addition. At the same time, the concentrations of zinc in the plants grown in the soil amended with dust were about 16% lower, and the soluble forms of this element in soil, determined in extraction with 1 mol HCl • dm-3, were about 25% lower, as compared with control plots. Streszczenie Celem doświadczenia było sprawdzenie czy dodatek odpadowego pyłu skalnego do gleby zanieczyszczonej cynkiem wpłynie na poprawę plonowania mozgi trzcinowatej oraz na zmniejszenie w niej nadmiernych zawartości cynku. Badania przeprowadzono w betonowych mikropoletkach w układzie kompletnej randomizacji, jako dwuczynnikowe, w czterech powtórzeniach. Pierwszy czynnik stanowił poziom zanieczyszczenia gleby cynkiem: 1) Zn0 - gleba z naturalną zawartością Zn; 2) Zn1 -200; 3) Zn2 -400; 4) Zn3 -800 mg/kg gleby. Drugim czynnikiem był poziom remediacji: 1) kontrola bez remediacji; 2) remediacja (pył skalny w dawce 3 kg • m-2). Wyniki badań wskazują, że zastosowanie odpadowego pyłu skalnego może poprawić warunki wzrostu mozgi trzcinowatej na glebie zanieczyszczonej cynkiem. Przy największym poziomie zanieczyszczenia (Zn3) dodatek pyłu skalnego do gleby spowodował wzrost plonów suchej masy mozgi w obu pokosach o 136 i 176% w stosunku analogicznego obiektu kontrolnego, bez dodatku pyłu. Jednocześnie stwierdzono około 16% niższą koncentrację cynku w roślinach rosnących na glebie z dodatkiem pyłu oraz około 25% niższą zawartość rozpuszczalnej formy tego pierwiastka w glebie ekstrahowanej 1mol HCl • dm-3.