Distribution of Cd, Cu and Zn in a Sewage Sludge-treated Calcareous Soil

The distributions of Cd, Cu, and Zn concentration in soil treated with one (1988) or two (1988 and 1993) applications of sewage sludge at rates of 0, 25, 50, and $100Mg\;ha^{-1}$ (dry weight basis) were determined to assess the accumulation and mobility of the heavy metals. The heavy metals accumulated almost entirely in 0 to 15 cm soil depths. Small amounts of the metals moved out of the tillage zone (0-15 cm depth) into the subsoil, but even at the high rate of sewage sludge, little movement of heavy metals occurred below 100 cm depth. The water-extractable Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations were very low regardless of the rate of sewage sludge application. Availability of metals as determined by DTPA extraction showed the percentage of DTPA-extractable/total concentration increased with sewage sludge application. In the 0-15 cm depth of sewage sludge treated soil, the percentage of DTPA-extractable/total concentration was higher than 46% for Cd, but the value was less than 27% and 17% for Cu and Zn, respectively. The Cd, Cu, and Zn added to this calcareous clay soil by sewage sludge application were not very mobile, and the amount of plant available form was very small.