Willow (salix viminalis l.) in purifying sewage sludge treated soils

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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy w Puławach
Abstract
Description
Willow is a plant that can be cultivated in contaminated soils because of its ability to take up harmful substances and accumulate it in aboveground biomass. Fast development of big agglomerations in developing world, increased consumption and need of mankind lead to production of huge amounts of wastes that are stored at landfill sites. The free surface of landfill sites is decreasing year by year. There is no enough place to store wastes. The part of wastes could be reused without wasting its beneficial properties. Sewage sludge is an inevitable product of waste treatment containing major contaminants such as: PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons), polychlorinated biphenyls, polyphenols, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and heavy metals which restricts its use in agriculture. On the other hand, it contains appreciable substances needed in normal plant growth. Willow could be used in Poland as source of biomass to produce renewable energy. Poland is obliged to increase the contribution of renewable source of energy in energetic balance in accordance to the 3x rule. This plant gives many possibilities especially in natural habitat. Its properties allow willow to be fertilized with sewage sludge. application of sewage sludge seems an efficient method of its management.
Keywords
heavy metals, phytoremediation, sewage sludge, willow
Citation
Polish Journal of Agronomy 2012, 9, 3–6