General Information

Document type: Research study

Access: Ethernet

Title: EVALUATION OF THE POTENTIAL FOR BIOSOLIDS

OBTAINED FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT FOR

AGRICULTURAL USE AND THEIR EFFECT

ON CULTIVATION OF RED RADISH (Raphanus sativus L.).

Authors: Ramiro Ramírez Pisco y Martha Inés Pérez Arenas

Publish: September 4 of 2006.

Key words: Biosolid, heavy metals, wastewater.

Description

This paper is a research study that evaluates the potential of using biosolids generated from

wastewater treatment as a soil amendment and fertilizer for growing red radish crops. The study

was conducted in the El Salitre wastewater treatment plant in Bogotá, Colombia. The paper

discusses the effects of different concentrations of biosolids on the growth, development, and

production of red radish, as well as the potential risks associated with the use of biosolids due to

the presence of heavy metals. The study concludes that biosolids can be a viable and safe option

for fertilizing red radish plants, but their application should be carefully monitored to avoid the

accumulation of heavy metals.

References

The main references of the article are:

1. Agence de l‘Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Énergie. 2001. Le boues d’épuration

municipales et leur utilisation en agriculture. Alsace, France: ADEME.

2. Azcon-Bieto, J. y Talon, M. 2000. Fundamentos de fisiología vegetal. Madrid: Editorial

Interamericana McGraw Hill.

3. Fundación Restauración de Ecosistemas Tropicales. 2001. Utilización de biosólidos de

depuración en la rehabilitación de suelos. Bogotá, Colombia: FRET.

Resume

The document is a research study that evaluates the potential of using biosolids generated from

wastewater treatment as a soil amendment and fertilizer for growing red radish crops. The study

was conducted in the El Salitre wastewater treatment plant in Bogotá, Colombia. The study

found that biosolids can be a viable and safe option for fertilizing red radish plants, but their

application should be carefully monitored to avoid the accumulation of heavy metals. The study

also found that the concentration of biosolids in the soil affects the growth and development of

radish plants, with lower concentrations being more effective. The study concludes that the use

of biosolids in agriculture can be risky due to the presence of heavy metals, and their application

should be carefully monitored.

Methodology.

The methodology used in the study involved experimenting to evaluate the potential of biosolids

generated from wastewater treatment as a soil amendment and fertilizer for growing red radish

crops. The study was conducted in the El Salitre wastewater treatment plant in Bogotá,

Colombia. The experimental design employed was a random block design, with five treatments

and three replications, arranged in 2 m x 2 m plots. The treatments corresponded to mixtures of

biosolids with soil in the following proportions: 100 % biosolid (equivalent to 294 ton Ha -1 ),

75 % biosolid (220 ton Ha -1 ), and 50 % biosolid (147-ton ha -1 ). The study measured the

growth, development, and production of red radish plants under different concentrations of

biosolids. The study also analyzed the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and

biosolids used in the experiment. The data collected was analyzed using statistical methods,

including analysis of variance and the Tukey test. The study also conducted an analysis of heavy

metal bioaccumulation in the radish plants harvested from the different treatments.

Conclusion

The document concludes that the application of biosolids as an organic fertilizer for red radish

crops depends on their concentration, which directly affects the crop's growth, development, and

production. The study found that the treatment with 100% biosolids was not suitable for the

development of the crop due to the high concentration of heavy metals, which negatively

affected the germination and growth of the plants. The study recommends that the application of

biosolids in agriculture should be carefully monitored to avoid the accumulation of heavy metals.

However, the study also found that lower concentrations of biosolids can be a viable and safe

option for fertilizing red radish plants.