The sludge of wastewater used in agriculture processes, in order to knew the effect of
its application on soil and plant contents from zinc and cadmium, Hordeum vulgare L. was
planted by using graded amounts of sludge to the soil for two years, fou
r treatments were
used: o kg/pot (control), 2, 4, 6 ton/ha (with 5 erplicates for each treatment), concentrations
of zinc and cadmium in soil, roots, straw, and grain in all treatments were measured.
Results showed that the application of sludge improve the physical and chemical
properties of the soil, the concentration of zinc and cadmium in the soil were 164.66 μg/g,
324.22 ng/g, respectively, in 60 ton/ha treatment.
Concentration of Zn increased significantly and showed positive correlation with the
amount of sludge, the highest concentration of Zn was in root of plant in comparison with
other parts of plant, in all treatments, it was 69.3 μg/g in the root while it was 45.15, 38.2
μg/g in straw and grain respectively, in 0.6 kg/pot treatment.
Concentration of cadmium increased significantly in 0.6 kg/pot treatment in
comparison with control, the highest concentration was in the root of plant in comparison
with other parts of plant.
This study showed that Hordeum vulgare L. doesn't accumulate zinc and cadmium
because it´s concentration in roots was higher than in straw and grain.
Concentration of Zn and Cd still within permissible limits in the soil and plants in all
treatments.
