Application of Phosphogypsum and Organic Amendment for Bioremediation of Degraded Soil in Tunisia Oasis: Targeting Circular Economy

Hajer Gabsi (), Anas Tallou, Faissal Aziz, Rachid Boukchina, Nissaf Karbout, Luis Andreu Caceres, Rafael García-Tenorio, Khaoula Boudabbous and Mohamed Moussa
Additional contact information
Hajer Gabsi: Institute of Arid Area, Route du Djorf Km 22.5, Medenine 4119, Tunisia
Anas Tallou: Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity & Climate Change, Semlalia Faculty of Sciences, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
Faissal Aziz: National Centre for Research and Study on Waterand Energy (CNEREE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
Rachid Boukchina: Higher Institute of Water Sciences and Technical of Gabes, Zrig Gabes 6072, Tunisia
Nissaf Karbout: National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, 43, Avenue Charles Nicolle 1082-Tunis-Mahrajène, Tunis 1082, Tunisia
Luis Andreu Caceres: Agronomic Department, Superior Technical School of Agronomic Engineering, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Rafael García-Tenorio: Agronomic Department, Superior Technical School of Agronomic Engineering, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Khaoula Boudabbous: National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, 43, Avenue Charles Nicolle 1082-Tunis-Mahrajène, Tunis 1082, Tunisia
Mohamed Moussa: Institute of Arid Area, Route du Djorf Km 22.5, Medenine 4119, Tunisia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: This study was conducted at the Institute of Arid Regions of Gabes in Tunisia. Three plots were left as controls and received no input, three plots were amended with cattle manure with a dose equivalent to 37.5 t/ha, and nine plots were amended with phosphogypsum in three doses (12.5 t/ha, 25 t/ha, and 50 t/ha), with three repetitions for each dose. A pot test to determine the germination index and radioactivity analysis was carried out in the laboratory. The results showed that organic manure amendments and phosphogypsum improved the germination rate of the different crops (jute mallow, turnip, and oat) compared with the control. At the same time, the 50 t/ha dose had the highest germination rate. An increase in yield of all crops during the whole duration of the experiment was observed for the soil amended by phosphogypsum. The best yield was recorded when the highest dose of phosphogypsum was applied. The cadmium level in plants of the two applied amendments was variable but still below the toxicity threshold (7 ppm). The values recorded following the analysis of the phosphogypsum radioactivity showed that the mean value of Ra-226 equals 214.45 Bq/kg, which is below the limit announced by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The radioactivity results from the control soil samples showed the presence of natural radioactivity. Samples of phosphogypsum-amended soil and plants grown in these soils have radioactivity values that are still lower than those announced by the EPA. The novelty aspect of this study is the application of phosphogypsum in different crops during two consecutive years in degraded-soil areas of Tunisia, in addition to the study of different aspects of phosphogypsum reuse in agriculture as a promising strategy for a sustainable environment.

Keywords: oasis; soil; amendment; manure; phosphogypsum; germination index; cadmium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/4769/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/4769/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:4769-:d:1090670

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().