Fertilizer Efficiency and Risk Assessment of the Utilization of AOD Slag as a Mineral Fertilizer for Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) and Perennial Ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.) Planting

Shuang Cai, Bao Liu, Junguo Li, Yuzhu Zhang, Yanan Zeng, Yajun Wang and Tianji Liu
Additional contact information
Shuang Cai: College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063009, China
Bao Liu: College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063009, China
Junguo Li: College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063009, China
Yuzhu Zhang: College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063009, China
Yanan Zeng: College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063009, China
Yajun Wang: College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063009, China
Tianji Liu: College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063009, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Argon oxygen decarburization (AOD) slag is the by-product of the stainless steel refining process, which has caused considerable environmental stress. In this work, the utilization of AOD slag as mineral fertilizer for alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) and perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.) planting were investigated by pot experiments. The morpho-physiological parameters of biomass, plant height, root morphology and the biochemical parameters of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity, and chlorophyll were measured. The accumulation of chromium in plants was also determined for an environmental safety perspective. It was found that low rates (≤0.5 wt.% for alfalfa and ≤2 wt.% for perennial ryegrass) of AOD slag fertilization are beneficial to the growth of these two plants. However, the soil enrichment with higher AOD slag amounts resulted in the reduction of biomass, plant height, and root growth. Compared with the alfalfa, the perennial ryegrass showed higher tolerance for AOD slag fertilization. The toxicity of the utilization of AOD slag as mineral fertilizer for perennial ryegrass planting is slight. Health risks induced by the consumption of the alfalfa grown on the soil with high AOD slag rates (≥8 wt.%) were detected.

Keywords: AOD slag; alfalfa; perennial ryegrass; chromium; health risk (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/3/1575/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/3/1575/ (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:14:y:2022:i:3:p:1575-:d:737637

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 ().