Barley Straw Biochar and Compost Affect Heavy Metal Transport in Soil and Uptake by Potatoes Grown under Wastewater Irrigation

Ali Mawof, Shiv O. Prasher, Stéphane Bayen, Emma C. Anderson, Christopher Nzediegwu and Ramanbhai Patel
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Ali Mawof: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
Shiv O. Prasher: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
Stéphane Bayen: Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
Emma C. Anderson: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
Christopher Nzediegwu: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
Ramanbhai Patel: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: Wastewater can supplement freshwater in agriculture; however, it contains toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, and lead that are hazardous to humans and the environment. We investigated the effects of barley straw biochar, green and table waste compost, and their mix on heavy metal transport in soil and uptake by potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.) irrigated with synthetic wastewater for two years. In both years, amending soil with compost significantly reduced ( p ≤ 0.05) cadmium uptake in potato flesh, skin, roots, and stems; zinc uptake in potato skin and roots; and copper uptake in potato flesh due to increased soil cation-exchange capacity, dissolved organic carbon, and soil pH. Co-amending the soil with compost and 3% biochar significantly reduced ( p ≤ 0.05) the bioavailability of cadmium, copper, and zinc in the contaminated soil. Relative to the non-amended soils, soil amendment with biochar, compost, and their mix affected neither the transport of chromium, iron, and lead in the soils nor their uptake by potatoes. It was concluded that amending soil with barley straw biochar and/or compost produced from city green table waste could be used to improve the safety of wastewater irrigated potatoes, depending on the biochar application rate and heavy metal type.

Keywords: heavy metals; soil amendments; plant uptake; potatoes; sandy soil; wastewater irrigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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