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Abstract In the Mediterranean countries, there is an increasing production of date palm wastes (Phoenix dactylifera L.), not only due to the raising production of date palm fruits, but also derived from the maintenance of urban and peri-urban green areas, especially in those affected by red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus). The management of this increasing volume of green wastes usually concludes with a controlled disposal that implies an important loss of resources, in terms of organic matter, nutrients and energy. In addition, the rise of wastewater generation and the incentive of the wastewater treatment processes have derived in an increase of the amount of the sludge produced, which makes difficult its management. This work studies the feasibility of co-composting palm wastes with sludge from the urban and agri-food sectors as alternative treatment to manage these organic waste streams and to obtain added-value compost. For this, four mixtures (P1, P2, P3 and P4) were prepared using as main component palm leave waste (PL) mixed with different types of sludge. In the piles P1, P2 and P3, sewage sludge (SS) was used as co-composting agent, while agri-food sludge (AS) was used in P4. Throughout composting, the thermal profile of the composting piles was assessed, as were physical, chemical, physico-chemical and maturity parameters. In addition, the changes in water-soluble organic matter were assessed using chemical analytical methods and the excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. The results obtained showed the viability of the co-composting process to obtain end-products with adequate maturity degree and physical characteristics for their potential use as substrates, except for the salt contents that can limit their use in some agricultural sectors. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • Palm waste can be managed by co-composting with sewage and/or agri-food sludge. • The composts obtained showed a suitable physical and chemical quality. • The use of date palm waste increased the salt contents in the final composts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, the use of composted sewage sludge (CSS) as a binary component with peat (P) in growth media for a horticultural crop, broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Botryti cv. Marathon), was evaluated. Four treatments were established, based on the addition of increasing quantities of composted sewage sludge to peat (0%, 15%, 30% and 50%, v/v). Physical, physico-chemical and chemical analyses of the different mixtures of CSS and P were made. Plant growth, biomass production and macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg), micronutrient (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn) and heavy metal (Pb, Ni, Cd, Cr) contents of plants were determined. The addition of CSS to P increased plant nutrient and heavy metal contents of plants and electrical conductivity (EC) and bulk density values of the substrates. The use of CSS did not affect the germination rate, even at 50% compost. For broccoli growth, the highest yield was obtained with the medium prepared by mixing the peat with 30% of compost; however, the mixture with the most sewage sludge compost (50%) had the greatest contents of macro and micronutrients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effect of increased concentrations of cobalt (Co) (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg kg−1) and treatment with sewage sludge was investigated on the chlorophyllic pigments and carotenoids of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv. Ramy) plants, grown in a calcareous soil. Aerobically digested sewage sludge was applied at the rates of 2 and 4 g sewage sludge/100 g soil d.w., equivalent to 60 and 120 t ha−1. Treatments were compared with a non-fertilized control. Six leaf samples were taken at 27, 41, 55, 73, 94, and 105 days for each treatment and chlorophyll content was determined. Five leaf samples were taken at 35, 62, 75, 89, and 106 days to determine carotenoids content. Organic fertilization enhanced the levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids in tomato leaves. Cobalt induced a significant decrease in all the pigments analyzed, correlated with the increased presence of cobalt in soil. Also the negative effect of this pollutant seem to be enhanced by fertilization, probably due to a higher availability of Co with the increasing application of sewage sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of increased cobalt additions (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg kg-1 soil) in sewage sludge-amended soil on organic matter, N Kjeldahl, ammonium and nitrate were studied in this experiment. Three different rates of sewage sludge were applied (0, 30 and 60 tn ha-1) to soil as main plots , using tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill var. Ramy) such testing cultivation. Plant biomass and nitrogen content in tomato leaf were also monitored. The organic matter in the soil was clearly affected by the fertilization. N Kjeldahl, ammonium and nitrate were favoured by organic treatments. Co seemed to reduce the transformation of ammonium to nitrate on amended soils, with accumulation of ammonium forms, especially at the higher application rates of sewage sludge. This incidence of Co on nitrogen species in soil decreased with the time of experiment, probably due to the reduction of availability of the pollutant. Aerial biomass production and nitrogen content in leaf were increased for the organic fertilization compared to the control. Only very high levels of Co in soil reduced significantly the aerial biomass production of tomato plants in amended soils. Co seemed to induce a decrease of the nitrogen in leaf in the amended soils, but not for the non-fertilized soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A plot study was conducted to assess changes in Co phytoavailability for a tomato cultivar grown on an agricultural soil (a Calcic Petrocalcid) amended with sewage sludge, under controlled conditions in South-eastern Spain. The experiment consisted of three main treatment blocks: (A) without organic fertilisation, (B) with addition of 60 tha−1 and (C) 120 tha−1 of sewage sludge. For each block (A, B, and C), four levels of Co (0, 50, 100 and 200 mgkg−1) were added, as CoCl2. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, DTPA (0.005 M plus triethanolamine), ammonium acetate (1 N at pH 7), and water extractable fractions of the soils were analysed for all the plots. The time dependent Co accumulation in different parts (roots, stems, leaves, and fruits) of the tomato plants was studied. Soil Co seemed to be mainly in non-available forms, according to the low concentrations found in the water and ammonium acetate extracts, compared to DTPA. The gradient of Co accumulation in tomato plants was root>leaf>stem+branches>fruit, with a concentration in the edible parts ranging between 4 and 25 mgkg−1. The organic amendment enhanced the plant extraction of Co, this effect being more significant with time. Plant extraction efficiency decreased with increasing Co concentration in the soils. Co in fruit showed the best correlation with all the Co extraction pools in the soil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mineralisation of organic N is an important consideration when determining the annual amount of sewage sludge to be applied to agricultural soils. The mineralisation of sludge organic N was studied in two different textured soils (clayey and sandy soil) treated with aerobic and anaerobic sludge at two different rates (30 and 50 g sludge kg−1 soil). The mineralisation of sludge organic N was determined during 20 weeks incubation period by analysis of inorganic N produced by a non-leached procedure. Sludge organic N mineralisation was influenced by soil type, organic N mineralisation being greater in the sandy soil (from 30% to 41%) than in the clayey soil (from 13% to 24%). Mineralisation rates decreased rapidly the first two weeks, followed by a slower decrease with time. Although total mineralisation increased with sludge addition rate, net mineralisation decreased with sludge addition rate, probably due to denitrificaton losses. The aerobically treated sludge gave higher mineralisation rates than the anaerobically treated one. The values of N0 and k for treated soils varied depending on the type of sludge and soil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]