Recycling gamma irradiated sewage sludge as fertilizer: A case study using onion (Alium cepa)

Recycling sewage sludge into fertilizer for agricultural purposes may improve soil fertility by influencing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the land. However, there is concern regarding elevated levels of heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms, which may result from the use of untreated sewage sludge. Gamma radiation is found to be an efficient tool in the hygienization of municipal sewage sludge. In order to evaluate the agricultural potential of gamma irradiated sewage sludge and to assess the safety of this fertilizer, field experiments were performed in a root crop, onion (Alium cepa), during the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 winter months. The influence over major nutrients, metallic micronutrients, and heavy metals in soil and crop plant were key factors to be analyzed. Treatments consisted of three source of fertilizers {S1: farmyard manure (FYM); S2: gamma irradiated sewage sludge (GISS); and S3: non-irradiated sewage sludge (NISS)}, each at three separate levels (L1: 5 t ha−1; L2: 10 t ha−1; and L3: 15 t ha−1), which were evaluated and compared. The growth parameters and onion yield were not significantly influenced by the different sources of fertilizer, or the different application levels. Values of pH, organic carbon, organic N, available P and K, metallic micronutrients (Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu) and heavy metals (Ni, Cd, Pb, Co) indicate no negative effects on either soil or plant properties. Concentrations of heavy metals in soil and plant were slightly higher in NISS treatment in compare to GISS; however, the concentrations did remain within the prescribed limit, and no significant increase was consistently noted. The results prove that the gamma irradiated sludge material was of equal quality compared to the conventional FYM.