SREL
Reprint #2624
Restoration
of drastically eroded land using coal fly ash and poultry
biosolid
Tracy
Punshon, Domy C. Adriano, John T. Weber
The University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory,
Drawer E 29808 Aiken, SC, USA
Abstract
A 3-year field
study was conducted at a 12 ha soil-borrow area adjacent
to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, South Carolina to
investigate the restorative effects of co-application of
coal fly ash (FA) and a poultry biosolid (PB). FA was applied
at 0, 22, 280, 560 and 1120 Mg (tonne) ha-1,
and PB at 5 and 10 Mg ha-1. The area was seeded
with erosion-control species Atlantic Coastal panic grass
(Panicum amarum var amarum L.), sericea
(Lespedeza cuneata var. appalow [Dumont] G. Don.)
and weeping love grass (Eragrostis curvula Wolf.).
Plant biomass and elemental composition were analyzed in
sequential harvests. Soil and groundwater quality characteristics
including pH, EC and elemental composition were also monitored
throughout the study. In addition, the effect of amendments
on the water holding capacity and bulk density of the soil
was investigated. Amendment addition significantly increased
plant biomass production by a maximum of 26% using 1120
Mg h-1 FA and 10 Mg ha-1 PB. Application
of the highest rate of FA significantly increased the plant
tissue concentrations of Mn, As, Se and B. Soil pH was initially
increased from 4.6 to 6.1 by amendments. Soil salinity was
increased in the initial year only. Amended soils had hi-her
concentrations of Ca, Mg, P and K, higher organic matter
content and water holding capacity than unamended soil.
Concentrations of plant-essential trace elements (B, Cu
and Zn) that were marginally deficient in the unamended
eroded soil increased to within typical soil concentrations
following amendment with IA and PB. Groundwater quality
was unaffected throughout the study. The co-application
of FA and PB successfully promoted the revegetation of the
eroded borrow area with no apparent adverse environmental
side effects.
Keywords:
Coal combustion by-products; Fly ash; Poultry biosolids;
Disposal; Restoration
SREL
Reprint #2624
