title: Influence of activated carbon and biochar on phytotoxicity of air-dried sewage sludges to Lepidium sativum.
abstract: The goal of the research was to determine the phytotoxicity (using Lepidium sativum) of two activated carbon/biochar-amended sewage sludges. Apart from the impact of the AC/biochar dose, the influence of biochar particle diameter (<300, 300-500 and >500 μm) and the influence of the contact time (7, 60, 90 days) between AC/biochar and sewage sludges on their phytotoxicity was also assessed. No negative impact of sewage sludges on seed germination was observed (P>0.05). The application of AC or biochar to the sludges positively affected root growth by reducing the harmful effect by 7.8 to 42% depending on the material used. Furthermore, the reduction range clearly depended on the type of sewage sludge. No differences were observed in the inhibition of the toxic effect between both biochar types used and the biochar particle size. The extension of the contact time between AC/biochar and sewage sludges had a negative impact on root growth.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Life Sciences, ul. Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-602 Lublin, Poland. patryk.oleszczuk@up.lublin.pl
authors.forename: Patryk
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oleszczuk
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rycaj
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cornelissen
mesh_terms: D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D031220:Lepidium sativum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal