Reducing the environmental risk from the soluble P present in sludge-amended soils is essential for increasing the soil's capacity to utilize sewage sludge beneficially. Fresh dewatered anaerobically digested sewage sludge (FSS) was stabilized using three chemicals: ferrous sulphate (FeSul), calcium oxide (CaO) and aluminium sulphate (alum), with different chemical ratios, or by composting. Designations for the stabilized sludges are as follows (respectively): FeSul-SS, CaO-SS, alum-SS and BSC. Phosphorus phytoavailability was studied during a 100-day incubation period of the sludge materials with alluvial soil in comparison to KH2PO4-amended soil by a newly-developed bioassay, which corresponded to the inorganic content P (Pi) of tested plant. The dynamics of water-soluble P (WSP) and Olsen-P were also investigated in the amended soils. Phosphorus phytoavailability was notably linked with incubation time, the chemicals used, and their rates in the sludge. In general, P phytoavailability at equal rates of P addition was KH2PO4 >> alum-SS > BSC ≥ FSS > CaO-SS >> FeSul-SS, and was positively related to the added P rates, although the pattern of the increase differed among the sludge products. The amount of inorganic WSP (WSPi) extracted from the soil increased following the application of FSS or BSC, and additional P mineralization further increased its concentration during incubation. In contrast, in most cases the chemically stabilized sludges, especially the FeSul-SS, showed considerably reduced WSPi concentrations relative to the untreated soil. No correlation was found between the WSP content in the sludge and in the soil amended with sludge. The total WSP, Olsen-P and organic WSP (WSPo) were positively correlated with P phytoavailability. It is concluded that all the three chemically stabilized sewage sludges with propriety ratio of chemicals can effectively control WSPi in soil but still supply P for plant growth.
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