Elemental Uptake by Sorghum Sudan Grass Grown In Flue Gas Desulfurization Waste Amended Soil.

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) waste results from the addition of limestone and/or dolomite to the coal either before (in the case of fluidized bed combustion) or after (in the case of flue gas desulfurization) combustion.  This waste is typically very high in As, Se, and B.  Therefore, application of this waste to agricultural soils is limited. Similarly, the solid waste such as biosolids is abundantly available. Though it has very high N, P, and K, however, its use to agricultural soils is also limited due to presence of certain trace elements. A greenhouse study was conducted to assess the feasibility of using FGD either alone or in combination with sewage sludge as a soil amendment for successful plant production. The FGD was collected from a Coal Fired Power plant in Cope, South Carolina. The Ogeechee loamy sand soil (pH of 5.5) used in this study. The FGD was added at 0, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, and 6 % by weight to 6 Kg soil in pots and blended thoroughly. The sorghum sudan grass was used as a test crop. All the pots were maintained at field capacity moisture content throughout the eight week growth period. Throughout the eight weeks growth period the leachate was also collected from each pot to study the leaching potential of some trace elements.  At the end of the eight week growth period above ground plant parts were harvested, oven dried, weighed and analyzed for trace elemental composition. In this presentation, the effect of FGD amendment to soil either alone or in combination with biosolids on elemental concentration in plant tissues, soils as well as in leachate will be discussed.