Journal des effets et du contrôle de la pollution
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Physicochemical and Phytotoxic Characterisation of Residual Sludge from the Malting of Barley

Domingo Horacio Campaña, Milena Esther Uribe Echevarría, Ariel Oscar Airasca and Maria Luisa Andrade Couce

Residual sludge that results from the treatment of malt house effluents produced during the malting of barley in two malt houses from the Pampa (Argentina) was evaluated to determine its fertilising potential and capability for improving soil as a way to reuse or recycle this material. It should be noted the content of organic matter and nitrogen with a high content of cellulose and hemicellulose and mostly organic nitrogen. The fraction of hydrolysable, non-distillable nitrogen is a good indicator of the degree of oxidisability. It is also remarkable the content of P, K and Ca, Mg, Cu and Zn. However, the amount of trace metals, which do not have a function in biological processes, was very low. Dactylis glomerata L. and Phalaris bulbosa L. were utilised as seeds in the phytotoxicity tests, with a percentage of germination of less than 90% when the concentration of sludge was increased. Their characteristics and germination test indicate that this residual sludge constitutes a suitable amendment for agricultural soils.