Abstract

NARVAEZ-ORTIZ, Willian Alfredo; BENAVIDES-MENDOZA, Adalberto; VAZQUEZ-BADILLO, Mario Ernesto  and  CABRERA-DE LA FUENTE, Marcelino. Effect of the application of raw sludge from the fabric industry into the productivity and chemical composition of lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2014, vol.30, n.4, pp.379-391. ISSN 0188-4999.

The industrial sludge is a serious pollution problem, but in some cases its use can be beneficial in agriculture and also to the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of textile sludge applied to a substrate (mixture of peat moss and perlite) on productivity and chemical composition of lettuce. The sludge was characterized using the NOM-004-SEMARNAT-2002. The lettuce of the variety Great Lakes was transplanted into pots of 14 L with a mix of peat moss and perlite. The textile sludge was added to this substrate in concentrations of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 %. The fertilization was performed with a Steiner fertilizer solution. The plant mineral content had positive effects with the application of the textile sludge, showing a concentration increase of N, P, K, Ca, Na, Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe of 30.88, 43.46, 50.11, 15.81, 70.46, 257.5, 32.55, 126.8 and 1.04 % respectively, while for the control treatment the Mg content was higher. Likewise the content of vitamin C increased 21 % by applying the sludge at a 20 % concentration. The antioxidant capacity increased in a 4.63 % by applying sludge at a 5 % concentration. The biomass was not affected by the addition of textile sludge, its values were not statistically different from the control. Heavy metals were not found in plant tissues at concentrations higher than the indicated by the health standards and the recommended standards of daily intake. We found fecal conforms and helminth eggs in the plants grown in the textile sludge, but the values were below the established health standards.

Keywords : fertilizers; microbiological analysis; metals; wastewater sludge.

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