Estimation of some heavy metals and nutrients in dry sludge collected from Hammdan wastewater treatment plant in Basrah city-Iraq

Abstract

The present study deals with the estimation of selected heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in dry sewage sludge collected seasonally during the period extended from summer 2015 until spring 2016 from Hammdan wastewater treatment plant(WWTP)  in Basrah city . Flame atomic absorption (FAAS) was employed for measuring the mentioned metals . pH and available Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (N, P, K) in sludge were measured . Sludge texture as percentage and organic matter (OM) content as mg/kg have been determined to evaluate the presence of N, P, and K, OM and heavy metals in dry sludge samples .

The results showed that the range values of pH was from 6.6 to 7.7, while the range values of OM were from 12500 to 1800 mg/kg, also the rang values of N, P and K were (4180 – 5130), (55 - 68) and from (247 – 402.33) mg/kg respectively .

The concentration of heavy metals reveled the following order, Zn > Cu  > Ni  > Pb  > Cd . Sludge texture description was silt clay . It concluded from this study that the sewage sludge from Hammdan WWTP, rich in the N, P and K also have different levels of heavy metals under the sludge, but these levels were in acceptable range for use this sludge in amended of agricultural soil according to (USEPA, 1983) .

Key words : Sewage sludge – Heavy metals – Nutrients – Hammdan wastewater treatment plant – Basrah .