The effects of pH changes and sewage sludge application on the distribution of Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn among exchangeable, organic, amorphous Fe and Al oxides, crystalline Fe and Al oxides, and residual fractions of two soils (and Eutrustox and a Ultipsamment) were studied in a greenhouse experiment carried out at the FCAV-UNESP, in Jaboticabal (SP), Brazil. The heavy metal contents in these fractions were related to those extracted with DTPA, HCl 0.1 mol L-1, Mehlich-1, and Mehlich-3 extractants and the metal contents of corn shoot (Zea mays L.) as well. A complete randomized design with three replications of treatments in a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial arrangement (two soils, presence or absence of lime, and five sewage sludge rates) was used. In the limed treatments the soils were amended with agricultural lime to raise the soil pH (CaCl2) to 5.3. The sewage sludge rates (dry weight basis) were equivalent to 0, 10, 20, 40, and 60 t ha-1. The soil fractionation showed that most metals were strongly associated to oxides and residual fractions. In the sandy soil a greater proportion of metals were found in more bioavailable fractions (exchangeable and organic matter-bound) in comparison to the fine-textured soil. An increase in soil pH caused a redistribution of the metals from the exchangeable fraction to those bound to organic matter or oxides. Multiple regression analysis showed that the metals extracted by DTPA, HCl 0.1 mol L-1, Mehlich-1, and Mehlich-3, and the metals in the corn shoot were mainly associated to soil exchangeable and organic fractions.
sequential extraction; sewage sludge; metal availability; micronutrients
