Heavy metal components in solid urban waste composts have been one of the main causes of concern in relation to its use on agricultural soils. On this background, a field experiment was carried out to study the effects of successive compost application on Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn contents in a Typic Hapludox, in sugarcane plants, as well as on the phytoavailability of these metals as assessed by chemical extractors (DTPA, 0,1 mol L-1 HCl and Mehlich-3). The compost was applied at rates of 0, 20, 40 and 60 Mg ha-1 in 1996/97, and of 0, 24, 48 and 72 Mg ha-1 in 1997/98. The total Cu contents increased, compared with the control soil, and varied between 12 and 25 % in the first and 27 and 88 % in the second year of cropping. For Zn, these values varied from 12 to 72 % and from 72 to 156 % in the first and second years, respectively, while Cr varied from 12 to 25 % in the second year. Cd, Ni, and Pb concentrations in the soil, and Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb in sugarcane leaves, stalks and juice were also below the determination limit. Cu and Zn contents in plant samples were not affected by the compost application. The chemical extractors did not differ among each other and were not able to assess, properly, metal phytoavailability for sugarcane, properly, due to the low concentrations in soil and plant samples.
organic fertilization; chemical extractor; DTPA; Mehlich-3