2 Effects of medium - term amendment with sewage 3 sludge on soil organic fertility and on heavy metal 4 bioavailability

The biomass fraction of processed municipal and industrial wastes added to soil can 10 maintain, and in some case improve, the soil’s organic fertility. One of the main constraints in the 11 agricultural use of the sewage sludge is its content of heavy metals. In the long term, soil 12 administration of sewage sludge in agriculture could result in a risk of environmental impact. The 13 aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of medium-term fertilization with sewage sludge 14 diversely processed on the soil’s organic carbon content and humification – mineralization soil’s 15 processes and on the physical and mechanical properties of soil. Furthermore, the heavy metals 16 accumulation in soil, in their total and available form, has been investigated. 17 After eight years of administration to soil, the use of sewage sludge as an agricultural soil 18 amendment has contributed to maintaining the soil’s organic fertility. An increase in 19 concentrations of total Ni and Zn was detected in soil. For bioavailable form (DTPA-extractable) 20 this trend was evidenced for all heavy metals analysed. However, the concentrations of total and 21 available heavy metals in the soil did not exceed the legal threshold established by Italian law for 22 unpolluted soils. 23