Heavy metals from soil and domestic sewage sludge and their transfer to Sorghum plants

We studied the mobility and transport of heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb, from soil and soil amended with sewage sludge to sorghum plants. The total and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) extractable heavy metals in agricultural soil and untreated domestic sewage sludge (DWS) samples were determined. The correlation between the total and extractable metals in soil and sewage sludge was investigated. The total and extractable heavy metals in soil, sewage sludge and sorghum grain were analysed by flame and electro thermal atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS/ETAAS), after digestion in microwave oven. Statistically good correlations were obtained between the total contents of all heavy metals and their respective extractable fractions in soil and domestic wastewater sludge. Transfer factors of all heavy metals from domestic sewage sludge to sorghum grains were determined.