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Chinese Journal of Ecology ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (7): 2285-2296.doi: 10.13292/j.1000-4890.202507.037

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Effects of sludge compost and sludge vermicompost on physicochemical properties and heavy metal concentrations of aeolian sandy soil.

JIANG Xiaoyu1,2, ZHOU Shuhui1,2, LV Linyou3, HE Miaomiao2,4, TANG Jiaxi1,2,5*   

  1. (1College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, Liaoning, China; 2Ordos Institute of Liaoning Technical University, Ordos 017010, Inner Mongolia, China; 3Institute of Sand Management and Utilization of Liaoning Province, Fuxin 123000, Liaoning, China; 4School of Civil Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, Liaoning, China; 5Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China).

  • Online:2025-07-10 Published:2026-01-16

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Abstract: The use of domestic sludge is an effective way of sludge disposal and has a good effect on the quality of nutrient-poor soil. In this study, municipal sludge was treated by aerobic composting and earthworm composting. The effect of sludge compost and sludge vermicompost on aeolian sandy soil in northwest Liaoning Province was examined in a 3-year field experiment. The physical and chemical properties of aeolian sandy soil and heavy metal content in different soil layers were analyzed. The results showed that the application of 30 t·hm-2 of sludge compost and sludge vermicompost effectively improved moisture content and porosity of the aeolian sandy soil, and reduced the soil bulk density. The moisture content of the aeolian sandy soil applied with sludge compost was increased by 95.6%, and the porosity of soil applied with sludge vermicompost was increased by 8.0%. Sludge vermicompost application reduced soil bulk density by 11.4%. Meanwhile, soil fertility and soil nutrient content were improved. The contents of alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium of the aeolian sandy soil applied with sludge compost increased by 19.0 times, 119.5 times and 6.1 times, while electrical conductivity of the aeolian sandy soil applied with sludge compost increased by 7.6 times. The maximum increase of cation exchange capacity of aeolian sandy soil applied with sludge compost was 9.7 times. When treated with sludge vermicompost, fresh weight of alfalfa leaves increased by 32.2%. Under both amendments, the concentrations of heavy metals in different layers of aeolian sandy soil were lower than the risk screening values in the “Standard for the Control of Soil Pollution Risk of Agricultural Land (Trial)” (GB 15618-2018). The results of single factor potential ecological risk and comprehensive potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metals are both in the safe range.


Key words: sludge compost, sludge vermicompost, aeolian sandy soil, soil physical and chemical properties, heavy metal, ecological risk