Growth and Trace Metal Content of Poplars Planted on Tailing Treated with Municipal Solid Waste Compost

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dewar SW ; Norland MR
• Description:
  Taconite tailing wastes in Minnesota are infertile and difficult to vegetate to meet mineland reclamation standards. Taconite tailing reclamation is a potential use for a municipal solid waste (MSW) compost product. MSW compost is rich in organic compounds, and its application to tailing is likely to improve fertility even though it may increase the level of potentially harmful trace metals. This study assesses tree growth and elemental tissue concentrations of Souixland poplar (Populus deltoides var. Souixland) planted in four 420-m2 field plots. Plots were randomly treated with 0, 22.4, 44.8, or 89.6 Mg/ha of MSW compost. After compost application, all plots were fertilized, disced, seeded with a grass-legume mixture, and planted with rooted cuttings of poplar at a 2 by 2.5 m spacing. After two growing seasons, tree growth was significantly greater where compost was applied. The average growth per live tree was highest in the 89.6 Mg/ha plot. Average tree height increased from 68.2 to 84.1 cm, a 23% increase over the control for the highest rate. Survival of trees; however, ranged from 84 to 98% for the high rate and control, respectively. Ground cover and biomass increased with increasing compost application rates. Analyses of the compost indicated that it met regulations for field application, including PCB's and trace metals. Soils analyses of the tailing after compost application showed higher levels of N, P, S, Zn, and Cu with increasing application rates. Analyses of poplar leaf tissue revealed slightly higher concentrations of P, Zn, Cu, and Cd for treatments receiving compost. Results suggest that applying compost to coarse tailing will increase the growth of ground cover and poplar trees without adversely affecting the environment. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Metals Occupational Health Safety Sulfur Compounds Urogenital System
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Mineland Reclamation Biomass Cadmium Compounds Copper Compounds Fertility Ground Cover Minnesota Nitrogen Compounds Organic Compounds Phosphorus Compounds Populus Deltoides Soil Analysis Souixland Poplar Sulfur Compounds Survival Taconite Trace Metals Vegetation Zinc Compounds

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Minnesota ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PRC - Pittsburgh Research Center
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  203-211
• Volume:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20050648
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the International Land Reclamation and Mine Drainage Conference and Third International Conference on the Abatement of Acidic Drainage April 24-29, 1994, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh, PA: United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Special Publication SP 06C-94, 1994 Apr; 3:203-211
• CAS Registry Number:
  Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8) ; Nitrogen (CAS RN 7727-37-9) ; Phosphorus (CAS RN 7723-14-0) ; Sulfur (CAS RN 7704-34-9) ; Zinc (CAS RN 7440-66-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1994
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the International Land Reclamation and Mine Drainage Conference and Third International Conference on the Abatement of Acidic Drainage April 24-29, 1994, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dc313361ed6359b0c3d78b52d9d4b5ce73f787e58c036b670bb0d1ae139c39a6ddc8c73152c6a5720a4d3943fd948b310717e6309946c2013b2182a807027629
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227604/cdc_227604_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 277.41 KB ]