The effect of ameliorants, chalk, glauconite and semidecomposed cattle manure, on ordinary chernozem contaminated with Zn and Pb was studied in a long-term field experiment. The application of ameliorants significantly decreased the mobility of metals. Their effect depended on the ameliorant and was most significant at the simultaneous application of chalk and manure. This effect was presumably due to the strong binding of metals by carbonates through chemisorption and formation of lowsoluble Zn and Pb compounds and to the additional fixation in the form of complexes at the addition of organic material. The share of loosely bound metal compounds in the contaminated soils decreased to the level typical for the clean soils or even below. The general evolution of the transformation of metal compounds (from less to more firmly bound compounds) accelerated by ameliorants remained for both metals.

soil; heavy metal compounds; transformation; ameliorants

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia