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Abstract
The chemical forms of 36 trace elements (Li, Be, Sc, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th and U) in 22 wastewater treatment sludges were determined in order to evaluate their mobility and bioavailability. The five‐step chemical fractionation procedure was used to partition the elements into exchangeable, carbonate bound, Fe‐Mn oxide bound, organic matter bound and residual fractions. The Li, Be, Sc, V, Ga, Rb, Y, Ag, Sb, Cs, lanthanoids, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th and U occurred mainly in residual fraction. The Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr and Cd in sludges were predominantly bound within the oxide or organic components. None of the elements were mainly distributed in exchangeable fraction or carbonate bound fraction. The sum of the element concentrations of the first three fractions, regarded as relatively easily soluble forms, was compared between sludges and soil as an instance of application of the fractionation procedure to the evaluation of the accumulation of elements in sludge‐amended soil.
