Search

In a global economic system conditioned by limited resources and faced with increasing worldwide demand as well as increasing environmental degradation, the only viable option remains the resource-efficient, circular economy. Our planet has limited quantities of essential resources such as water and soil. This paper provides information on research carried out using steel slag as a soil amendment and its influence on agricultural crops. The use of steel slag on chromic luvisols from the didactic farm Moara Domneasca has been successfully used as an amendment to correct soil reaction as an alternative to the currently used acid soil correction materials (limestone and dolomite). On the other hand, since slag contains essential plant nutrients such as P, Mn, Fe, Ca, etc. in different concentrations, its application has positively influenced crops production. This use allows reducing the consumption of natural resources and provides a great agricultural, environmental and economic gain by minimizing the negative environmental effects of steel slag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the current situation regarding global warming, we intend to establish a forest plantation in the Cunești area of Călărași County, on a sandy land, prone to deflation, with accentuated climate deficit. According to the records of the Călărași Meteorological Station, four of the ten years analyzed have an average temperature of over 13 0C, higher by two degrees compared to the average of 1961-2000, of 11.20C. The physical and geographical conditions of the investigated area are characteristic for the Danube floodplain, where alluvial soils predominate, which in certain periods benefit from phreatic moistening. In order to determine the type and subtype of soil, its morphological and physico-chemical characterization, a soil profile and three pedological surveys were carried out, from which soil samples were collected on pedogenetic horizons up to the phreatic level (0-300 cm). Based on the local pedoclimatic conditions, the formula for afforestation with xerophyte species was established, with fast growth and low requirements in terms of soil trophicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studied territory is located in the east of Prahova County, at a distance of about 33 km from the municipality of Ploieşti, with an area of 4700 ha. The study was carried out with the aim of identifying the zonal soil types, their fertility and the description of the limiting or restrictive factors of the use of these lands for agricultural crops. Both main soil profiles and secondary profiles were carried out to reproduce the situation as faithfully as possible soils in the studied area. The identified soil types are represented by Fluvisols, Phaeozems, Gleysols and Technosols. Knowing the nature and intensity of the limiting factors of agricultural production is necessary to establish the ameliorative requirements of the soils, specifying the ameliorative measure and the surface (ha) on which it is applied to reduce or eliminate the negative effects, some measures being conditioned by the initial application of other measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was carried out during the period of 2020-2022 in the south-eastern part of Romania on a reddish preluvosoil. Two types of slag from the metallurgical industry were applied, namely furnace slag and converter slag in doses of 1 t/ha, 3 t/ha and 5 t/ha. Taking into consideration the chemical composition of these materials and the fact that they contain elements such as Ca, P, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mg, they can be used to neutralize the acidic reaction of soils and for a better utilization of nutrients by crop plants. The research analyzed the effect of these materials on the chemical properties of the soil, on the soil's reaction, the soil's humus content and content in elements, as well as their influence on the production of maize, wheat and peas, while also taking into account the content in macroelements and heavy metals found in the soil and crop plants. The obtained results demonstrated that the application of these materials in the established doses of 1, 3 and 5 tons/ha led to significant increases in the production of maize, wheat and peas without the risk of accumulation of heavy metals in the soil and in the crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studied area is located the north-eastern part of CălăraŞi County, belonging to the cadastral territory PeriŞoru, currently used as arable. The pedological mapping was carried out with the purpose of identifying the zonal soil, by assessing its fertility as well as the influence of applied technologies on the physico-chemical properties of the soil. A soil profile and several surveys were opened from which soil samples were collected in natural and modified settlement, for morphological, physical and chemical analysis. The soil type identified is represented by typical chernozem, vermic with undifferentiated loamy texture on the profile. The main physical characteristics (bulk density, total porosity and compaction degree), chemical (soil reaction, humus content, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and hydrophysical indices were determined by indirect methods. Applying high-performance culture technologies, they highlighted the improvement of the aforementioned characteristics, by creating a favorable aerohydric regime and implicitly important production increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing volume of waste generated by the steel industry, with repercussions given by environmental pollution and the removal from the agricultural circuit of significant areas of land that is being used for waste storage, requires the identification of efficient solutions for recycling this waste, while also requiring the use of elements with beneficial effects on the soil and on the cultivated plants. The metallurgical industry produces various residues, and some of them, such as steel slag, can be used successfully in the agricultural activity. Steel slag can have a beneficial influence on the physico-chemical properties of the soil and on the agricultural production. In order to mitigate the environmental consequences caused by the disposal of large quantities of slag in landfills and in order to reduce transport costs for its disposal, the steel industry encourages the sustainable use of slag in various fields of application, such as agriculture. Research conducted in 2020, on the experimental field at the “Belciugatele” research station/“Moara Domneasca” development farm, followed the influence of various calcareous amendments on the chemical properties of reddish luvosoil from this area. During the experiment, different doses of dolomite, calcium carbonate and two types of slag from the steel industry were applied and changes in the reaction of the soil and the content of macroelements and microelements in the soil were monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantities of slag obtained world wide are increasing, which can lead to the removal of agricultural lands from the agricultural use and even to their pollution with various heavy metals. In accordance to statistical data, over 400 million tonnes of iron and steel slag are produced every year. Over the past 20 years, the recovery rate of these by-products from the steel industry has increased significantly. Innovative technological developments and the cooperation with other industries have brought the steel industry closer to reaching its Zero Waste goal. The slag obtained from the steel industry is a mixture of silica, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide and aluminium and iron oxides. Due to the characteristics of these secondary materials, respectively due to the high content of calcium oxide, they can be used on agricultural lands in order to neutralize the soil acidity and implicitly, for a better valorization of nutrients by the crop plants. Currently, the forecast given for the evolution of soils, both internationally and in our country, shows a continuous tendency of degradation of agricultural soils, agriculture being both a factor of degradation and a victim of the degradation caused by other socioeconomic activities and also by agriculture itsel. In the last period, as a result of the application of agricultural technologies and due to the long-term fertilization with mineral Nitrogen fertilizers, a decrease in the soil's reaction has been recorded. The efficient use of these by-products of the steel industry as an amendment in agriculture in order to neutralize the soil's acidity, for improving crop productivity, for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and for stabilizing heavy metals from contaminated soils, turns them into a value-added product in sustainable agriculture. This paper aims to present the influence of these materials resulted from the steel industry in improving the reaction of acidic soils, the influence they have on the main chemical properties of the soils and the influence on the production and quality of agricultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]