Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXIV, Issue 1
Written by Valentina Mihaela PETCU (VASILE), Mircea MIHALACHE
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.
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