[Influences of municipal sludge applied in slope vegetation restoration on surface water environment]

The application of municipal sludge in ecological restoration has a good prospect for avoiding the food chain of grain crops, but its influences on surface water environmental are unclear. The municipal sludge and construction waste were mixed with 1:1 (V/V) as growth media, which were covered over simulation coal gangue slopes. Eight native woody species were sowed in the mixed media. The plant growth and coverage, as well as conductivity, pH, the concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), heavy metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) of surface and underground runoff of the slopes in the growing season were investigated. The results showed that plants grew well on the mixed media. The average plant coverage reached 60%. The pH of the surface and underground runoff changed little and near to neutral. The conductivity, N, P, K, heavy metal and PAHs contents of the slope runoff were high. The N and P contents in the growing season were above the National Standards of Surface Water Quality (GB 3838-2002) V. The contents of heavy metal were the highest in July. The contents of As lied at the GB IV-V, whereas other heavy metal contents up to GB II-IV. With strong rain leaching in the summer as well as the absorption, degrading and fix effect of plant-soil system on chemical substrates, the conductivity and N, P, K, heavy metal and PAHs contents of the slope runoff significantly decreased. The contents of heavy metal in late stage of growing season arrived at GB 2-3. The contents of PAHs reduced by about 50%. The direct application of municipal sludge in ecological restoration of coal gangue slope were beneficial to plant growth. The plant-soil system might gradually decrease the harmful substance concentrations in the growth media. The negative influences on surface water environment mainly came from eutrophication of N and P. Generally, the environmental safety is manageable.