• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.234-241
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• 2000

For the recycling of sludge as soil conditioner, the firing technology in pottery industry was applied to the sludge treatment, and produced artificial media with many voids. To produce artificial media using sludge, chabazite and lime were used as additives, and the mixture of sludge and additives was thermally treated in the firing kiln at about $800{\sim}1,100^{\circ}C$ for about ten minutes. The effect of mixed artificial media into upland soil was investigated through the crop growth experiment and the physical & chemical characteristics of the mixed soils were analysed. The pH of artificial media was higher than that of the control soils. After the plant growth experiment, artificial media plots almost contained more CEC, OM, TN, TP and $AV.P_2O_5$ than upland soil plots. From the growth analysis, growth of soybean and corn in the artificial media plots was better than that in the original upland soil plots. The yield of soybean and corn in the artificial media plots were about 46kg/10a, 194kg/10a, respectively, which is higher than that in the control. Heavy metals in the artificial media plots were lower than the standard regulation. Therefore, the artificial media produced from sludge can be mixed into farmland, and crop production can be increased additionally.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.200-204
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• 1998

Physical and chemical properties of artificial soil produced by firing process were analyzed and compared with normal dry field soil and soil quality standards. Material used for production was water and wastewater treatment sludge, chabizite, and lime. The mixed material was thermally treated in the firing kiln at about $300^{\circ}C$ and $1,000^{\circ}C$, respectively, as per designed process. General properties of the artificial soil were classified as sand by unified soil classification method and similar to the dry-field soil, and even soil conditioning effect were expected when it is mixed properly with normal soil. The artificial soil is high in pH and permeability compared to the dry-field soil. Heavy metal concentrations of the artificial soil met the soil quality standards for the farmland. Overall, the artificial soil was thought to be an appropriate soil which can be returned safely to the nature without significant adverse effect. The cost for the artificial soil production process needs to be lowered for practical application as a sludge treatment, therefore, commercializing of the artificial soil is under review.