Instrumental neutron activation analysis of sewage sludge and compost

Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been applied for the analysis of four sewage sludges of municpal water treatment plants, one sludge of an industrial water treatment plant one compost of a municipal compostation plant in Belgium. This pilot study showed that concentrations for 41 elements could be obtained. Tests for homogeneity and accuracy indicated the necessity of a thorough grinding and homogenization of the samples before analysis. The concentrations obtained were compared with the mean soil composition and the possible enrichment of heavy metals in the soil calculated when the materials are used as a manure to agricultural land. The Zn concentration is mostly the limiting factor for the agricultural application.