Development of the selected properties of zinc-contaminated soil following an addition of neutralising substances

Studies have been undertaken which assess the possibility of neutralising the effect of zinc on the contents of: organic carbon, total nitrogen, available forms of: phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in soil by applying neutralising substances – compost, bentonite and zeolite. In the series without an addition of neutralising substances, increasing zinc soil contamination resulted in an increase in the contents of total nitrogen, available forms of phosphorus, magnesium and potassium (especially), and a decrease in the organic carbon content, compared to the control object (without Zn). Application of bentonite and zeolite had an advantageous effect on the contents of carbon and available phosphorus and on the C:N ratio in soil, compared to the series without additions. Bentonite had a similar effect on the available potassium content in soil. It had a much greater effect on the organic carbon content in soil than zeolite. Not all of the neutralising substances added to soil had a significant effect on the contents of nitrogen and available magnesium in soil, compared to the series without neutralising substances