The final use that may be given to biosolids that result from the treatment of residual municipal waters depends on their physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. Their organic matter content and wealth of essential elements may allow their use for agricultural fertilization purposes. The objective of this research project was to evaluate the physicochemical interactions between soil treated with biosolids and compost from municipal residual waters, and the nutritional parameters of broad bean seeds (Vicia faba L.). The studied area is located in the central region of the Mexican Republic. The biosolids were treated with aerated static pile composting. The experimental work was performed in the area surrounding the East Toluca Macroplant, where nine 2 × 3 m plots were defined and distributed in a Latin square; 3 plots were used as controls (without conditioning), 3 were conditioned with 4.5 Mg ha −1 of biosolids on a dry base, and 3 were conditioned with the same amount of compost. The parameters determined for biosolids, compost, and soil were: pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, Na and K), total and available heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn); for the plant: height reached, green seeds productivity and yield per treatment (ton ha −1 ); for the seeds: humidity, ashes, fiber, fats, protein, starch and total and available heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn). pH was slightly acid in soil treated with biosolids (6.71). OM and CEC did not represent significant differences. Total concentrations of Cr, Zn, Ni and Cu in soil presented significant differences ( p < 0.05) between treated soil and the control, Cd was not detected. Cu was the most available metal in soil treated with compost (15.31%), Cd and Cr were not detected. The plants had higher growth rates with biosolids (112.22 cm) and compost (103.73 cm); higher green broad bean productivity and higher seed yield, especially in plots containing biosolids, which had rates three times higher than the control. In regards to broad bean seeds, content of ashes, fiber, fats, protein, starch and heavy metals (Cu, Ni and Zn), there were no significant differences between the treatments. Cd and Cr were not detected. In conclusion, it has been proven that the use of biosolids and compost studied in this broad bean crop do not involve an environmental risk, and thus give way to a solution to the problem of final disposition of biosolids in the region.

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Abstract.Mexico is the world's fourth most important maize producer; hence, there is a need to maintain soil quality for sustainable production in the upcoming years. Pumice mining is a superficial operation that modifies large areas in central Mexico. The main aim was to assess the present state of agricultural soils differing in elapsed time since pumice mining (0-15 years) in a representative area of the Calimaya region in the State of Mexico. The study sites in 0, 1, 4, 10, and 15 year old reclaimed soils were compared with an adjacent undisturbed site. Our results indicate that gravimetric moisture content, water hold capacity, bulk density, available phosphorus, total nitrogen, soil organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon and phosphatase and urease activity were greatly impacted by disturbance. A general trend of recovery towards the undisturbed condition with reclamation age was found after disturbance, the recovery of soil total N being faster than soil organic C. The soil quality indicators were selected using principal component analysis (PCA), correlations and multiple linear regressions. The first three components gathered explain 76.4 % of the total variability. The obtained results revealed that the most appropriate indicators to diagnose the quality of the soils were urease, available phosphorus and bulk density and minor total nitrogen. According to linear score analysis and the additive index, the soils showed a recuperation starting from 4 years of pumice extraction.

SUMMARYThe application of sewage sludge is a concern because it may affect the quality of organic matter and microbiological and biochemical soil properties. The effects of surface application of sewage sludge to an agricultural soil (at 18 and 36 t ha -1 dry basis) were assessed in one maize (Zea mays L.) growing season. The study evaluated microbial biomass, basal respiration and selected enzymatic activities (catalase, urease, acid and alkaline phosphatase, and β β β β β-glucosidase) 230 days after sewage sludge application and infrared spectroscopy was used to assess the quality of dissolved organic matter and humic acids. Sewage sludge applications increased the band intensity assigned to polysaccharides, carboxylic acids, amides and lignin groups in the soil. The organic matter from the sewage sludge had a significant influence on the soil microbial biomass; nevertheless, at the end of the experiment the equilibrium of the soil microbial biomass (defined as microbial metabolic quotient, qCO 2 ) was recovered. Soil urease, acid and alkaline phosphatase activity were strongly influenced by sewage sludge applications.Index terms: basal respiration, biosolids, enzymatic activities, metabolic quotient, microbial biomass.(1) Received for publication in August 15, 2011 and approved in July 10, 2012.

Palabras clave: lombriz de tierra, relación C:N, residuos, vermiestabilización RESUMENLas actividades humanas producen toneladas de residuos sólidos orgánicos que causan problemas al ambiente, como la contaminación de suelo, agua y mantos freáticos. Ante esto, se han desarrollado estrategias como el vermicomposteo, proceso de estabilización de residuos sólidos orgánicos. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo probar mezclas de lodo residual y estiércol equino en diferentes porcentajes, por medio de vermicomposteo, para conocer su estabilidad y proponerlo como mejorador de suelo. Para su elaboración se utilizaron cuatro porcentajes de estiércol equino y lodo residual: E 100 , E 85 -LR 15 , E 70 -LR 30 y E 55 -LR 45 y se dio un seguimiento durante 90 días bajo condiciones de invernadero. El producto mostró disminución gradual en el porcentaje de C orgánico, relación C:N y pH. Se incrementó el contenido de N total a los 30 días y la conductividad eléctrica a los 75 días. El P aumentó para E 70 -LR 30 (57.3 ± 8.3 mg/kg a 1369.8 ± 114.8 mg/kg) al final. A los 45 días se alcanzó la estabilidad de las vermicompostas en cuanto a la relación C:N: E 100 (11.4); E 85 -LR 15 (10.8); E 70 -LR 30 (12.6) y E 55 -LR 45 (11.2). La mejor relación es E 70 -LR 30 , ya que presenta un balance en el aporte de N y C, la concentración de metales pesados disminuyó para Cu, Zn, Ni y Cd, además el pH que presentó (7.24 ± 0.1) fue neutro, la concentración de P se incrementó considerablemente y el número de lombrices fue mayor (1790) con respecto a los otros tratamientos, por lo que esta relación es adecuada para su uso como abono orgánico.Key words: earthworm, C:N ratio, residues, vermistabilization ABSTRACT Human activities produce tons of organic solid waste causing problems to the environment, polluting soil, water and groundwater. In view of this, strategies such as vermicomposting -a process of organic solid waste stabilization-has been developed. This study aims to use the process of vermicomposting to test mixtures of sewage sludge and horse manure in different percentages in order to know its stability and to propose it as a soil improver. Four percentages for processing equine manure and sewage sludge were used: E 100 , E 85 -LR 15 , E 70 -LR 30 and E 55 -LR 45 , followed by a 90 day-period under greenhouse conditions. The product showed gradual decrease in the Rev. Int.