Effect of mixed municipal solid waste compost on potato production and heavy metal contamination in different types of soils

The objective of this work was to study the effect of mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) compost on potato production in three types of soil (sandy loa m pH 7.9, sandy soil pH 8.2 and sandy soil pH 6.2) and, simultaneously, eva luate the eventual absorption of heavy metals by those vegetables as well a s the accumulation of the metals in the soils. Potato production was partic ularly increased in sandy soil (pH 6.2), in which the addition of 15 t ha(- 1) of compost nearly doubled production. No significant absorption of heavy metals by the vegetables was observed in all the performed assays. Success ive annual compost administration will be carried out to obtain consistent data on the effect of that amendment in the accumulation of heavy metals in the soils. So far, after two years of compost application, an accumulation of lead in the sandy soils has been detected.