Monitoring and validation of dewatered and composted sediments for soil reconstitution. Deliverable Action C3

The reconstitution pedotechnique is based on the treatment of organic and non-organic matrices for producing specific Technosols. The technology applies a conceptual model based on the production of new soil aggregates with targeted environmental characters generated via a chemical-mechanical process that entails reusing residues of a specific origin. In AGRISED project the reconstituted soils, produced with dredge sediment and co-compost, were used to make experiments in soil columns and pots. The aim of the action C3 was to demonstrated if reconstitution technology could be an effective instrument to recycle dredge sediment and co-compost to create a Technosol to be used as a growing media for plant nursery and soil rehabilitation. The AGRISED Technolsols were analyzed and packed in 40 L columns for an experiment lasted 8 months. During the experiment the columns were regularly watered to induced water-dry cycles; leachate and interstitial water were sampled every 2 months and analyzed; soil moisture, electrical conductivity and temperature were monitored every 15 minutes using Hydra Probe. At the end of the experiment the columns were dismissed and the soil were sampled and analyzed. The reconstituted soils were also used to make a trial in pots.