Cereal Chem 56:283 - 286.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Effect of Sewage Sludge Applications on Phosphorus and Metal Concentrations in Fractions of Corn and Wheat Kernels.

T. D. Hinesley, V. Sudarski-Hack, D. E. Alexander, E. L. Ziegler, and G. L. Barrett. Copyright 1979 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Grain from corn grown on strip-mined spoil banks amended with digested sludge and wheat grown on slit loam soil, with and without sludge, were fractionated into parts of kernels used in human and animal diets. Corn endosperm and wheat flour contained lower concentrations of cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and phosphorus (P) than whole kernels of grain. The germ fraction of corn grain contained significantly higher levels of all elements than other grain fractions, except for Pb, Cr, and Ca. Concentrations of Pb and Cr were not significantly different from those found in the feed and bran fractions and concentrations of Ca were often significantly higher in corn and wheat bran than any other fractrion. Sludge applications caused significant increases of all elements in wheat grain except Pb, Cr, and Mn. Flour contained about 25, 14, 28, 47, 55, 41, 43, 18, 35, 12, and 18% of the total amounts of Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ca, Mg, and P, respectively, accumulated in wheat grain. In general, dry-milling processes have caused reductions in concentrations of essential and nonessential elements in kernel fractions of cereal grains used for human foods and concentration increases in fractions used to supplement animal rations. Information gained from this study will be useful in assessing changes in trace element contents of foods and feedstuffs resulting from crop and soil management practices that cause enhanced concentrations of mineral elements in whole grain.