Steel slag utilization in agriculture as an amendment and fertilizer: addressing the chromium challenge for sustainable resource recycling and management of the industry waste

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Management of the steel slag viz., blast furnace, blast oxygen furnace, induction furnace, electric arc furnace is a major environmental challenge that can restrict the strides of the steel sector worldwide. Presently the steel producers worldwide utilize the blast furnace and other slags majorly in the cement making, construction and the allied sectors. Countries such as Japan, United States and Europe have also taken lead to exploit the nutritional richness of steel slag mainly the blast oxygen furnace slag and have developed steel slag-based fertilizers/amendments for use in agriculture. However, the presence of heavy metals in particular chromium, in the materials to be added to the soil as amendment/fertilizers is a challenge which can restrict the utilization of steel slag in the farm sector particularly for reclaiming acidic and degraded soils which are in plenty in India (∼41 Mha). This review discusses critically the challenges, scope and opportunities in utilization of steel slag in agriculture. The nutritional advantage of the steel slag and the need for transformation into a holistic soil amendment/fertilizer capable of providing essential and beneficial mineral nutrients are also discussed in wake of the phyto- and eco-toxicity effects of using raw steel slag in agriculture.