ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF APPLYING MANURE,FERTILIZER, AND SEWAGE BIOSOLIDS ON A DAIRY FARM1

ABSTRACT: Farms that once spread only manures are now also applying sewage biosolids (sludge) and/or other wastes such as those from food processing. The objective of this study was to monitor environmental impacts at a dairy farm applying these materials. Fields were selected representing recent waste applications of manure (M1, M2), sewage biosolids (B1, B2), or fertilizer only control (F1, F2), although most fields had historical biosolids applications. Fields representing each treatment were not experimental replicates because of varying applications and soil characteristics. Septage and food processing wastes were also applied. Soil percolates were collected with wick lysimeters. Runoff was sampled at seven stream sites. Test field soils and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) were analyzed for trace elements. Cumulative trace metal loadings were low, at most only 1 percent of USEPA Part 503 limits. Surface soil enrichment was most evident for Mo, P, and S. Alfalfa tissue showed no trends of concern. The B2 site had the greatest percolate concentrations for 6 of 13 elements. Percolate Cu was somewhat elevated at Sites M1, M2, B2, and Fl. Percolate sodium was elevated on all M and B fields and sulfur was greatest at M2, B1, and B2. Soluble orthophosphate correlated with stream discharge during intensive monitoring of Stream Sites S1 (fertilizer) and S2 (biosolids). Peaks in S2 streamwater Mo lagged large runoff events by five days. Total streamwater export of Cu, Na, Mo, and soluble P were greater from the S2 biosolids subwatershed than from the S1 fertilizer subwatershed. Percolate concentrations exceeded corresponding streamwater concentrations in most cases.     

Is Daily Mortality Associated Specifically with Fine Particles? Data Reconstruction and Replication of Analyses

ABSTRACT

In 1996, Schwartz, Dockery, and Neas¹ reported that daily mortality was more strongly associated with concentrations of PM_2.5 than with concentrations of larger particles (coarse mass [CM]) in six U.S. cities (“original paper'V'original analyses”). Because of the public policy implications of the findings and the uniqueness of the concentration data, we undertook a reanalysis of these results. This paper presents results of the reconstruction of these data and replication of the original analyses using the reconstructed data. The original investigators provided particulate air pollution data for this paper. Daily weather and daily counts of total and cause-specific deaths were reconstructed from original public records. The reconstructed particulate air pollution and weather data were consistent with the summaries presented in the original paper. Daily counts of deaths in the reconstructed data set were lower than in the original paper because of restrictions on residence and place of death. The reconstruction process identified an administrative change in county codes that led to higher numbers of deaths in St. Louis. Despite these differences in daily counts of deaths, the estimated effects of par-ticulate air pollution from the reconstructed dataset, using analytic methods as described in the original paper, produced combined effect estimates essentially equivalent to the originally published results. For example, the estimated association of a 10 |j.g/m³ increase in 2-day mean particulate air pollution on total mortality was 1.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9-1.7%, t = 6.53) for PM₂₅ based on the reconstructed dataset, compared to the originally reported association of 1.5% (95% CI 1.1-1.9%, t = 7.41). For coarse particles, the estimated association from the reconstructed dataset was 0.4% (95% CI -0.2-0.9%, t = 1.43) compared to the originally reported association of 0.4% (95% CI -0.1-1.0%, t = 1.48). These results from the reconstructed data suggest that the original results reported by Schwartz, Dockery, and Neas¹ were essentially replicated.     

Is daily mortality associated specifically with fine particles? Data reconstruction and replication of analyses

In 1996, Schwartz, Dockery, and Neas reported that daily mortality was more strongly associated with concentrations of PM2.5 than with concentrations of larger particles (coarse mass [CM]) in six U.S. cities ("original paper"/"original analyses"). Because of the public policy implications of the findings and the uniqueness of the concentration data, we undertook a reanalysis of these results. This paper presents results of the reconstruction of these data and replication of the original analyses using the reconstructed data. The original investigators provided particulate air pollution data for this paper. Daily weather and daily counts of total and cause-specific deaths were reconstructed from original public records. The reconstructed particulate air pollution and weather data were consistent with the summaries presented in the original paper. Daily counts of deaths in the reconstructed data set were lower than in the original paper because of restrictions on residence and place of death. The reconstruction process identified an administrative change in county codes that led to higher numbers of deaths in St. Louis. Despite these differences in daily counts of deaths, the estimated effects of particulate air pollution from the reconstructed dataset, using analytic methods as described in the original paper, produced combined effect estimates essentially equivalent to the originally published results. For example, the estimated association of a 10 micrograms/m3 increase in 2-day mean particulate air pollution on total mortality was 1.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9-1.7%, t = 6.53) for PM2.5 based on the reconstructed dataset, compared to the originally reported association of 1.5% (95% CI 1.1-1.9%, t = 7.41). For coarse particles, the estimated association from the reconstructed dataset was 0.4% (95% CI -0.2-0.9%, t = 1.43) compared to the originally reported association of 0.4% (95% CI -0.1-1.0%, t = 1.48). These results from the reconstructed data suggest that the original results reported by Schwartz, Dockery, and Neas were essentially replicated.     

Socio-economic driving forces of land-use change in Kunshan, the Yangtze River Delta economic area of China

This paper analyzes characteristics, major driving forces and alternative management measures of land-use change in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, China. The study used remote sensing (RS) maps and socio-economic data. Based on RS-derived maps, two change matrices were constructed for detecting land-use change between 1987 and 1994, and between 1994 and 2000 through pixel-to-pixel comparisons. The outcomes indicated that paddy fields, dryland, and forested land moderately decreased by 8.2%, 29% and 2.6% from 1987 to 1994, and by 4.1%, 7.6% and 8% from 1994 to 2000, respectively. In contrast, the following increased greatly from 1987 to 1994: artificial ponds by 48%, urban settlements by 87.6%, rural settlements by 41.1%, and construction land by 511.8%. From 1994 to 2000, these land covers increased by 3.6%, 28.1%, 23.4% and 47.1%, respectively. For the whole area, fragmentation of land cover was very significant. In addition, socio-economic data were used to analyze major driving forces triggering land-use change through bivariate analysis. The results indicated that industrialization, urbanization, population growth, and China's economic reform measures are four major driving forces contributing to land-use change in Kunshan. Finally, we introduced some possible management measures such as urban growth boundary (UGB) and incentive-based policies. We pointed out that, given the rapidity of the observed changes, it is critical that additional studies be undertaken to evaluate these suggested policies, focusing on what their effects might be in this region, and how these might be implemented.