Cumulative and Residual Effects of Repeated Sewage Sludge Applications: Forage Productivity and Soil Quality Implications in South Florida,USA (9 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope The cow-calf (Bos taurus) industry in subtropical United States and other parts of the world depends almost totally on grazed pastures. Establishment of complete, uniform stand of bahiagrass (BG) in a short time period is important economically. Failure to obtain a good BG stand early means increased encroachment of weeds and the loss of not only the initial investment costs, but production and its cash value. Forage production often requires significant inputs of lime, N fertilizer, and less frequently of P and K fertilizers. Domestic sewage sludge or biosolids, composted urban plant debris, waste lime, phosphogypsum, and dredged materials are examples of materials that can be used for fertilizing and liming pastures. Perennial grass can be a good choice for repeated applications of sewage sludge. Although sewage sludge supply some essential plant nutrients and provide soil property-enhancing organic matter, land-application programs still generate some concerns because of possible health and environmental risks involved. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cumulative and residual effects of repeated applications of sewage sludge on (i) bahiagrass (BG, Paspalum notatum Flügge) production over years with (1997–2000) and without (2001–2002) sewage sludge applications during a 5-yr period, and (ii) on nutrients status of soil that received annual application of sewage sludge from 1997 to 2000 compared with test values of soils in 2002 (with no sewage sludge application) in South Florida.Methods The field experiment was conducted at the University of Florida Agricultural Research and Education Center, Ona, FL (27o26’N, 82o55’W) on a Pomona fine sandy soil. With the exception of the control, BG plots received annual sewage sludge and chemical fertilizers applications to supply 90 or 180 kg total N ha–1 yr–1 from 1997 to 2000. Land application of sewage sludge and fertilizer ceased in 2001 season. In early April 1998, 1999, and 2000, plots were mowed to 5-cm stubble and treated with the respective N source amendments. The experimental design was three randomized complete blocks with nine N-source treatments: ammonium nitrate (AMN), slurry biosolids of pH 7 (SBS7), slurry biosolids of pH 11 (SBS11), lime-stabilized cake biosolids (CBS), each applied to supply 90 or 180 kg N ha–1, and a nonfertilized control (Control). Application rates of sewage sludge were calculated based on the concentration of total solids in materials as determined by the American Public Health Association SM 2540G method and N in solids. The actual amount of sewage sludge applications was based on the amount required to supply 90 and 180 kg N ha–1. Sewage sludge materials were weighed in buckets and uniformly applied to respective BG plots. Soil samples were collected in June 1997, June 1999, and in June 2002 from 27 treatment plots. In 1997 and 1999, soil samples were collected using a steel bucket type auger from the 0- to 20-, 20- to 40-, 40- to 60-, and 60- to 100-cm soil depths. Forage was harvested on 139, 203, 257, and 307 day of year (DOY) in 1998; 125, 202, 257, and 286 DOY in 1999; 179, 209, 270, and 301 DOY in 2000; and on 156 and 230 DOY in 2002 (no sewage sludge applications) to determine the residual effect of applied sewage sludge following repeated application. Forage yield and soils data were analyzed using analysis of variance (PROC ANOVA) procedures with year and treatment as the main plot and sub-plot, respectively. As a result of significant year effects on forage yield, data were reanalyzed annually (i.e., 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002).Results and Discussion All sewage sludges used in this study were of class B in terms of USEPA’s pathogens and pollutant concentration limit. Pathogen and chemical composition of the class B sewage sludge that were used in the study were all in compliance with the USEPA guidelines. The liquid sludge (SBS11) had the lowest fecal coliform counts (0.2 x 106 CFU kg–1) while the cake sewage sludge (CBS) had the greatest coliform counts of 178 x 106 CFU kg–1. The fecal coliform counts for SBS7 was about 33 x 106 CFU kg–1. Average soil test values in June 2002 exhibited: i) decrease in TIN (NO3-N + NH4-N), TP, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Fe; and ii) slight increase in Zn and Cu when compared with the June 1997 soil test results. The overall decrease in soil test values in 2002 might be associated with nutrient cycling and plant consumption. Although the average BG forage yield in 2002 (2.3 ± 0.7 Mg ha–1) was slightly lower than in 2000 (3.5 ± 1.2 Mg ha–1), yield differences in 2002 between the control (1.2 + 0.2 Mg ha–1) and treated plots (2.3 ± 0.5 Mg ha–1 to 3.3 ± 0.6 Mg ha–1) were indicative of a positive residual effect of applied sewage sludge. This study has shown that excessive build up of plant nutrients may not occur in beef cattle pastures that repeatedly received sewage sludge while favoring long-term increased forage yield of BG. All sources of N (sewage sludge and AMN) gave better forage production than the unfertilized control during years with sewage sludge application (1997–2000) and also during years with no sewage sludge application (2001–2002). The favorable residual effects of applied sewage sludge in 2002 may have had received additional boost from the amount of rainfall in the area.Conclusions Repeated applications of sewage sludge indicate no harmful effects on soil quality and forage quality. Our results support our hypothesis that repeated land application of sewage sludge to supply 90 and 180 kg N ha–1 would not increase soil sorption for nutrients and trace metals. Results have indicated that the concentrations of soil TIN and TP declined by almost 50% in plots with different nitrogen sources from June 1997 to June 2002 suggesting that enrichment of nitrogen and phosphorus is insignificant. The concentrations of soil nitrogen and phosphorus in 2002 following repeated application of sewage sludge were far below the contamination risk in the environment. The residual effect of these sewage sludge over the long term can be especially significant in many areas of Florida where only 50% of the 1 million ha of BG pastures are given inorganic nitrogen yearly.Recommendation and Outlook Successive land application of sewage sludge for at least three years followed by no sewage sludge application for at least two years may well be a good practice economically because it will boost and/or maintain sustainable forage productivity and at the same time minimize probable accumulation of nutrients, especially trace metals. Consecutive applications of sewage sludge may result in build up of some trace metals in some other states with initial high metallic content, but in this study, no detrimental effects on soil chemical properties were detected. The possibilities for economically sound application strategies are encouraging, but more and additional research is required to find optimal timing and rates that minimizes negative impacts on soil quality in particular or the environment in general. For proper utilization of sewage sludge, knowledge of the sewage sludges’ composition, the crop receiving it, are absolutely crucial, so that satisfactory types and rates are applied in an environmentally safe manner. There is still much to be learned from this study and this investigation needs to continue to determine whether the agricultural and ecological objectives are satisfied over the longer term.     

废水中难降解性有机污染物的共代谢降解

微生物共代谢是污水中难降解性有机物生物降解的重要方式 ,关键酶的诱导、生长基质与目标污染物之间的竞争抑制、目标污染物及其降解产物对微生物的毒性反应是影响共代谢反应的关键因素。选择合适的生长基质、优化反应条件可以提高微生物共代谢在实际污水处理及地下水污染修复中的应用效果     

处理生活污水的植物品种的筛选

以小型碎石床人工湿地生态系统和无土栽培2种方法,模拟研究了广东园林绿化中常用的27种植物对生活污水中氮、磷、COD的降解能力,表明野芋头、花叶万年青、象草、姜花、绿公主、富贵竹、再力花、大花叶万年青、芦苇、花芦苇、美人蕉、文殊兰、水芋头、风车草、红草、蜘蛛兰、千手观音、水葱和花蝴蝶等18种植物,可以作为人工湿地生态系统选种植物,从而扩大了可选植物品种范围,配合适当,可达到美化环境和净化污水2种功能,可适用于面源性水污染的治理.象草的研究表明,它是一种既有强污水降解能力又能作饲料的品种,适用于畜牧场的水污染治理.     

等离子体与光催化复合技术净化污水处理泵站臭气

用一种等离子体-光催化复合技术净化污水处理泵站臭气，研究表明该复合技术具有较显著的协同促进效应，通过改变等离子体发生单元与光催化单元的距离以及在两者之间放置去静电网，可消除等离子体单元产生的负电荷对光催化单元的不利影响，进一步提高其复合效应。同时还对这一复合技术产生协同效应的机理进行了分析，并在污水处理泵站实地考查了这种复合技术对臭气的净化效果。该技术对臭气中NH3的降解率可达46．1％，对H2S的降解率可达67．3％。     

Poland’s environment - past,present and future state of the environment in the vistula and odra river basins

In the middle of the last century in the case of many river basins, it became obvious that the targets of the Helsinki-Commission (HELCOM) concerning a 50% reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the Baltic Sea had not been reached. Such conclusions could be derived from the observed loads. But the measurements regarding the analysis were not sufficient to determine what the reasons for this report were, what has to be done to fulfil this agreement and to evaluate the time at which the targets can be reached. This contribution presents the current state of Polish surface water quality as well as results of modelling nutrient and heavy metal emissions into the two biggest Polish river basins: Vistula and Odra, which both cover approximately 90% of Poland's territory.     

Integrating models to predict regional haze from wildland fire

Visibility impairment from regional haze is a significant problem throughout the continental United States. A substantial portion of regional haze is produced by smoke from prescribed and wildland fires. Here we describe the integration of four simulation models, an array of GIS raster layers, and a set of algorithms for fire-danger calculations into a modeling framework for simulating regional-scale smoke dispersion. We focus on a representative fire season (2003) in the northwestern USA, on a 12 km domain, and track the simulated dispersion and concentration of PM_2.5 over the course of the season. Simulated visibility reductions over national parks and wilderness areas are within the ranges of measured values at selected monitoring sites, although the magnitudes of peak events are underestimated because these include inputs other than fire. By linking the spatial and temporal patterns of haze-producing emissions to climatic variability, particularly synoptic weather patterns, and the stochastic nature of fire occurrence across the region, we can provide a robust method for estimating the quantity and distribution of fire-caused regional haze under climate-warming scenarios.     

菰和菖蒲在污水中的生长特性及其净化效果比较

通过漂浮栽植菰(Zizania latifolia)和菖蒲(Acoruscalamus),研究了它们在低、中、高3种浓度污水中的生长特性及其对这3种浓度污水的净化效果.结果表明,菰和菖蒲均在中浓度污水中生长最好.菰在中浓度污水中的生物量显著高于低浓度和高浓度中;菖蒲在中浓度污水中的生物量略高于低浓度和高浓度中,但差异不显著.菰对中浓度污水中TN、NH3-N、TP和CODCr的去除率分别为97.4%、95.3%、98.5%和71.4%,对高浓度污水中TN、NH3-N、TP和CODCr的去除率分别为96.4%、97.7%、88.2%和76.1%,净化效果均显著高于低浓度中.菰可作为中、高浓度污水的净化植物.菖蒲净化中浓度污水的效果最好,对TN、NH3-N、TP和CODCr的去除率分别为97.5%、94.1%、98.5%和72.7%;对高浓度污水中的NH3-N和CODCr去除效果也较好,去除率分别为97.8%和86.7%,但对TN和TP的去除率分别为89.5%和70.9%,显著低于对低浓度和中浓度污水中TN和TP的去除率.图1表4参13     

不同结构生态滤池处理城镇污水研究

研究了不同结构生态滤池处理城镇污水的效果。复合床生态滤池采用初沉池出水作为进水，用中颗粒填料和粗颗粒填料作为惰性填料层，在不同水力负荷下(HLR)，CODCr、NH4^ -N去除率分别达74％-85％、30％-90％，出水浊度低。出水中NH4^ -N质量浓度下降，NO3^ -N质量浓度显著增加。氮的转化受HLR影响较大。中颗粒填料较粗颗粒填料的处理效果好，惰性层在硝化方面起着重要作用。进出水中碱度差与硝酸根质量浓度差、氨氮质量浓度差均呈显著相关性。介绍了生态滤池内的物质流、食物链及生态滤池的工作原理。