Uptake of metals by food plants grown on soils 10 years after biosolids application

Potentially hazardous trace elements such as Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni and Zn are expected to accumulate in biosolids–amended soil and remain in the soil for a long period of time. In this research, uptake of metals by food plants including cabbage, carrot, lettuce and tomato grown on soils 10 years after biosolids application was studied. All the five metals were significantly accumulated in the biosolids-amended soils. The accumulation of metal in soil did not result in significant increase in concentrations of Cu, Cr and Ni in the edible plant tissues. However, the Cd and Zn concentrations of the edible tissues of plants harvested from the biosolids receiving soils were significantly enhanced in comparison with those of the unaffected soils. The plant uptake under Greenfield sandy loam soil was generally higher than those under the Domino clayey loam soil. The metal concentration of edible plant tissue exhibited increasing trends with respect to the concentrations of the ambulated metals. The extents of the increases were plant species dependent. The indigenous soil metals were absorbed by the plants in much higher rates than those of the biosolids–receiving soils. It appeared that the plant uptake of the indigenous soil-borne metal and the added biosolids-borne metals are independent of one another and mathematically are additive.     

Management challenges of urban biosolids: narratives around facility siting in rural Ontario

The emerging challenge of managing increasing volumes of urban sewage has resulted in municipalities pursuing sustainable ways to manage urban biosolids and their by-products. Using content analysis of public debates, and situating the debate within science, policy and facility siting literature, this study examines claims and counterclaims relating to the siting of a biosolid processing facility in rural Ontario. The equivocal evidence on the health and environmental effects of biosolids resulted in a heated “expert versus lay” debate. The study critically evaluates the importance of trust and the shifting role of scientific evidence in politicised settings, while making relevant policy recommendations.     

SELECTED NUTRIENTS AND HEAVY METALS IN SEWAGE SLUDGE FROM NEW JERSEY POTWs1

ABSTRACT: In order to determine appropriate application rates and to ensure low pollutant levels in sewage sludge, knowing the chemical composition of sewage sludge is of great importance in a land application program. The objective of this study is to evaluate the variability of selected chemical characteristics of sewage sludge from New Jersey publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Measurements of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), NH₄⁺‐N, P, K⁺, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn reported by 98 facilities in the 1996 and 1997 New Jersey Sludge Quality Assurance Regulations (SQAR) reports were statistically analyzed. Sewage sludge from Category 5 POTWs (greater than 10 percent industrial input) showed higher Cd, Cu, and Pb concentrations than Category 3 and Category 4 facilities (less than 10 percent industrial input). Even though only two years of data were analyzed, there was an indication that Cd and Pb concentrations in sewage sludge are decreasing with time. The yearly mean of only a few facilities exceeded the federal pollution concentration limits (40 CFR Part 503, Table 3). Phosphorus and Cd values showed the highest variability within facilities based on the coefficient of variation. Due to the variability of sewage sludge constituents, the use of the yearly rolling mean of nutrient concentrations to determine application rates was considered inadequate. An actual analysis of the sewage sludge to be applied is more appropriate to determine application rates than historical data.     

污水处理厂污泥处理系统集成

概述了污泥处理系统的单元操作方案,对污泥处理单元操作进行了系统集成模型的研究。结合各方案之间的匹配关系,针对环境影响、投资、占地面积、运行维护费用等方面的实际限制因素,建立了系统的工艺集成和优化选择模型;对污泥处理系统的装备集成和信息集成进行了阐述;对系统工艺集成优化模型进行了应用示范。     

酸化预处理对剩余活性污泥厌氧消化及其脱水性能的影响研究

剩余活性污泥在厌氧消化系统中难以降解,而研究发现预处理能加速其水解的过程。本文研究了盐酸酸化预处理(pH为6～1)对剩余活性污泥后续消化及脱水性能的影响。综合考虑盐酸的投加量和污泥消化性能的改善情况得出最佳工艺参数:酸化至pH为2时,综合效果最佳。此时污泥消化13天的沼气产量相当于未经酸化处理污泥消化21天的沼气产量。在半连续流消化反应试验(35℃,水力停留时间为12天)中,预处理后的污泥产甲烷量较未经预处理的污泥提高了14.3%,同时沙门氏菌全部灭活。脱水实验研究发现,酸化预处理能节约后续污泥脱水过程中40%的阳离子絮凝剂投加量以达到同样的泥饼含固率。     

反应温度对自热式高温好氧消化(ATAD)中试系统运行的影响

城市污水污泥是城市污水处理厂的副产物,需要稳定化处理。本试验设计了由2个圆罐串联的自热式高温好氧消化中试系统处理城市污水污泥。通过批式试验探讨反应器温度对污泥稳定化处理效果的影响,以及影响反应器自升温的因素。试验发现①反应温度对挥发性的有机物的去除有显著影响,反应温度越高,VSS去除率越高。②影响反应温度的主要因素有进泥浓度、消化时间和曝气量。当进泥的VSS浓度为37.2g/L时,ATAD反应器最高温度可到49℃,只需14～17d的消化时间VSS的去除率可达到41.7%,污泥能达到稳定化。     

Select chemical and engineering properties of wastewater biosolids

The select chemical and engineering characteristics of biosolids produced at a wastewater treatment plant in Eastern Australia were investigated to assess its suitability as structural fill material in road embankments. Results of comprehensive set of geotechnical experimentation including compaction, consolidation, creep, hydraulic conductivity and shear strength tests implied that biosolids demonstrate behavior similar to highly organic clays with a higher potential for consolidation and settlement. Results of chemical study including heavy metals, dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (and derivatives) and organochlorine pesticides, indicate that biosolids samples are within the acceptable limits which allows their usage under certain guidelines. Results of tests on pathogens (bacteria, viruses or parasites) also indicated that biosolids were within the safe acceptable limits. Technical and management suggestions have been provided to minimize the possible environmental risks of using biosolids in road embankment fills.     

Evaluation of ground water denitrification at a biosolids disposal site

A study was conducted at a sanitary sewage sludge(biosolids) disposal site in Springfield, Illinois, U.S.A. todetermine if biological denitrification played a significantfactor in attenuation of ground water nitrate values. The siteselected for this study is a 23 ha (57 acre) dedicatedbiosolids disposal facility located adjacent to a 75.7 millionliter per day (20 million gallons per day) municipal treatmentplant that uses anaerobic solids stabilization for treatment ofgenerated biosolids material. Biosolids have been disposed of byfixed-point spray applicators at the site since 1976, which hascaused ground water nitrate levels to increase significantlyabove background levels. A method was developed using aconservative chemical tracer to simulate the biosolidsapplication process and monitor the ground water directly beneaththe simulated disposal site. Results demonstrated a net declineof nitrates that could not be attributed to dilution alone.While the monitoring methodology developed for this study didnot directly estimate the denitrification rate, a rate foroverall nitrate reduction was calculated that could be consideredto take into account all transport and reduction mechanisms suchas denitrification, advection, dispersion and dilution.     

Ascorbic acid, β-carotene,sugars, phenols,and heavy metals in sweet potatoes grown in soil fertilized with municipal sewage sludge

Municipal sewage sludge (MSS) used for land farming typically contains heavy metals that might impact crop quality and human health. A completely randomized experimental design with three treatments (six replicates each) was used to monitor the impact of mixing native soil with MSS or yard waste (YW) mixed with MSS (YW +MSS) on: i) sweet potato yield and quality; ii) concentration of seven heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Mo, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Ni) in sweet potato plant parts (edible roots, leaves, stem, and feeder roots); and iii) concentrations of ascorbic acid, total phenols, free sugars, and β-carotene in sweet potato edible roots at harvest. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for total and extractable metals using two extraction procedures, concentrated nitric acid (to extract total metals from soil) as well as CaCl₂ solution (to extract soluble metals in soil that are available to plants), respectively. Elemental analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Overall, plant available metals were greater in soils amended with MSS compared to control plots. Concentration of Pb was greater in YW than MSS amendments. Total concentrations of Pb, Ni, and Cr were greater in plants grown in MSS+YW treatments compared to control plants. MSS+YW treatments increased sweet potato yield, ascorbic acid, soluble sugars, and phenols in edible roots by 53, 28, 27, and 48%, respectively compared to plants grown in native soil. B-carotene concentration (157.5 μg g^?1 fresh weight) was greater in the roots of plants grown in MSS compared to roots of plants grown in MSS+YW treatments (99.9 μg g^?1 fresh weight). Concentration of heavy metals in MSS-amended soil and in sweet potato roots were below their respective permissible limits.     

Dissipation of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Biosolids Applied to Nonirrigated Farmland in Eastern Colorado

In 2007, a 1.5‐year field‐scale study was initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey to evaluate the dissipation of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) following a first agronomic biosolids application to nonirrigated farmland. CECs with the greatest decrease in concentration in the surface biosolids at 180 days post‐application included indole, d‐limonene, p‐cresol, phenol, and skatol. CECs that were present in the largest concentration in 180‐day‐weathered biosolids included stanols, nonylphenols, bisphenol A, bis(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate, hexahydrohexamethyl cyclopenta‐benzopyran (HHCB), and triclosan. CECs that were detected in pre‐application soil were 3‐beta coprostanol, skatol, acetophenone, beta‐sitosterol, beta‐stigmastanol, cholesterol, indole, p‐cresol, and phenol, most of which are biogenic sterols or fragrances that have natural plant sources in addition to anthropogenic sources, yet their concentrations increased (in some cases, substantially) following biosolids application. Preliminary data indicate the nonylphenols (including NPEO1, NPEO2), OPEO1, benzo[a]pyrene, diethyl phthalate, d‐limonene, HHCB, triclosan, and possibly 3‐beta coprostanol, skatol, beta‐sitosterol, cholesterol, indole, and p‐cresol, migrated downward through the soil by 468 days post‐application, but indicated little uptake by mature wheat plants. This study indicates that some CECs are sufficiently persistent and mobile to be vertically transported into the soil column following biosolids applications to the land surface, even in semiarid regions.