Land Application of Biosolids in the USA: A Review

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Abstract

Land application of biosolids has proven a cost-effective method of waste disposal by beneficially recycling organic matter and nutrients and improving soil quality; however, it may also pose potential threat to the environment and human health. The purpose of this paper is to provide information on recent research progresses and regulation efforts regarding land application of biosolids, including forms and types and nutrient values of biosolids, environmental and health concerns, and related best management practices (BMPs) of biosolids application, with emphasis on its land application in agriculture. More research and regulations are expected to minimize potential risks of biosolids land application, especially its long-term impacts.

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Application of WWTP biosolids and resulting perfluorinated compound contamination of surface and well water in Decatur, Alabama, USA.

Andrew B Lindstrom, Mark J. Strynar, Amy D Delinsky … (2011)

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have been produced and used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products for many decades. Their resistance to degradation has led to their widespread distribution in the environment, but little is known about how humans become exposed. Recent studies have demonstrated that the application of PFC contaminated biosolids can have important effects on local environments, ultimately leading to demonstrable human exposures. This manuscript describes a situation in Decatur, Alabama where PFC contaminated biosolids from a local municipal wastewater treatment facility that had received waste from local fluorochemical facilities were used as a soil amendment in local agricultural fields for as many as twelve years. Ten target PFCs were measured in surface and groundwater samples. Results show that surface and well water in the vicinity of these fields had elevated PFC concentrations, with 22% of the samples exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Provisional Health Advisory level for PFOA in drinking water of 400 ng/L. Water/soil concentration ratios as high as 0.34 for perfluorohexanoic acid, 0.17 for perfluoroheptanoic acid, and 0.04 for PFOA verify decreasing mobility from soils with increasing chain length while indicating that relatively high transport from soils to surface and well water is possible.

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Long-term effects of metals in sewage sludge on soils, microorganisms and plants.

S. McGrath, A M Chaudri, K E Giller (1995)

This paper reviews the evidence for impacts of metals on the growth of selected plants and on the effects of metals on soil microbial activity and soil fertility in the long-term. Less is known about adverse long-term effects of metals on soil microorganisms than on crop yields and metal uptake. This is not surprising, since the effects of metals added to soils in sewage sludge are difficult to assess, and few long-term experiments exist. Controlled field experiments with sewage sludges exist in the UK, Sweden, Germany and the USA and the data presented here are from these long-term field experiments only. Microbial activity and populations of cyanobacteria, Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii, mycorrhizae and the total microbial biomass have been adversely affected by metal concentrations which, in some cases, are below the European Community's maximum allowable concentration limits for metals in sludge-treated soils. For example, N2-fixation by free living heterotrophic bacteria was found to be inhibited at soil metal concentrations of (mg kg-1): 127 Zn, 37 Cu, 21 Ni, 3.4 Cd, 52 Cr and 71 Pb. N2-fixation by free-living cyanobacteria was reduced by 50% at metal concentrations of (mg kg-1): 114 Zn, 33 Cu, 17 Ni, 2.9 Cd, 80 Cr and 40 Pb. Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii numbers decreased by several orders of magnitude at soil metal concentrations of (mg kg-1): 130-200 Zn, 27-48 Cu, 11-15 Ni, and 0.8-1.0 Cd. Soil texture and pH were found to influence the concentrations at which toxicity occurred to both microorganisms and plants. Higher pH, and increased contents of clay and organic carbon reduced metal toxicity considerably. The evidence suggests that adverse effects on soil microbial parameters were generally found at surprizingly modest concentrations of metals in soils. It is concluded that prevention of adverse effects on soil microbial processes and ultimately soil fertility, should be a factor which influences soil protection legislation.