Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are one class of flame retardants commonly used in textiles, foams and plastics. They are similar in behavior to the well-studied polychlorinated biphenyls and growing evidence suggests they are widespread global environmental pollutants that are capable of bioaccumulation. Fish tissue samples were collected from sites along the Penobscot River in central ...

The authors studied the health status of residents living in Wood County, OH, near farm fields that were permitted to receive biosolids. They mailed a health survey to 607 households and received completed surveys from 437 people exposed to biosolids (living on or within 1 mile of the fields where application was permitted) and from 176 people not exposed to biosolids (living more than 1 mile f...

Biosolids, materials resulting from domestic sewage treatment, are surface applied to forest soils to increase nutrient availability. Retaining streamside management zones (SMZs) can limit nutrient pollution of streams. We delineated 15 m SMZs along three intermittent streams in an 18-year-old Pinus taeda L. plantation. We applied biosolids outside the SMZ on one side of each of the streams mai...

A pilot study was conducted to compare odor emissions from a windrow process and an aerated static pile and to determine the odor reduction efficiency of a pilot two-phase biofilter for odor control of biosolids composting. Chemical compounds identified as responsible for odors from biosolids composting include ammonia, dimethyl disulfide, carbon disulfide, formic acid, acetic acid, and sulfur ...

The conditioning of biosolids is a growing issue due to extremely large increases in production of this waste, escalating disposal costs and inefficient use of produced methane. One approach to improve biosolids utilization is treating waste activated sludge (WAS) before anaerobic digestion to enhance digestion, increase methane production and lower biosolids production. Cavitation is the dynam...

The current approach to addressing health and ecosystem risks from biosolids, or sludge, requires identification of so-called "safe" or "acceptable" levels of exposure and installation of controls to achieve such levels. This end-of-the pipe approach is inconsistent with the public health concept of primary prevention. Following an overview of the limitations in current approaches to understand...

Co-combustion of biosolids with coal or other biomass fuel can play a significant role in combustion facilities for energy production and waste management policy context. This paper presents the results of an experimental study to investigate the use of biosolids for co-combustion with wood pellets in a wood pellet stove. Fuel property, gas emissions and stove efficiency are compared. In regard...

We tested the efTect oC the addition oC biosolids combined with a native rnycorrhizal inoculum (Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi [AMF]) 00 growth oC a native Australian grass, and 00 trace element stabilization oC sulphidic gold mine tailings. A glasshouse trial was established 00 four substrates: tailings (T); tailings with a layer oC 5 cm topsoil (TS); tailings amended with 100 dry t ha-1 biosoli...

Biosolids contain a wide variety of organic contaminants that are known for their ability to inhibit PCR. During sample processing, these contaminants are coconcentrated with microorganisms. Elevated concentrations of these compounds in concentrates render samples unsuitable for molecular applications. Glycine-based elution and recovery methods have been shown to generate samples with fewer PCR...

Confined food-animal operations in the United States produce more than 40 times the amount of waste than human biosolids generated from US wastewater treatment plants. Unlike biosolids, which must meet regulatory standards for pathogen levels, vector attraction reduction and metal content, no treatment is required of waste from animal agriculture. This omission is of concern based on dramatic c...