Biosolids contain nutrients, organic matters and micro-organisms that can provide soil benefits. In this study toluene and naphthalene-contaminated soils were used to investigate the effect of applying biosolids on the enhancement of the biodegradation rate. The oxygen uptake rate (OUR) was determined with a respirometer and was used to calculate the oxygen uptake percentage of substrate in bio...

The occurrence of the antimicrobials triclocarban (TCC) and triclosan (TCS) was investigated in agricultural soils following land application of biosolids using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) with negative ion multimode ionization. The method detection limits were 0.58 ng TCC/g soil, 3.08 ng TCC/g biosolids, 0.05 ng TCS/g soil and 0.11 ng TCS/g biosolids and the avera...

Increasing antibiotic resistance genes in the environment may pose a threat to public health. In this study, tetracycline and sulfonamide resistance genes (Tet-W, Tet-O, and Sul-I) were quantified in 24 manure samples from three farms and 18 biosolids samples from seven different wastewater treatment plants using quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods. Concentrations of Tet-W and Tet-O ...

Biosolids from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have a high content of nutrients and organic matter and are used as a land fertilizer constituent. However, biosolids can contain many toxic chemicals, including heavy metals and synthetic organic chemicals. Thus, land application of biosolids may introduce these toxicants to water resources through runoff or soil leachate. The objective of thi...

Treated biosolids have been applied to 750-ha of a Pinus radiata forest plantation on Rabbit Island near Nelson City in New Zealand since 1996. A long-term research trial was established in 1997 to investigate the effects of the biosolids applications on the receiving environment and tree growth. An analysis of the likely economic impact of biosolids application shows that biosolids application...

The term, biosolids, is generally used to refer to those waste products that have been stabilized by treatment of the sewage sludge for beneficial reuse through appropriate management (Davis, 2002). The agronomic and environmental benefits from the organic material and fertilizing elements contained in the biosolids are essential for maintaining soil fertility. This has been a major reason for ...

Four alkaline biosolids were produced from sewage sludge using lime, lime/sodium silicate, cement and cement/sodium silicate. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), single chemical extraction and sequential extraction were used to determine the characteristics of alkaline biosolids and untreated sewage sludge. The results of extr...

Australia is a large exporter of agricultural products, with producers responsible for a range of quality assurance programs to ensure that food crops are free from various contaminants of detriment to human health. Large volumes of treated sewage sludge (biosolids), although low by world standards, are increasingly being recycled to land, primarily to replace plant nutrients and to improve soi...

Huge amounts of waste biosolids are produced from biological processes as waste water treatment, agriculture and food production. The volatile compounds could be utilised as a source for renewable energy in anaerobic processes. However, the anaerobic degradation is slow so that large fermenters are necessary. By ultrasonic disintegration the rate limiting hydrolysis of volatile solids is substi...

Bimlids ampstmg wntinues to be one of the more popular methods of biosolids management utilized in North America. According to the most recent BioCycle survey (Goldstein, 1995), 228 biosolids composting facilities were operational by the end of 1995 in the United States. The aerated static pile is still the most popular biosolids technology used with 101 facdities or 44% of the total being that...