The science linking processed sewage sludge (biosolids) land application with human health has improved in the last ten years. The goal of this review is to develop a consensus view on the human health impacts associated with land-applying biosolids. Pre-existing risk studies are integrated with recent advances in biosolids pathogen exposure science and risk analysis. Other than accidental dire...

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants have become distributed ubiquitously in the environment. High concentrations have been reported in U.S. sewage sludge (biosolids). The burgeoning practice of land-applying biosolids as fertilizer creates an avenue for reintroduction of PBDEs to surface waters and aquatic sediments. Bioavailability of biosolids- and sediment-associated PBDEs ...

AIM To evaluate the effect of long-term annual land applications of Class B biosolids on soil bacterial diversity at University of Arizona Marana Agricultural Field Center, Tucson, Arizona. METHODS AND RESULTS Following the final of 20 consecutive years of application of Class B biosolids in March 2005, followed by cotton growth from April to November 2005 surface soil samples (0-30 cm) were ...

Reuse of sewage biosolids in Victoria, Australia, typically involves mesophilic anaerobic digestion followed by air-drying and long-term storage to ensure removal of ova of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) such as Ascaris lumbricoides. Long-term storage degrades the biosolids' agronomic quality due to the loss of key plant nutrients and takes up large areas of storage space. The impact of varyi...

Many pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are commonly found in biosolids and effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Land application of these biosolids and the reclamation of treated wastewater can transfer those PPCPs into the terrestrial and aquatic environments, giving rise to potential accumulation in plants. In this work, a greenhouse experiment was used to study the up...

recently, the use of biological absorbent in removal of hazardous pollutants such as heavy metals has increased because of the decrease in sludge problems, economical issues, high efficiency and compatibility with the environment. this study was done over the biosorption of nickel by biosolids obtained from the municipal wastewater treatment in a batch reactor. the pretreatment of the biosolids...

The potential for biosolids products to reduce Pb availability in soil was tested on a high Pb urban soil with biosolids from a treatment plant that used different processing technologies. High Fe biosolids compost and high Fe + lime biosolids compost from other treatment plants were also tested. Amendments were added to a Pb-contaminated soil (2000 mg kg(-1) Pb) at 100 g kg(-1) soil and incuba...

Deep-row application of biosolids on reclamation sites is a unique alternative method of land application that solves many of the problems associated with surface application techniques. When combined with the growth of nitrogen-demanding hybrid poplar trees, it provides a natural recycling system that utilizes nutrients on-site, produces forest products and wildlife habitat, and reduces erosio...

Biomass and contaminant accumulation and partitioning in plants determine the harvest stage for optimum contaminant uptake during phytoremediation of municipal biosolids. This wetland microcosm bioassay characterized accumulation and partitioning of biomass, nutrients (N and P), and trace elements (Zn, Cu, Cr, and Cd) in cattail (Typha latifolia L.) in a growth room. Four cattail seedlings were...

Introduction The need to dispose of human-generated waste streams is growing in line with the expansion of urban population centers. This is particularly true for the byproducts of wastewater treatment. According to the US EPA, there are over 7 million dry tons of biosolids (stabilized sewage sludge) produced per year in the US. In 2004, 49% of biosolids were beneficially used—primarily for agr...