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Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are receptors for the cumulative loading of microplastics (MPs) derived from industry, landfill, domestic waste water and storm water. The partitioning of MPs through the settlement processes of waste water treatment results in the majority becoming entrained in the sewage sludge. This study characterised MPs in sludge samples from seven WWTPs in Ireland, which use anaerobic digestion (AD), thermal drying (TD), or lime stabilisation (LS) treatment processes. Abundances ranged from 4,196 to 15,385 particles kg-1 (dry weight). Results of a general linear mixed model (GLMM) showed significantly higher abundances of MPs in smaller size classes in the LS samples, suggesting that the treatment process of LS shear MP particles. In contrast, lower abundances of MPs found in the AD samples suggest that this process may reduce MP abundances. Surface morphologies examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed characteristics of melting and blistering of TD MPs and shredding and flaking of LS MPs. This study highlights the potential for sewage sludge treatment processes to affect the risk of MP pollution prior to land spreading and may have implications for legislation governing the application of biosolids to agricultural land. We acknowledge the Environmental Protection Agency of Ireland for funding this research. peer-reviewed 2017-12-12

11 páginas.-- 2 tablas.-- 3 figuras.-- 61 referencias, A decontamination technique based in cyclodextrin extraction has been developed to eliminate nonylphenol (NP) and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; the US Environmental Protection Agency priority pollutants list) from sewage sludge. In a first step, PAHs and NP were characterised in six sludges to determine contamination levels according to limit values proposed by the European Union Sludge Directive draft. There were few variations in the total PAHs content with levels of 1.88 to 3.05 mg kg-1. Three-ring PAHs predominated, but fluoranthene and pyrene were also present. None of the sludge exceeded the PAHs limit proposed by the European Union's draft Directive. On the contrary, NP content in four of the six sludges was over the recommended limits of 50 mg kg-1 for NP ethoxylates. With the aim of obtaining NP values below the concentration limits proposed to use the sewage sludge as agricultural amendments, a preliminary study using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) extractions as a decontamination technique was carried out. About 90 % of NP content was removed with only one extraction with HPBCD, whereas after three sequential extractions using an aqueous solution without HPBCD, the NP extraction percentage was less than 1 %. Simultaneously, PAHs extraction percentages obtained with HPBCD were also much higher than when aqueous solution was used, especially in the case of two- and three-ring PAHs. Finally, the potential environmental hazard of HPBCD leachates to aquatic organisms (Daphnia magna) was tested. These results indicate that the treatment of sewage sludge with cyclodextrin could allow their safe use as fertiliser in agriculture. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg., Support from projects CTM2006-04626 and CTM2009-07335, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (cofunded by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional, FEDER), are greatly appreciated. M.A. Sánchez-Trujillo acknowledges a research contract from Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, JAEPre 0800763) cofinanced by Fondo Social Europeo (FSE).

Biomass is very important source for energy production in Latvia (1). Wood biomass - firewood, wood chips and pellets are the main part of biomass, because 54,7 % of the state area is covered by forests. Also other kinds of biomass are playing significant role in the heat and electricity production. Such kinds of biomass are various agricultural and food production residues, livestock breeding buy-products, sewage sludge, organic part of household and industrial wastes, etc. Approximately 1/3 of energy is used for household in Latvia. The significant part of energy is produced in local heating facilities. They by large part of greenhouse gases (GHG) are produced in household. In the same time gases from the municipal waste disposals are also significant source of GHG. The results of measurements and evaluation of GHG emissions from biomass burning in household boilers and municipal solid waste disposals are reported in the present work. The calculations of GHG emissions are conducted by using software and data from Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC).

8 pages, 3 figures, 4 tables., The suitability of olive mill wastewater (OMW) for composting was studied by the addition of this liquid waste to a mixture of cotton gin waste and sewage sludge, and its composting was compared with that of another pile of similar composition, but without olive mill wastewater. Both piles were composted by the Rutgers static pile system in a pilot plant. To study the effects of both composts on plant yield and soil properties, a plot experiment was carried out with Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla). Five treatments were applied: mineral fertiliser and two doses (30 and 60 tonnes ha−1) of both composts. The olive mill wastewater addition produced a compost with lower organic matter and nitrate concentrations, higher electrical conductivity, and a stabilised and humified organic matter similar to that of the compost produced without olive mill wastewater. The olive mill wastewater compost application to soil did not injure plants, producing a similar plant yield to both compost without olive mill wastewater and inorganic fertiliser. Also, the accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metals in plants cultivated with organic or mineral fertilisers did not reveal significant differences. The olive mill wastewater compost application to soil also improved the chemical and physicochemical properties of the soil., This research was carried out in the EU framework contract No. EVWA-CT 92-0006.

Management of sewage sludge via “publicly acceptable” methods is becoming increasingly difficult, primarily due to health and environmental concerns with respect to reuse of the product in agriculture. Consequently thermal processes are gaining popularity with significantly increased interest being shown in pyrolysis and gasification processes, due to their “non-incineration status”. One such process is the ENERSLUDGE™ technology which has been developed and commercialised by Environmental Solutions International Ltd (ESI). The world's first commercial ENERSLUDGE™ plant is located at the Subiaco Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) that was handed over to the client, the Water Corporation of Western Australia in June 2001. Extensive design knowledge and operational experience has now been accumulated from this commercial pyrolysis facility and future applications of the technology will benefit immensely from the lessons learned and experience gained from this facility.

Despite complaints of related illnesses, little is known about the dangers of spreading biosolids on land.

The issues of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal are becoming more complex as landfills close and environmental concerns increase. One alternative to continued landfilling or incineration is the development of MSW composting facilities. These facilities process raw waste into MSW compost, which can then be used for agricultural, revegetation, and landscaping purposes. However, if the MSW compost does not have suitable qualities, such as an optimum carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N), or if it contains high levels of heavy metal contaminants, its use for these purposes is questionable. This case considers a dilemma faced by a farmer in southern Minnesota in 1992 who used MSW compost as a soil amendment for his vegetable garden. Besides being associated with nutrient stress to his crop plants, the compost was suspected of containing heavy metals. The case permits students to examine issues associated with environmental contamination by MSW and to make decisions based on agricultural, environmental, economic, food safety, and ethical considerations. This case has been tested in junior and senior high school social studies and science classes, as well as in a univeristy undergraduate environmental science course. A majority (65%) of the high school students rated the case positively, while 75% of the university students evaluated it as good to excellent. S.R. Simmons, Dep. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, 411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Buford Circle, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108; C. Hassel, M. Reicks, and J. Schramm, Dep. of Food Science and Nutrition, Univ. of Minnesota; and A.H. Duin and E. Lammers, Dep. of Rhetoric, Univ. of Minnesota. Minnesota Agric. Exp. Stn. Journal Series paper no. 20 773. Received 1 Sept. 1993. 'Corresponding author (ssimmons@maroon.tc.umn.edu). Published in J. Nat. Resour. Life Sci. Educ. 23:103-108 (1994). U RECENTLY, landfills were widely regarded as the least expensive and easiest means for disposing of municipal solid waste (MSW). However, existing landfills are closing, and pollution concerns have made new landfill sites difficult to establish. Disposal into landfills is now much more expensive than a decade ago (Halbach, 1992), which makes consideration of alternative disposal strategies feasible. Production and use of MSW compost has received intermittent attention over the past 30 yr (Rosen et al., 1993). Municipal solid waste is defined as waste generated by domestic and industrial sectors in municipalities, excluding sewage sludge (McCalla et al., 1977). However, MSW compost is sometimes produced with the addition of sewage sludge to provide N and to accelerate the composting process. There were 16 MSW composting facilities operating in the USA in 1992; almost all have been constructed since the mid-1980s (Kitwana, 1992). The state of Minnesota was particularly active in MSW composting, with eight facilities operating in 1992. The capacities of these facilities ranged from 9.1 to 226.7 Mg (10-250 tons) of raw waste composted per day. The future of MSW composting depends on the abili1 Teachers who intend to use this case for classroom or extension education purposes may request a copy of the full Case Teaching Note from the corresponding author. Names of individuals and the composting facility in this case have been disguised. Abbreviations: MSW, municipal solid waste; PCA, Pollution Control Agency. J. Nat. Resour. Life Sci. Educ., Vol. 23, no. 2, 1994 • 103 ty to .produce compost that is safe and uniform in quality. In the USA, major uses of MSW compost are in horticulture, landscaping, and revegetation of disturbed soils. For agricultural purposes, MSW quality factors include C/N ratio, odor, pH, soluble salt content, physical properties, nutrient availability, and heavy metal contamination. Elements of concern in MSW are As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, and Zn. Municipal solid waste compost can contain these contaminants through the inclusion of plastics, metal objects, pigments, solvents, petroleum products, and other discarded materials. Even with screening and sorting of waste, heavy metal contaminants can still be present in the final compost product. When this occurs, use of the compost might result in contamination of the environment and agricultural produce, and thus pose a threat to human health. The following case was developed to engage students with issues associated with the use of MSW compost involving soil science, crop physiology, and human

Modern sanitary practices result in large volumes of human waste, as well as domestic and industrial sewage, being collected and treated at common collection points, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In recognition of the growing use of sewage sludge as fertilizers and soil amendments, and the scarcity of current data regarding the chemical constituents in sewage sludge, the US National Research Council (NRC) in 2002 produced a report on sewage sludge. Among the NRC’s recommendations was the need for investigating the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in sewage sludge. PPCPs are a diverse array of non-regulated contaminants that had not been studied in previous sewage sludge surveys but which are likely to be present. The focus of this paper will be to review the current analytical methodologies available for investigating whether pharmaceuticals are present in WWTP-produced sewage sludge, to summarize current regulatory practices regarding sewage sludge, and to report on the presence of pharmaceuticals in sewage sludge.

The environmental impact of sewage sludges depends on the availability and phytotoxicity of their heavy metal. The influence of representative sludges (dewatered anaerobic, pelletization, and composted sludge) on the availability of heavy metals, and their effects on seed germination were compared. The total heavy metal concentrations were below the maximum permitted for land-applied waste and the differences among them were small. The DTPA-extracted metal concentrations were rather different. The sequential extraction of the compost showed a slight increase in Cd and Cu availability, and a decrease in the availability of Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn. Pelletization increased the availability of Ni and slightly reduced that of Cr. The dewatering sludge led to greater availability of Cr and Mn but reduced the concentration of Cd. The three different sludges also affected seed germination and root elongation in different ways. The most serious adverse effects were caused by the dewatered sludge extract. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deficient sanitation poses a serious threat to human and animal health, involving complex relationships between environments, animals, refuse, food, pathogens, parasites, and man. However, by sanitizing and stabilizing the organic matter of sewage sludge, agriculture can utilize it to maintain soil, water, and air quality. As ingredients in soil amendments, such bioresidues are a source of nutrients for plants. Stabilization and sanitation of sewage sludge safely couple its recycling and disposal. This coupling becomes increasingly important as economic and environmental constraints make strategies for waste disposal more difficult to apply. The occurrence of viruses, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and zooparasites in sewage sludge is reviewed in this article, and consequential epidemiologic concerns that arise from sewage sludge recycling is also addressed.

Irrigation is an excellent use for sewage effluent because it is mostly water with nutrients. For small flows, the effluent can be used on special, well‐supervised “sewage farms,” where forage, fiber, or seed crops are grown that can be irrigated with standard primary or secondary effluent. Large‐scale use of the effluent requires special treatment so that it meets the public health, agronomic, and aesthetic requirements for unrestricted use (no adverse effects on crops, soils, humans, and animals). Crops in the unrestricted‐use category include those that are consumed raw or brought raw into the kitchen. Most state or government standards deal only with public health aspects, and prescribe the treatment processes or the quality parameters that the effluent must meet before it can be used to irrigate a certain category of crops. However, agronomic aspects related to crops and soils must also be taken into account. Quality parameters to be considered include bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens; total sa...

This paper analyses the more important aspects of this process with particular emphasis on the microbiological. Some attention is also given to hygienic and sanitary implications as well as considerations on plant design. Compost is also analysed in its agricultural role, in particular its effects on plant growth. Problems regarding the evaluation of biological maturity and phytotoxicity are also discussed.