scholarly journals Characterization of Sewage Sludge for Quality Assessment and Its Safe Utilization in Agriculture

Author(s):  
Surendra Singh Jatav ◽  
Satish Kumar Singh ◽  
Abhik Patra ◽  
Hanuman Singh Jatav ◽  
Kiran Kumar Mohapatra ◽  
...  

The current investigation was undertaken to explore the physico-biochemical properties of sewage sludge (SS) and its feasible application in agricultural field as an organic manure as source of nutrients with to solve the environmental concern. Sewage sludge samples were collected from sewage treatment plants (STP), Bhagwanpur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India and passed through a 2 mm sieve for further analysis of different physical, chemical and biological parameters. The treated sewage sludge consists of both major and micro nutrients along with a good amount of organic matter. Application of this sewage sludge has the ability to enhance the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil which is beneficial for plant growth and development sustainable soil environment. However, it also contains some amount of toxic heavy metals and organic pollutants that can adversely affect soil environment depending on the origin source of sewage sludge, and treatment process of sewage sludge. Furthermore, the toxic elements go through the food chain due to its uptake and accumulation by crops posing a possible threat to human health. Sewage sludge application in soil offers essential nutrients particularly for plant growth, maintains the organic carbon in soil and decreases environmental concern with economic factors that restrict landfill or incineration disposal of sewage sludge. However, a careful assessment of the characteristics of sewage sludge is required prior to its soil application to improve the soil health without causing environmental hazard. The SS analyzed in the present study had heavy metals content but was within permissible limits as resulted its suitable for soil application as source of nutrients.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Luziatelli ◽  
Anna Grazia Ficca ◽  
Mariateresa Cardarelli ◽  
Francesca Melini ◽  
Andrea Cavalieri ◽  
...  

Distinctive strains of Pantoea are used as soil inoculants for their ability to promote plant growth. Pantoea agglomerans strain C1, previously isolated from the phyllosphere of lettuce, can produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), solubilize phosphate, and inhibit plant pathogens, such as Erwinia amylovora. In this paper, the complete genome sequence of strain C1 is reported. In addition, experimental evidence is provided on how the strain tolerates arsenate As (V) up to 100 mM, and on how secreted metabolites like IAA and siderophores act as biostimulants in tomato cuttings. The strain has a circular chromosome and two prophages for a total genome of 4,846,925-bp, with a DNA G+C content of 55.2%. Genes related to plant growth promotion and biocontrol activity, such as those associated with IAA and spermidine synthesis, solubilization of inorganic phosphate, acquisition of ferrous iron, and production of volatile organic compounds, siderophores and GABA, were found in the genome of strain C1. Genome analysis also provided better understanding of the mechanisms underlying strain resistance to multiple toxic heavy metals and transmission of these genes by horizontal gene transfer. Findings suggested that strain C1 exhibits high biotechnological potential as plant growth-promoting bacterium in heavy metal polluted soils.


2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
M T Morera ◽  
J. Echeverría ◽  
J. Garrido

The recycling of sewage sludge to agricultural land results in the slow accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metals in soils. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the bioavailability of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn applied to soils in urban anaerobically stabilized sewage sludge. The soils were Lithic Haplumbrept (Lh), Calcixerollic Xerochrept (Cx1 and Cx2) and Paralithic Xerorthent (Px). Sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus L) were grown in the soils following amendment with the sludge. The addition of sewage sludge markedly increased the average dry weight of the plants in the soils that had lower yields without sludge addition (Lh, Cx2, and Px). The acid pH of the Lh soil favoured the bioavailability of Zn from sewage sludge. The bioavailability of Cu was greater in the alkaline soils than in the acidic soil (Lh), which can be attributed to the high organic matter content of the Lh soil which complexes Cu and impairs its uptake by the plants. The concentration of metals in the plants increased with the sewage sludge dose. The effect of the soil type on the metal concentration in plants was greater that the effect of the dose. Key words: Soils, sewage sludge, heavy metals, bioavailability, sunflower


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangita Ahmed ◽  
Md Rafiqul Islam ◽  
Jannatul Ferdousi ◽  
Tabassum Samia Iqbal

Pollution of the environment and food with toxic heavy metals is being intensified in Bangladesh with industrial development. Consumption of foods and water contaminated with heavy metals imposes threat to human health. Aiming to find a solution to this problem, the present study focuses on probiotic Lactobacillus spp. with potential to remove heavy metals from environment as well as human body. A total of three Lactobacillus spp were isolated from curd samples and were identified based on their morphological and biochemical properties. These isolates were tolerant to low pH and bile salt which aids in their application in human gut. All isolates could tolerate 600 ppm chromium, 400 ppm lead, 400 ppm copper and 400 ppm zinc. The heavy metal tolerant Lactobacillus spp were also multi drug resistant and showed 100% resistance to Azithromycin, Cloxacillin, Gentamicin, Vancomycin, Streptomycin, Nalidixic acid, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole and Penicillin, while 100% sensitivity was observed to Imipenem. Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 34 Number 1 June 2017, pp 43-46


1995 ◽  
Vol 14 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 281-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hermann Strasser ◽  
Herbert Brunner ◽  
Franz Schinner

Author(s):  
Enas N. Danial ◽  
Walaa A Majrashi ◽  
Ahlam O. Bin Afif ◽  
Ebtehal S Alamri ◽  
Entesar M. Alhatimi ◽  
...  

Environmental pollution of heavy metals is increasingly becoming a problem and has become of great concern due to the adverse effects it is causing around the world. These inorganic pollutants are being discarded in our waters, soils and into the atmosphere due to the rapidly growing agriculture and metal industries, improper waste disposal, fertilizers, and pesticides. Pollution in industrial areas is a serious environmental concern. Wastewater containing biotoxic substances of heavy metals in the ecosystem is one of the most important environmental and health challenges in our society. Hence, there is a growing need for the development of novel, efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach for the remediation of inorganic metals (Cr, Hg, Cd, and Pb) released into the environment and to safeguard the ecosystem. Mercury (Hg), Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) are known to cause damage to living organisms, including human beings. In this regard, recent advances in microbes-base heavy metal have propelled bioremediation as a prospective alternative to conventional techniques. Heavy metals are nonbiodegradable and could be toxic to microbes. Several microorganisms have evolved to develop detoxification mechanisms to counter the toxic effects of these inorganic metals. Several marine bacteria highly resistant and capable of growing at higher concentrations of Hg, Cr, Cd and Pb and to evaluate their potential to detoxify. Their detoxification efficiency for Hg, Cr, Cd and Pb indicates good potential for application in bioremediation of toxic heavy metals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolanta Latosińska ◽  
Przemysław Czapik

Popular incineration of sewage sludge results in the increase in heavy metals content in ash. The knowledge of the total content of heavy metals in sewage sludge ash does not demonstrate a potential hazard. The toxicity of heavy metals in great measure depends on the form of their occurrence. The prevailing norms do not require the ecological risk assessment of the environmental burden with heavy metals for the choice of the method of the utilization of sewage sludge ash. The paper presents the research results on the mobility of heavy metals in sewage sludge ash after its incineration. The geo-accumulation index (IGAI), the potential ecological risk index (PERI) and the risk assessment code (RAC) were used for the evaluation of the potential soil contamination with heavy metals. The authors also suggested a new formula, which took into consideration more factors influencing the risk of the contamination of a water-soil environment with heavy metals—the water and soil environment risk index (WSERI). The calculated indices for sewage sludge ash indicate the risk of soil contamination with heavy metals.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2659
Author(s):  
Amany A. El-Shahir ◽  
Noha A. El-Tayeh ◽  
Omar M. Ali ◽  
Arafat Abdel Hamed Abdel Latef ◽  
Naglaa Loutfy

Sewage sludge improves agricultural soil and plant growth, but there are risks associated with its use, including high heavy metal content. In this study, experiments were carried out to investigate the role of endophytic Talaromyces pinophilus MW695526 on the growth of Triticum aestivum cultivated in soil amended with sewage sludge and its phytoremediation ability. T. pinophilus could produce gibberellic acid (GA) and stimulate T. aestivum to accumulate GA. The results showed that inoculation with T. pinophilus boosted plant growth criteria, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes (soluble proteins, soluble sugars and total amino acids), enzymatic antioxidants (catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase), K, Ca and Mg. On the other hand, it reduced Na, Na/K ratio, Cd, Ni, Cu and Zn in the growth media as well as in the shoot and root of T. aestivum. The results suggest that endophytic T. pinophilus can work as a barrier to reduce the absorption of heavy metals in T. aestivum cultivated in soil amended with sewage sludge.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 243
Author(s):  
Martha Alicia Velázquez Machuca ◽  
Juan Rosario Equihua Soriano ◽  
José Venegas González ◽  
José Luis Montañez Soto ◽  
José Luis Pimentel Equihua ◽  
...  

Pyrolysis treatment of sewage sludge to generate biochar is one of the current alternatives for environmental management of this waste. The treatment transforms sewage sludge into biochar, conserves some of the characteristics that give it an important agronomic value and reduces its pathogen content. The objective of this study was to analyze the potential use of the sewage sludge biochar obtained from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of Morelia, Michoacán, México, as an agricultural soil improver considering the physical-chemical properties of the material and its content of nutrients and heavy metals as indicators. The sewage sludge was subjected to pyrolysis (SSB) in an experimental scale reactor that uses solar energy, with six residence times and temperature of 280 to 355 oC. The parameters analyzed were: pH EC, OM, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe available (DTPA and EDTA), elemental composition (C, N, O, Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, S, Cl, Si, Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ti, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb). The EC of the SSB obtained was from 592 to 5240 μS cm‑1, pH = 6.33 to 7.02, OM = 3.8 to 5.6%, high contents of C, N, P (31 to 38%, 6.5 to 7.7% and 37.7 to 48.8 g kg‑1, respectively), low Na/Ca ratio and a low content of total and available heavy metals. The properties of the SSB obtained indicate that it can be used as an agricultural soil improver since it is a material with high nutrient content and low environmental risk in terms of its low heavy metal content. These results should be complemented with studies on the response of plants to BLR, monitoring of physical-chemical conditions and analysis of organic contaminants in soil and water where this material is applied.


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