Impacts on groundwater due to land application of sewage sludge
The project was designed to demonstrate the potential benefits of utilizing sewage sludge as a soil conditioner and fertilizer on Sassafras sandy loam soil. Aerobically digested, liquid sewage sludge was applied to the soil at rates of 0, 22.4, and 44.8 Mg of dry solids/ha for three consecutive years between 1978 and 1981. Groundwater, soil, and crop contamination levels were monitored to establish the maximum sewage solids loading rate that could be applied without causing environmental deterioration. The results indicate that application of 22.4 Mg of dry solids/ha of sludge is the upper limit to ensure protection of the groundwater quality on the site studied. Application rates at or slightly below 22.4 Mg of dry solids/ha are sufficient for providing plant nutrients for the dent corn and rye cropping system utilized in the study.
- Research Organization:
- Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ
- OSTI ID:
- 5907124
- Journal Information:
- Water Resour. Bull.; (United States), Vol. 20:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CADMIUM
POLLUTION SOURCES
CHROMIUM
COPPER
CROPS
CONTAMINATION
MONITORING
GROUND WATER
IRON
LEAD
MANGANESE
NICKEL
SEWAGE SLUDGE
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GROUND DISPOSAL
SOILS
ZINC
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERTILIZERS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
SOIL CONSERVATION
STANDARDS
WATER POLLUTION
WATER QUALITY
DATA
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
SEWAGE
SLUDGES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560303 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)