Sludge application and monitoring program on the Oak Ridge Reservation, 1986--1993
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States). Dept. of Forest Resources
- Jaycor, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Central Environmental Compliance
- Bechtel National, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN (United States)
Municipal sewage sludge has been applied to forests and pastures on the Oak Ridge Reservation since 1983 as a method of both disposal and beneficial reuse. Application was carried out under Tennessee permits issued to the city of Oak Ridge for land disposal of sewage sludge. In conjunction with these applications, information has been collected concerning sludge quantity and characteristics, soil parameters, soil water constituents, groundwater quality, surface runoff water quality, and various chemical constituents in vegetation on application sites. This information provides (1) a record of sludge application on the DOE reservations and (2) documentation of changes in soil parameters following sludge application. The information also provides a basis for evaluating the implications of the land application of municipal sewage sludge for soil and water quality and for evaluating the fate of sludge constituents when sludge is either sprayed or injected on pasture sites or surface applied in forested sites. This report covers in detail sludge applications conducted from 1986 through 1993, with some data from the period between 1983 and 1986. Anaerobically digested liquid sludge (2% to 4% solids) from the city of Oak Ridge had a relatively high nitrogen content (8% dry weight) and average to low concentrations of potentially problematic metals, compared with typical municipal sludges. Few potentially hazardous organic chemicals were detected in the sludge, and when found, these were at very low concentrations. Oak Ridge sludge is somewhat unique in that it contains radionuclides ({sup 137}Cs, {sup 60}Co, {sup 131}I, uranium isotopes, {sup 90}Sr, and occasionally {sup 99}Tc) at concentrations much higher than typical municipal sludges. Land application of sewage sludge can dilute or destroy problematic sludge constituents while improving soil fertility. Correct management has made these sludge applications a model of environmentally responsible waste management.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 106538
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM--11601; ON: DE95017849
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CESIUM 137
COBALT 60
COMPILED DATA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GROUND DISPOSAL
GROUND WATER
IODINE 131
METALS
MONITORING
MUNICIPAL WASTES
OAK RIDGE RESERVATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADIATION MONITORING
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
STRONTIUM 90
TECHNETIUM 99
URANIUM ISOTOPES
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION