Long-term Accumulation, Depth Distribution, and Speciation of Silver Nanoparticles in Biosolids-Amended Soils

Taylor, Stephen E.; Pearce, Carolyn I.; Chowdhury, Indranil; Kovarik, Libor; Leavy, Ian I.; Baum, Steven R.; Bary, Andy I.; Flury, Markus

doi:10.1002/jeq2.20156

Long-term Accumulation, Depth Distribution, and Speciation of Silver Nanoparticles in Biosolids-Amended Soils

Journal Article · Sun Nov 08 23:00:00 EST 2020 · Journal of Environmental Quality

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20156· OSTI ID:1734558

Taylor, Stephen E. ^[1]; Pearce, Carolyn I. ^[2]; Chowdhury, Indranil ^[1]; Kovarik, Libor ^[2]; ^[2]; Baum, Steven R. ^[2]; Bary, Andy I. ^[1]; Flury, Markus ^[3]

Washington State University
BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)
WASHINGTON STATE UNIV

Biosolids, when applied to soil, can be a source of metals and metal nanoparticles. One of the metals that forms nanoparticles is silver (Ag), which is commonly used in elemental (Ag(0)) form as an engineered nanomaterial in industrial or consumer products. The objective of this study was to quantify and characterize the accumulation and transport of Ag in a natural soil that has received agronomically-recommended rates of biosolids as fertilizer for the past 23 years (1994{2017). Total Ag concentrations were measured in biosolids and soil samples collected from 0 to 10 cm between 1996 and 2017. In addition, the depth distribution of Ag in the soil down to 60-cm depth was measured in 2017. Electron microscopy, in combination with X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy were used to identify the elemental association and oxidation state of the Ag in the samples. The Ag concentrations in the biosolids-amended soil increased steadily from 1996 until 2007, after which the concentrations leveled off at about 1.25 mg Ag kg-1 soil. This corresponded with a decrease of Ag concentrations in the biosolids over time. The majority of the Ag (82%) was confined to the top 10 cm of the soil, small amounts (14%) were detected in 10 to 20-cm depth, and trace amounts (4%) in 30 to 40-cm depth. The Ag in the biosolids and soil was identified as Ag-containing nanoparticles with a diameter of 10 to 12 nm. Ag was associated with S suggest that these 19 nanoparticles are Ag2S. This could be corroborated in biosolids with X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES); however, the Ag concentrations in the soil samples were too low to allow identification with XANES. Biosolids, when applied at agronomic rates in dryland cropping systems, represent an economically viable source of crop nutrients. In our study, long-term application of biosolids did not increase the concentration of total Ag in soil above a maximum of 1.5 mg Ag kg-1, and the Ag is present in the sulfide form. This concentration is below ecotoxicity limits for Ag2S in soil.

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1734558

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-153952

Journal Information:: Journal of Environmental Quality, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 49

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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