Pathogen risk assessment of land applied wastewater and biosolids: A fuzzy set approach
There are major concerns associated with land application of wastewater and biosolids including the potential risk to public health from water-borne pollutants that may enter the food chain and from pathogens that may be present in the wastewater. These risks are of particular concern when wastewater is applied to land where crops are grown as part of the human food chain or when direct human contact with the wastewater may occur. In many communities, toxic chemicals may not be present in the biosolids, or their concentrations may be reduced through source control measures. However, pathogens that enter wastewater from infected individuals cannot be controlled at the source and are often found in wastewater or biosolids applied to land. Public health officials have emphasized that microbial pathogens (or pathogen indicators) should not occur in areas where exposure to humans is likely. Under this criteria, the concept of risk assessment which requires the characterization of the occurrence of pathogens, almost seems to be contradictory to basic public health goals. As the understanding of pathogen and pathogen indicator occurrence becomes better refined, the arguments for finding practical application of risk assessment for pathogenic organisms become more compelling.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20014887
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1998 National Conference on Environmental Engineering, Chicago, IL (US), 06/07/1998--06/10/1998; Other Information: PBD: 1998; Related Information: In: Water resources and the urban environment--98, by Wilson, T.E. [ed.], 754 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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