Risk Analysis of Heavy Metal Accumulation from Sewage Sludge of Selected Wastewater Treatment Plants in Poland (original) (raw)
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Risk Assessment of Soil Contamination with Heavy Metals from Municipal Sewage Sludge
Applied Sciences, 2021
Sewage sludge (SS) is a by-product of processes conducted during the treatment of wastewater. It can be used in many different ways. One of them is the use of SS in agriculture as an organic fertiliser, but the main criterion for such use is the heavy metals (HMs) content. Knowledge of the total content of HMs in SS does not translate into the danger it may pose. The toxicity of metals is largely dependent on their mobility. The mobility of SS from three different wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, which were characterised by an increased zinc content, was examined in this study. The aim of the study was to prove whether the high level of zinc in SS actually disqualifies the possibility of its natural use. Calculations were made for five environmental hazard indicators: the geoaccumulation index of heavy metals in soil (Igeo), potential environmental risk indicator (PERI), risk assessment code (RAC), environmental risk factor (ERF), and the authors...
Structure and Environment, 2019
Sewage sludge from sewage treatment plants has important soil-forming and fertilizing properties. However, they cannot always be used for this purpose. One of the main reasons why sludge cannot be used for natural purposes is its heavy metal content. Sewage sludge from the treatment plant in Starachowice has been subjected to an analysis of the potential risk of heavy metals, especially in terms of their mobility and geoaccumulation. The calculations were made for the concentrations of heavy metals in sewage sludge taken from the treatment plant in Starachowice and in arable soil from the measurement point at the place of its potential use. Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were calculated. The analysis of the results shows that although the geo-accumulation index and the level of potential ecological risk are high and dangerous in terms of agricultural or natural use of sediments, the percentage of metals has been recorded mainly in the immobile fraction from which they will not get into the soil.
Risk Analysis of Heavy Metals Migration from Sewage Sludge of Wastewater Treatment Plants
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
More and more attention in sewage sludge management is being devoted to its environmental utilization. This approach is justified both from economic and environmental points of view. However, as with any method, there are certain possibilities and limitations. The goal of the natural utilization of sewage sludge is to recover the valuable agronomic properties and fertilizing potential of the sludge. The main aspect limiting the possibility of using sludge as a fertilizer is the heavy metal content. In this paper, an analysis of the risk of environmental contamination in the case of application of sewage sludge with different forms of sludge treatment was carried out. Risk indices such as Igeo and PERI, based on the comparison of total metal content in sludge and soil, as well as RAC and ERD indices, which take into account the mobility of metals in soil, were calculated. It was shown that high levels of potential risk and geoaccumulation indicators do not necessarily disqualify the ...
Heavy Metal Distribution in Sewage Sludge-Treated Soil Profiles
2000
In this work we studied the total content of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn) in a soil treated with different sewage sludges and the distribution of these metals in the soil profile (0-50 cm) as a func- tion of the type and dose of sludge added, of the residence time of the sludge in the soil,
2010
Heavy metals accumulation in soils under the application of sewage sludge and effluent from wastewater treatment plants is a major environmental concern. Transport of heavy metals through the soils may eventually lead to the groundwater contamination and their accumulation in soils and crops. Silt loam soils covered by sludge and effluent of Tehran wastewater treatment plant were used in this study. The vertical and horizontal distributions of sludge-borne Cd, Cr, Zn, Pb, Fe, Cu and Ni were studied within four plots. Measured loadings of heavy metals to the plots from the sludge application were Fe, 284.75; Pb, 90.28; Zn, 109.5; Ni, 60.28; Cu, 27.76; Cr, 28.58 and Cd, 4.5 mg/kg. Two hundred and forty soil samples were taken from areas within the plots and up to 100 cm depth on each side of the plots. Leachate water from the plots which contaminates groundwater was collected and the concentrations of heavy metals were measured. The determined concentration of sludge-borne in leachate Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe, Pb, Cu and Cd were 0.803, 0.785, 0.532, 0.439, 0.110, 0.180 and 0.019 mg/l respectively. The results of this study can be used for the management of effluent and sewage application in agricultural lands and crop production. The groundwater quality can be monitored and improved as well.
Evaluation for Agricultural Usage with Speciation of Heavy Metals in a Municipal Sewage Sludge
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2008
This study was carried out to evaluate the agricultural usage of an anaerobically digested sludge in the contents and fractions of heavy metals. Therefore, a sequential extraction scheme according to the BCR’s (Community Bureau of Reference) guidelines and total acid digestion were applied to sewage sludge samples. The results of total heavy metal concentrations in sewage sludge showed that the highest total concentrations were Fe, Zn and Mn. When Turkish, Europe and US EPA directives were compared with each other by depending on the use of sludge for agricultural purposes, all the heavy metals determined for this sludge were below the maximum permitted levels, except for Cd. This sludge should not be applied to land due to its high Cd content. The results of heavy metal fractions indicated that some metals (Cd, Mn, Pb, and Fe) distributed mainly in the residual fraction. All fractions of Zn showed no variation. Cu and Cr were most abundant in the oxidizable phase while Ni was in exchangeable phase. Although total content of Ni in the sludge is lower than the maximum levels allowed by all the directives, it tends to be easily moved and dispersed in the environment. Due to its high mobility, the examined sewage sludge may cause phyto-toxicity after its agricultural application.
Heavy metals and physicochemical properties of soils and water from sewage treatment plant
Sunil Shankhadarwar , 2015
In the present age of industrialization, world is facing the hazards of pollution in some form or the other and particularly industrial waste water imposes serious damage to the quality of soil. Variable results were recorded in the application of sewage sludge in agricultural land whether treated or untreated effluents added to the soil. Some of soil containing sewage sludge may accumulate the heavy metals in soil as well as plants. In this investigation, water and soil samples of polluted sewage treatment plant, polluted and unpolluted agricultural fields were analyzed for their eco-physico-chemical parameters such as pH,
Chemistry and Ecology
In this study, the potential ecological risks and eco-toxicity of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cd, Cr, As and Hg) in sewage sludge were quantitatively evaluated. Sewage sludge samples were collected from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Wuxi city during five years from 2009 to 2013. The levels of the eight metals temporally varied. The contents of Zn and Cu in the tested sewage sludge were the highest, followed by then Cr, Ni, Pb and As, and the contents of Cd and Hg were the least. The BCR sequential extraction results showed that Zn, Ni and Cd had the highest mobilization potential, while Cu, Pb, Cr and Hg were not stabilized and would release to the environment under the oxidizing conditions. The removal efficiency of Cu and Cr was higher than 70%, while As, Cd and Hg was less than other heavy metals. The overall potential ecological risk index (RI) of heavy metals in sewage sludge was 1376.34, revealing very high risk. However, the environmental risk values based on the Index of Geo-accumulation (Igeo) and risk assessment code (RAC) were both low. Cd contamination is the major concern while the treated sewage sludge is used for agricultural purposes.
Heavy Metals Behavior in Soil/Plant System after Sewage Sludge Application
Energies, 2021
One of the possibilities of removing heavy metals (HMs) from soil is the use of phytoremediation techniques supported with biosolids, which also allow for their disposal. Therefore, the objective of the research was the determination of the sewage sludge suitability after its application to urban soil in order to increase the phytoremediation efficiency of contaminated soil. A field experiment was established on lawns in Białystok (Poland) in two locations with different traffic. The research plots were fertilized with sludge in doses of 14.5 t DM/ha and 29 t DM/ha. A mixture of lawn grasses was sown on the prepared plots. During two years of experiment soil/plant samples were collected, and pH, organic matter, dehydrogenase and catalase activity (soil), the total content of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Hg (soil/plant), and their fractions (soil) were determined. The HMs in soil were present mainly in residual and reducible fractions. Zn had the highest share in acid-soluble frac...
Heavy metal mobility in soils under the application of sewage sludge
Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science
One of the main issues relating to sewage sludge (SS ) disposal is the introduction of heavy metals and organic pollutants. The aim of this research work was to assess the mobility of heavy metals via measurement of the soluble and easily exchangeable metals in soils on which sewage sludge had been deposited 10 years before analysis and clarify patterns and relationships between heavy metals in the amended soils as opposed to un-amended control soils. There are few studies on the leaching potential of heavy metals in sludge-amended soils through measurement of the soluble and easily exchangeable metal forms. Mobile heavy metals (soluble + easily exchangeable Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were measured via extraction with 0.05 M Ca(NO 3)2. We observed: (i) elevated Cd, Cr, Zn and Cu concentrations in the sludge treated soils; (ii) no effect of sludge application was found, as far as Pb, Mn, Fe, Ni and Co mobilities are concerned; (iii) the statistical analysis showed that sl...