Effect of biochar addition on the improvement of the quality parameters of compost used for land reclamation.

The 5% addition of biochar in composting in rows contributes significantly to reducing volatile organic compound(VOC) emissions. When composting with the addition of biochar, the average temperature increased by 13 ± 6.7 °C during the whole period, and the thermophilic phase was extended by 11 days. The higher temperature supported a reduction in the time necessary for achieving the biological stability observed by the oxygen uptake rate by more than 10 days. For organic compounds formed by the degradation of easily degradable primary components (proteins), the addition of biochar significantly reduces the release of organic compounds with heterocyclically bound nitrogen (Norg-VOCs) and volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). The end of the biodegradation process is indicated by a decrease in VOC concentrations below initial values in the input material. This state was achieved in the compost with added biochar after 47 days, while in compost without added biochar, it lasted 60 days.

The opoka-rock in N and P of poultry manure management according to circular economy.

European Green Deal (EGD) and the Circular Economy Action Plan (CE) promote recycling of materials in line with circular economy principles and enhance the value of material flows. Recently, new technologies have been introduced to produce value-added products from agricultural residues and food processing side streams. However integrated approach is necessary for organic waste utilization as environmentally safe product according to the bio-economy rules. The so-called opoka-rock is characterized as a transitional rock between carbonate (app. 71%) and those of a silica character (app. 26%). This study identifies research gaps on how circular bioeconomy can be achieved through application of opoka for improvement of sustainable nitrogen and phosphorous management of poultry manure as safe fertilizer according to CE. Initially, it was found that opoka was able to effectively absorb the N and P ions from water solution and then gradual release to environment. Thermal treatment (900 °C) increased rapidly sorption capacity of opoka to 100% in the case of phosphorous, value of pH and content of Ca2+ions in eluates. Moreover, the volume ratio of opoka to poultry manure in experimental mixtures was optimized to determine of nitrogen and phosphorus release into the solution. The substrate was characterized by good desorption properties - the tests confirmed gradually release of N and P ions to solution with the maximum concentration obtained after 32 h equal almost 71% of initial value in mixtures in the case of phosphorous and almost 40% in the case of nitrogen. The novelty of such approach gives opportunity use opoka-rock not only as a single sorbent but also for improvement of poultry manure as mineral-organic fertilizers in the context of CE. This also allow to control for ions N, P release and maintain suitable pH value of soil environment.

Medium-term effects of Ag supplied directly or via sewage sludge to an agricultural soil on Eisenia fetida earthworm and soil microbial communities.

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products that release Ag throughout their life cycle has raised potential environmental concerns. AgNPs primarily accumulate in soil through the spreading of sewage sludge (SS). In this study, the effects of direct exposure to AgNPs or indirect exposure via SS contaminated with AgNPs on the earthworm Eisenia fetida and soil microbial communities were compared, through 3 scenarios offering increasing exposure concentrations. The effects of Ag speciation were analyzed by spiking SS with AgNPs or AgNO3 before application to soil. SS treatment strongly impacted Ag speciation due to the formation of Ag2S species that remained sulfided after mixing in the soil. The life traits and expression of lysenin, superoxide dismutase, cd-metallothionein genes in earthworms were not impacted by Ag after 5 weeks of exposure, but direct exposure to Ag without SS led to bioaccumulation of Ag, suggesting transfer in the food chain. Ag exposure led to a decrease in potential carbon respiration only when directly added to the soil. The addition of SS had a greater effect on soil microbial diversity than the form of Ag, and the formation of Ag sulfides in SS reduced the impact of AgNPs on E. fetida and soil microorganisms compared with direct addition.

Management of poultry manure in Poland - Current state and future perspectives.

This review aimed to analyse the current state of management practices for poultry manure in Poland and present future perspectives in terms of technologies allowing closing the loops for circular economy, and thus recovery of nutrients and energy. The scope of the review focused primarily on: (1) the analysis of poultry production and generation of poultry manure with special references to quantities, properties (e.g. fertilizing properties), seasonality, etc.; (2) the overview of current practices and methods for managing poultry manure including advantages and limitations; (3) the analysis of potential and realistic threats and risk related to managing poultry manure, and also (4) the analysis of promising technologies for converting poultry manure into added value products and energy. The review addressed the following technologies: composting of poultry manure to obtain fertilizers and soil improvers, anaerobic digestion of poultry manure for energy recovery, and also pyrolysis of poultry manure into different types of biochar that can be applied in agriculture, horticulture and industry. Poultry manure is rich in macro- and micronutrients but also can contain various contaminants such as antibiotics or pesticides, and thus posing a realistic threat to soil and living organisms when applied to soil directly or after biological treatment. The main challenge in poultry manure processing is to assure sufficient closing of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous loops and safe application to soil.

Bioaccumulation, antioxidative response, and metallothionein expression in Lupinus luteus L. exposed to heavy metals and silver nanoparticles.

Yellow-lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) was grown on soils contaminated with heavy metals during two parallel studies. In the first one, the soil was contaminated by industrial activities whereas, in the second one, the soil was artificially contaminated with a single metal including Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni (in nitrate form), and Ag (in nitrate and nanoparticles form). The study was performed to assess a plant's response to contamination including its antioxidative response and molecular mechanisms involved in metal detoxification through the expression level of metallothioneins (MTs). Overall, the study provided insights into identification and validation of housekeeping genes (HKG) in L. luteus under exposure to metal stress and showed the effects of selected heavy metals and silver nanoparticles on the expression of metallothioneins, the activity of guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and bioaccumulation of metals in leaves of L. luteus. As such, HKG validation using BestKeeper, NormFinder, and geNorm software allowed for the selection of four most stable reference genes in a context metal contamination for the selected plant. Moreover, a significant increase in the expression levels of MT was observed in plants grown under heavy metal stress and none on plants grown on 25 mg kg-1 of silver nanoparticles. Also, the GPX activity and MT expression showed statistically significant changes between different conditions and doses which means that they can be used as highly sensitive stress markers for planning the phytoremediation process on a large scale.

Post - Mining soil as carbon storehouse under polish conditions.

The main aim of these studies was to determine the potential for carbon sequestration in brown coal open-cast mine by phytoremediation using scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and giant miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) plants. This paper presents relationships between soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and carbon phytosequestration in waste dump associated with open-cast lignite mine in Central Poland. The research is the continuation of previously carried out experiments, but was conducted in field conditions. In reclamation of post-mining landscapes, during field experiment, an effect of sewage sludge, compost and lake chalk amendments and in combination of plants was investigated. The impact of soil amendments on carbon stock, CO2 emission reduction, plant biomass production and carbon content in shoots and roots was studied. The highest SOC stock was found in soil treated with sewage sludge (33 Mg*ha-1) and compost (45 Mg*ha-1) stabilized by lake chalk. These fertilizer combinations also contributed the most in relation to CO2 emission reduction through SOC stock (83 Mg*ha-1 and 127 Mg*ha-1 respectively). In addition, greater amounts (60-100%) of soil organic matter was converted into humic acids fraction. This phenomenon could be the initial stage of the progressive process of organic matter deposition and carbon sequestration in post-mining area. Carbon phytosequestration was determined through carbon bound in plant tissues. The highest carbon content (60%) in both plant species was recorded in treatments with sewage sludge and compost with lake chalk. Stabilization of compost by lake chalk application was good method to improve the efficiency of carbon sequestration in soil and carbon phytosequestration. Improving the efficiency of these two processes, through skillfully selected soil additives and plant species, may be used on a larger scale in the future as an alternative to the storage of carbon dioxide, especially in degraded areas.

The efficiency and economic aspects of phytoremediation technology using Phalaris arundinacea L. and Brassica napus L. combined with compost and nano SiO2 fertilization for the removal of PAH's from soil.

The paper presents an evaluation of efficiency and economic potential of the phytoremediation technology, based on the use of energy crops (P. arundinacea L. and B. Napus L.), combined with the fertilization with compost, supported by the addition of nano SiO2. The experiment was conducted in in-situ conditions, using two experimental blocks, divided according to used plant species. Each block included four types of plots with different fertilization treatments (control plots; treatment with nano SiO2; treatment with compost; treatment with mixture of compost and nano SiO2). During the studied period (three vegetation seasons), a cyclic analysis of 16 PAH's content were conducted. Furthermore, a quantitative determination of biomass production was performed as well as assessment of economic potential of different strategies. Data collected during research, shows that method based on energy crops use, due to the join effect of the dangerous pollutants removal and the production of removable energy resource, can be considered as sustainable and should be recommended for use during heavy polluted soil remediation. Moreover, it should be also noted, that the best results for both PAH's removal efficiency and biomass production, were acquired on plots with P. arundinacea L. cultivation, fertilized with mix of compost and nano SiO2.

Sewage sludge processing and management in small and medium-sized municipal wastewater treatment plant-new technical solution.

Although sewage sludge generated by most large wastewater treatment plants is treated as waste, this 'waste' is both a source of energy and nutrients. Moreover, mainly in the small and medium-sized installations of municipal wastewater treatment plants is produced sewage sludge that meets the standards for soil application. Unfortunately, the overly simplified operating systems of small wastewater treatments plants cannot provide the satisfactory content of water in sewage sludge for energy recovery purposes. Therefore, new solutions for sewage sludge treatment are required. The study presents an innovative, energy effective, wastewater treatment and sewage sludge processing in one operational sequence, with significant energy consumption decrease and autothermal biomass production. Current research contains detailed technical information about the novel integrated waste water treatment plant and sewage sludge treatment installation as well as cost analysis in comparison to conventional treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the operation of the one prototype line for wastewater and sewage sludge treatment and the assessment of the obtained biomass and fertilizer. This new technology is a solution for small and medium-sized municipal wastewater treatment plants and is leading to change the conception of wastewater treatment process as a whole and is resolving the management of sewage sludge at the place where it is generated. In described process the sewage sludge is adequately treated by the installation apparatus and can be used in two ways: as a source of pathogen-free compost, or as a biomass and feedstock for simple thermal installation. Obtained sewage sludge can be recycled as biomass for combustion with the remaining ash acing as a plant nutrient-rich source (soil properties enhancer). Finally, in a modified wastewater treatment process, an odorless and stabilized compost or biomass for thermal energy recovery can be obtained and utilized directly at the place of origin. This alternative system allows for the systematic (and technological) adjustment of already existing, upgraded and newly-designed wastewater treatment plants. This new and innovative technology driven by assumptions about the best possible use of the resources and energy, allows for a more sustainable functioning of the treatment plant. The present study provides a significant insight into closing carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and energy loops in wastewater treatments system.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria as an alternative to mineral fertilizers in assisted bioremediation - Sustainable land and waste management.

The challenge of environment management is a sustainable development of both environmental systems and the green economy. The main objective of this study was the optimization and testing of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria soil biopreparation and soil amendments as the alternative to or to help offset use of mineral soil fertilizers. A field study was conducted on a degraded area to improve plant biomass yield using inoculated bacteria. Moreover, organic additives (sewage sludge) and inorganic fertilizers were also used to compare their effectiveness. The conducted study investigated the combined effect of immobilized microbial consortium and soil substrates for plant growth (red fescue) on degraded areas and confirmed synergistic interactions between plants, microorganisms and soil substrates in the process of phytoremediation. The formulation consisted of immobilized bacterial consortia having mechanisms for the synthesis of compounds preferably affecting growth and development of (crop) plants. The conducted studies confirmed that the PGPR bacteria used in the experiment have the potential to promote plant growth, increase organic nitrogen the bioavailable P pool in soil. The results of the field study (synergy effect of alternative fertilization and bacteria) can be used to create effective methods in assisted soil bioremediation. This approach has a high social acceptance and reduces resource consumption of fertilizers having an impact on sustainable development. Implementing methods of supporting plant growth using microorganisms can undoubtedly contribute to the development of 'green' resource management.

Modification of properties of energy crops under Polish condition as an effect of sewage sludge application onto degraded soil.

Energy crops are one of the possible solutions for reclamation of degraded or contaminated terrain. Their cultivation requires adequate fertilization typically containing high content of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorous. While sewage sludge may be one source of these necessary nutrients, it may also modify some plant biomass properties, such as total carbon content. In our study, we determined whether sewage sludge (containing different value of heavy metals) could be an effective fertilizer to obtain good quality energy crops (such as Miscanthus x gigantheus and reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea) and simultaneously play positive role for improvement of phytoremediation. The 3-year experiment was performed on degraded soil from terrain of steel mill of Czestochowa (Silesian region, Poland). During the study, it was confirmed that sewage sludge (also in combination with urea, CH4N2O) influences the mobility of Pb, Zn, Cd in soil solution, however the intensity of the process can be limited by plant species and time. Both miscanthus, and reed canary grass were characterized by the low value of bioconcentration factor (BCF), but because biomass was high, the total concentration of heavy metals in crops was comparable with hyperaccumulators. Additionally, modification of the fertilization affected energetic parameters, such as the content of carbon, S/Cl ratio, unitary CO2 emission. However, this effect was not statistically significant.

Antioxidative enzymes and expression of rbcL gene as tools to monitor heavy metal-related stress in plants.

The aim of the study was to evaluate sensitivity and potential applications of selected biomarkers in phytoremediation under complex heavy metal contamination in Sinapis alba L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Lupinus luteus L as a potential tools in effective phytoremediation management. The toxicity assessment was conducted using selected measurement endpoints, both classical and advanced, i.e., germination index, roots length, guaiacol peroxidase activity (GPX), chlorophyll and protein content, the amount of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and level of expression of one of the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase genes (rbcL). Moreover, the influence of organic additives: cattle, horse manure, and vermicompost on lowering plant abiotic stress caused by complex heavy metal contamination was studied to assess the possible applications of selected stress markers in large scale phytoremediation planning. The results demonstrated the beneficial effects of selected soil additives on plant development. The 5% difference in the quantity of applied amendment caused statistically significant differences in GPX, TPC, chlorophyll content and expression level of rbcL. Among all endpoints, GPX activity, chlorophyll, and phenolic compounds content, as well as the expression of rbcL, turned out to be the most reliable assays for determination of the type and dosage of selected soil amendments (fertilizers) in the assisted phytoremediation process. Selected markers can be used to achieve the desired level of plant abiotic stress and consequently photosynthesis efficiency and CO2 sequestration. The results showed, that presented assays can be used in different taxonomical groups such as Fabaceae for planning effective phytoremediation process.

The evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) biodegradation kinetics in soil amended with organic fertilizers and bulking agents.

The aim of this study was to investigate the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) biodegradation kinetics in soils fertilized with organic amendments (sewage sludge, compost), bulking agents (mineral sorbent, silicon dioxide in form of nano powder), and novel compositions of those materials. The scope of conducted works includes a cyclic CO2 production measurements and the determinations of PAHs content in soil samples, before and after 3-months of incubation. Obtained results show that the use of both type of organic fertilizers have a positive effect on the PAHs removal from soil. However, the CO2 emission remains higher only in the first stage of the process. The best acquired means in terms of PAHs removal as well as most sustained CO2 production were noted in samples treated with the mixtures of organic fertilizers and bulking agents. In conclusion the addition of structural forming materials to the organic fertilizers was critical for the soil bioremediation efficiency. Therefore, the practical implementation of collected data could find a wide range of applications during the design of new, more effective solutions for the soil bioremediation purposes.

The presence of contaminations in sewage sludge - The current situation.

Sewage sludge/biosolids are by-wastes of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. As sources of nutrients (C, N, P) they are widely used in intensive farming where large supplementation of organic matter to maintain fertility and enhance crop yields is needed. However, according to the report of European Commission published in 2010, only 39% of produced sewage sludge is recycled into agriculture in the European Union. This situation occurs mainly due to the fact, that the sewage sludge may contain a dangerous volume of different contaminants. For over decades, a great deal of attention has been focused on total concentration of few heavy metals and pathogenic bacteria Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC) regulates the allowable limits of Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr and Hg and pathogens and allows for recovery of sludge on land under defined sanitary and environmentally sound conditions. In this paper, a review on quality of sewage sludge based on the publications after 2010 has been presented. Nowadays there are several papers focusing on new serious threats to human health and ecosystem occurring in sewage sludge - both chemicals (such as toxic trace elements - Se, Ag, Ti; nanoparticles; polyaromatic hydrocarbons; polychlorinated biphenyl; perfluorinated surfactants, polycyclic musks, siloxanes, pesticides, phenols, sweeteners, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, benzotriazoles) and biological traits (Legionella, Yersinia, Escherichia coli O157:H7).

Determination of the performance of vermicomposting process applied to sewage sludge by monitoring of the compost quality and immune responses in three earthworm species: Eisenia fetida, Eisenia andrei and Dendrobaena veneta.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of vermicomposting process applied on three different sewage sludge (precomposted with grass clippings, sawdust and municipal solid wastes) using three different earthworm species. Selected immune parameters, namely biomarkers of stress and metal body burdens, have been used to biomonitor the vermicomposting process and to assess the impact of contaminants on earthworm's physiology. Biotic and abiotic parameters were also used in order to monitor the process and the quality of the final product. Dendrobaena veneta exhibited much lower resistance in all experimental conditions, as the bodyweight and the total number of circulating immune cells decreased in the most contaminated conditions. All earthworm species accumulated heavy metals as follows Cd>Co>Cu>Zn>Ni>Pb>Cr: Eisenia sp. worms exhibited the highest ability to accumulate several heavy metals. Vermicompost obtained after 45days was acceptable according to agronomic parameters and to compost quality norms in France and Poland.

Sewage sludge disposal strategies for sustainable development.

The main objective of the present review is to compare the existing sewage sludge management solutions in terms of their environmental sustainability. The most commonly used strategies, that include treatment and disposal has been favored within the present state-of-art, considering existing legislation (at European and national level), characterization, ecotoxicology, waste management and actual routs used currently in particular European countries. Selected decision making tools, namely End-of-waste criteria and Life Cycle Assessment has been proposed in order to appropriately assess the possible environmental, economic and technical evaluation of different systems. Therefore, some basic criteria for the best suitable option selection has been described, in the circular economy "from waste to resources" sense. The importance of sewage sludge as a valuable source of matter and energy has been appreciated, as well as a potential risk related to the application of those strategies.

Vermiremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals in sewage sludge composting process.

The main objective of this work was to study the dynamics of the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during sewage sludge vermicomposting. This eco-biotechnology employing earthworms as natural bioreactors for decomposing of organic matter may be used for vermiremediation of particular pollutants present in various organic matter sources. In this experiment, sewage sludge was mixed with bulking agents and precomposted. Afterward, adult Eisenia andrei specimens were introduced into the process. Total heavy metal and PAHs concentration were measured in composts and earthworms before and after the process. While heavy metal concentrations fluctuated mildly in the substratum, several metals clearly accumulated in the earthworms' bodies. Body Accumulation Factors could be ranked as follows (Cd > Cu > Zn > Ni > Cr > Pb). Interestingly, addition of earthworms into the process has led to the high percentage of PAHs removal and some of the 16 priority PAHs analyzed in this study have been accumulated in earthworms' bodies. Applied conditions did not affect worms' viability but they almost completely inhibited their reproduction.

Improving the phytoremediation of heavy metals contaminated soil by use of sewage sludge.

Sewage sludge, in particular from the food industry, is characterized by fertilizing properties, due to the high content of organic matter and nutrients. The application of sewage sludge causes an improvement of soil parameters as well as increase in cation exchange capacity, and thus stronger binding of cations in the soil environment, which involves the immobilization of nutrients and greater resistance to contamination. In a field experiment sewage sludge has been used as an additive to the soil supporting the phytoremediation process of land contaminated with heavy metals (Cd, Zn, and Pb) using trees species: Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), and oak (Quercus robur L.). The aim of the research was to determine how the application of sewage sludge into the soil surface improves the phytoremediation process. The conducted field experiment demonstrated that selected trees like Scots pine and Norway spruce, because of its excellent adaptability, can be used in the remediation of soil. Oak should not be used in the phytoremediation process of soils contaminated with high concentrations of trace elements in the soil, because a significant amount of heavy metals was accumulated in the leaves of oak causing a risk of recontamination.

Interactions between sewage sludge-amended soil and earthworms--comparison between Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei composting species.

Vermicomposting is an eco-friendly technology, where earthworms are introduced in the waste, inter alia sewage sludge, to cooperate with microorganisms and enhance decomposition of organic matter. The main aims of the present study was to determine the influence of two different earthworm species, Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei, on the changes of selected metallic trace elements content in substratum during vermicomposting process using three different sewage sludge mainly differentiated by their metal contents. Final vermicompost has shown a slight reduction in Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb, while the Zn concentration tends to increase. Accumulation of particular heavy metals in earthworms' bodies was assessed. Both species revealed high tendency to accumulate Cd and Zn, but not Cu, Ni, and Pb, but E. andrei has higher capabilities to accumulate some metals. Riboflavin content, which content varies depending on metal pollution in several earthworms species, was measured supravitaly in extruded coelomocytes. Riboflavin content decreased slightly during the first 6 weeks of exposure and subsequently restored till the end of the 9-week experiment. Selected agronomic parameters have also been measured in the final product (vermicompost) to assess the influence of earthworms on substratum.

Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Early Diagnosis and Seasonal Monitoring in the Sewage Treatment Process by EMA-qPCR Method.

Numerous studies have recently shown that molecular biology tools can allow for early diagnosis of pathogens and can substitute existing cost and time-taking traditional methods. One of them, the qPCR, is successfully used in microbiology and its utility has been assessed for many different biological materials. The aim of this study was to: 1) determine, optimize and apply qPCR as a method to detect Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in primary influents and final effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plant 2) define if addition of ethidium bromide monoazide (EMA) before DNA extraction can allow to distinguish between alive and dead bacteria, 3) quantify E. coli and Salmonella spp. in wastewater during four seasons by qPCR and traditional spread plate method and determine the correlation between the indicator and pathogenic microorganisms. The obtained results has shown that qPCR can be used as a quantitative method in the diagnosis of investigated bacteria in wastewater with EMA pretreatment as a crucial step for a proper quantitative analysis of the presence of these bacteria in wastewater. Both E. coli and Salmonella spp. bacteria species were present in all samples of primary influents and final effluents. Our study shown that the quantity of investigated bacteria is strictly correlated with the season that they were obtained in.

[Influence endophytic bacteria to promote plants growth in stress conditions]. / Wplyw bakterii endofitycznych na promowanie wzrostu roslin w warunkach stresowych.

The growth of plants under stress conditions is often assisted by microorganisms colonizing the rhizosphere (the root zone of the highest microbial activity). One of the most important bacterial groups to encourage the growth of plants (PGPB) are endophytes. These microorganisms penetrate living cells of plants and there they lead the microbiological activity as endosymbionts. These microorganisms can effectively promote the growth of plants under stress conditions and stimulate biochemical activities: nitrogen fixation, production of growth hormones (auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins), reduction of the high concentration of ethylene as well as facilitation of the collection plant minerals and water. This paper is an attempt to summarize the current state of knowledge about the biochemical activity of bacterial endophytes.