Biomass production, metal and nutrient content in sorghum plants grown on soils amended with sewage sludge.

Sludge generation from wastewater treatment plants in Uruguay has increased in recent years. Agricultural soils may be a final destination. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to quantify the effect of this sludge on 1) plant biomass production and nutrient concentration of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var. vulgare); 2) the chemical properties of amended soils; and 3) assess whether heavy metal concentrations in sludge are appropriate according to environmental regulations. Two soils (S1 and S2) were amended with pure sludge (PS) and limed sludge (LS), with low dose (LD) of 16.0 and 17.3 Mg ha-1 and high dose (HD) of 32.0 and 34.6 Mg ha-1, respectively. Sludge treatments increased plants' nutrient absorption and dry matter production. The LS treatments incremented plant biomass production, depending on soil pH and nutrient availability. The effect of sludge treatments on elemental concentration in aboveground biomass depended on the element, treatments, and soil type. Mineralized nitrogen (N) and plant available phosphorus (P-Bray 1) values increased with sludge addition without exceeding Uruguay's critical soil level of P-Bray 1 for the sorghum crop. The PS did not increase metal concentration in soils. The LS slightly decreased soil Pb and slightly increased Cr and Zn soil concentration; levels were according to Uruguayan environmental guidelines. Therefore, agriculture soils are a viable final destination for PS and LS. Land applied sludge has acceptable levels of metals and promotes crop development.

Recovery of ammonia and phosphate minerals from swine wastewater using gas-permeable membranes.

Gas-permeable membrane technology is useful to recover ammonia (NH3) from liquid manures. In this study, phosphorus (P) recovery via MgCl2 precipitation was enhanced by combining it with NH3 recovery through gas-permeable membranes. Anaerobically digested swine wastewater containing approximately 2300 mg NH4+-N L-1 and 450 mg P L-1 was treated using submerged membranes plus low-rate aeration to recover the NH3 from within the liquid and MgCl2 to precipitate the P. The experiments included a first configuration where N and P were recovered sequentially and a second configuration with simultaneous recovery. The low-rate aeration reduced the natural carbonate, increased pH and accelerated NH3 uptake by the gas-permeable membrane system, which in turn benefited P recovery. Phosphorus removal efficiency was >90% and P recovery efficiency was about 100%. With higher NH3 capture, the recovered P contained higher P2O5 content (37-46%, >98% available), similar to the composition of the biomineral newberyite (MgHPO4·3H2O).

Enhancing recovery of ammonia from swine manure anaerobic digester effluent using gas-permeable membrane technology.

Gas-permeable membrane technology is useful to recover ammonia from manure. In this study, the technology was enhanced using aeration instead of alkali chemicals to increase pH and the ammonium (NH4(+)) recovery rate. Digested effluents from covered anaerobic swine lagoons containing 1465-2097 mg NH4(+)-N L(-1) were treated using submerged membranes (0.13 cm(2) cm(-3)), low-rate aeration (120 mL air L-manure(-1) min(-1)) and nitrification inhibitor (22 mg L(-1)) to prevent nitrification. The experiment included a control without aeration. The pH of the manure with aeration rose from 8.6 to 9.2 while the manure without aeration decreased from 8.6 to 8.1. With aeration, 97-99% of the NH4(+) was removed in about 5 days of operation with 96-98% recovery efficiency. In contrast, without aeration it took 25 days to treat the NH4(+). Therefore, the recovery of NH4(+) was five times faster with the low-rate aeration treatment. This enhancement could reduce costs by 70%.

Impact of switchgrass biochars with supplemental nitrogen on carbon-nitrogen mineralization in highly weathered Coastal Plain Ultisols.

Although an increase in soil fertility is the most frequently reported benefit linked to adding biochar to soils, there is still a need to pursue additional research that will improve our understanding on the impact of soil fertility enhancement because the effect could vary greatly between switchgrass (Panicum virgatum, L) residues (USG) and switchgrass biochars (SG). We hypothesized that SG with supplemental nitrogen (N) would deliver more positive effects on carbon (C) and N mineralization than USG. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of USG and SG, with or without supplemental inorganic N fertilizer on C and N mineralization in highly weathered Coastal Plain Ultisols. The application rate for SG and USG based on a corn yield goal of 112 kg ha(-1) was 40 Mg ha(-1). Inorganic N was added at the rate of 100 kg N ha(-1), also based on a corn yield of 7.03 tons ha(-1). Experimental treatments were: control (CONT) soil; control with N (CONT + N); switchgrass residues (USG); USG with N (USG + N); switchgrass biochars at 250 °C (250SG); SG at 250 °C with N (250SG + N); SG at 500 °C (500SG); and SG at 500 °C with N (500SG + N). Cumulative and net CO2-C evolution was increased by the additions of SG and USG especially when supplemented with N. Soils treated with 250SG (8.6 mg kg(-1)) had the least concentration of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) while the greatest amount of TIN was observed from the CONT + N (19.0 mg kg(-1)). Our results suggest that application of SG in the short term may cause N immobilization resulting in the reduction of TIN.

Leachate water quality of soils amended with different swine manure-based amendments.

In the face of the rising level of manure production from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), management options are being sought that can provide nutrient recycling for plant growth and improved soil conditions with minimal environmental impacts. Alternatives to direct manure application are composting and thermochemical conversion which can destroy pathogens and improve handling and storage. The effect of four forms of swine manure-based soil amendments (raw, compost, hydrochar, and pyrochar) on soil fertility and leachate water quality characteristics of a sandy soil were investigated in soil incubation experiments. All four amendments significantly increased soil carbon, cation exchange capacity and available nutrient contents of the soil. However, hydrochar amended soil leached lower amounts of N, P, and K compared to the other amendments including the control. On the other hand, pyrochar amended soil leached higher concentrations of P and K. Subsequent tests on the hydrochar for K and N adsorption isotherms and surface analysis via XPS suggested that these nutrients were not sorbed directly to the hydrochar surface. Although it is still not clear how these nutrients were retained in the soil amended with hydrochar, it suggests a great potential for hydrochar as an alternative manure management option as the hydrochar can be soil applied while minimizing potential environmental issues from the leaching of high nutrient concentrations to water bodies.

Soil physicochemical conditions, denitrification rates, and abundance in north Carolina coastal plain restored wetlands.

Over the last century, North Carolina has seen a severe reduction in the percentage of wetlands and a rise in negative environmental impacts related to this loss. To counter these effects, efforts have been enacted to mitigate wetland loss and create new wetland areas. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of hydrological restoration at several sites in the North Carolina coastal plain. Nine sites were selected for study. Hydrologically restored wetlands were compared with natural wetlands and prior converted (PC) croplands (i.e., historic wetlands under agricultural production). Each site was analyzed along a relative wetness gradient, and physicochemical properties, denitrification enzyme activity, and NO reductase gene () abundances using real-time PCR were measured. Physicochemically, restoration resulted in significantly increased levels of total C as compared with PC cropland sites. Restored wetland sites also saw pH, soil moisture, P, and NO+NO approximate levels similar to those of natural wetlands. Denitrification enzyme activity rates varied based on relative wetness within individual sites, generally increasing with increasing soil moisture. However, denitrification tended to be lower in restored wetland sites relative to natural wetlands. Gene abundances of saw statistically significant decreases in restored wetland soils. In conclusion, although analysis of restored wetlands reveals clear changes in several physicochemical characteristics and significant decreases in gene abundances, restoration efforts appear to have not significantly affected the denitrification component of the N cycle.

Recovery of ammonia from swine manure using gas-permeable membranes: effect of aeration.

The gas-permeable membrane process can recover ammonia from manure, reducing pollution whilst converting ammonia into an ammonium salt fertilizer. The process involves manure pH control to increase ammonium (NH4(+)) recovery rate that is normally carried out using an alkali. In this study a new strategy to avoid the use of alkali was tested applying low-rate aeration and nitrification inhibition. The wastewater used was raw swine manure with 2390 mg NH4(+)-N/L. Results showed that aeration increased pH above 8.5 allowing quick transformation of NH4(+) into gaseous ammonia (NH3) and efficient recovery by permeation through the submerged membrane. The overall NH4(+) recovery obtained with aeration was 98% and ammonia emissions losses were less than 1.5%. The new approach can substitute large amounts of alkali chemicals needed to obtain high NH4(+) recovery with important economic and environmental savings.

Carbon mineralization in two ultisols amended with different sources and particle sizes of pyrolyzed biochar.

Biochar produced during pyrolysis has the potential to enhance soil fertility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The influence of biochar properties (e.g., particle size) on both short- and long-term carbon (C) mineralization of biochar remains unclear. There is minimal information on the potential effects of biochar particle sizes on their breakdowns by soil microorganism, so it is unknown if the particle size of biochar influences C mineralization rate and/or stability in soils. In order to evaluate the effect of different sources (BS) and particle sizes (BF) of biochar on C loss and/or stability in soils, an incubation study on C mineralization of different biochar sources and particle sizes was established using two soils (ST): Norfolk soil (fine loamy, kaolinitic, thermic, typic Kandiudults) and Coxville soil (fine loamy kaolinitic, thermic, Paleaquults). In separate incubation vessels, these soils were amended with one of two manure-based biochars (poultry litters, PL; swine solids, SS) or one of two lignocellulosic-based biochars (switchgrass, SG; pine chips, PC) which were processed into two particle sizes (dust, <0.42 mm; pellet, >2 mm). The amount of CO2 evolved varied significantly between soils (p≤0.0001); particle sizes (p≤0.0001) and the interactions of biochar source (p≤0.001) and forms of biochars (p≤0.0001) with soil types. Averaged across soils and sources of biochar, CO2-C evolved from dust-sized biochar (281 mg kg(-1)) was significantly higher than pellet-sized biochar (226 mg kg(-1)). Coxville soils with SS biochar produced the greatest average CO2-C of 428 mg kg(-1) and Norfolk soils with PC had the lowest CO2-C production (93 mg kg(-1)). Measured rates of carbon mineralization also varied with soils and sources of biochar (Norfolk: PL>SS>SG≥PC; Coxville: PC>SG>SS>PL). The average net CO2-C evolved from the Coxville soils (385 mg kg(-1)) was about threefold more than the CO2-C evolved from the Norfolk soils (123 mg kg(-1)). Our results suggest different particle sizes and sources of biochar as well as soil type influence biochar stability.

Recovery of ammonia from poultry litter using flat gas permeable membranes.

The use of flat gas-permeable membranes was investigated as components of a new process to capture and recover ammonia (NH3) in poultry houses. This process includes the passage of gaseous NH3 through a microporous hydrophobic membrane, capture with a circulating dilute acid on the other side of the membrane, and production of a concentrated ammonium (NH4) salt. Bench- and pilot-scale prototype systems using flat expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membranes and a sulfuric acid solution consistently reduced headspace NH3 concentrations from 70% to 97% and recovered 88% to 100% of the NH3 volatilized from poultry litter. The potential benefits of this technology include cleaner air inside poultry houses, reduced ventilation costs, and a concentrated liquid ammonium salt that can be used as a plant nutrient solution.

Thermochemical conversion of livestock wastes: carbonization of swine solids.

Slow pyrolysis or carbonization promotes the conversion of animal manures such as swine manure into charcoal. In this paper, the carbonizing kinetics of swine solids taken from different treatment stages were investigated with a thermogravimetric analyzer. Compared to their biologically stabilized counterpart (lagoon sludge) with an activation energy of 160 kJ mol(-1), the activation energies for fresh swine solid samples such as homogenized flushed manure and dewatered solids were much lower between 92 and 95 kJ mol(-1). Compared to the kinetics of first order decomposition of cellulose, the pyrolytic decomposition of the swine manures were more complex with the reaction orders varying at 3.7 and 5.0. The two different mathematical methods employed in this paper yielded the similar values of activation energy (E) and pre-exponential factor (A), confirming the validity of these methods. The results of this study provide useful information for development of farm-scale swine solid carbonization process.

Prospects for phosphorus recovery from poultry litter.

Land disposal of poultry litter is an environmental concern often associated to excess phosphorus (P) in soils and potential water pollution in regions with intense poultry production. Although poultry litter can be moved off the farm and traded as fertilizer, its transportation becomes less economical with increasing distances from the farm. Thus, new litter management alternatives are needed to reduce the environmental impact of P litter application to land. This paper summarizes established and emerging alternative technologies in the U.S. that facilitate handling, concentration, and transporting of litter P. Furthermore, it examines the potential integration of technologies into poultry litter management systems that could reduce poultry litter volume and increase P content in litter byproducts. The adoption of alternative technologies may encourage new opportunities to produce bio-energy, fertilizer, and other valuable P byproducts from poultry litter while reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable poultry production.

Enhanced solid-liquid separation of dairy manure with natural flocculants.

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of natural flocculants to reduce solids and nutrient loads in dairy cow wastewater using solid-liquid separation; chitosan was used as a model. Its use efficiency and optimum application rate were determined using flushed dairy cow manure of varied strengths - 0.4%, 0.8%, 1.6%, and 3.2% total solids (TS) content. Treatments consisted of nine rates of chitosan. The flocculated manure was dewatered using 1-mm and 0.25-mm screens. Separation by screening alone was not effective; average efficiencies were about 60% for total suspended solids (TSS), 22% for total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and 26% for total phosphorus (TP). Mixing with chitosan before screening substantially increased separation. At optimum chitosan rate (0.5g/L for the highest strength effluent), separation efficiencies were >95% for TSS, >73% for TKN, and >54% for TP. The results of this study indicate that natural flocculants such as chitosan are useful for the solid-liquid separation treatment of livestock wastewater.

Greenhouse gas emission reduction and environmental quality improvement from implementation of aerobic waste treatment systems in swine farms.

Trading of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions is an attractive approach to help producers implement cleaner treatment technologies to replace current anaerobic lagoons. Our objectives were to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions from implementation of aerobic technology in USA swine farms. Emission reductions were calculated using the approved United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) methodology in conjunction with monitoring information collected during full-scale demonstration of the new treatment system in a 4360-head swine operation in North Carolina (USA). Emission sources for the project and baseline manure management system were methane (CH4) emissions from the decomposition of manure under anaerobic conditions and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions during storage and handling of manure in the manure management system. Emission reductions resulted from the difference between total project and baseline emissions. The project activity included an on-farm wastewater treatment system consisting of liquid-solid separation, treatment of the separated liquid using aerobic biological N removal, chemical disinfection and soluble P removal using lime. The project activity was completed with a centralized facility that used aerobic composting to process the separated solids. Replacement of the lagoon technology with the cleaner aerobic technology reduced GHG emissions 96.9%, from 4972 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) to 153 tonnes CO2-eq/year. Total net emission reductions by the project activity in the 4360-head finishing operation were 4776.6 tonnes CO2-eq per year or 1.10 tonnes CO2-eq/head per year. The dollar value from implementation of this project in this swine farm was US$19,106/year using current Chicago Climate Exchange trading values of US$4/t CO2. This translates into a direct economic benefit to the producer of US$1.75 per finished pig. Thus, GHG emission reductions and credits can help compensate for the higher installation cost of cleaner aerobic technologies and facilitate producer adoption of environmentally superior technologies to replace current anaerobic lagoons in the USA.

Dissolved phosphorus export from an animal waste impacted in-stream wetland: response to tropical storm and hurricane disturbance.

The ability of wetlands to retain P makes them an important landscape feature that buffers P movement. However, their P retention ability can be compromised through hydrologic disturbances caused by hurricanes and tropical storms (TS). This study had three objectives: (i) to determine the effects of hurricanes and TS on dissolved phosphorus (DP) concentrations and loads discharged from a Coastal Plain in-stream wetland (ISW); (ii) to evaluate shifts in P storage pools that would reflect P accretion/removal patterns; and (iii) to determine if relationships exist between storm characteristics with releases of DP and water volume. From January 1996 to October 1999, the ISW's outflow DP concentrations and flow volumes (Q) were measured and they were used to calculate DP mass export loads. In addition, the sediment total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were measured, and both the water column and sediment pore water DP concentrations were examined using passive samplers. In several instances, TS facilitated greater DP releases than a single hurricane event. The largest release of DP occurred in 1999 after Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd, and Irene. The large differences in DP exports among the storms were explained by Q variations. Storm activity also caused changes in sediment pore water DP and sediment TP concentrations. This study revealed that some TS events caused higher DP releases than a single hurricane; however, multiple hurricanes delivering heavy precipitation totals significantly increased DP export.

Dissolved phosphorus retention and release from a coastal plain in-stream wetland.

Dissolved phosphorus (DP) can be released from wetlands as a result of flooding or shifts in water column concentrations. Our objectives were to determine the long-term (1460 d) DP retention and release characteristics of an in-stream wetland, and to evaluate how these characteristics respond to flooding, draining, and changes in DP concentrations. The studied in-stream wetland drains an agriculturally intensive subwatershed in the North Carolina Coastal Plain region. The wetland's DP retention and release characteristics were evaluated by measuring inflow and outflow DP concentrations, DP mass balance, and DP movement across the sediment-water column interface. Phosphorus sorption isotherms were measured to determine the sediment's equilibria P concentration (EPCo), and passive samplers were used to measure sediment pore water DP concentrations. Initially, the in-stream wetland was undersized (0.31 ha) and released 1.5 kg of DP. Increasing the in-stream wetland area to 0.67 ha by flooding resulted in more DP retention (28 kg) and low outflow DP concentrations. Draining the in-stream wetland from 0.67 to 0.33 ha caused the release of stored DP (12.1 kg). Shifts both in sediment pore water DP concentrations and sediment EPCo values corroborate the release of stored DP. Reflooding the wetland from 0.33 to 0.85 ha caused additional release of stored DP into the outflowing stream (10.9 kg). We conclude that for a time period, this in-stream wetland did provide DP retention. During other time periods, DP was released due to changes in wetland area, rainfall, and DP concentrations.

Distribution of ammonium-N in the water-soil interface of a surface-flow constructed wetland for swine wastewater treatment.

Most livestock wastewaters treated in constructed wetlands are typically rich in ammonium N. The objective of this study was to evaluate the soil-water ammonium distribution and the diffusive flux through the soil-water interface. Wetland system 1 (WS1) was planted to rush and bulrushes, and wetland system 2 (WS2) was planted to bur-reed and cattails. Nitrogen was applied at a rate of 2.5 g m(-2) d(-1). Interstitial soil water was sampled at 9, 24, 50, and 70 m from the inlet. In both wetlands, we found that NH4+ diffusion gradient and N losses were highest in the wetland system with lowest water depth. From other studies, we knew that shallower depths may have promoted a more effective interfacing of nitrifying and denitrifying environments. In turn, this N reduction in the water column may be the reason for steady NH4+-N upward diffusion fluxes. The assumed mechanism for N removal has been nitrification and denitrification but ammonia volatilization could also have occurred. Although diffusion may explain a significant portion of the material transport between the soil-water interface, the large differences in concentrations between outlet and inlet need further explanation.

Swine wastewater treatment by media filtration.

A media filter was constructed to treat swine wastewater after anaerobic lagoon treatment. The media filter consisted of a tank (1.5-m-diameter x 0.6-m-height) filled with marl gravel. The marl gravel had a carbonate content of 300 g kg-1. Gravel particle size distributions were 85 and 14% in the 4.7- to 12.7-mm and 12.7- to 19-mm size classes, respectively. Pore space of the filtration unit was 57%. Wastewater flow rate was 606 L m-2 d-1, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) load was 198 g m-2 d-1. The media filter removed 54% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) content after one cycle, but increased cycling did not produce additional COD reduction. Total suspended solids (TSS) removal after one cycle was 50% of initial levels, and additional cycling reduced TSS levels at a much lower rate of 7% per cycle. Removal efficiencies for total phosphorus (TP) ranged from 37% to 52% (one to four cycles), but long-term phosphorus removal would be limited by the sorption capacity of the gravel. Up to 24% of TKN was converted to nitrate-plus-nitrite-N (NO3+NO2-N). Effluents with high NO3+NO2-N levels can be treated further for denitrification with constructed wetlands or anaerobic lagoon. This is important in cases where land is limited for wastewater application.