Josep M. Alcañiz

Contribution of sewage sludge to erosion control in the rehabilitation of limestone quarries

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of high doses of municipal sludge on soil aggregation and to assess its value for soil erosion reduction, both under natural and in simulated rainfall conditions. Doses of 200 and 400 Mg ha−1 sewage sludge (dry weight) were applied to the soil of experimental plots situated on a 28 degree slope. Two sludge application procedures were tested: pre-mixing into the soil before disposal on the slope, and direct application on the soil surface. Sheet erosion was measured by collecting the sediment carried down to a Gerlach trough situated at the base of the plots. Simulated rainfall, with an intensity of 64 mm h−1, was applied to evaluate soil erodibility. When the soil had no vegetation, the erosion measured on plots treated with sludge represented less than 10 per cent of the erosion from the control plot. Even when the vegetation was well developed, the erosion was also lower in the plots where sludge had been applied. In simulated rainfall, the soil loss was inversely proportional to the sludge dose, and when sludge was applied directly on the soil surface the erosion rates and particle mobilization caused by raindrop impact were minimal. Sludge amendments increase infiltration rates and improve soil structure, increasing the mean weight diameter of aggregates and their water resistance.

Toxic effects of digested, composted and thermally-dried sewage sludge on three plants

In order to evaluate potential toxic effects of stabilized sewage sludge that are currently applied to agricultural soils, three types of municipal sewage sludge and one pig slurry were subjected to phytotoxicity assays using three plants (Brassica rapa, Lolium perenne and Trifolium pratense). Equivalent batches of aerobically and anaerobically-digested sludge (F) from two municipal wastewater treatment plants, were composted (C) or thermally dried (T). In addition, one anaerobically-digested and thermally-dried pig slurry (P) was tested. A seedling growth test was performed in accordance with the OECD Guideline 208A, using seed emergence and shoot length as endpoints to identify the inhibition of plants growing in increasing doses of sludge. A correlation analysis between EC50 and physico-chemical parameters or the pollutant burden of the biosolids was also calculated. In all tests, lower germination rates were observed for T. pratense than for L. perenne and B. rapa. A moderate stimulatory effect on shoot length at low doses was observed for the three plants. In these wastes, a strong positive correlation was found between higher values of EC50 (less toxicity) and the stability degree of their organic matter, and a negative correlation between EC50 and total N, hydrolysable N or NH4-N content. No correlations were found with heavy metal or organic pollutant content in those wastes. Results indicate that digested sludge, thermally-dried sludge and thermally-dried pig slurry have non-negligible short term phytotoxic effects, and confirm that composting is an effective sludge treatment for the reduction of phytotoxicity.

Effects of sewage sludge amendment on soil aggregation

Sewage sludge in doses of 200 and 400 Mg ha−1 (dry weight) were applied in an experimental rehabilitation of a limestone quarry to improve soil physical condition. The effect of this organic waste on soil aggregation and structural stability has been tested measuring aggregate size distribution by dry- and wet-sieving procedures over a period of 28 months. We discuss the influence of the organic components of aggregates on soil structure. The main effect of sewage sludge was to increase aggregate stability to raindrop impact (splash) just after application of the former but one year later this effect decreased notably. Organic matter is distributed in different ways between macro- and microaggregates, and this parameter seems to be responsible for the structure changes observed. Copyright

Carbon dioxide efflux and pCO2 in soils of threeQuercus ilex montane forests

Soil CO2 efflux and pCO2 in the soil atmosphere were measured during one year at three montane sites of Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests in NE Spain. Two sites were located in the upper and lower slopes of a small catchment in the Prades mountains (mean precipitation 550 mm year−1), and a third site was located on a lower slope in the Montseny mountains (mean precipitation 900 mm year−1). The three sites were similar in bedrock and vegetation, but differed in soil characteristics and water availability. Seasonal variation of CO2 efflux and soil pCO2 were affected by soil temperature and, to a lesser extent, by soil moisture. Annual mean soil CO2 efflux (considered as soil respiration) was similar at Montseny and at the comparably located site at Prades (83 ± 18 S.E. vs. 75 ± 9 mg CO2 m−2 hour−1 , respectively), and was highest at the Prades upper slope site (122 ± 22 mg C02 m−2 hour−1 ). Despite those relatively similar CO2 effluxes, mean soil pCO2 was much higher at both Prades sites than at Montseny. Soil pCO2 always increased with depth at Prades while maxima pCO2 at Montseny were often at 20–30 cm depth. A model based on gas diffusion theory was able to explain why soil pCO2 was much higher at Prades than at Montseny, and to reproduce the shape of the vertical profile of pCO2 at the Prades soils. Nevertheless, the model failed to simulate the soil pCO2 maximum found at 20–30 cm depth at the Montseny site. Model simulations using a time-variable CO2 production rate suggested that pCO2 maxima at intermediate depth could be the result of a transient situation instead of an equilibrium one.

Ecological risk assessment of organic waste amendments using the species sensitivity distribution from a soil organisms test battery.

Safe amendment rates (the predicted no-effect concentration or PNEC) of seven organic wastes were estimated from the species sensitivity distribution of a battery of soil biota tests and compared with different realistic amendment scenarios (different predicted environmental concentrations or PEC). None of the wastes was expected to exert noxious effects on soil biota if applied according either to the usual maximum amendment rates in Europe or phosphorus demands of crops (below 2 tonnes DM ha(-1)). However, some of the wastes might be problematic if applied according to nitrogen demands of crops (above 2 tonnes DM ha(-1)). Ammonium content and organic matter stability of the studied wastes are the most influential determinants of the maximum amendment rates derived in this study, but not pollutant burden. This finding indicates the need to stabilize wastes prior to their reuse in soils in order to avoid short-term impacts on soil communities.

Influence of soil properties on the performance of Folsomia candida: Implications for its use in soil ecotoxicology testing

Nineteen Mediterranean natural soils with a wide range of properties and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) artificial soil were used to assess the influence of soil properties on the results of avoidance and reproduction tests carried out with the soil collembolan species Folsomia candida. Compared to natural soils, the OECD soil was mostly rejected by individuals when a natural soil was offered in avoidance tests, and the number of offspring produced was generally lower than the one obtained in natural soils. None of the soil properties assessed showed a significant influence on the avoidance behavior. More precisely, only soil moisture was included in the model explaining the avoidance response (avoidance increased with increasing differences in moisture), but its contribution was marginally not significant. The model derived explained only 16% of the variance in avoidance response. On the contrary, several soil properties significantly influenced reproduction (number of offspring increased with increasing moisture content, increasing coarse texture, and decreasing nitrogen content). In this case, the model explained 45% of the variance in reproduction. These results, together with the fact that most of the selected soils fulfilled the validity criteria in both avoidance and reproduction tests, confirm the literature experience showing that this species is relatively insensitive to soil properties and hence highly suitable to be used in ecotoxicological tests with natural soils. In addition, our study highlights the need for accuracy in soil moisture adjustment in soil ecotoxicological tests with this species. Otherwise, results of both avoidance and reproduction tests might be biased.

Respiration potential of microbial biomass in a calcareous soil treated with sewage sludge

Urban sewage sludge from Gerona (Spain) was applied to a low organic matter calcareous soil (calcixerollic xerochrept, Bellaterra, Spain), at concentrations of 7.5% and 15%. Control soil (0% sludge), sludge, and mixtures were incubated for 1 year inside a chamber in a 15‐L container. Moisture and temperature were controlled. Microbial biomass and CO2 production were measured. Soil respiration potential was proportional to soil sewage sludge content. No microbial growth inhibition was detected in soil‐sewage sludge mixtures despite the fact that the 15% sewage sludge concentration doubled the recommended maximum input applicable to the soil. Sewage sludge incubated without soil showed lower respiration values. One year after sewage application, respiration potential of soil‐sewage sludge mixtures and sewage sludge dropped to lower values, suggesting stabilization of organic matter. Mineralization coefficients were high at the beginning of the incubation period, in comparison with other calcareous soils, bu...

Soil bioassays as tools for sludge compost quality assessment

Composting is a waste management technology that is becoming more widespread as a response to the increasing production of sewage sludge and the pressure for its reuse in soil. In this study, different bioassays (plant germination, earthworm survival, biomass and reproduction, and collembolan survival and reproduction) were assessed for their usefulness in the compost quality assessment. Compost samples, from two different composting plants, were taken along the composting process, which were characterized and submitted to bioassays (plant germination and collembolan and earthworm performance). Results from our study indicate that the noxious effects of some of the compost samples observed in bioassays are related to the low organic matter stability of composts and the enhanced release of decomposition endproducts, with the exception of earthworms, which are favored. Plant germination and collembolan reproduction inhibition was generally associated with uncomposted sludge, while earthworm total biomass and reproduction were enhanced by these materials. On the other hand, earthworm and collembolan survival were unaffected by the degree of composting of the wastes. However, this pattern was clear in one of the composting procedures assessed, but less in the other, where the release of decomposition endproducts was lower due to its higher stability, indicating the sensitivity and usefulness of bioassays for the quality assessment of composts.

Effects of different types of sludge on soil microbial properties: a field experiment on degraded Mediterranean soils.

The recycling of suitable organic wastes can enhance soil fertility via effects on soil physical, chemical and biological properties. To compare the effects of digested (DS), thermally dried (TDS) and composted dewatered (CDS) sewage sludge on soil microbiological properties, an experiment was conducted at field sites for more than one year (401 d) when applied to two Mediterranean degraded soils (loam and loamy sand soils). All three types of sewage sludge had a significant effect on measured parameters. In a short time, the plots of both loamy sand and loam soils amended with TDS showed the highest microbial basal respiration (loam soil: P＜0.01; loamy sand soil: P＜0.001) and carbon mineralization coefficient (loam soil: P＜0.01; loamy sand soil: P＜0.001). Furthermore, on loamy sand soil, the plots amended with TDS showed the highest microbial metabolic quotient (qCO2) (P＜0.05). This study revealed that the addition of sludge caused transient non-equilibrium effects on almost all soil microbial properties. However, there were no differences one year later because the remaining organic carbon was stable and quite similar in all treatments. These results may have practical implications for the rehabilitation of degraded soils.

Feeding inhibition in the soil collembolan Folsomia candida as an endpoint for the estimation of organic waste ecotoxicity.

Despite the increasing quantities of organic wastes that are being reused in soils, there are few studies that focus on the selection of bioassays for the ecotoxicological risk assessment of organic wastes to soils. In the present study, differences in feeding inhibition in the soil collembolan Folsomia candida were evaluated as an ecotoxicological endpoint for the assessment of risk to soils amended with polluted organic wastes. Seven organic wastes (dewatered sewage sludges, thermally dried sewage sludges, composted sewage sludges, and a thermally dried pig slurry) were tested. These wastes had different origins, treatments, and pollutant burdens, and were selected as a representative sample of the wide variety of wastes currently generated. A clear dose response was observed for this parameter, with an increase in percentage of individual feeding inhibition with increased doses of organic wastes. More significantly, feeding inhibition correlated highly with mortality and reproduction inhibition in the different wastes. Composted sludges displayed the lowest toxicity, followed by thermally dried sludge and dewatered sludge. Thermally dried pig slurry showed the highest toxicity for feeding, with lower median effective concentration (EC50) values than the lowest dose tested. Among waste physicochemical parameters and pollutants, low organic matter stability appeared to be the main predictor of potential adverse effects on soil fauna, because it correlated significantly with feeding inhibition and mortality. Furthermore, feeding inhibition tests were run over a short exposure time (less than 7 d), which, together with the results obtained, makes this bioassay a good screening tool for organic waste toxicity.