Toward a consensus view on the infectious risks associated with land application of sewage sludge.

نویسندگان

  • Emily Viau
  • Kyle Bibby
  • Tania Paez-Rubio
  • Jordan Peccia
چکیده

The science linking processed sewage sludge (biosolids) land application with human health has improved in the last ten years. The goal of this review is to develop a consensus view on the human health impacts associated with land-applying biosolids. Pre-existing risk studies are integrated with recent advances in biosolids pathogen exposure science and risk analysis. Other than accidental direct ingestion, the highest public risks of infection from land application are associated with airborne exposure. Multiple, independent risk assessments for enteroviruses similarly estimate the yearly probabilities of infection near 10(-4). However, the inclusion of other emerging pathogens, specifically norovirus, increases this yearly infectious risk by over 2 orders of magnitude. Quantitative microbial risk assessment for biosolids exposure more effectively operates as a tool for analyzing how exposure can be reduced rather than being used to assess "safety". Such analysis demonstrates that the tradition of monitoring pathogen quality by Salmonella spp. and enterovirus content underestimates the infectious risk to the public, and that a rigorous biosolids pathogen treatment process, rather than extending community separation distances, is the most efficient method for reducing pathogen exposure and infectious risk.

برای دانلود رایگان متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Characterization of an Industrial Sewage Sludge and Its Evaluation for Land Application

Background: Sewage treatment leads to the production of large amount of sludge, containing organic matter and nutrients and considering requirements for recycling could be used as fertilizer. The sludge may also contain various pollutants that pose serious harm to human health and the environment. This study aimed at characterizing the industrial sewage sludge and evaluating its capability as f...

متن کامل

Effects of Sewage Sludge and Chemical Fertilizers on Pb and Cd Accumulation in Fenugreek (Trigonella gracum)

Background: Reprocessing of sewage sludge to agricultural land is preferred to disposal through landfill or incineration due to its potentially beneficial effects on soil fertility from organic matter and plant nutrients, such as N and P, present in the sludge. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the impact of sewage sludge and chemical fertilizers on Pb and Cd accumulation in ...

متن کامل

Section 14. METAL WASTES BIOLOGICAL REMOVAL AND CHEMICAL RECOVERY OF METALS FROM SLUDGES

Utilization of sewage sludge on land is an appealing sludge disposal method. The reasons are not just because of the environmental and economic constraints associated with other disposal methods such as incineration and landfilling, but also because the sludge is beneficial both as a soil conditioner and as a fertilizer [1,2]. However, the major limitation with land application of sewage sludge...

متن کامل

Using Collembola to assess the risks of applying metal-rich sewage sludge to agricultural land in western Scotland

The recent United Kingdom ban on the disposal of sewage sludge at sea has led to the prediction that land application of sludge will become more widespread. The positive aspect of recycling nutrients may, however, be offset by the risk of contamination by heavy metals that are frequently present in sludge. The environmental impact of applying metal-rich sewage sludge to agricultural land was, t...

متن کامل

Flame-retardants and other organohalogens detected in sewage sludge by electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry.

Numerous halogenated organic compounds have been identified as pollutants of concern. Those with high persistence and hydrophobicity may concentrate in biota, sediments, and wastewater sludge. Nonetheless, the release to the environment of many remains largely unrecognized. Stabilized sewage sludge (biosolids) is increasingly being land-applied as a soil amendment. However, understanding the ri...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Environmental science & technology

دوره 45 13  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2011