Examining the Influence of Sludge from Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants Processed by Euphore Installations on the Quantity and Quality of Rapeseed and Soybean Production

Esmeralda Chiorescu,Feodor Filipov

doi:10.3390/agriculture11040278

Abstract

Sludge management is a complex issue due to the environmental standards. It is required that the wastewater treatment activity be in close connection with the controlled recovery and storage of sludge. Thus, by using sludge in agriculture, nutrients essential for plant development can be recycled and some soil properties can be improved. The purpose of this paper was to present some results on the influence of municipal sludge treated and processed in a Euphore plant on the quantity and quality of rapeseed and soybean production. This technology allows for the recovery of the constituents of phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, manganese, zinc, and copper. Our experimental data revealed that the obtained yield of Pioneer PT225 rapeseed hybrid was 5200 kg/ha in the variant treated with the Euphore process compared to that of the control variant at only 2356 kg/ha. For the Condor variety soybean crop, the highest average number of pods obtained per plant was 195.3 compared 88 pods per plant in the control variant. Thus, the sludge obtained from urban wastewater treatment plants processed using the Euphore method is a good source of macro and micronutrients in agriculture, without having a negative impact on the environment.

Highlights

An important challenge in wastewater management is the use of sewage sludge, which can be an important source of nutrients for agriculture, being rich in N, P, K, organic matter, and other elements that can stimulate plant development [1,2,3].the use of sludge in agriculture has become an alternative for the use of waste for economic and practical reasons [4,5,6].In the European Union, the ecological capitalization of sewage sludge has been at the center of attention of producers with the implementation of EEC (European Economic Community)-(Directive 91/271, on urban wastewater treatment [7,8]
The main purpose of this paper was to present the influence of sludge from municipal treatment plants processed by Euphore-type installations on rapeseed and soybean crops, whilst respecting protection rules imposed by the EU and encouraging farmers to use products resulting from innovative sludge treatment techniques
The average soybean production obtained for the soil treated with Euphore-type sludge is about 30.6% higher than that of the control soil and about 12% higher compared to that of the soil treated with dry raw sludge

Summary

Introduction

In the European Union, the ecological capitalization of sewage sludge has been at the center of attention of producers with the implementation of EEC (European Economic Community)-(Directive 91/271, on urban wastewater treatment [7,8]. At the level of European states, the amount of sludge used in agriculture has increased in the last 15 years from 3,000,000 tonnes dry substance/year to 6,100,000 tonnes dry substance/year in 2020 [9,10,11]. In Romania, the amount of sewage sludge has increased in the last eight years from about 80,000 tonnes dry substance/year to about 416,000 tonnes dry substance/year in 2020 [12]. Two areas of major importance are the method for treating the sludge in such a way as to comply with the European Union Directives and how to apply it as a fertilizer in order to obtain healthy crops, preserve the fertility of the soil, and ensure environmental protection [13,14]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion