Sewage Sludge Concentrations Research Articles

Occurrence, distribution, and fate evaluation of endocrine disrupting compounds in three wastewater treatment plants with different treatment technologies in Türkiye

Nowadays, two of the endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the group of alkylphenols (APs), nonylphenol (4-NP) and octylphenol (4-t-OP), have attracted great scientific and regulatory attention mainly due to concerns about their aquatic toxicity and endocrine disrupting activity. This paper investigated the occurrence, distribution behavior, fate, and removal of 4-NP and 4-t-OP in liquid and solid phases of three full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with different treatment technologies comparatively. In this context, (i) advanced biological WWTP, (ii) wastewater stabilization pond (WSP), and (iii) constructed wetland (CW) were utilized. In all three investigated WWTPs, the concentrations of 4-NP (219.9–19,354.4 ng/L) in raw wastewater were higher than those of 4-t-OP (13.9–2822.4 ng/L). Within the scope of annual average removal efficiencies, 4-NP was treated highly in advanced biological WWTP (93.5 %), while it was almost not treated in WSP (3.1 %) and treated with negative removal (<0 %) in CW. While 4-t-OP was treated at a similar removal rate (93.5 %) to 4-NP in advanced biological WWTP, it was treated moderately in WSP (52.5 %) and very poorly in CW (12.4 %). It has been determined that the most important removal mechanism of both 4-NP and 4-t-OP in WWTPs is biodegradation, followed by sorption onto sewage sludge. According to the mass balance performed in advanced biological WWTP, the biodegradation rates for 4-NP and 4-t-OP were found to be 70.4 % and 86.6 %, respectively, while the sorption onto sewage sludge were determined to be 23.3 % and 6.8 %. One of the critical findings obtained within the scope of the study is that while the concentrations of both metabolites, especially 4-NP, in wastewater and sewage sludge, decreased considerably under aerobic conditions, on the contrary, their concentrations increased significantly under anaerobic conditions. Both compounds were detected at higher concentrations in primary sludge compared to secondary sludge in advanced biological WWTP, while in WSP, they were determined at higher concentrations in anaerobic stabilization pond sludge compared to facultative stabilization pond sludge. Besides, it was also determined that the sorption behavior of these alkylphenols is much more dominant than desorption.

A comparative assessment of sewage sludge valorization via anaerobic digestion and supercritical water gasification: A techno-economic case study in Norway

This study compared the performance of supercritical water gasification (SCWG) to conventional anaerobic digestion (AD) for treating sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Based on plant data from a WWTP in Norway, kinetic-based process models have been developed in Aspen Plus® to investigate the energy and economic feasibility of AD and SCWG for sewage sludge (SS) treatment. The findings showed that low ambient temperatures significantly reduced the energy efficiency of the AD, while their effect on the SCWG process was negligible. At the average ambient temperature of 7 °C and SS concentration of 7 wt%, AD and SCWG achieved thermal energy self-sufficiency (TES) of 0.76 and 0.63, respectively. Under these conditions, the AD and SCWG had energy conversion efficiencies (η) of 25.8% and 46.6%, respectively. However, increasing the SS content in the SCWG to 15 wt% improved the TES to 1.22 and η to 73.2%, making it a more attractive alternative to the AD.At 7 wt% SS concentration, the AD and SCWG processes required an investment cost of $ 4.08 million and $ 6.83 million, respectively. Under the study assumptions, neither AD nor SCWG proved profitable, revealing negative net present values (NPV) and operating costs of $0.96 million and $0.92 million, respectively.

Thermodynamic and environmental analysis of integrated supercritical water gasification of sewage sludge for power and hydrogen production

Supercritical water gasification is a promising process for treating sewage sludge (SS) to obtain hydrogen and electrical energy. Here, a novel thermodynamic equilibrium model for supercritical water gasification of sewage sludge was developed and the thermodynamic and environmental effects of operating parameters on the system were investigated. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the optimum reaction condition for the system was: reaction temperature of 750 °C, preheated water to SS ratio of 1, and SS concentration of 25 %. Under this condition, the system energy efficiency and exergy efficiency were 44.74 % and 46.51 %, respectively, with H2 production of 103.19 kg/h and power generation of 2526.2 kW. The energy and exergy efficiencies could be improved by reducing the preheated water to SS ratio and increasing the reaction temperature and SS concentration. The heat exchangers and the heater were the key units causing exergy losses, accounting for 40.3 % and 19.5 % of the total exergy losses, respectively. When utilizing carbon capture and storage (CCS), the global warming potential (GWP) value was only 0.31 kg CO2-eq under the optimal operating parameters, which was 61.44 % less than without CCS.

Eco-toxicological and climate change effects of sludge thermal treatments: Pathways towards zero pollution and negative emissions

The high moisture content and the potential presence of hazardous organic compounds (HOCs) and metals (HMs) in sewage sludge (SS) pose technical and regulatory challenges for its circular economy valorisation. Thermal treatments are expected to reduce the volume of SS while producing energy and eliminating HOCs. In this study, we integrate quantitative analysis of SS concentration of 12 HMs and 61 HOCs, including organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), with life-cycle assessment to estimate removal efficiency of pollutants, climate change mitigation benefits and toxicological effects of existing and alternative SS treatments (involving pyrolysis, incineration, and/or anaerobic digestion). Conventional SS treatment leaves between 24 % and 40 % of OPFRs unabated, while almost no degradation occurs for PFAS. Thermal treatments can degrade more than 93% of target OPFRs and 95 % of target PFAS (with the rest released to effluents). The different treatments affect how HMs are emitted across environmental compartments. Conventional treatments also show higher climate change impacts than thermal treatments. Overall, thermal treatments can effectively reduce the HOCs emitted to the environment while delivering negative emissions (from about −56 to −111 kg CO2-eq per tonne of sludge, when pyrolysis is involved) and producing renewable energy from heat integration and valorization.

Prevalence rates of neurodegenerative diseases versus human exposures to heavy metals across the United States

Novel means are needed to identify individuals and subpopulations susceptible to and afflicted by neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). This study aimed to utilize geographic distribution of heavy metal sources and sinks to investigate a potential human health risk of developing NDDs. Known or hypothesized environmental factors driving disease prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are heavy metals, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn) and mercury (Hg). Lead (Pb) has been associated with AD and ALS. Analyzable mediums of human exposure to heavy metals (i.e., toxic metals and metalloids), or proxies thereof, include infant blood, topsoil, sewage sludge, and well water. U.S. concentrations of heavy metals in topsoil, sewage sludge, well water, and infant blood were mapped and compared to prevalence rates of major NDDs. Data from federal and state agencies (i.e., CDC, EPA, and the US Geological Survey) on heavy metal concentrations, age distribution, and NDD prevalence rates were geographically represented and statistically analyzed to quantify possible correlations. Aside from an expected significant association between NDD prevalence and age (p < 0.0001), we found significant associations between the prevalence of the sum of three major NDDs with: Pb in topsoil (p = 0.0433); Cd (p < 0.0001) and Pb (p < 0.0001) in sewage sludge; Pb in infant blood (p < 0.0001). Concentrations in sewage sludge of Cd and Pb were significantly correlated with NDD prevalence rates with an odds ratio of 2.91 (2.04, 4.225 95%CI) and 4.084 (3.14, 5.312 95%CI), respectively. The presence of toxic metals in the U.S. environment in multiple matrices, including sewage sludge, was found to be significantly associated with NDD prevalence. This is the first use of sewage sludge as an environmental proxy matrix to infer risk of developing NDDs.

Investigation of the impacts of the by-product of sewage treatment on some characteristics of maize in the early growth stage

The use of sewage sludge on arable land has been widespread for many years. This by-product, treated as waste, can provide valuable nutrients to the soil, but the applied amount of sewage sludge to arable land is limited. The possibility of application of sewage sludge is essentially determined by the composition of the sludge. The goal of the experiment was to demonstrate that the physiological, morphological, and biochemical parameters of maize (Zea mays L. cv. Armagnac) linearly change with increasing concentrations of sewage sludge (25%, 50%, and 75% as m/m%). The experiment was set up in a glasshouse. The following parameters were investigated: plant height, relative chlorophyll content, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, carotenoids), and leaf proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and PS II quantum efficiency in the 3-leaf stages of the plants. Sewage sludge applied in lower doses had a beneficial effect on the initial growth of maize. The relative chlorophyll content was significantly higher in all treatments compared to the control. There was no significant difference in the maximum quantum efficiency of PS II reaction centers among the treatments. In this experiment, different concentrations of sewage sludge treatments had different impacts on the MDA and proline content of maize leaves. The proline content was significantly higher in all treatments, while the MDA content did not change significantly compared to the control.

Prediction of CO/NOx emissions and the smoldering characteristic of sewage sludge based on back propagation neural network

Smoldering can achieve effective disposal of sewage sludge (SS) with high moisture content at low energy input, providing social and economic benefits. However, smoldering is accompanied by the emission of high concentrations of CO/NOx, and thus, it requires sufficient attention. This study comprehensively investigates the effects of SS characteristics and experimental parameters on CO/NOx emissions and smoldering characteristics. Results showed that when the moisture content of SS increases from 35% to 50%, CO concentration increases while NOx formation is simultaneously inhibited. After airflow rate exceeds 5 cm/s, the concentrations of CO and NOx begin to decrease. When SS concentration is increased to 20%, the emission concentration of gas pollutants is directly increased. However, high temperatures inhibit the formation of NOx. When the particle size range is 180–270 μm, the formation of CO/NOx is promoted. Finally, a back propagation (BP) neural network model is constructed with SS characteristics and experimental parameters as input conditions, and CO/NOx emission concentration, smoldering velocity, and smoldering temperature as output parameters. The BP neural network model can effectively predict the emission concentration of CO/NOx and smoldering characteristics, providing support for intelligent control scenarios related to SS smoldering, it will help to further explore the great potential of smoldering treatment.

Comparison of Total Nitrogen estimation by Kjeldahl Method and CHNS Analyzer in Dry Tropical Grassland

The Dumas method (CHNS analyzer) is replacing the traditional Kjeldahl method as the method of choice for N analysis due to advancements in dry combustion nitrogen (N) analyzer technology and the high cost of disposing of hazardous laboratory waste chemicals. As a result, a comparison of the Dumas method (CHNS analyzer) with the Kjeldahl method is critical. Typically, such comparisons were conducted on a small number of distinct samples. The goal of this study was to compare the performance of instruments that use the automated Dumas method (CHNS analyzer) and the Kjeldahl method for N analysis of agricultural materials in a high-throughput laboratory setting. Using both instruments, N concentrations in manure, sewage sludge, plant tissue, plant seeds, and feedstuff fibres were determined. We collected samples for the analysis of organic matter from the horticulture area at the Banaras Hindu University campus in Varanasi, and total Nitrogen (N) was estimated using the Kjeldahl (wet oxidation) and Perkin-Elmer 2.400 Series II-CHN Mode techniques (dry oxidation or combustion). The positive correlation (r = 0.94**) of the Kjeldahl method with N- determination from a CHNS analyzer demonstrates that the method is practical for routinely determining the total nitrogen content of soils

Effect of sewage sludge concentrations on concrete strength

Effect of sewage sludge concentrations on concrete strength

Germination, cytotoxicity, and mutagenicity in Lactuca sativa L. and Passiflora alata Curtis in response to sewage sludge application.

The physical and chemical characteristics of the soil can influence plant growth. When sewage sludge (SS) is applied as a soil fertilizer, the accumulation of non-essential elements contained in it can be toxic for plants. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of SS dosage on the cell cycle of Lactuca sativa L. meristematic cells and on the initial growth of L. sativa and Passiflora alata Curtis. Nine concentrations of SS + distilled water (mg dm-3) corresponding to 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 120, 160, 320, and 520 t ha-1 were tested in four replicates of 25 seeds. Chemical analysis showed an increase in pH of the sludge from 0 to 80 t ha-1 SS followed by its stabilization thereafter. The highest electrical conductivity was observed at 520 t ha-1 SS. SS negatively affected the germination and initial growth of seedlings from P. alata and L. sativa. Cytogenetic analysis on 6000 L. sativa meristematic cells for each treatment revealed that SS could adversely affect the genetic stability of this species. SS concentrations above 120 t ha-1 adversely affected the germination and early seedling growth of L. sativa and P. alata. At high concentrations (120 t ha-1), SS induced genetic lesions in L. sativa, along with chromosomal and nuclear alterations.

First Comprehensive Analysis of Potential Ecological Risk and Factors Influencing Heavy Metals Binding in Sewage Sludge from WWTPs Using the Ultrasonic Disintegration Process

In this study, the occurrence, fractionation, and potential ecological risk associated with seven heavy metals (HMs), i.e., Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Hg in sewage sludge (SS) were investigated. The main aim of the study was to conduct the first comprehensive analysis of the potential ecological risk of HMs in SS collected from two municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using ultrasonic disintegration (UD) of thickened excess sludge aimed at improving the effects of anaerobic digestion (AD). In order to assess the level of potential ecological risk, two groups of indices related to the total content of HMs and their chemical forms were used. For this purpose, a modified BCR sequential extraction was conducted. The obtained results revealed that according to the values of total indices, the highest potential ecological risk was posed by Cd, Cu and Zn (and to a lesser extent by Ni and Cr), while in relation to speciation indices by Ni, Zn, Cd (and in some cases by Cr). In general, the highest risk was indicated at the beginning (primary and excess SS) and the two final stages of sludge processing (digested and dewatered SS). This means that the level of ecological risk may strongly depend on the processes used in WWTPs and especially on AD, dehydration and the activated sludge process, as well as on the characteristics of raw wastewater. The results of the statistical analysis and balance sheets revealed that the key factors which may influence the way that HMs bind in SS are: pH, TOC, OM and Eh. The obtained results showed that UD does not cause any significant changes in the total HMs concentrations in SS, and their release into supernatant in the mobile forms. This proves that UD is a safe and environmentally friendly method of sewage sludge pretreatment.

Endocrine disrupting activity in sewage sludge: Screening method, microbial succession and cost-effective strategy for detoxification

Sewage sludge (SS) presents a high agronomic potential due to high concentrations of organic matter and nutrients, encouraging its recycling as a soil conditioner. However, the presence of toxic substances can preclude this use. To enable the safe disposal of this waste in agriculture, SS requires additional detoxification to decrease the environmental risks of this practice. Although some alternatives have been proposed in this sense, little attention is provided to eliminating endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). To fill this gap, this study aimed to develop effective and low-cost technology to eliminate EDCs from SS. For this, a detoxification process combining microorganisms and biostimulating agents (soil, sugarcane bagasse, and coffee grounds) was performed for 2, 4, and 6 months with aerobic and anaerobic SSs. The (anti-)estrogenic, (anti-)androgenic, retinoic-like, and dioxin-like activities of SSs samples were verified using yeast-based reporter-gene assays to prove the effectiveness of the treatments. A fractionation procedure of samples, dividing the target sample extract into several fractions according to their polarity, was conducted to decrease the matrix complexity and facilitate the identification of EDCs. A decrease in the abundance and microbial diversity of the SS samples was noted along the biostimulation with the predominance of filamentous fungal species over yeasts and gram-positive bacteria and non-fermenting rods over enterobacteria. Among the 9 EDCs quantified by LC-ESI-MS/MS, triclosan and alkylphenols presented the highest concentrations in both SS. Before detoxification, the studied SSs induced significant agonistic activity, especially at the human estrogen receptor α (hERα) and the human aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The raw anaerobic sludge also activated the androgen (hAR), retinoic acid (RARα), and retinoid X (RXRα) receptors. However, no significant endocrine-disrupting activities were observed after the SS detoxification, showing that the technology applied here efficiently eliminates receptor-mediated toxicity.

Coupling Sewage Sludge Amendment with Cyanobacterial Inoculation to Enhance Stability and Carbon Gain in Dryland Degraded Soils

Sewage sludge (SS) is widely used as a soil conditioner in agricultural soil due to its high content of organic matter and nutrients. In addition, inoculants based on soil microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria, are being applied successfully in soil restoration to improve soil stability and fertility in agriculture. However, the combination of SS and cyanobacteria inoculation is an unexplored application that may be highly beneficial to soil. In this outdoor experiment, we studied the ability of cyanobacteria inoculum to grow on degraded soil amended with different concentrations of composted SS, and examined the effects of both SS concentration and cyanobacteria application on carbon gain and soil stability. We also explored the feasibility of using cyanobacteria for immobilizing salts in SS-amended soil. Our results showed that cyanobacteria growth increased in the soil amended with the lowest SS concentration tested (5 t ha−1, on soil 2 cm deep), as shown by its higher chlorophyll a content and associated deeper spectral absorption peak at 680 nm. At higher SS concentrations, inoculum growth decreased, which was attributed to competition of the inoculated cyanobacteria with the native SS bacterial community. However, SS significantly enhanced soil organic carbon gain and tightly-bound exopolysaccharide content. Cyanobacteria inoculation significantly improved soil stability and reduced soil’s wind erodibility. Moreover, it led to a decrease in the lixiviate electrical conductivity of salt-contaminated soils, indicating its potential for salt immobilization and soil bioremediation. Therefore, cyanobacteria inoculation, along with adequately dosed SS surface application, is an efficient strategy for improving carbon gain and surface stability in dryland agricultural soil.

Sewage Sludge Fertilization—A Case Study of Sweet Potato Yield and Heavy Metal Accumulation

Sewage sludge (SS) is derived from wastewater treatment plants and can be used as a biofertilizer when properly stabilized. This work aimed to evaluate SS application for agricultural production improvement. SS was tested on Porto Santo Island (Portugal). The experiment was randomly designed with three 25 m2 plots for each treatment (2 SS concentrations + control without SS) and performed in two consecutive cycles. For the first cycle, dehydrated sludge was mixed with soil, obtaining final concentrations of 0.8 kg/m2 (C1) and 1.6 kg/m2 (C2). Half of the concentration was used for the second cycle. Fifty-eight sweet potato plants were used in each plot. SS application boosted the agronomic parameters of biomass, productivity, and shoot biomass. Furthermore, improvements in soil properties were observed, mainly for pH, CEC, and NO3-N, with no significant increase in heavy metals. For the edible parts, heavy metal concentrations decreased, and Pb was the only one that still exceeded the maximum limits. The results demonstrated that SS application to low-fertility soil is effective in improving the agronomic parameters of sweet potato and enhancing soil features. Further studies considering other variables, i.e., SS origin, soil properties, and the crop, must be carried out to propose custom applications.

Long-Term, Simultaneous Impact of Antimicrobials on the Efficiency of Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Changes in the Microbial Community

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of simultaneous, long-term exposure to increasing concentrations of three classes of antimicrobials (β-lactams, fluoroquinolones and nitroimidazoles) on: (1) the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge, (2) qualitative and quantitative changes in microbial consortia that participate in methane fermentation, and (3) fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Long-term supplementation of sewage sludge with a combination of metronidazole, amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin applied at different doses did not induce significant changes in process parameters, including the concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), or the total abundance of ARGs. Exposure to antibiotics significantly decreased methane production and modified microbial composition. The sequencing analysis revealed that the abundance of OTUs characteristic of Archaea was not correlated with the biogas production efficiency. The study also demonstrated that the hydrogen-dependent pathway of methylotrophic methanogenesis could significantly contribute to the stability of anaerobic digestion in the presence of antimicrobials. The greatest changes in microbial biodiversity were noted in substrate samples exposed to the highest dose of the tested antibiotics, relative to control. The widespread use of antimicrobials increases antibiotic concentrations in sewage sludge, which may decrease the efficiency of anaerobic digestion, and contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR).

Planned Application of Sewage Sludge Recirculates Nutrients to Agricultural Soil and Improves Growth of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) Plants

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using sewage sludge (SS) biosolids as a low-cost soil fertilizer to improve soil characteristics and crop yields. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) plants were grown in soil supplemented with different concentrations of SS (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 g/kg). The results showed that SS soil application led to improved soil quality with a 93% increase of organic matter (at SS dose of 10 g/kg), decreased pH (a reduction from 8.38 to 7.34), and enhanced macro- and micro- nutrient contents. The levels of all the investigated heavy metals (HMs; Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the postharvest SS-amended soil were within the prescribed safe limits. The application of SS to soil considerably enhanced the growth parameters of okra plants. Total biomass increased 13-fold and absolute growth rate increased 10-fold compared to plants grown in nonamended (control) soils. Among the applied SS doses, the 10 g/kg SS dose led to the highest values of the measured growth parameters, compared to those of plants grown in control soils. The induced growth at 10 g/kg SS was accompanied by a substantial increase in metal content in roots, stems, leaves, and fruits; however, all levels remained within safe limits. Consequently, the data presented in this study suggest that SS could be used as a sustainable organic fertilizer, also serving as an ecofriendly method of SS recycling.

Risk Assessment of Contaminants in Sewage Sludge Applied on Norwegian Soils

Risk Assessment of Contaminants in Sewage Sludge Applied on Norwegian Soils

Effect of metal content from sewage sludge on the growth of Orthosiphon stamineus

Municipal sewage sludge can be used as fertilizer as it contains a lot of nutrients. By focusing on copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) contents in municipal sewage sludge from primary oxidation ponds and in plant tissue sections, this study attempts to explain the relationship between plant yield and metal concentrations. Raw sludge samples were collected, air-dried, and ground to powder form at the beginning of fieldwork. The metal concentrations of sewage sludge were copper 6.9 mg/kg; iron 330.2 mg/kg manganese 6.7 mg/kg and zinc 9.1 mg/kg. Orthosiphon stamineus (cat’s whiskers) was selected and the plant received a different quantity of sludge application ranging from 1 g to 4 g per plant weekly for six consecutive weeks while observations were done for eleven weeks. Physical parameters such as shrub width and height were monitored to determine plant growth. Through this study, the determined optimum sewage sludge dosage for cats’ whiskers was between 2 to 3 g per plant.

Prediction Models Founded on Soil Characteristics for the Estimated Uptake of Nine Metals by Okra Plant, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench., Cultivated in Agricultural Soils Modified with Varying Sewage Sludge Concentrations

Prediction models were developed to estimate the extent to which the metals Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were taken up by the fruits, the leaves, the stems, and the roots of the okra plant, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench., grown under greenhouse conditions in soil modified with a spectrum of sewage sludge concentrations: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 g/kg. All the metals under investigation, apart from Cd, were more concentrated in the A. esculentus roots than in any other organ. Overall, the sum of the metal concentration (mg/kg) within the varying plant tissues can be ranked in the following order: roots (13,795.5) &gt; leaves (1252.7) &gt; fruits (489.3) &gt; stems (469.6). For five of the metals (i.e., Cd, Co, Fe, Mn, and Pb), the BCF was &lt;1; for the remaining four metals, the BCF was &gt;1, (i.e., Cr, 1.074; Cu, 1.347; Ni, 1.576; and Zn, 1.031). The metal BCFs were negatively correlated with the pH of the soil and positively correlated with soil OM content. The above-ground tissues exhibited a TF &lt; 1 for all metals, apart from Cd with respect to the leaves (2.003) and the fruits (2.489), and with the exception of Mn in relation to the leaves (1.149). Further positive associations were demonstrated for the concentrations of all the metals in each examined plant tissue and the corresponding soil metal concentration. The tissue uptakes of the nine metals were negatively correlated with soil pH, but positively associated with the OM content in the soil. The generated models showed high performance accuracy; students’ t-tests indicated that any differences between the measured and forecasted concentrations of the nine metals within the four tissue types of A. esculentus failed to reach significance. It can, therefore, be surmised that the prediction models described in the current research form a feasible method with which to determine the safety and risk to human health when cultivating the tested species in soils modified with sewage sludge.

Evaluation of municipal sewage sludge for Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculum production

This experiment was carried out to assess the effect of soil amendment with different concentrations of municipal sewage sludge (SS) as a substrate on inoculum production of two selected arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) i.e., Glomus mosseae and Acaulospora laevis. The experiment was a 4 × 5 factorial design with four hosts including, maize (Zea mays L.), lemon grass (Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) Wats.) and Sesbania (Sesbania aculeata Poir.) and the following five SS concentrations 1) no substrate, 2) 25 g, 3) 50 g, 4) 75 g and 5) 200 g pot–1) with five replications. After 90 days, the host roots and its rhizosphere soil were examined for fungal mycorrhization in terms of percent of root colonization and AMF spore quantification. Furthermore, we calculated the response of each host in terms of increase in plant height (cm), root length (cm), root, fresh shoots, and dry weight (g). Mycorrhization pattern showed moderate to abundant intraradical mycelium, extraradical mycelium, vesicles, and arbuscules in all the host plants. This pattern varied with a change in the input level of SS. The 75 g treatment obtained the maximum mycorrhization of both the AMF, while the highest input level was detrimental to AMF and host plants' survival. Among the tested hosts, lemon grass and maize had a tremendous increment in G. mosseae and A. laevis inoculum respectively. Consequently, 75 g SS with lemon grass is the most compatible host–substrate combination capable of maximum G. mosseae and A. laevis spore production and root colonization and so far, highlights the significance of an alternative, cost–effective and affordable carrier medium that can be adopted by farmers as sustainable cultural practices for on farm AMF inoculum production.