Waste Amendments Research Articles

Utility of compost and wood mill waste amendments to mitigate severe replant stress of sweet cherry in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia

Utility of compost and wood mill waste amendments to mitigate severe replant stress of sweet cherry in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia

Behaviour of bispyribac-sodium in aerobic and anaerobic rice-growing conditions with and without olive-mill waste amendment

Water and tillage management practices alone or in combination with organic amendments can alter the behaviour of pesticides. This study evaluates the sorption, persistence, and leaching of bispyribac-sodium (BYS) under anaerobic and aerobic rice-growing conditions with and without soil amendment by composted olive mill waste (OW). For this purpose, field experiments were conducted over three years. They involved six treatments: no-tillage and sprinkler irrigation (aerobic) without (NTA) and with OW application (NTAOW), tillage and aerobic without (TA) and with OW application (TAOW), and tillage and flooding without (TF) and with OW application (TFOW). In all three OW treatments, the amendment was applied in the first year. The Kf values were significantly greater in TF than in [NTA and TA] for the first and third years of the experiment by factors of [1.5 and 2.3] and [1.6 and 1.2], respectively. While in the first year Kf was 1.5 times greater in TF than TFOW, at the end of the experiment it was 1.6 times lower. In the non-amended treatments, the persistence of BYS was up to 1.9 times greater under anaerobic than under aerobic incubation conditions. Except for the NTA treatment in the third year, the persistence of BYS under aerobic incubation conditions (t1/2 = 35.5–53.7 d) was enhanced when OW was applied to the soil (t1/2 = 44.5–80.1 d). Under anaerobic incubation conditions, in the first year the BYS persistence was significantly reduced in NTA and TA when OW was added to the soil, but in TF it was enhanced. Conversely, in the third year the persistence of BYS was significantly increased in NTA and TA by OW addition, but decreased under TF management. BYS leaching was similar under the aerobic (TA and NTA) and anaerobic (TF) treatments in the first year, but was less under the TF treatment at the end of the experiment. Independently of the water and tillage management, the addition of OW significantly influenced BYS sorption and persistence, reducing the amount of the herbicide leached, although the magnitude of the effect depended on the time elapsed after its application to the soil. The use of OW could be considered as a strategy with which to reduce water contamination by BYS under aerobic and anaerobic rice-growing conditions, especially in the short term after application of this organic amendment.

Hydrogel and Organic Amendments to Increase Water Retention in Anthroposols for Land Reclamation

Using waste materials from industrial activities to build anthroposols (soils built or altered by humans) can provide soil for reclamation and reduce amounts of materials stored in landfills. Mines and other large industrial disturbances requiring anthroposols usually have large amounts of nonorganic waste materials with low water holding capacity and large amounts of coarse fragments. Thus, water holding capacity is a key property to build into anthroposols as all aspects of revegetation are strongly influenced by soil water content. This research assessed the effectiveness of hydrogel and organic amendments to increase the water retention in common mine wastes used to build anthroposols for reclamation in three greenhouse experiments. Waste materials were crushed rock, lakebed sediment, and processed kimberlite, from a northern diamond mine in Canada. Amendments were hydrogel, sewage, salvaged soil, and peat. Pots were filled with the material and weighed and saturated, followed by periodic weighing until the weight was near constant. Water retention was consistently highest in processed kimberlite, with and without amendments. Water retention increased most with hydrogel in processed kimberlite and crushed rock. Hydrogel application method impacted the initial water retention, but over time, the effect was limited. Water retention in lakebed sediment showed little difference relative to no amendment addition and had lowest increases relative to other substrates. Type of waste material and amendment, application rate, and application method impacted water retention and can be adapted to build anthroposols in the field using waste materials suitable for reclamation.

A review of the abundance, behaviour and detection of clostridial pathogens in agricultural soils

AbstractThe soil is a reservoir for various clostridial pathogens, with agricultural soils representing a major source of contamination for overlying crops and grazing livestock. Understanding the prevalence and behaviour of pathogens in these soils is fundamental to ascertaining and mitigating the risk of disease from agroecosystems. This article reviews research pertaining to the overall distribution and abundance of clostridial pathogens in the soil while identifying possible environmental and soil factors influencing their behaviour. Large‐scale soil screens have identified pathogens across the globe, although some Clostridium botulinum toxinotypes are more prevalent in certain geographic regions. Faecal inputs and organic waste amendments to the soil can elevate the levels of enteric clostridial pathogens in the soil and the subsequent disease risk, as highlighted by case–control studies. The ability of Clostridia to sporulate results in their long‐term persistence post‐introduction, increasing the time period for disease transmission. Regularly or permanently saturated soils may also enhance survival, or potentially facilitate the regrowth of some indigenous or introduced Clostridia. This is supported by the high prevalence of Clostridia in paddy soils, greater detection of pathogens in flooded soils, and the higher onset of some clostridial diseases in regions with poorly drained soils. Future research should elucidate soil types and environmental conditions which can enhance pathogen survival/regrowth. The adoption of molecular and sequencing technologies for future diagnostics can facilitate more sensitive detection and a higher resolution of pathogen typing, allowing a better understanding of pathogen population dynamics in farm soils and disease epidemiology.Highlights Understanding the behaviour of soil‐borne clostridial pathogens is key for disease management. Soil, environmental and management factors affecting pathogen survival/introduction are discussed. Soil waterlogging and application of organic soil amendments may increase the number of soil pathogens. More pathogen surveillance and standardisation of diagnostics to better understand behaviour is needed.

Community shift in structure and functions across soil profile in response to organic waste and mineral fertilization strategies

Significant differences in the microbial diversity, biochemical processes and enzyme activity in soil has been observed under various conditions of fertilization, but to date little research has been performed to explore these properties across soil profile after organic waste amendments, especially within deeper soil layers. Soil samples were collected from an experiment under winter wheat, and enzyme activity, microbial community structure were determined. All treatments amended with organic waste or mineral fertilizers and non-amended plots had different microbial communities, especially in various soil layers. Greater enzyme activity (9.82 mg PNP kg−1 h−1, 13.41 mg TPF kg−1 d−1), ammonification (44.31 mg NH4+ kg−1 d−1), and CO2 production (375.16 mg CO2 kg−1 d−1) were observed in the rhizosphere soil amended with dairy sewage sludge. Conversely, lower enzyme activity, ammonification, and CO2 production were detected in the deep soil layer (30–40 cm) compared to rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil. Overall, it was demonstrated that organic waste amendment supports soil microbial diversity and leads to enhanced functional potentials expressed as enzyme activity.

Acid soil amended in contaminated conditions. Effect on cultivated lettuces (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia)

The waste amendment is a common practice to improve crop production on acid soils. This work aims to study the effectiveness of water potabilization plant sludge and lamb manure in acid soils remediation and the possible absorption of metals in cultivated lettuces, as well as the elements´distribution in roots and leaves after extra-contaminated irrigation. Al2(SO4)3-stabilized sludge, and lamb manure was added to an acid soil collected from Huasca de Ocampo, Hidalgo State, Mexico. The sludge (L), manure (M), control soil (C), unamended (S) and amended soils (SML) were characterized, and the metals´ concentrations determined. The SML was prepared by adding 2.62 % M and 5.25% L to fill up 600 L tanks. Lettuces (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia) seeds were sown in S and SML, and irrigated once by metal salts solution (Na, Mg, Ca, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd as sulfates, 200 mg kg-1 each). Lettuce germinated and grew satisfactorily in the SML, but they grew slowly in the unamended acid S, and the roots were affected. Leaves and roots were regularly analyzed along three months, and the metal concentrations showed higher values in S than the ones in SML. Pollutants were available from S, as they were present in roots, and desorbed after 40 days. The elements were present in higher concentrations in lettuce roots than in leaves, as expected. Conclusions. a) Acid soils can be amended with potabilization plants wastes in mining zones, but pH must be controlled to prevent the availability of metals. b) The soil texture was the principal cause of infertility due to root damage, and wastes eliminate the impairment. c) The element concentrations present in the leaves were acceptable for human nutrition.

Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Crude Oil Contaminated Soil from Wonocolo Public Oilfields using Aerobic Composting with Yard Waste and Rumen Residue Amendments

Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Crude Oil Contaminated Soil from Wonocolo Public Oilfields using Aerobic Composting with Yard Waste and Rumen Residue Amendments

The use of wastes (organic and inorganic) in land restoration in relation to their characteristics and cost

The great extent of degraded soils in southeast Spain makes it necessary to carry out restoration and rehabilitation strategies. In addition, the great amount of wastes produced need to be properly managed. Several types of wastes and amendments (organic and inorganic) can be applied for soil rehabilitation and land restoration. When large areas must be restored several aspects should be considered, such as availability of the waste, its characteristics, and transport. This research focuses on the characterization and the cost of 12 waste types and amendments (such as sewage sludge compost, brown peat, black peat, fertilized peat, earthworm humus, straw hay, palm tree leaves, pine bark, exfoliated vermiculite, expanded perlite, limestone outcrops, and volcanic crushed stones) obtained from four different sources. All of them were characterized following the UNE standards for soil amendments and the cost was obtained as a mean value of four different sources. The results indicate a great variability of properties between organic and inorganic materials, as was expected. Depending on the type of restoration, the characteristics, and the cost, the materials can be selected for an adequate purpose. Sewage sludge compost is a good alternative for application in large areas related to its characteristics (organic matter content and nutrient availability) and low cost. For inorganic amendments, natural limestone outcrops were the low-cost alternative. The use of both wastes (composted sewage sludge and limestone raw materials) for soil rehabilitation can facilitate the reduction of landfill disposal and add value for these wastes. Moreover, the results are very useful for scientists and engineers who deal with the development of rehabilitation and restoration strategies.

Evaluation of orange peel waste and its biochar on greenhouse gas emissions and soil biochemical properties within a loess soil

The environmentally safe disposal of the large quantity of orange peels waste produced each day causes economic and environmental problems, which after conversion into biochar via pyrolysis technique might be used as an effective soil amendment. In this study, a 90-day incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of orange peel waste and waste-derived biochar amendments on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), soil biochemical properties, and soil enzyme activities. There were five treatments with different amendment levels: control without an amendment (Control), orange waste 1% (W1), orange waste 2% (W2), orange waste biochar 1% (B1), and orange waste biochar 2% (B2). The results showed that, compared with control, the amendments decreased cumulative N2O emissions by 59.2% (B2), 45.2% (B1), 20.6% (W2) and 10.2% (W1), respectively; and increased cumulative CH4 emissions by 81.7% (W1), 84.4% (W2), 75.8% (B1) and 74.9% (B2), respectively. Cumulative CO2 emissions decreased for the B1 (29.3%) and B2 (43.5%) over the waste treatments. While soil pH, SOC, nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) and enzyme activities (urease and catalase) were significantly increased with the passage of time from the biochar amendments, ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and invertase activities did not show this trend with time. Our study suggests that orange peel waste conversion to biochar should be a viable alternate method of disposal since land application resulted in reduced GHG and improvements in soil fertility.

Co-Application of Milk Tea Waste and NPK Fertilizers to Improve Sandy Soil Biochemical Properties and Wheat Growth.

Desert soil is one of the most severe conditions which negatively affect the environment and crop growth production in arid land. The application of organic amendments with inorganic fertilizers is an economically viable and environmentally comprehensive method to develop sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to assess whether milk tea waste (TW) amendment combined with chemical fertilizer (F) application can be used to improve the biochemical properties of sandy soil and wheat growth. The treatments included control without amendment (T1), chemical fertilizers (T2), TW 2.5% + F (T3), TW 5% + F (T4) and TW 10% + F (T5). The results showed that the highest chlorophyll (a and b) and carotenoids, shoot and root dry biomass, and leaf area index (LAI) were significantly (p < 0.05) improved with all amendment treatments. However, the highest root total length, root surface area, root volume and diameter were recorded for T4 among all treatments. The greater uptake of N, P, and K contents for T4 increased for the shoot by 68.9, 58.3, and 57.1%, and for the root by 65.7, 34.3, and 47.4% compared to the control, respectively. Compared with the control, T5 treatment decreased the soil pH significantly (p < 0.05) and increased soil enzyme activities such as urease (95.2%), β-glucosidase (81.6%) and dehydrogenase (97.2%), followed by T4, T3, and T2. Our findings suggested that the integrated use of milk tea waste and chemical fertilizers is a suitable amendment method for improving the growth and soil fertility status of sandy soils.

Influence of soil texture and compost on the early growth and nutrient uptake of Moringa oleifera Lam

Influence of soil texture and compost on the early growth and nutrient uptake of Moringa oleifera Lam

Nutrient Source and Tillage Effects on Maize: II. Yield, Soil Carbon, and Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Core Ideas Industrial biotechnology waste as a soil amendment approximates farmer practice yields. Applying waste amendments significantly increased soil organic C compared with farmer practice. Using waste nutrients for agriculture and soil organic matter improves sustainability. Reuse of industrial biotechnology by‐products has become an important component of circular bio‐economies whereby nutrient‐rich wastes are returned to agricultural land to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. Heat‐inactivated spent microbial biomass (SMB) from the production of 1,3‐propanediol is an industrial fermentation by‐product with nutrients that could replace or supplement conventional fertilizers. Our objectives were to determine if SMB utilization as a soil amendment in agriculture could generate environmental benefits while meeting farmer yield expectations and assess the impact of SMB application on CO2 emissions. This study examined the replacement of typical farmer fertilizer practices with the application of SMB. In addition to yellow dent maize (Zea mays L. var. indentata) grain yield and aboveground biomass, soil organic carbon (SOC) was measured. The eddy covariance (EC) micrometeorological method was used to measure CO2 flux. Overall maize yields were positively correlated with increasing application rates of SMB. After two SMB applications, SOC increased by 45% on the SMB plot as compared with an increase of 11% on the farmer practice plot. The SMB‐treated plot also emitted more CO2 (794 g CO2 m−2 yr−1) compared with the farmer practice treatment (274 g CO2 m−2 yr−1). Results from this study provide information on the efficacy of waste product nutrient cycling in the soil–plant ecosystem that could improve productivity and sustainability.

Assessment of composted kitchen waste and poultry manure amendments on growth, yield and heavy metal uptake by Jute mallow Corchorus olitorius Linn.

PurposeThis study was carried out to compare the effects of composted kitchen waste (KW) and poultry manure (PM) soil amendments on growth, yield and heavy metal uptake in edible leaf of Corchorus olitorius.MethodsKitchen waste and PM composted for 8 weeks were applied as soil amendment at the rate of 0 (no amendment), 5, 10 and 15 t ha−1. Corchorus seeds were sown 2 weeks after incorporation of amendment. Compost amendments were the main treatments while application rates were in sub-plots. Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. Corchorus were harvested 6 weeks after sowing, following which growth and yield parameters were measured. Concentrations of manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in leaf tissue and plant uptake were also determined.ResultsResult showed that PM increased Corchorus leaf production than KW. Poultry manure significantly (p ≤ 0.01) increased Cu accumulation in leaf. Bioaccumulation of Cu was 0.005 and 0.011 mg kg−1 for KW and PM, respectively. The metals except Zn in leaf tissue showed significant (p ≤ 0.01) correlation with both fresh and dry weights of Corchorus. Despite high concentration of heavy metals in the compost, bioaccumulation in leaf was lower than maximum allowable limit of 0.1 mg kg−1 for Cu and 0.3 mg kg−1 for Mn, Fe and Zn in vegetables by WHO/FAO/FEPA.ConclusionSoil amended with composted KW and PM promoted Corchorus growth and yield. Accumulations of heavy metals in leaf tissue are within allowable limit for vegetables.

Residual effect of Organic Waste Amendment on Soil Productivity and Crop Yield -- A Review

Residual effect of Organic Waste Amendment on Soil Productivity and Crop Yield -- A Review

Effect of solid wastes amendment on growth and yield of Solanum melongena

In the present study four different types of organic solid wastes namely: sugarcane waste, fish waste, flower waste and pineapple waste were selected and amended in soil. Plantation of saplings of Solanum melongena were done in the amended soil and changes in the growth pattern, biomass and soil characteristics were observed by comparing with unamended pots. It was observed that amendment of flower waste leads to an overall increase in the productivity of crop. On an average there was an increase of 11.7cm in height, 13 number of leaves, 5cm in root length and 3.4 g of biomass in the flower waste amended pots. Sugarcane and fish wastes amendment did not show positive impact on the crop. Pineapple wastes showed positive change. Soil moisture, organic C and N increased in all types of amendments. Available K increased only in flower and pineapple wastes amendment. There was significant correlation between crop and soil characteristics showing faster release of K in flower waste led to an increase in production of the crop.

Mitigation of soil loss from turfgrass cultivation by utilizing poultry abattoir sludge compost and biochar on low-organic matter soil

ABSTRACTCommercial turfgrass cultivation is one of the main ornamental industries world-wide; however, successive turfgrass sod cutting from the same site removes surface soil, leading to a decline in soil organic matter, impairment of soil fertility and degradation of environment. The present study was aimed to investigate the applicability of poultry abattoir sludge compost (PASC) and biochar (BC) on the establishment of turfgrass by evaluating plant growth performance and mitigation of soil loss by organic waste amendments. The experimental study was designed on the soil which had originally low-organic matter content and previously used as a turfgrass sod harvested site in a sandy loam soil. Incorporation of PASC to soil improved the physicochemical properties in terms of bulk density (BD), water holding capacity (WHC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH, total nitrogen, total organic carbon (TOC), and organic matter (OM) by 37 (±2)%, 45 (±3)%, 55 (±3)%, 21 (±2)%, 48 (±2)%, 90 (±10)%, and 96 (±4)%, respectively. PASC-amended treatments enhanced the turfgrass growth rate more than the BC due to its increased nutrient availability. Incorporation of 100 Mg ha–1 (mega gram per hectare) PASC in surface soil with or without BC decreased the mineral soil removal rate by half of the respective soil (control) treatments. The results of the present study confirmed the utilization of PASC and BC as promising agro-industrial-based fertilizers in turfgrass sod production for sustainable soil and nutrient management.

Heavy metal accumulation and mobility in a soil profile depend on the organic waste type applied

While organic waste amendments can initially improve soil physicochemical properties, including nutritional benefits to plants and increased microorganism activity, long-term application of excessive amounts of organic wastes can cause accumulation of heavy metals (HMs). Thus, the current study examined the accumulation of HMs in agricultural soil profiles following organic waste application. Three common organic sludge, including municipal sewage sludge (MSS), industrial sewage sludge (ISS), and leather sludge (LS), were applied annually to an agricultural soil under field conditions over 7 years (1994–2000) at a rate of 25 and 50 t ha−1 year−1. Subsequently, when organic sludge amendments were ceased, the experimental plots were cultivated without any treatments for another 12 years (2001–2012) and the changes in HM concentrations along the soil depth profile were monitored together with soil pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and dehydrogenase activity (DHA). Significant increases in Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations were observed down to a depth of 80 cm in soils treated with ISS and LS, where sludge application also increased the levels of Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn and their movement down the soil profile. However, with the exception of Cu, no significant changes in HM concentrations were observed following treatment with MSS. At a depth of 80 cm, soils which had received 25 and 50 t ha−1 LS showed, respectively, 4 and 14 times higher Cr levels than the control soil. Organic sludge induced changes in soil pH and soil DOC concentration which were the key factors influencing HM movement and accumulation following organic sludge treatment.

The effect of substrate on growth and nutritional status of native xerothermic species grown in extensive green roof technology

The increasing popularity of green roof technology can contribute to urban sustainability and well-being in cities. However, there still is limited knowledge about the effect of substrate, especially composed from waste amendments, on plant species suitable for the extensive green roofs. Currently the urban agglomeration is characterized by a high degree of industrialization and modern agriculture, which contributes to the production of excessive amounts of various waste materials. The usage of locally available waste materials has many potential benefits, including reduced transportation costs, reduced waste disposal and preservation of natural aggregates. However, the waste has to meet many criteria, such as appropriate physical and chemical properties. The main purposes of green roofs in Poland are: to create additional green space in dense urban area and to increase biodiversity, which could be done by using native plants (well adapted to local weather conditions). A 3-year study was carried out in Krakow using a pilot-scale roof system in field containers. Treatments included two substrates—a Si-waste substrate composed of locally available waste materials and a commercial substrate (control)—and three native xerothermic plant taxa: Dianthus carthusianorum, Hieracium pilosella L. and Sedum acre L. The physicochemical properties of substrates, their stability over time and influence on plant nutrient status as well as the visual rating of plants measurements were examined. We observed a tendency to decrease the bulk density and pH value, and a significant increase in the organic matter content in both tested substrates during a subsequent year of the study. The plant nutrient status was similar in terms of macro-elements, regardless of the substrate used. In relation to elevated trace element concentrations in the Si-waste substrate, the amount of metals accumulated in the tissues of all tested taxa was relatively low. We concluded that waste substrate may be a valuable root environment for examined native species which can be successfully used in Europe on green roof plant communities.

Reducing the leachability of nitrate, phosphorus and heavy metals from soil using waste material

Abstract Contaminants like nitrate (NO3), phosphorus (P) and heavy metals in water are often associated with agricultural activities. Various soil and water remediation techniques have been employed to reduce the risk associated with these contaminants. A study was conducted to examine the extent of leaching of heavy metals (Cd, Ni, Pb and Cr), NO3 and P. For this purpose sandy and silt loam soils were amended with different waste materials, namely wood ash, solid waste ash, vegetable waste, charcoal, and sawdust. The soils were saturated with wastewater. Irrespective of the waste applied, the pH and EC of the amended soils were found to be greater than the control. Charcoal, sawdust and wood ash significantly decreased heavy metals, nitrate and phosphorus concentrations in the leachate. Treatments were more efficient for reducing Ni than other heavy metals concentrations. Waste amendments differed for heavy metals during the process of leaching. Heavy metals in the soil were progressively depleted due to the successive leaching stages. This research suggests that waste material may act as an adsorbent for the above contaminants and can reduce their leachability in soils.

Effects of industrial and agricultural waste amendment on soil greenhouse gas production in a paddy field in Southeastern China

Controlling the production and subsequent emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from paddy fields is crucial to minimize the climatic impacts arising from crop production. The application of chemical or biological amendments is one possible way to limit the production of GHGs in paddy soils. Yet, few existing studies have examined the impacts of applying fertilizers originated from industrial and agricultural wastes on soil GHG production and its governing factors in subtropical paddy fields. In this study, we examined the effects of various agricultural and industrial amendments, including biochar, steel slag, shell slag, gypsum slag, and slag-derived silicate and calcium fertilizers, on the production potential of GHGs in an early paddy field in southeast China. The mean CO2 production rates from soils amended with steel slag as well as silicate and calcium fertilizers were significantly higher than those of the controls by 13.4% and 18.6%, respectively (P < 0.05). Mean soil CH4 production rates from the plots amended with steel slag, biochar, shell slag, and gypsum slag were significantly lower than those of the controls by 42.5%, 36.1%, 60.8%, and 61.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, we found no significant difference in mean soil N2O production rates between the control and any of the treatments (P > 0.05). Overall, the soil production rate of CO2 was positively correlated with that of CH4 (P < 0.05), but negatively correlated with that of N2O (P < 0.05). When compared to the controls, the ratio of soil CO2:CH4 production increased significantly in the plots receiving biochar, and silicate and calcium fertilizer amendments (P < 0.05), while that of CO2:N2O production increased significantly only in the biochar-amended plots. Soil CH4:N2O production ratio decreased significantly in the plots amended with steel slag and gypsum slag, as compared to the controls (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that the application of biochar, shell slag and gypsum slag would help reduce greenhouse gas production and mitigate climate change impacts of rice cultivation, largely attributable to the reduction in methanogenesis.