Land Treatment of Biosolids and CAFO Waste
Biosolids application field study in Salisbury, NC
A common disposal practice for municipal biosolids and concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) manures is to spread this material on agricultural fields as a soil amendment. Questions have arisen regarding the cleanliness of this practice. One concern is that current regulations do not sufficiently restrict pathogen exposure. Another concern is that Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) present in the solid contaminate the environment as runoff and groundwater infiltration. To evaluate these questions, the concentrations of pathogens, microbes, nutrients, and
EDCs will be measured before and after the land application of biosolids and manure. Researchers will study transport and fate of these analytes, and will calculate kinetic rates that characterize the system when possible.
Contact: Carolyn Acheson;
Ronald Herrmann (EIMS#56399)
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