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Phosphates in Soils Treated with Sewage Water: I. General Information on Sewage Farm, Soil, and Treatment Results
Author(s) -
Beek J.,
Haan F. A. M.,
Riemsdijk W. H.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1977.00472425000600010002x
Subject(s) - sewage , environmental science , soil water , organic matter , environmental chemistry , agronomy , environmental engineering , chemistry , soil science , biology , organic chemistry
A sewage farm which has been used during the past 50 years for treatment of raw sewage water of domestic and industrial origin was studied. The farm (100 ha) is situated on sandy soil and is agricultural use as permanent pastuce. Intermittent flooding of the soil with sewage water results in a 98% decrease of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) by passing it through the soil; phosphates are removed to the extent of 96%. These phosphates accumulate in the top 50‐cm layer of the soil. Removal of nitrogenous compounds is less effective. The sewage water additions raised the pH of the soil and increased the organic matter content (mainly of the top layers). These changes may have practical implications with respect to chemical and physico‐chemical reactions in the soil.