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Hydrologic Transport of Fecal Bacteria Attenuated by Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum
Author(s) -
Jenkins M. B.,
Schomberg H. H.,
Endale D. M.,
Franklin D. H.,
Fisher D. S.
Publication year - 2014
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/jeq2012.0132
Subject(s) - flue gas desulfurization , gypsum , environmental science , bacteria , fecal coliform , environmental chemistry , environmental engineering , waste management , chemistry , water quality , biology , engineering , ecology , paleontology , genetics
Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum is a byproduct of coal‐fired power plants. Its application to agricultural fields may increase water infiltration, reduce soil erosion, and decrease nutrient losses from applications of animal manures. It may also reduce fecal bacterial contamination of surface waters. We tested the hypothesis that FGD gypsum applications would decrease the load of Salmonella and the fecal indicator bacterium Escherichia coli from poultry litter applications. Two rainfall simulation experiments were undertaken: one in spring 2009 and one in spring 2011. Six treatments consisted of four rates of FGD gypsum (0, 2.2, 4.5, and 9.0 Mg ha −1 ) with poultry litter (13.5 Mg ha −1 and two controls) in a randomized, complete‐block design with three replications. Each replicate 4‐ × 6‐m plot contained a single 1‐ × 2‐m subplot that was delineated by metal plates and a flume that captured total overland flow or runoff. Rainfall was applied at ∼64 mm h −1 . Volume of overland runoff was measured and subsampled for analysis every 10 min for 1 h. Flow‐weighted concentrations, total loads, and soil concentrations of E. coli were determined. Salmonella was not detected in runoff. No significant differences between treatments were observed for the 2009 rainfall simulation. However, after 3 yr of FGD gypsum applications, the highest rate of FGD gypsum resulted in decreased flow‐weighted concentrations and total loads of E. coli . Flue gas desulfurization gypsum applications may be a management practice that reduces microbial contamination of surface waters from manure applied to agricultural fields in the southeastern United States.