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Biosolids‐Amended Soils: Part II. Chemical Lability as a Measure of Contaminant Bioaccessability
Author(s) -
Schwab A. P.,
Lewis K.,
Banks M. K.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143005x73082
Subject(s) - lability , biosolids , soil water , environmental chemistry , environmental science , environmental engineering , chemistry , soil contamination , soil science , organic chemistry
Biosolids recycling by amending agricultural soils has increased significantly over the last few decades. The presence of contaminants in small, bioavailable quantities has generated concerns about health threats resulting from accumulation of potential toxins in the food chain. In this study, land application of biosolids was evaluated for environmental risk. Chemical lability tests for metals were used for the test soils and included analyses for water soluble, exchangeable, and metals extractable by the physiologically based extraction test. Chemical extractions detected slight increases in labile metal concentrations for many of the treated soils, particularly those receiving long‐term applications of 5 years or more. Significantly higher metal concentrations were observed in the soils that had been exposed to biosolids before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Washington, D.C.) 503 Rule (U.S. EPA, 2004) was implemented.