Removal of toxic metals from sewage sludge by EDTA and hydrodynamic cavitation and use of the sludge as fertilizer.

Sewage sludge (SS) is rich in plant nutrients, including P, N, and organic C, but often contains toxic metals (TMs), which hinders its potential use in agriculture. The efficiency of removal of TMs by washing with ethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA), in combination with hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) and the usability of washed sewage sludge as fertilizer were investigated. The environmental risk was assessed.

Novel Identification of the Collection of Pathogenic Fungal Species with the Development of Species-Specific SSR Markers.

The genus is a group of ascomycete fungi that includes several pathogenic plant species. In 2011, a new taxonomic classification, proposed by Inderbitzin and coworkers (2011), re-defined the genus as sensu stricto. The objective of our study was the re-classification of the fungal species held in the culture collection in the Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing in accordance with the newly established taxonomy.

Removal of toxic metals from sewage sludge by EDTA in a closed-loop washing process.

Sewage sludge (SS) is a potential resource for P and other nutrients, but often contaminated with metals. SS containing Pb-102, Zn-968, Cu-267, Cr-101, Mn-222, and Fe-8374 mg kg was washed in a batch process for 1 h with a recycled washing solution containing 50 mmol L of recycled EDTA and 50 mmol L HSO, solid/liquid ratio 1/7 (w/V). After solid/liquid separation, the washed SS was further rinsed 3-times with cleansed recycled solutions.

Simultaneous removal of arsenic and toxic metals from contaminated soil: Laboratory development and pilot scale demonstration.

Soil chemistry of toxic metalloids and metals differs, making their simultaneous removal difficult. Soil contaminated with As, Pb, Zn and Cd was washed with oxalic acid, Na-dithionite and EDTA solution. Toxic elements were removed from the washing solution by alkalinisation with CaO to a pH 12.

Integral analysis of hydrodynamic cavitation effects on waste activated sludge characteristics, potentially toxic metals, microorganisms and identification of microplastics.

Wastewater treatment plants, the last barrier between ever-increasing human activities and the environment, produce huge amounts, of unwanted semi-solid by-product - waste activated sludge. Anaerobic digestion can be used to reduce the amount of sludge. However, the process needs extensive modernisation and refinement to realize its full potential.

Demonstrational gardens with EDTA-washed soil. Part I: Remediation efficiency, effect on soil properties and toxicity hazards.

The viable chelator-based soil washing has yet to be demonstrated on a larger scale. Soil containing 1850, 3830 and 21 mg kg Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively, was washed with 100 mmol EDTA kg in a series of 16 batches (1 ton soil/batch) using the new ReSoil® technology. The ReSoil® recycled the process water and 85% of the EDTA, producing no wastewater and 14.

Demonstrational gardens with EDTA-washed soil. Part II: Soil quality assessment using biological indicators.

In this study, we evaluated the impact of washing of Pb, Zn and Cd contaminated soil using EDTA-based technology (ReSoil®) on soil biological properties by measuring some of the most commonly used/sensitive biological indicators of soil perturbation. We estimated the temporal dynamics of the soil respiration, the activities of soil enzymes (dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, urease, acid and alkaline phosphatase), and the effect of the remediation process on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in original (Orig), remediated (Rem) and remediated vitalized (Rem+V) soils during a more than one-year garden experiment. ReSoil® technology initially affected the activity level of soil microbial respiration and all enzyme activities except urease and reduced AM fungal potential in the soil.

Demonstration gardens with EDTA-washed soil. Part III: Plant growth, soil physical properties and production of safe vegetables.

In previous reports large-scale EDTA-based soil washing using ReSoil® technology was demonstrated. In the current study, we established a vegetable garden with nine raised beds (4 × 1 × 0.5 m), three with original (contaminated) soil, three with remediated soil, and three with remediated soil vitalized by addition of vermicompost, earthworms, and rhizosphere inoculum.

Soil washing with biodegradable chelating agents and EDTA: Effect on soil properties and plant growth.

Soils contaminated with Pb, Zn and Cd are hazardous. Persistent EDTA and biodegradable GLDA, EDDS and IDS have been used as chelators in the ReSoil soil washing technology, which recycles chelator and curbs toxic emissions. The washed soils supported similar growth of buckwheat (F.

Soil washing with biodegradable chelating agents and EDTA: Technological feasibility, remediation efficiency and environmental sustainability.

In washing soils contaminated with toxic metals, the replacement of recalcitrant EDTA with biodegradable chelators has gained high expectations. Herein we investigated the feasibility of using EDTA and biodegradable GLDA, EDDS and IDS under conditions pertinent to operational remediation technology, in a pilot-scale experiment. GLDA and IDS did not precipitate from process solutions, which lessened their recyclability.

Dissipation of mecoprop-P, isoproturon, bentazon and S-metolachlor in heavy metal contaminated acidic and calcareous soil before and after EDTA-based remediation.

The ability of contaminated farmland soils reclaimed by remediation to dissipate pesticides and thus to mitigate their unwanted environmental effects, i.e., leaching and run-off, was studied.

Multi-substrate induced microbial respiration, nitrification potential and enzyme activities in metal-polluted, EDTA-washed soils.

Efficiency and the preservation of soil functions are key requirements for sustainable remediation of contaminated soil. Microbial decomposition and conversion of substrates is a fundamental soil function. Pilot-scale EDTA-based soil washing recycled chelant generated no wastewater and removed 78% of Pb from acidic farmland soil with 860 mg kg Pb and 60% of Pb from calcareous garden soil with 1030 mg kg Pb.

Revitalisation of metal-contaminated, EDTA-washed soil by addition of unpolluted soil, compost and biochar: Effects on soil enzyme activity, microbial community composition and abundance.

Soil remediation mitigates hazards from contaminants but could deprive soils of initial biota and enzymes. Historically contaminated acidic soil from Arnoldstein (Austria) and calcareous soil from Meza (Slovenia) were washed with 30 and 100 mmol kg ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) to remove 78 and 60% of Pb as a main pollutant. Remediation of the Arnoldstein soil decreased urease activity and increased β-glucosidase activity, measured in a 15-week experiment.