Soil health as a proxy for long-term reclamation success of metal-contaminated mine tailings using lime and biosolids.

Mine lands contaminted with heavy metals pose environmental risks, and thus reclamation is paramount for improving soil, plant, animal, and ecosystem health. A metal-contaminated alluvial mine tailing, devoid of vegetation, received 224 Mg ha of both lime and biosolids in 1998, and long-term reclamation success was quantified in 2019 with respect to soils, plants, and linkages to animals. Reclamation success was quantified using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF), in conjunction with bioavailable (0.

Nutrient, Metal, and Organics Removal from Stormwater Using a Range of Bioretention Soil Mixtures.

A column study was conducted to test the ability of bioretention soil mixtures (BSMs) to remove nutrients, metals, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from stormwater collected from an urban highway. Infiltration rate, plant growth response, and turbidity of the effluent were also measured. The BSMs were made from a range of types and rates of composts and additional materials such as water treatment residuals, sawdust, and oyster shells.

Predictors of Phosphorus Leaching from Bioretention Soil Media.

The phosphorus saturation index (PSI) and P saturation ratio (PSR) were tested across a wide range of bioretention soil mixtures (BSMs) for their relationship to total and dissolved P in column leachate. The BSMs tested were made using different feedstocks including sand alone, food and yard waste compost, biosolids and yard compost, and high Fe biosolids. The PSI of the mixtures ranged from 0.

Lead in Urban Soils: A Real or Perceived Concern for Urban Agriculture?

Urban agriculture is growing in cities across the United States. It has the potential to provide multiple benefits, including increased food security. Concerns about soil contamination in urban areas can be an impediment to urban agriculture.

Evaluation of revised polymerase chain reaction primers for more inclusive quantification of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria.

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) fill key roles in the nitrogen cycle. Thus, well-vetted methods for characterizing their distribution are essential for framing studies of their significance in natural and managed systems. Quantification of the gene coding for one subunit of the ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) by polymerase chain reaction is frequently employed to enumerate the two groups.

High-iron biosolids compost-induced changes in lead and arsenic speciation and bioaccessibility in co-contaminated soils.

The safety of urban farming has been questioned due to the potential for contamination in urban soils. A laboratory incubation, a field trial, and a second laboratory incubation were conducted to test the ability of high-Fe biosolids-based composts to reduce the bioaccessibility of soil Pb and As in situ. Lead and As bioaccessibility were evaluated using an in vitro assay.

Technological options for the management of biosolids.

Background, Aim, And Scope: Large quantities of biosolids (sewage sludge), which are produced from municipal wastewater treatment, are ever-increasing because of the commissioning of new treatment plants and continuous upgrades of the existing facilities. A large proportion of biosolids are currently landfilled. With increasing pressure from regulators and the general public, landfilling of biosolids is being phased out in many countries because of potential secondary pollution caused by leachate and the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Metal bioavailability and speciation in a wetland tailings repository amended with biosolids compost, wood ash, and sulfate.

Lead poisoning of waterfowl from direct ingestion of wetland mine tailings has been reported at the Coeur d'Alene River basin in Idaho. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the effects of surface applications of amendments on lead bioavailability in the tailings. Treatments included sediment only, and sediment with three different surface amendments: (i) biosolids compost plus wood ash, (ii) compost + wood ash + a low SO4(2-) addition as K2SO4, and (iii) compost + wood ash + a high SO4(2-) addition.