Land Application of Sewage Sludge and Biosolids

Eliot Epstein is Chief Environmental Scientist for Tetra Tech, Inc. and an adjunct professor of public health at Boston University School of Public Health at the School of Medicine. He received his B.S. degree in Forestry from New York College of Forestry at Syracuse University, an M.S. degree in Agronomy from the University of Massachusetts, and a Ph.D. in soil physics from Purdue University. For 16 years he was a research leader for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service and an adjunct professor of soil physics at the University of Maine. His research there concentrated on soil erosion and runoff and soil water relations of plants., In 1972, Dr. Epstein transferred to the USDA ARS research center in Beltsville, Maryland, where he conducted research on the use of biosolids, and where, in 1975, he researched and developed the aerated static pile method (ASP). In 1980, he became president of E&A Environmental Consultants, Inc., a premier company in composting and beneficial use of organic materials. In that capacity, he was the principal-in-charge of numerous projects conducted by the staff located in Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Washington State., Dr. Epstein has more than 30 years of experience in biosolids composting, and has managed or directed more than 400 composting projects in the United States, Canada and Europe. He consulted on composting and biosolids management for the US EPA, World Bank and United Nations. In 2001, Dr. Epstein and his staff joined Tetra Tech, Inc., a leading company in water reuse, wastewater and beneficial use of organic residues.

Over 50% of the 6,900 million dry tons of sewage sludge generated each year in the United States is land applied. The principal controversies surrounding land application involve heavy metals and pathogens. This book provides a comprehensive review of various aspects of land application, with an extensive discussion on the main issues of heavy metals and pathogens. Consideration is given to crop removal of metals, soil erosion, and leaching, as well as to approaches and regulations in Europe and Canada. The result is an authoritative, science-based, and unbiased perspective on the potential risk of land application to human health and the environment.

Land Application of Biosolids: A Prospective. Sewage Sludge and Biosolids Characteristics. Plant Nutrients. Trace Elements-Heavy Metals and Micronutrients. The Effect of Sewage Sludge and Biosolids on Uptake of Trace Elements and Reactions in Soil. Organic Chemicals. Pathogens in Wastewater and Biosolids. Pathogens in Soils and On Plants. Land Application: Agricultural Crop Responses. Effect of Land Application of Biosolids on Animals and Other Organisms. Regulations.