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Application of Sewage Sludge as an Agricultural Soil Amendment
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This review examines the use of sewage sludge as agricultural soil amendment, noting that while it provides valuable nutrients, it also introduces contaminants. Sewage sludge is one of the primary pathways for microplastics to enter agricultural soils, as sludge accumulates plastic particles from wastewater.
During the wastewater treatment process, the disposal of sewage sludge has raised many concerns about the various pollutants that are contained within it. Given the high concentrations of organic substances and nutrients found in sewage sludge, it is now attractive to apply sewage sludge as an agricultural soil amendment for growing crops and an environmentally friendly method of waste management. However, it is important to identify the properties of sewage sludge and possible challenges prior to the application. In this chapter, the physico-chemical properties of sewage sludge are described, as are the types of treatment processes and quantity and quality of sewage. Applying sewage sludge in agricultural soil was evaluated in terms of soil property and plant growth. Since sewage sludge contains pollutants, such as antibiotics, heavy metals and microplastics, the use of this sludge in agriculture may result in serious unintended environmental problems. For this reason, such issues were identified here. Lastly, conclusions are documented and possible future directions for developing agricultural applications of sewage sludge were suggested.
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This review examines the extent of microplastic inputs from sewage sludge applied to agricultural soils, synthesizing evidence on how sludge-derived microplastics affect soil nutrient availability, soil biota, plant performance, and crop productivity, concluding that the benefits of sludge as a soil amendment must be weighed against its role as a vector for microplastic contamination.
Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A review
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This review focuses on microplastics found in sewage sludge, which is often spread on agricultural land as fertilizer. The practice introduces microplastics directly into farm soil, where they can be taken up by crops or leach into groundwater. This creates a pathway for microplastics to reach human food and drinking water, raising concerns about the safety of using sewage sludge in agriculture.
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This review chapter examines microplastics in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, where plastic particles concentrate after being filtered from wastewater. When sludge is applied to agricultural land or sent to landfill, those microplastics can re-enter the environment and affect soil health and surrounding ecosystems.
Sewage Sludge-Mediated Microplastic Transfer to Agroecosystem: A Comprehensive Review on Detection, Fate and Ecological Impacts
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This review study shows that tiny plastic particles called microplastics are getting into farm soil through sewage sludge that's used as fertilizer. When wastewater treatment plants process our sewage, they capture these plastic bits in the leftover sludge, which farmers then spread on their fields. This matters because these microplastics could potentially affect our food supply and soil health, but scientists still need more research to understand the full risks.
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