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Biosolids-derived fertilisers: A review of challenges and opportunities
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This review examines the use of treated sewage sludge (biosolids) as farm fertilizer and the concern that it introduces microplastics and persistent organic contaminants into agricultural soil. While biosolids provide valuable nutrients for crops, the microplastics they contain can accumulate in soil over time and potentially enter the food chain. The authors discuss thermal processing and nutrient recovery technologies that could help remove contaminants while preserving the fertilizer value of biosolids.
Soil application of biosolids as an organic fertiliser continues to be a cost-effective way to beneficially utilise its carbon and nutrient contents to maintain soil fertility. However, ongoing concerns over microplastics and persistent organic contaminants means that land-application of biosolids has come under increased scrutiny. To identify a way forward for the ongoing future use of biosolids-derived fertilisers in agriculture, the current work presents a critical review of: (1) contaminants of concern in biosolids and how regulatory approaches can address these to enable on-going beneficial reuse, (2) nutrient contents and bioavailability in biosolids to understand agronomic potential, (3) developments in extractive technologies to preserve and recover nutrients from biosolids before destructive dissipation when the biosolids are thermally processed to deal with persistent contaminants of concern (e.g. microplastics), and (4) use of the recovered nutrients, and the biochar produced by thermal processing, in novel organomineral fertilisers that match specific equipment, crop and soil requirements of broad-acre cropping. Several challenges were identified and recommendations for prioritisation of future research and development are provided to enable safe beneficial reuse of biosolids-derived fertilisers. Opportunities include more efficient technologies to preserve, extract and reuse nutrients from sewage sludge and biosolids, and the production of organomineral fertiliser products with characteristics that enable reliable widespread use across broad-acre agriculture.
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A review on the fate and effects of contaminants in biosolids applied on land: Hazards and government regulatory policies
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This review examines the contaminants, including microplastics and persistent organic pollutants, that remain in treated sewage sludge (biosolids) when it is applied to farmland as fertilizer. These pollutants can accumulate in soil and potentially enter crops and groundwater, creating exposure pathways to humans. The authors argue that current government regulations on biosolid use, particularly in the US, are outdated and need updating to address emerging contaminants like microplastics.
Occurrence, spatiotemporal trends, fate, and treatment technologies for microplastics and organic contaminants in biosolids: A review
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This meta-analysis examines how microplastics and organic pollutants end up in biosolids (treated sewage) and what happens when those biosolids are applied to farmland. The data show that microplastics are among the most common contaminants found in biosolids, raising concerns about long-term buildup in the soils where our food is grown.
Challenges and solutions of municipal biosolids market creation: A critical review
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This review examines the challenges of using municipal biosolids, the nutrient-rich byproduct of wastewater treatment, as agricultural fertilizer. While biosolids help recycle nitrogen and phosphorus back into farmland, emerging contaminants like microplastics and PFAS are raising concerns about their safety. The study highlights the need for updated regulations and innovative treatment technologies to balance resource recovery with environmental and health protection.
Biosolid amendments as drivers for microplastic pollution in soil: Measurements and insight from multiple analytical methods in an agricultural field study
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Farms sometimes spread "biosolids" (treated sewage sludge) on fields as fertilizer, and this study measured microplastic particles in soil that had received these applications over a decade compared to untreated farmland. Using detailed chemical testing, researchers confirmed that soil treated with sludge contained identifiable plastic contamination, supporting concerns that this common farming practice can be a source of microplastics building up in agricultural land. Since these plastics can end up in the crops we eat and potentially in our food and water supply, understanding where they come from is an important step toward reducing our overall exposure.
Investigation and analysis of microplastics in sewage sludge and biosolids: A case study from one wastewater treatment works in the UK
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sewage sludge and biosolids at a UK wastewater treatment plant and found significant quantities of microplastics persisting through the treatment process. Since millions of tonnes of biosolids are applied to farmland annually in the UK, this represents a major pathway for microplastic pollution entering agricultural soils. The study highlights the need for better monitoring and treatment methods to reduce microplastic transfer from wastewater to the terrestrial environment.
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