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Dairy processing sludge and co-products: A review of present and future re-use pathways in agriculture
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This review examines current and potential uses of dairy processing sludge and similar nutrient-rich residues as agricultural fertilizers and soil amendments. It also flags concerns about contaminants in these materials — including residues of antibiotics, hormones, and potentially microplastics — that could enter the food chain.
• DPS and STRUBIAS used in agriculture as bio-fertilizers and soil amendments. • DPS and STRUBIAS applied to crops but without knowledge of their N and P FEV. • Residues of antimicrobial drugs, hormones and pesticides need testing. • Disinfectant and persistent organic pollutant residues need to be characterised. • Quantification of micro-plastics and nano-particles in waste-soil-crop needed.
More Papers Like This
Dairy processing sludge and co-products: A review of present and future re-use pathways in agriculture
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines reuse pathways for dairy processing sludge in agriculture, identifying gaps in knowledge about nutrient value and calling for testing of contaminants including microplastics and nanoplastics before land application.
Microplastic contamination in wastewater sludge and its agricultural reuse risks, pathways, and management-a review
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Researchers review how microplastics enter wastewater sludge from laundry, personal care products, and urban runoff and then migrate into agricultural soils when sludge is land-applied, where they persist for years, alter soil structure, suppress microbial activity, and facilitate the spread of co-pollutants and antibiotic resistance genes.
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.
Co-contaminant risks in water reuse and biosolids application for agriculture
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This review highlights that treated wastewater and biosolids used in farming contain a complex mixture of pollutants including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that enter soil and can be taken up by crops. The combined effects of these pollutants may be greater than the sum of their individual risks, underscoring the need for better safety assessments of recycled water and waste used in food production.
Contaminants of emerging concern in treated wastewater: a threat to sustainable agricultural reuse?
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This review pulls together existing research showing that treated wastewater used to irrigate crops often still contains trace drugs, hormones, pesticides, and microplastics that standard treatment doesn't fully remove. While reusing wastewater helps conserve scarce freshwater, the authors say better monitoring and regulations are needed to make sure these lingering contaminants don't build up in our food or harm health over time.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.