Managing Biosolids Runoff Phosphorus Using Buffer Strips Enhanced with Drinking Water Treatment Residuals

Vegetated buffers strips typically have limited ability to reduce delivery of dissolved phosphorus (DP) from agricultural fields to surface waters. A field study was conducted to evaluate the ability of buffer strips enhanced with drinking water treatment residuals (WTRs) to control runoff P losses...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental quality 2008-07, Vol.37 (4), p.1567-1574
Main Authors: Wagner, D.J, Elliott, H.A, Brandt, R.C, Jaiswal, D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjustment
adsorbents
agricultural runoff
best management practices
biosolids composts
conservation buffers
drinking water
Effectiveness
fertilizer application
Field study
Kinetics
particulates
phosphates
phosphorus
Phosphorus - isolation & purification
pollution control
Rain
Runoff
Sewage
Sludge
soil amendments
Soils
sorption
Surface water
Water flow
water pollution
Water quality
Water Supply - analysis
water treatment
Water treatment plants
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Summary:Vegetated buffers strips typically have limited ability to reduce delivery of dissolved phosphorus (DP) from agricultural fields to surface waters. A field study was conducted to evaluate the ability of buffer strips enhanced with drinking water treatment residuals (WTRs) to control runoff P losses from surface-applied biosolids characterized by high water-extractable P (4 g kg-1). Simulated rainfall (62.4 mm h-1) was applied to grassed plots (3 m x 10.7 m including a 2.67 m downslope buffer) surface-amended with biosolids at 102 kg P ha-1 until 30 min of runoff was collected. With buffer strips top-dressed with WTR (20 Mg ha-1), runoff total P (TP = 2.5 mg L-1) and total DP (TDP = 1.9 mg L-1) were not statistically lower ( = 0.05) compared to plots with unamended grass buffers (TP = 2.7 mg L-1; TDP = 2.6 mg L-1). Although the applied WTR had excess capacity (Langmuir P maxima of 25 g P kg-1) to sorb all runoff P, kinetic experiments suggest that sheet flow travel time across the buffers (30 s) was insufficient for significant P reduction. Effective interception of dissolved P in runoff water by WTR-enhanced buffer strips requires rapid P sorption kinetics and hydrologic flow behavior ensuring sufficient runoff residence time and WTR contact in the buffer. Substantial phosphate-adsorbent contact opportunity may be more easily achieved by incorporating WTRs into P-enriched soils or blending WTRs with applied P sources.
ISSN:0047-2425
1537-2537
1537-2537
DOI:10.2134/jeq2007.0338