Benefits and risks of long-term recycling of pharmaceutical sewage sludge on agricultural soil

Cucina, Mirko; Ricci, Anna; Zadra, Claudia; Pezzolla, Daniela; Tacconi, Chiara; Sordi, Simone; Gigliotti, Giovanni

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133762

Cited by 41 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…This result was consistent with the previous report that antibiotic concentrations were correlated with organic carbon contents in the surface horizons with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9 for QNs [34]. Numerous studies have demonstrated that application of animal manure or sewage sludge will improve soil quality [35,36]. Nevertheless, organic amendments will also turn soil into a sink of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance [33,37].…”

Section: The Influences Of Soil Properties On Antibiotic Residuessupporting

confidence: 92%

Effects of Partial Organic Substitution for Chemical Fertilizer on Antibiotic Residues in Peri-Urban Agricultural Soil in China

Dong

2021

Antibiotics

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Recycling of organic wastes in agricultural ecosystems to partially substitute chemical fertilizer is recommended to improve soil productivity and alleviate environmental degradation. However, livestock manure- and sewage sludge-derived amendments are widely known to potentially carry antibiotic residues. The aim of this study is to investigate how substituting organic fertilizer for chemical fertilizer affects soil quality and antibiotic residues in agricultural soil, as well as their tradeoffs. A field experiment was conducted with the different treatments of pig manure and sewage sludge as typical organic fertilizers at equal total nitrogen application rates. The analysis of variance showed that the increments on the levels of residual antibiotics in the agricultural soils due to organic substitution for chemical fertilizer by pig manure and sewage sludge were observed. The antibiotic residues ranged from 13.73 to 76.83 ng/g for all treatments. Partial organic substitution significantly increased the sequestration of antibiotics in agricultural soil by 138.1~332.5%. Organic substitution will also significantly improve soil quality, especially for nutrient availability. Based on principal component analysis, organic substitution will strongly affected soil quality and antibiotic contamination. Pearson’s correlation showed that soil physicochemical properties had significant correlations with concentrations of antibiotics in soil, indicating organic fertilizers can promote the persistence of antibiotics in soil by modifying soil quality. To balance the benefits and risks, appropriate management practices of organic fertilizers should be adopted.

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Section: The Influences Of Soil Properties On Antibiotic Residuessupporting

confidence: 92%

Effects of Partial Organic Substitution for Chemical Fertilizer on Antibiotic Residues in Peri-Urban Agricultural Soil in China

Dong

2021

Antibiotics

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“…The ecotoxicity of silver nanoparticles was examined by Courtois et al (2019)including an overview and "state of the science. " The direct application of sludge from pharmaceutical waste from the production of daptomycin over 17 years showed increased soil organic matter and plant nutrients balanced by increases in heavy metals and exchangeable sodium (Cucina et al, 2019).…”

Section: Agricultural and Other Usesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Residuals, sludge, and biosolids: Advancements in the field

Brisolara

Gentile

Puszykowski

et al. 2020

Water Environment Research

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Advancements in the field of residuals, sludge, and biosolids have been made in 2019. This review outlines the major contributions of researchers that have been published in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings throughout 2019 and includes brief summaries from over 125 articles. The review is organized in sections including life cycle and risk assessments; characteristics, quality, and measurement including micropollutants, nanoparticles, pathogens, and metals; sludge treatment technologies including dewatering, digestion, composting, and wetlands; disposal and reuse including adsorbents, land application and agricultural uses, nutrient recovery, and innovative uses; odor and air emissions; and energy issues.

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“…Such an approach raises environmental and public health concerns regarding the adverse effects of metals and other priority and emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals that are often present in the sewage sludge. All these contaminants may enter soil when sewage sludge is applied as a fertilizer (Cucina et al 2019;da Silva Souza et al 2020). Therefore, the policy in many countries regulated the doses of sewage sludge which may be added to the soil to obtain the fertilization effect (Mininni et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is sewage sludge a valuable fertilizer? A soil microbiome and resistome study under field conditions

et al. 2021

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Purpose Sewage sludge land application is strongly recommended to improve soil quality and fertility despite the presence of pollutants, pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes. This study aimed to assess the fertilization value of low and recommended by law sewage sludge dose (15 t ha−1). Materials and methods In a 540-day field study, the effect of sewage sludge on the soil physicochemical and microbial parameters, emphasising antibiotic and metal resistance spread, was investigated. Results In contrast to expectations, sewage sludge did not improve the organic matter, nutrient content and microbial activity in the soil; therefore, the fertilization effect was not achieved. Moreover, an increase in the bioavailable Cd, Ni and Cu content was observed. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that these increases mainly explain the changes in the soil microbial community. Sixteen resistance genes and four integron classes were detected in both the total DNA and on plasmids isolated from sewage sludge. Obtained plasmids confer β-lactam resistance or extreme resistance to tetracycline (> 256 μg mL−1). Two antibiotic resistance genes (blaNPS-2, tetA) were transferred into the fertilized soil and detected up to 6 months after the fertilization. Conclusion Our results provide evidence that the regulated dose of sewage sludge, even when characterized by low total metal content, may affect soil microbial microbiome and resistome. Therefore, these findings provide critical data that have public health implications, which may raise concerns about the suitability of applying sewage sludge to the soil even at the low regulated dose.

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Benefits and risks of long-term recycling of pharmaceutical sewage sludge on agricultural soil

Cited by 41 publications

References 48 publications

Effects of Partial Organic Substitution for Chemical Fertilizer on Antibiotic Residues in Peri-Urban Agricultural Soil in China

Effects of Partial Organic Substitution for Chemical Fertilizer on Antibiotic Residues in Peri-Urban Agricultural Soil in China

Residuals, sludge, and biosolids: Advancements in the field

Is sewage sludge a valuable fertilizer? A soil microbiome and resistome study under field conditions

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