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Ecotoxicological Assessment of Phosphate Recyclates from Sewage Sludges

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Abstract

Sewage sludge contains valuable plant nutrients, especially phosphorus. But unfortunately, it also contains pollutants which are hazardous for the environment. Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and its agricultural valorisation in recycling fertilisers based or containing recovered phosphate provides opportunities to minimise negative environmental effects caused by direct sludge application or conventional fertilisation. For validation, crystallised (struvite) and thermally treated phosphate recyclates (PRs) were chemically analysed, ecotoxicologically assessed and compared with a conventional phosphate fertiliser (triple superphosphate (TSP)). Three test species covering the environmental compartments water, sediment and soil were applied to evaluate the acute toxic effects of the phosphate fertiliser samples in laboratory tests (Lemna minor, Gammarus fossarum, Eisenia fetida). The assessment and comparison showed that TSP was more toxic than the PRs at the higher tested concentrations, probably due to a higher water solubility and not to chemical composition. Higher concentrations of the crystallised PRs caused mostly a slightly higher negative effect on tested parameters of the duckweed and the freshwater amphipod than the thermally treated PRs. Agronomical relevant application amounts of all PRs and TSP (worst-case scenario) might not have an acute toxic effect on the soil invertebrates. The PRs might have minor effects on the growth of L. minor, and TSP might negatively affect the survival of the freshwater amphipods. Recovered phosphate-containing materials (PRs), in particular struvite, proved to be of high quality and low hazard in a relative risk ranking; thus, it could be one of the future alternatives of phosphorus fertilisation in agriculture.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank LUFA Nord-West (Hameln, Germany), IASP (Berlin, Germany) and FHNW (Basel, Switzerland) for the chemical analysis of the phosphate recyclate samples; Matthias Eberius (Lemnatec, Aachen, Germany) for supporting our Lemna cultivation; Mr. Mütz/Mr. Krannich (composting plant, Singen, Germany) for providing compost of green waste for our earthworm tests and culture; and Claudius Leeser for the conduction of some earthworm avoidance tests and Lemna sp. growth inhibition tests. The project was funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme (Priority: “From Prototype to Market”, Contract No. 308645 – P-REX) to LimCo International GmbH as project partner.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LimCo International GmbH, Wollmatinger Str. 22, 78467, Constance, Germany

    N. Rastetter & A. Gerhardt

  2. Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz, 78464, Constance, Germany

    N. Rastetter & K. O. Rothhaupt

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  1. N. Rastetter
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  2. K. O. Rothhaupt
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Correspondence to N. Rastetter.

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Rastetter, N., Rothhaupt, K.O. & Gerhardt, A. Ecotoxicological Assessment of Phosphate Recyclates from Sewage Sludges. Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 171 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3331-7

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