Sewage sludges in Hawaii: Chemical composition and reactions with soils and plants

Abstract

Sewage sludges from six wastewater treatment plants in Hawaii were periodically sampled to determine the seasonal variation of their elemental composition. The Sand Island and Honouliuli treatment plants produced primary sludges averaging 1.6% and 2.0% total N, respectively. The Kailua, Kaneohe, Waimanalo, and Waianae treatment plants produced secondary sludges averaging 5.4, 5.1, 6.1, and 3.5% N, respectively. All the sludges tested were virtually devoid of K with concentration ranging from 0.01 to 0.15%, which was less than half of the 0.30% K considered typical for a US sewage sludge. Mean concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn in the Hawaii sludges were 5.9, 373, 12343, 218, 36.7, and 817 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, which were within the norms for sludge heavy metals as reported by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Seasonal variations in elemental concentration were small and only statistically significant for Ca and Zn. Sludges from the three treatment plants with highest annual production (Sand Island, Honouliuli, and Kailua) were then mixed at 5, 50, and 250 g kg⁻¹ with three representative tropical soils (a Mollisol, and Oxisol, and an Ultisol) to study sludge-soil reactions and plant responses. Soil-solution data indicated that chemical properties of a sludge-soil mixture depended not only on the soil, sludge, and its application rate, but also on sludge-soil interactions. At an agricultural rate of 5 g kg⁻¹ (10 Mg ha⁻¹), the anaerobically digested Kailua sludge increased corn (Zea mays L.) biomass, whereas the two undigested sludges reduced it. At higher rates, Mn phytotoxicity resulted from sludge applications to the Mollisol and Oxisol, both of which contained reducible Mn nodules. Significant growth reductions would be expected when corn seedlings contained ≥200 mg Mn kg⁻¹ or ≤0.30 % Ca; and, adequate supplies of Ca and Zn seemed to lessen Mn phytotoxicity.