title: Assessment of plant availability and environmental risk of biosolids-phosphorus in a U.S. Midwest Corn-Belt Soil.
abstract: A field experiment was conducted from 2005 to 2008 in Fulton County, Western Illinois with biosolids from conventional wastewater treatment applied as corn fertilizer in a series of P rates (0, 163, 325, 488, 650 kg P ha(-1)) along with commercial P fertilizer - triple superphosphate P (TSP) as reference to assess biosolids-P plant availability and potential loss to waterbodies through runoff. Air-dried biosolids and TSP were incorporated into surface soil at end of 2005, and corn (Zea mays) was planted for three consecutive years (2006-2008). Concentrations of soil extractable P except for Mehlich-3 P were always lower in the biosolids than TSP treatments at the same P rates. The soil potentially available P in water extractable P (WEP) and Olsen P derived from biosolids-P estimated by the exponential depletion model was 2-4% and 15-24% of total P in the applied biosolids, respectively. The residence time of biosolids-induced WEP and Olsen P in Midwest soil under annual corn cropping was 5 and 2 years, respectively. Corn tissue analysis showed lower increase in P concentration by biosolids-P than TSP. The elevation rate of soluble reactive P (SRP) concentration in simulated runoff was less by biosolids than TSP. Based on the data in this study, the plant availability and environmental risk of biosolids-P are lower than those of TSP in the Midwest soil, thus use of biosolids as P nutrient for corn would not cause a major impairment to water sources even P applied through biosolids was not completely used by annual crop.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Monitoring and Research Division, Monitoring and Research Department, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, MWRD, Lue-Hing R&D Complex, 6001 W. Pershing Road, Cicero, IL 60804, USA. Electronic address: tiang@mwrd.org.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Environmental Monitoring and Research Division, Monitoring and Research Department, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, MWRD, Lue-Hing R&D Complex, 6001 W. Pershing Road, Cicero, IL 60804, USA.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Environmental Monitoring and Research Division, Monitoring and Research Department, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, MWRD, Lue-Hing R&D Complex, 6001 W. Pershing Road, Cicero, IL 60804, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Environmental Monitoring and Research Division, Monitoring and Research Department, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, MWRD, Lue-Hing R&D Complex, 6001 W. Pershing Road, Cicero, IL 60804, USA.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil and Water Science, University of Florida, P. O. Box 110290, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D011756:Diphosphates; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis; D007087:Illinois; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D011756:Diphosphates; D005308:Fertilizers; D010758:Phosphorus; D012987:Soil; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C033414:superphosphate
keywords: Biosolids; P reactivity and persistence; Phosphorus; Plant availability; Runoff simulation