Evaluation of emission of greenhouse gases from soils amended with sewage sludge

Abstract

Increase in concentrations of various greenhouse gases and their possible contributions to the global warming are becoming a serious concern. Anthropogenic activities such as cultivation of flooded rice and application of waste materials, such as sewage sludge which are rich in C and N, as soil amendments could contribute to the increase in emission of greenhouse gases such as methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) into the atmosphere. Therefore, evaluation of flux of various greenhouse gases from soils amended with sewage sludge is essential to quantify their release into the atmosphere. Two soils with contrasting properties (Candler fine sand [CFS] from Florida, and Ogeechee loamy sand [OLS] from Savannah, GA) were amended with varying rates (0, 24.7, 49.4, 98.8, and 148.3 Mg ha^{− 1}) of 2 types of sewage sludge (industrial [ISS] and domestic [DSS] origin. The amended soil samples were incubated in anaerobic condition at field capacity soil water content in static chamber (Qopak bottles). Gas samples were extracted immediately after amending soils and subsequently on a daily basis to evaluate the emission of CH₄, CO₂ and N₂O. The results showed that emission rates and cumulative emission of all three gases increased with increasing rates of amendments. Cumulative emission of gases during 25-d incubation of soils amended with different types of sewage sludge decreased in the order: CO₂ > N₂O > CH₄. The emission of gases was greater from the soils amended with DSS as compared to that with ISS. This may indicate the presence of either low C and N content or possible harmful chemicals in the ISS. The emission of gases was greater from the CFS as compared to that from the OLS. Furthermore, the results clearly depicted the inhibitory effect of acetylene in both soils by producing more N₂O and CH₄ emission compared to the soils that did not receive acetylene at the rate of 1 mL g^{− 1} soil. Enumeration of microbial population by fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and most probable number (MPN) procedure at the end of 25-d incubation demonstrated a clear relationship between microbial activity and the emission of gases. The results of this study emphasize the need to consider the emission of greenhouse gases from soils amended with organic soil amendments such as sewage sludge, especially at high rates, and their potential contribution to global warming.

Keywords:

• Denitrifier
• greenhouse gases
• global warming
• methanogens
• organic waste
• sewage sludge

Acknowledgments

This study was made possible, in part, by financial support from the DOE/UNCF Mentoring Environmental Scholar Program, and Board of Regents Minority Advisement Program (BOR-MAP) of the University Systems of Georgia.

Notes

^a Total Elemental compositions were determined on acid digest by ICP-OES.

^b Collected from President street water quality control plant, Savannah, Georgia [Domestic source (DSS)].

^c Collected from Travis field water quality control plant, Savannah, Georgia [Industrial source (ISS)].

^d Collected near Lake Alfred in Polk County (Candler fine sand), Florida [CFS].

^e Collected near Savannah in Chatham county (Ogeechee loamy sand), Georgia [OLS].

^†nd: not determined.