Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Objective 1: Evaluate the short- and long-term chemistry and bioavailability of nutrients, potentially toxic inorganic trace elements, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (TOrCs) in residuals, reclaimed water, and amended soils in order to assess the environmental and health risk-based effects of their application at a watershed scale.

Specific tasks:

• To develop and evaluate in vitro (including chemical speciation) and novel in vivo methods to correlate human and ecological health responses with risk-based bioavailability of trace elements and TOrCs in residuals and residual-treated soils.
• Predict the long-term bioavailability and toxicity of trace elements and TOrCs in residual-amended urban, agricultural and contaminated soils.
• Evaluate long-term effects of residuals application and reclaimed wastewater irrigation on fate and transport of nutrients, trace elements, TOrCs, and emergence/spread of antibiotic resistance in high application rate systems
• Evaluate plant uptake and ecological effects of potentially toxic trace elements and TOrCs from soils amended with residuals and reclaimed wastewater.

Objectives 1 Accomplishments:

Arizona

USEPA is interested in evaluating the methodology used for coliphage detection, and determining if phage can be used as an indicator for enteric viruses during wastewater treatment. Pepper et al. evaluated four E.coli hosts recommended by the U.S. EPA for male specific and somatic phage detection.

The team collected wastewater samples from three wastewater treatment trains in two plants and analyzed phage incidence through cultural (plaque) and molecular (qPCR) assays. Two E.coli hosts for both male specific phage and somatic phage were evaluated.  Key findings were:

Methodology

• The double agar overlay assay is superior to the single agar overlay.
• The coli host CN-13 for somatic phage may be the optimal host for cultural coliphage detection.
• The Bardenpho process results in greater removal of coliphage than conventional activated sludge or trickling filters.

 Cultural vs Molecular Detection Methods

• Cultural detection of coliphage
  • Advantage: observe infectivity, cheap method
  • Disadvantage: only host specific phage detected
• Molecular detection of coliphage
  • Advantage: detects broader groups of phage
  • Disadvantage: no information on infectivity

Phase as Indicators

• Phage are potentially useful as indicators of human pathogenic virus
• Incidence of coliphage is related to incidence of human viruses (correlation analyses are in progress)

Colorado

Barbarick, Ippolito et al. continued to investigate the long-term benefits of biosolids land application to dryland winter wheat-fallow and a dryland winter wheat-corn-fallow agroecosystems.  The team continued to observe that crop uptake coefficients for nutrients and trace metals in biosolids amended soils were much lower than those used for risk analysis by USEPA.  Biosolids apply metals to soils, with the largest metal application rates being Cu and Zn.  Biosolids land application to dryland agroecosystems appears to concentrate Cu and Zn in the soil surface with no appreciable downward movement.  Zn addition may be beneficial in semi-arid cropping systems, such as those found in eastern Colorado, as plant available Zn soil concentrations may be borderline in terms of inducing Zn deficiency symptoms.  They completed Pathway Analyses to determine direct and indirect influences on grain concentrations and cumulative uptake of P, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Ni.  Their findings suggest that, of all elements studied, Zn application across biosolids amended sites may offset potential Zn deficiency symptoms present in semi-arid soils.  The team completed several biochar soil-application projects pertaining to heavy metal sequestration, with findings suggesting that biochars can convert bioavailable trace metal forms to those less plant available.

The team continued to investigate changes in soil P forms under biosolids-amended irrigated and dryland conditions, and biochar land application effects on soil heavy metal concentrations. They began investigating the use of the Soil Management Assessment Framework to ascertain differences in soil quality between biosolids and inorganic N fertilizer applications.

Florida

O’Connor et al. assessed phytoavailability of biosolids-borne antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin – CIP and Azithromycin – AZ) in so-called range-finding and definitive greenhouse studies. The studies involved spiking CIP and AZ to a turf green sand, the sand amended with 1% animal manure, and a silt loam soil. The media represented differences in material cation exchange capacities and organic matter contents, both of which were expected to affect antibiotic availability. Lettuce, radishes, and fescue grass were grown to maturity to assess compound toxicities and yields. Compound analyses for the compounds has been delayed, so no uptake characterization is currently available.

Environmentally relevant concentrations of biosolids-borne compounds, or compounds spiked at very high concentrations into the sand amended with animal manure or biosolids, or the silt loam soil had no adverse effects on plant yields. Excessive concentrations of CIP (~36 mg CIP/kg soil) spiked into the unamended sand resulted in phytotoxicities for all crops, but excessive concentrations of AZ (3.2 mg AZ/kg soil) spiked into the sand had no effect. The excessive concentrations represent 100 years of applying biosolids (at 1% by weight) containing 95^th percentile concentrations of each compound. The results suggest that the environmentally relevant concentrations of biosolids-borne CIP and AZ do not adversely affect growth and yield of radishes, lettuce, and fescue grass even in biosolids-amended sand systems. The presence of adequate inherent organic matter (and CEC) in most agricultural soils likely further abates potential adverse effects of biosolids-borne CIP and AZ.

Sorption/desorption studies were conducted using a traditional approach of spiking antibiotics to soils amended with biosolids (or not) and a different approach - amendment of biosolids pre-equilibrated with the compounds to soils. The latter technique mimics a more environmentally realistic scenario where CIP and AZ are biosolids-borne. Several methods were used to assess the desorbability of biosolids-borne compounds in hopes of, eventually, correlating desorbability to lability to plants, earthworms, microbes, etc. Despite effects of soil properties on sorption displayed in the traditional approach to study, biosolids-borne CIP and AZ behavior was dominated by biosolids-sorption and was essentially independent of soils to which biosolids are amended. Further, although sorption coefficients for CIP and AZ to biosolids are only “moderate” (~400 L/kg), desorption is strongly hysteretic (H values   ≤ 0.003). Data suggest that biosolids-borne CIP and AZ are specifically-sorbed, and that desorption is severely limited. Thus, the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of biosolids CIP and AZ is expected to be minimal. Such behavior has major implications for considerations of the influence of biosolids-borne CIP and AZ on plants, earthworms, microbes, microbially-mediated reactions, and antibiotic development/persistence in amended systems. Such impacts are the subject of on-going and planned studies.

Hawaii

Hue et al. studied arsenic reactions and brake fern (Pteris Vittata L.) uptake in Hawaiian Soils. In Hawaii, past agricultural use of arsenical pesticides has left elevated levels of arsenic in some soils. Given the volcanic ash origin and fast weathering conditions of Hawaii, Hawaiian soils often contain high amounts of amorphous aluminosilicates and/or iron hydroxy-oxides, which can retain As strongly. More specifically, As sorption and desorption isotherms that were performed on an Andisol and an Ultisol showed that the former soil required 1100 mg kg^-1 added As, and the latter 300 mg kg^-1 added As to maintain 0.20 mg L^-1 As in soil solution. In an attempt to remove As by plants (phytoremediation), greenhouse experiments were established on an As-contaminated Andisol, which had 315 mg kg^-1 total As and was amended with 0, 5 g kg^-1 compost, 5 g kg^-1 Fe as amorphous Fe(OH)₃, or 250 mg kg^-1 P as treble superphosphate, and on a low-As (15 mg kg^-1) Ultisol, which was spiked with 0, 150 or 300 mg kg^-1 As as Na₂HAsO₄^.7H₂O. Chinese brake fern (Pteris vittata L.), an As hyperaccumulator, was used as the test plant. Arsenic concentrations in the fern fronds averaged 355 mg kg^-1 in the Andisol and 2610 mg kg^-1 (first planting, 2 months after As addition) and 1270 mg kg^-1 (second planting, 12 months after As addition) in the Ultisol that contained 300 mg kg^-1 of added As. It appears that different chemical reactions, such as surface complexation and aging effect, controlled the availability of soil As and plant uptake. As a first step toward identifying soil contamination with As and potential phytoremediation, Mehlich-3 extraction method could be used because it correlated positively well with bioaccessible As (as extracted with HCl, pH 1.5, incubated at 37°C for 1 hour) and with As concentration in fern Fronds.

Kansas

Hettiarachchi et al. continued their evaluations on long-term benefits of specific residual (class A biosolids) amendments for contaminated urban soil (Pb) remediation/management using x-ray absorption spectroscopy and in vitro bioaccessibility extraction test (also known as Physiologically-Based Extraction Test). Results showed that the dominant Pb species in the three tested urban soils were Pb adsorbed to Fe (oxy(hydr)oxides (Pb-Fh) and Pb adsorbed to organic C (Pb-Org C)and the fraction of Pb-Org C was increased as soil-compost mixture aged in the field. They also observed that during the in vitro extraction test, Pb-sorbed to Fe (oxy(hydr)oxide was dissolved; and Pb-org C and hydroxypyromorphite were formed. Aged soil-compost mixture reduced Pb-Fh dissolution during the in vitro extraction.

Kentucky

The work done by D’Angelo et al. showed that the hazard risks associated with application of antibiotic laden-biosolids to soils largely depends on release rates from biosolid particles, which is governed by the fraction of the total concentration that can be released to solution and diffusion rate in the biosolids aggregates. These processes were determined for ciprofloxacin in a Class A municipal biosolids using a combination of sorption-desorption isotherms, diffusion cell, diffusion gradient in thin films (DGT), and numerical modeling (e.g. 2D-DIFS) approaches.

Minnesota

University of Minnesota researchers (Jelinski et al.) screened 58 houses and over 2,500 soil samples from households across the Twin Cities for soil lead via pXRF and wet chemical methods. Their data show that over half of investigated cores now have their maximum lead concentrations at depths deeper than 10cm, to 20 or 40 cm in some cases, suggesting ongoing physical or chemical processes which are redistributing lead in urban soils. These processes have important implications: if anthropogenic lead inputs have been distributed deeper into the soil over time through biotic and abiotic agents, concentrations of lead at the surface may have been diluted, so that decades-old predictions of the surficial concentrations of soil lead may overestimate the current loading and risk at the surface. Understanding the depth distribution of lead is also important for making better recommendations for urban agricultural uses of soil, where contaminant screening in the top portion of the soil may not accurately reflect the total lead loadings that will be made available once the soil is mixed more deeply.

New Mexico

Preliminary data from a project conducted by researchers at New Mexico State University (Lauriault et al.) showed that cotton productivity using treated municipal wastewater after canal water was used for establishment was equal to cotton productivity when only canal water was used. Their observations indicated that use of treated municipal wastewater for cotton establishment reduced plant populations and yields compared to establishment supported by only precipitation.

The Advisory Committee to the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari has still made no progress toward acquiring faculty to work on studying impact of TOrC’s in treated municipal wastewater on germination and early seedling growth of selected agronomic crops due to a downturn in the state budget.

Ohio

Arsenic is one of the most common contaminants of concern exceeding risk criteria because soil ingestion is the primary human health risk driver at many urban, military, U.S. Brownfields and CERCLA sites with As-soil contaminated .  Use of contaminant total content instead of bioavailability is often overly conservative and can result in costly and unnecessary soil remedial action. Basta et al. completed the following two large research projects that determined the ability of in vitro bioaccessible methods to predict relative bioavailable As in contaminated soils. 

Mechanisms and Permanence of Sequestered Pb and As in Soils: Impact on Human Bioavailability. N.T. Basta (PI), Dr. Kirk G. Scheckel, USEPA NRMRL; Dr. Philip M.

Jardine, Dr. Chris W. Schadt, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Dr. Karen Bradham, USEPA NERL; Dr. David J. Thomas, USEPA NHREEL; Dr. Brooke Stevens, OSU; Dr. Richard Hunter Anderson, USAF; Dr. Rufus L. Chaney, USDA ARS. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)

Relative Bioavailability of arsenic in soils from mine scarred lands. V.L. Hanley, P. Meyers, California Dept. of Toxic Substances Control (PI); N.T.Basta; S. Casteel, Univ. of Missouri; C. Kim, Chapman Univ., A. Foster, USGS Menlo Park, CA; Dr. Charles Alpers, USGS. U.S. EPA Brownfields Training, Research and Technical Assistance Grant.

Both of these studies were comprehensive evaluations of the ability of different in vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) methods to predict RBA As. The following conclusions are:

• Total soil As concentration was not correlated with RBA As determined by the adult mouse (r² = 0.24) or the juvenile swine (r² = 0.09) bioassays.
• In general, all of the IVBA methods were predictive of RBA for both the mice and swine bioassays.
• IVBA As from the gastric extraction is a better predictor than IVBA As from the intestinal extraction. Using the GE may also provide more conservative RBA As because the IVBA values are greater for the GE than for the IE (i.e. the As is more soluble) representation a worst case scenario for the estimating As RBA for soil ingestion.
• Recently concluded research has shown California Bioaccessibility (CAB) method is an accurate predictor of swine RBA As for soils with high oxide content and soil As concentrations <1,200 mg As/kg, including soils 1 and 2 for which USEPA Method 1340 and OSU IVG under predicted RBA As.

Our research team developed a new method, the California Bioaccessibility (CAB) method to provide a conservative estimate of RBA As on mining sites soils in California.

Pennsylvania

Antibiotic uptake results indicate that there is possibility for uptake of some of the antibiotics by wheat irrigated by wastewater, but the concentrations in grain would indicate that the average daily wheat consumption of 166 g per adult would result in amounts that are six orders of magnitude below a single dose.

A 9-month field study was conducted to compare two methods of dairy manure application – surface broadcast and shallow disk injection – on the transport of estrogens in surface runoff. The field study was conducted from October 2014 – June 2015 on 12 research plots, with 10 natural surface runoff events sampled during this period.  Overall, the estrogen loads leaving the fields that had received manure applications via shallow disk injection were an average of two orders of magnitude lower than the loads leaving the fields that had received manure via surface broadcast.

A 2-month field study was conducted in April – June 2015 to assess the impacts of wastewater irrigation activities on the presence of estrogens in vernal pools at Penn State’s Living Filter.

High-temporal resolution (2 minute) soil moisture data monitored at 6 depths at 4 locations were assessed to understand the impacts of wastewater irrigation activities on the frequency of preferential flow occurrence. Irrigated sites experienced preferential flow for ~45% of events (where an event is defined as rainfall or an irrigation event) compared to ~25% of rainfall events at the non-irrigated control sites.

The HERD model (Hormone Export and Recovery Dynamics) model, a hydrologic and biogeochemical model that predicts the fate and transport of estrogens in tile-drained fields receiving animal residual applications, was developed and validated. The model simulations suggest that the manure application history of a site matters in the ability of the model to adequately predict field observations.  Additionally, the simulation results suggest that the long-term application of animal wastes may result in the build-up of legacy sources within the soil profile that could result in a water quality recovery lag time on the order of a few decades, which is similar to nutrient recovery lag times.

Virginia

Xia et al. conducted rainfall simulations on plots receiving three manure treatments (surface application, subsurface injection, and no manure control) to determine the fate and transport of eleven hormones and five different antibiotics commonly used in dairy production. Surface application, compared with subsurface injection, resulted in 80-97% greater mass loss of hormones and antibiotics during a rainfall event after the manure application. Limited horizontal and vertical diffusion of hormones from the manure injection slits occurred. Horizontal and vertical diffusion of antibiotics were the highest in plots receiving rainfall immediately than in those receiving rainfall 3 and 7 days after manure application.

Xia et al. determined the fate of commonly used dairy and beef cattle antibiotics in their excreted forms in three different soils amended with manure or composted manure. Antibiotic dissipations in the raw manure-amended soils followed bi-phasic first order kinetics during the 120-day incubation. The first phase half-lives were 6.0 to 18 days for sulfamethazine, 2.7 to 3.7 days for tylosin, and 23 to 25 days for chlortetracycline. During the second dissipation phase, there was insignificant dissipation for sulfamethazine, while the second phase half-lives were 41 to 44 days for tylosin and 75 to 144 days for chlortetracycline. In contrast, antibiotic dissipation in the compost-applied soils followed one-phase first order kinetics with insignificant dissipation for sulfamethazine and half-lives ranging from 15 to 16 days for tylosin and 49 to 104 days for chlortetracycline. After incubating 120-days, regardless of the compost type (static vs. turned) the concentrations of antibiotics in compost-applied soils were significantly lower (p<0.0001) than those in the manure-applied soils. Soil type had no significant effect on the rates of antibiotic dissipation (p>0.05).

Xia et al. investigated the environmental fate and transformation of thiamethoxam (TMX), a neonicotinoid commonly coated on seeds of major crops. Residue levels of TMX and its metabolite clothianidin (CLO) in different matrices (except for root) decreased during the growing season. More than 90% of seed-coated TMX was transferred into plant and soil or leached into water system from the seed coatings by V1 stage (day 8). About 67-83% of TMX was lost in sand and clay columns systems at the V5 stage (day 36). TMX can be easily leached into groundwater through unstructured clay soil under heavy rainfall conditions. Overall, clay soils with low total organic carbon had higher leaching potential, lower sorption, and faster dissipation for TMX compared with sandy soils.

Objective 2: Evaluate the range of uses and associated agronomic and environmental benefits/advantages for residuals in agricultural and urban systems.

Specific tasks:

• Evaluate the ability of in situ treatment of contaminated soil with residuals to reduce chemical contaminant bioavailability and toxicity.
• Determine the climate change impacts of organic residuals end use options (i.e., C sequestration, N₂O emissions).
• Quantify sustainability impacts such as water quality (reduced N impairment) and quantity benefits (increased plant available water, increased drought tolerance) and soil quality improvements associated with a range of organic residuals end uses.
• Explore the potential for waste by-products to be used in urban areas including urban agriculture, stormwater infrastructure, green roofs, and in urban green space.
• Evaluate ecosystem services of degraded urban soils amended with residuals.
• Use tools such as life cycle assessment to understand and compare the impacts of a range of residuals end use/disposal options.

Objective 2 Accomplishments:

Arizona

Previous research at Tres Rios Wastewater Treatment Plant showed that Bardenpho secondary treatment of sewage resulted in effluent with very low numbers of human pathogenic viruses. The goal of this current project was to determine if viruses were actually inactivated during Bardenpho treatment or whether viruses merely partitioned into the solid phase due to the longer retention time of the process. Specific objectives were: Determine if Bardenpho treatment resulted in greater concentrations of viruses in the sewage sludge than conventional activated sludge treatment; and Determine if this results in greater concentrations in biosolids after anaerobic digestion. Study approach was consisted of collecting sludge samples pre-anaerobic digestion and post anaerobic digestion, analyzing samples for enteric viruses via cell culture and comparing new results to historical conventional activated sludge data for virus removal.

Data show that mean enteric virus concentrations in undigested sludge following Bardenpho treatment (Tres Rios WWTP) were 58.7 MPN/4g compared to lower values 10.4 MPN/4g in historical conventional activated sludge (older Ina Rd WWTP). However, following anaerobic digestion, mean virus values in the biosolids (Tres Rios) were 0.5 MPN/4g compared to 1.4 MPN/4g from historical biosolids (Ina Rd).

Colorado

Barbarick, Ippolito et al. completed a study focused on the beneficial reuse of drinking water treatment facility Al-WTR in an engineered urban wetland.  Findings showed that Al-WTR application can significantly increase P capture and lessen offsite P movement into adjacent waterbodies.  The team anticipates continuing this work within Colorado over the next several years.

Florida

An intended, long-term, well-instrumented field study was established by Silveira et al. to evaluate various agronomic and environmental impacts of biosolids applied to pastures in south Florida. Land application of (especially) Class B biosolids to pasture land is common in Florida and well received by ranchers, but remains a practice that concerns some. Environmental concerns and the need for (or lack thereof) legislation to protect against possible environmental impacts with respect to water quality are the major focus of the project. The experiment is designed to evaluate the effects of various locally available biosolids alone, and in combination with a locally available biochar, on forage, soil, and water quality, and on greenhouse emissions. Biosolids are applied at rates sufficient to supply the UF/IFAS recommended 180 kg PAN/ha (160 lb. PAN/A), allowing for various losses of N through an adjustment of total N application of 1.5 (thus, the equivalent of 270 kg N/ha). Mineral fertilizer N is applied as a comparison treatment. Biochar is applied at a 1% by weight rate (~22.4 Mg/ha). Soil cores are routinely collected by depth, and drain gauge lysimeters are used to monitor water quality. Static gas chambers are used to monitor CH₄, N₂O and CO₂ emissions on a regular basis.  Rainfall simulation installations will also be used to assess field runoff amounts and water quality, pending additional resources.

Excessive rainfall in the Spring of 2016 delayed the applications of materials until August, but initial soil and amendment characterization, background data on water quality and gas emissions, and instrument validation was completed. Spring applications (April) occurred in 2017, as is more common for the region. Various forage quantity and quality measurements will be assessed as a function of treatments. The major thrust, however, is to demonstrate the environmentally-benign effects of biosolids applied in accordance with state recommendations and to assess the potential for a local biochar to further reduce fugitive nutrient losses. An additional objective to demonstrate impacts of the treatments on C cycling/accumulation. A number of laboratory studies are underway to examine the potential benefits of co-application of biochar and biosolids on N and P losses. Efforts are also underway to attract research funds to support the field effort for a minimum of 3 more years; support to date has been from special legislative allotments to the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and “fiscal year-end” funding from the FL AES. Continued, and adequate future support is tenuous.

Hawaii

Highly weathered soils in the tropics are nutrient poor, thus hardly support good plant growth. Hue et al. studied potential of biochars to improve soil nutrient retention in highly weathered soils. The objective of this study was to assess the nutrient retention capacities of two biochars when applied in combination with two composts to two highly weathered soils of Hawaii: a Ultisol (Leilehua series) and an Oxisol (Wahiawa series). The experiment design was factorial, and all treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design with three replicates. Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa cv. Bonsai Chinensis group) was used as the test plant in two greenhouse trials. Plant fresh and dry weights (harvested 34 days after sowing), soil pH and EC, total N, and other nutrients in soils and plant tissues were measured. The results showed that the interaction between biochar and compost additions was significantly increased the pH, EC, P and K of both soils; improved Ca, Mg and Fe uptake; and increased shoot and total cabbage fresh and dry matters. Soil pH was increased over 1 units on average, and EC was increased from 0.35 to 0.47 dS/m and 0.30 to 0.37 dS/m for the Ultisol and Oxisol, respectively; exchangeable aluminum in the Ultisol was decreased from 2.5 to virtually zero; Mehlich-3 extractable Mn and Fe in the high- Mn Oxisol decreased from 806 and 63.9 mg/kg to 360 and 36.9 mg/kg, respectively.  Chinese cabbage  growth in the Ultisol amended with the lac tree (Schleichera oleosa) wood biochar at 2% in combination with 2% vermicompost was almost twice as that of the  amended with lime and vermicompost at the same rate. All essential nutrients in the plant tissues, with exception of N and K, were sufficient for the cabbage growth, suggesting increased nutrients and reduced soil acidity by the combined additions of biochar and compost were the probable cause.

Kansas

A new field study, to investigate potential for using residual (class B biosloids) amendment at contaminated military sites, has been started in summer 2016 by Kansas State University researchers (Hettiarachchi et al.). This will be continued for two years and the main objective is to find ways to utilize unused land/sites to grow second generation biofuel crops while maintaining or improving soil quality, and keeping soil contaminants in place. Results so far shows that tilling and soil treatment additions have increased the dry matter yield. Soil analysis for various parameters including bioaccessible lead and plant tissue analysis for lead and nutrients are underway.

Plant systems have a significant capacity to remediate marginal waters through several phytoremediation processes including uptake (e.g., nutrients, trace elements), accumulation (e.g. salts), and assist with biotransformation of inorganic compounds (e.g., nutrients, trace elements). Salicornia could be a suitable halophilic plant to capitalize on its salt-tolerance potential for treating marginal waters. A greenhouse study was initiated to determine ability of Salicornia europaea to grow in flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater, which is high in salts and selenium (Se); or brackish waters. This work will be continued in 2017.

Minnesota

In the U.S., coffee roasters generate approximately 32 million pounds of coffee chaff each year, most of which ends up in landfills. JavaCycle, a local startup company in Minnesota has developed a method to blend and combine the coffee chaff with grain meal, bone/meat meal and potassium sulfate to create an all-purpose 4-4-4 organic fertilizer (https://www.java-cycle.com/products/).  Researchers at University of Minnesota (Jelinski et al.) are currently evaluating two forms of this fertilizer, one containing 10% coffee chaff and the other containing 40% coffee chaff as an amendment for potting mixes.   The overall goal is to identify the optimum rates of the two fertilizer blends for producing greenhouse lettuce and greenhouse tomatoes.

New Mexico

Brewer et al. have continued our evaluation of solid waste processing using pyrolysis to recover water and nutrients for water, food, and energy sustainability. We have created biochars from a variety of waste products (agricultural residues, halophyte biomass, invasive species biomass, solid wastes on spacecraft); we are in the process of testing their impacts on soil quality, their potential for soil-less growth media, and their ability to be used as adsorbents for trace organic contaminants in water.

Hedge-pruning pecan trees is an essential cultural practice that generates significant tonnages of wood biomass of relatively limited economic value, and has historically regarded as a waste product. Increasing the wood’s value could aid pecan growers and one such use is shredding, chipping, and screening the raw material for use in potting substrates.  That value-added use could also reduce dependence on peatmoss to, in turn, benefit greenhouse and nursery growers who are in close proximity to pecan growers throughout the southern U.S.  Picchioni et al. (2006) reported good potential for pecan wood chips to partially replace peatmoss in greenhouse potting substrates, and outlined steps needed to turn such a pecan wood “eco-cycle” into reality, much like has occurred with the southern pine industry. 

In the arid southwestern United States, water is scarce. Drought and diminishing freshwater have created a need for alternate water sources. Reverse osmosis (RO) is used to desalinate groundwater but results in highly saline concentrate. Flores et al. (2016) reported findings pertaining to reuse of reverse osmosis concentrate as an irrigation source for salt tolerant plants.

Pennsylvania

Miscanthus biomass production on mined land and response to nutrient application as inorganic fertilizer or as spent mushroom compost (SMC) is being investigated in a multi-year experiment by researchers at Pennsylvania State University. Year two production was greater than year one and in both years yield was increased by nutrient addition. There was no difference in yield response between SMC and inorganic fertilizer. Soil N availability and miscanthus N uptake also did not differ between nutrient sources.

A greenhouse study was conducted to establish thresholds for negative effects on vegetation and soils from Marcellus Shale production water (PW). A PW spill assessment decision matrix was developed to guide response to small PW spills.  Based on visual observations and soil testing, the matrix provides a framework for choosing between standards remedial action (excavation and landfilling) and natural attenuation.

Virginia

Badgley et al. determined that original design and engineering factors of bioretention systems have more impact on controlling denitrifying bacteria than local environmental conditions. Results also show that microbial denitrification might be much lower than anticipated in many systems, suggesting that there is potential to improve performance with regard to nitrogen removal from stormwater. Trends observed in established systems suggest that strategic use of organic matter in the soil medium and vegetation types are the two most important factors to increase denitrification.

Long-term (10 year) effects of wood waste compost additions on soil and vegetation properties in created forested wetlands were evaluated by Daniels et al. in two replicated (n = 4) experiments in eastern Virginia. Loading rates at one experiment varied from 56 to 330 Mg/ha (dry) and were incorporated into truncated plastic and clayey subsoil materials. The loading rate at the second site was 75 Mg/ha and the compost was incorporated into sandy dredge materials and compared with local topsoil return (15 cm) vs. no amendment. Combined results from the two experiments indicate that optimal compost addition rates are approximately 75 Mg/ha and that while the impacts of compost additions on development of appropriate soil redox conditions and associate redoximorphic features are clear, their net effect on vegetation response is mixed. Compost additions clearly aided initial establishment and growth of herbaceous and woody vegetation at the loading rate experimental site, but had no net effect at the second experiment when compared with topsoil return.

Ervin and Evanylo compared the effects of various exceptional quality (EQ) biosolids products on rehabilitation of disturbed urban soil for the establishment and production of cool season turfgrass. Application rates of amendments were 171 kg N ha^-1yr^-1 with Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation recommendations for an established tall fescue stand. Amendments were top-dressed (applied to surface) and split applied on June 14, 2016 and September 21, 2016. Biosolids products performed better than the inorganic fertilizer during the trial period. Clipping yield, normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), turfgrass quality rating and soil bulk density, were significantly improved by biosolids products applied at the agronomic nitrogen rate than the biosolids applied at the phosphorus rate and the inorganic fertilizer (p-value <0.05). This study has shown that as you increase the rate of biosolids applied, you improve turfgrass response and reduce bulk density. Lower biosolids rates such as the biosolids sand-sawdust phosphorus rate will improve plant quality and growth, but it is not enough to impact bulk density.

Evanylo et al. established a greenhouse study to compare the effects of DC Water (Blue Plains Advanced Water Reclamation facility) exceptional quality (EQ) biosolids blended with organic and mineral residuals (sawdust + sand or woody mulch) with proven industry EQ products. EQ biosolids included two Tagro (Tacoma, WA) blended products (one biosolids-sand-sawdust blend and one biosolids-woody mulch blend), Alexandria (VA) Renew Enterprises biosolids blended with woody mulch, OceanGro (Ocean County, NJ) thermally dried and granulated product, and Spotsylvania County (VA) biosolids composted with woody waste. A soybean growth bioassay showed that the incorporation of the blended DC Water EQ biosolids into the soil at normal agronomic rates support adequate germination, emergence, seedling vigor, and plant growth; however, use of these products as the entire rooting media resulted in phytotoxicity, likely due to high soluble salt concentrations. A tall fescue bioassay nitrogen calibration study showed that the nitrogen in the DC Water blended products was approximately 20% plant-available.

Evanylo et al. established a vegetable study in August 2016 on a manufactured urban soil comprised of clayey subsoil fill from two construction sites. The site was instrumented with lysimeters for collection of leachate, which is being analyzed for pH, EC, C, N forms, and P. We have applied and are testing the effects of various rates (1x and 5x agronomic N rate) of dried & cured dewatered EQ biosolids, EQ biosolids blended with shredded woody mulch, and composted biosolids; and 1x agronomic N rates of thermally-dried biosolids and inorganic fertilizer. Yields of fall-grown vegetables (cabbage, beets, radishes, lettuce, and kale) and nitrate leached to lysimeters were higher with the 5x than the 1x agronomic N rate of biosolids and inorganic fertilizer N, but N loss was not significantly greater than with the 1x agronomic N rate of inorganic fertilizer.

Washington

Brown cooperated with a large group to address the hazards associated with Pb contamination in urban soils (Laidlaw et al., 2017). Her contribution summarized the research on the use of biosolids to reduce Pb availability in situ.  That work included cooperation with multiple members, both past and present of the W 3170 research group.  The conclusion in this manuscript suggests that wider spread use of biosolids in urban areas has the potential to offer protection against lead exposure. 

Brown was part of a team tasked by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to evaluate the impact of different food waste management alternatives (Morris et al., 2017). Life cycle assessment was used for this analysis.  Composting, in sink disposal, direct anaerobic digestion and combustion were considered.  In addition to traditional LCA parameters, this study included a section on the soil impact of each end use/ disposal method.  Here Brown used examples in the literature from biosolids application to serve as a surrogate for digestate. 

Brown also worked with Dr. David Montgomery whose new book: Growing a Revolution: Brining our soil back to life describes different tools to restore soils. She provided him with a number of papers as well as introductions to the biosolids community.  As a result, the use of biosolids is featured in one chapter of the book as a highly effective tool to restore soils. 

Brown was asked by the US Compost Council to author a pamphlet on how compost production and use can impact Climate Change. The pamphlet was released early in 2017 and provides a clear, easy to read and understand guide to how land application of composts and other organics such as municipal biosolids can be an effective tool to both reduce fugitive gas emissions and to sequester carbon. 

PUBLICATIONS ISSUED or MANUSCRIPTS APPROVED 2016

Journal Articles

Bamber, K. W., G. K. Evanylo, and W. E. Thomason. 2016. Importance of Soil Properties on Recommended Biosolids Management for Winter Wheat. Soil Sci. Soc. of Am. J. 80:919-929. doi:10.2136/sssaj2016.02.0039

Barbarick, K.A., J.A. Ippolito, and J. McDaniel. 2016. Path Analysis of grain P, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Ni in a biosolids-amended dryland wheat agroecosystem. J. Environ. Qual. 45:1400-1404.

Basta, N.T., D.M. Busalacchi, L.S. Hundal, K. Kumar, R.P. Dick, R.P. Lanno, J. Carlson, A.E. Cox, and T.C. Granato. 2016. Restoring ecosystem function in degraded urban soil using biosolids, biosolids blend and compost. Special Issue: Soil in the City. J. Environ. Qual. 45(1): 74-83.

Berek, A., and N. Hue. 2016. Characterization of biochars and their use as an amendment to acid soils. Soil Sci. 181:412-426.

Beyer, Nelson, W., Nicholas T. Basta, Rufus Chaney, Paula F. P. Henry, Thomas May, David Mosby, Barnett A. Rattner, Kirk G. Scheckel, Daniel Sprague. Bioaccessibility tests accurately estimate bioavailability of lead to quail. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 35: 2311–2319, 2016.

Brewer, C.E., Hall, E.T., Schmidt-Rohr, K., Laird, D.A., Brown, R.C., Zygourakis, K. (2016) Temperature and reaction atmosphere effects on properties of corn stover biochar, Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, in press, DOI: 10.1002/ep.12503.

Brown, S. 2016. Greenhouse gas accounting for landfill diversion of food scraps and yard waste. Compost Sci. 24:1: 11-19.

Brown, S.L., A.Corfman, K. Mendrey, K. Kurtz, and F. Grothkopp. 2016.  Stormwater Bioretention systems- testing the phosphorus saturation index and compost feedstocks as predictive tools for system performance. J. Environ. Qual., 45:1:98-106

Brown, S.L. and R.L. Chaney. 2016. Use of amendments to restore ecosystem function to metal mining impacted sites: tools to evaluate efficacy. Current Pollution Reports. 2:91-102

Brown, S., R.L. Chaney, and G.M. Hettiarachchi. 2016. Lead in urban soils -- A real or perceived concern for urban agriculture? J. Environ. Qual. 45: 26-36. OPEN ACCESS doi:10.2134/jeq2015.07.0376

D’Angelo, E.M., and Daniel Starnes. 2016. Desorption Kinetics of Ciprofloxacin in Municipal Biosolids Determined by Diffusion Gradient in Thin Films. Chemosphere 164:215-224.

Daniels, W. L., Zipper, C. E., Orndorff, Z. W., Skousen, J., Barton, C. D., McDonald, L. M., and Beck, M. A. (2016). Predicting total dissolved solids release from central Appalachian coal mine spoils. Env. Poll. 2016: 371-379. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.05.044

Dutta, T., C.J. Dell and R.C. Stehouwer. 2016. Nitrous oxide emissions from a coal mine land reclaimed with stabilized manure. Land Degradation & Development 27:427–437. Article first published online : 13 AUG 2015, DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2408

Elzobair, K.A., M.E. Stromberger, and J.A. Ippolito. 2016. Stabilizing effect of biochar on soil extracellular enzymes after a denaturing stress. Chemosphere. 142:114-119.

Elzobair, K.A., M.E. Stromberger, J.A. Ippolito, and R.D. Lentz. 2016. Contrasting effects of biochar versus manure on soil microbial communities and enzyme activities in an Aridisol. Chemosphere. 142:145-152.

Flores, A.M., M.K. Shukla, D. Daniel, A.L Ulery, B.J. Schutte, G.A. Picchioni, and S. Fernald. 2016.  Evapotranspiration changes with irrigation using saline groundwater and RO concentrate. Journal of Arid Environments 43:1-7.

Franklin, A.M., C.F. Williams, D.M. Andrews, E.E. Woodward, J.E. Watson. 2016. Uptake of three antibiotics and an anti-epileptic drug by wheat crops spray irrigated with wastewater treatment plant effluent. J. Environ. Qual.45:546-554.

Franklin, A.M., D.S. Aga, E. Cytryn, L. Durso, J.E. McLain, A. Pruden, M.C. Roberts, M.J. Rothrock, Jr., D. Snow, J.E. Watson, R.S. Dungan. 2016. Antibiotics in Agroecosystems: Introduction to the Special Section. J. Environ. Qual. 45:377-393.

Gall, H.E., N.B. Basu, M.L. Mashtare, P.S.C. Rao, L.S. Lee. 2016. Assessing the impacts of anthropogenic and hydro-climatic drivers on estrogen legacies and trajectories. Advances in water Resources 87: 19-28.

Hopkins, I., H.E. Gall, H. Lin. 2016. Natural and anthropogenic controls on the frequency of preferential flow occurrence in a wastewater spray irrigation field. Agricultural Water Management In Press. DOI:dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2016.09.011.

Hue, N. and A. Ahmad. 2016. Arsenic Reactions and Brake Fern (Pteris Vittata L.) Uptake in Hawaiian Soils. Plant soil environ. 63:11-17. Doi:10.17221/428/2016-PSE.

Ippolito, J.A., M.E. Stromberger, R.D. Lentz, and R.S. Dungan. 2016. Hardwood biochar            and manure co-application to a calcareous soil. Chemosphere. 142:86-91.

Ippolito, J.A., T.F. Ducey, K.B. Cantrell, J.M. Novak, and R.D. Lentz. 2016. Designer, acidic biochar influences calcareous soil characteristics. Chemosphere. 142:184-191.

Ippolito, J.A. 2015. Aluminum-based water treatment residuals use in a constructed wetland for capturing urban runoff phosphorus: Column study. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution. 226:334. DOI 10.1007/s11270-015-2604-2.

Laidlaw, M.A.S., G.M. Filippelli, S. Brown, J. Paz-Ferreiro, S.M. Reichman, P. Netherway, A. Truskewzcz, A.S. Ball, H.W. Mielke. 2017.  Case studies and evidence-based approaches to addressing urban soil lead contamination.  Applied Geochemistry http://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2017.02.015

Mina, O., H.E. Gall, L.S. Saporito, P.J.A. Kleinman. 2016. Estrogen transport in surface runoff from agricultural fields treated with two application methods of dairy manure. J. Environ. Qual. In Press. DOI:10.2134/jeq2016.05.0173.

Morris, J., S. Brown, M. Cotton, and H.S. Matthews. 2017.  Life-cycle assessment harmonization and soil science ranking results on food-waste management methods.  Environ. Sci. Tech. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b06115

Novak, J.M., J.A. Ippolito, R.D. Lentz, K.A. Spokas, C.H. Bolster, K. Sistani, K.M. Trippe, and M.G. Johnson. 2016. Soil health, crop productivity, microbial transport, and mine spoil response to biochars. Bioenerg. Res. 9:454-464.

Obrycki, John F., Nicholas T. Basta, Kirk Scheckel, Albert Juhasz, Brooke N. Stevens, and Kristen K. Minca. 2016. Phosphorus amendment efficacy on soil Pb depends upon bioaccessible method conditions. Special Issue: Soil in the City J. Environ. Qual. 45(1): 37-44.

Picchioni, G.A., S.A. Martinez, J.G. Mexal, and D.M. VanLeeuwen. 2016.  Vegetative growth and leaf nutrient status of ‘Carpino’ chrysanthemum on a pecan wood-amended commercial substrate. HortScience 51:177-185.  (Journal cover article).

Rachmadi, A.T., Kitajima, M., Pepper, I.L., Gerba, C.P. 2016. Enteric and indicator virus removal by surface flow wetlands. Sci. Tot. Environ. 542:976-982.

Karna, R., G.M. Hettiarachchi, M. Newville, C-J Sun, and Q. Ma. 2016. Synchrotron-Based X-Ray Spectroscopy Studies for Redox-Based Remediation of Lead, Zinc, and Cadmium in Mine Waste Materials. J. Environ. Qual. 45:1883-1893. doi: 10.2134/jeq2015.12.0616.

Schmitz, B., Kitajima, M., Campillo, M., Gerba, C., Pepper, I. 2016. Virus reduction during advanced Bardenpho and conventional wastewater treatment processes. Env. Sci. & Technol. 50:9524-9532.

Schmitz, B., Pearce-Walker, J., Gerba, C.P., Pepper, I.L. 2016. A method for determining Ascaris viability based on early-to-late stage in vitro ova development. J. Res. Sci. Technol. 13:275-286.

Sterner, G. R. Bryant, P. Kleinman, J. Watson, T. Alter. 2015. Community Implementation Dynamics: Nutrient Management in the New York City and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds. International Journal of Rural Law and Policy. 2015 Special Edition 1. UTS ePress. New South Wales. <http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/ijrlp/article/view/4366>

Tian, G, A. Cox, K. Kumar, G.A. O’Connor, and H.A. Elliott. 2016. Assessment of plant   availability and environmental risk of biosolids-phosphorus in a U.S. Midwest corn-belt soil. J. Environ. Mgt. 172: 171-176.

Wijesekara, H., N.S. Bolan, M. Vithanage, Y.Xu, S. Mandal, S.L. Brown, G.M. Hettiarachchi, G.M. Pierzynski, L. Huang, Y. S. Ok, M.B. Kirkham, C. Saint. A. Surapaneni. 2016. Utilization of biowaste for mine spoil rehabilitation. Advances in Agronomy 138:97-173

Presentations/Abstracts

Alghamdi^, A., M.B. Kirkham, D.R. Presley, G.M. Hettiarachchi and B. Paul. 2016. Heavy Metal Uptake from Abandoned Mine Waste Materials Amended with Biosolids. ASA/CSA/SSSA International Annual Meetings, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Basta, N.T. 2016. Tailoring Soil Blends for Chemical Restoration of Urban Soils. ASA/CSA/SSSA International Annual Meetings, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Basta, N.T., S. D. Whitacre, B. Stevens, R. Anderson, P. Myers and V.L. Hanley. 2016. Predicting arsenic bioavailability in contaminated soils by using in vitro gastrointestinal bioaccessibility for site-specific risk assessment. 18th International Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment, Ghent, Belgium Sept 12-15, 2016.

Basta, N.T. Using Bioavailability and Bioaccessibility for Risk Assessment and Remediation of Upland Soils. U.S. EPA Ecological Risk Assessment Forum Annual Meeting, Chicago IL, June 7 – 9, 2016

Basta, N.T. Restoring Ecosystem Services in Degraded Urban Soils Using Biosolids and Soil Amendment Blends, Illinois Water Environment Association Annual Conference Champaign, IL. February 29, 2016

Basta, N.T., S.D. Whitacre, V. Kecojevic, A. Lashgari, and B.T. Lusk. 2016. Dust Characterization and Source Apportionment at an Active Surface Mine in West Virginia. Annual Meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Phoenix, AZ. Feb. 21-24, 2016.

Benson, Kaitlyn, and Nicholas T. Basta. Assessing Long-Term Soil Quality of a Restored Degraded Site in Illinois. ASA/CSA/SSSA International Annual Meetings, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Brewer, C.E., Lyons, S., Bhakta, N., Payne, J., Carroll, K. C., Drying and Pyrolysis of Solid Waste on Spacecraft for Water Recovery and Biochar, 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 15, 2016.

Brewer, C.E., Idowu, O. J., Biochars in the Desert Southwest: Challenges and Opportunities, Biochar 2016: The Synergy of Science and Industry: Biochar's Connection to Ecology, Soil, Food, and Energy, US Biochar Initiative, Corvalis, OR, August 24, 2016.

Brewer, C. E., Lyons, S., Bhakta, N., Payne, J., Carroll, K. C., Pyrolysis of Solid Waste on Spacecraft for Water Recovery and Biochar, TCS 2016: Symposium on Thermal and Catalytic Sciences for Biofuels and Biobased Products, RTI International, Chapel Hill, NC, November 2, 2016.

Carrillo, B. C., Dominguez, M., Zhang, Y., Idowu, O. J., Brewer, C. E., Short-term impacts of biochar made from different feedstock on soil quality and water holding capacity of arid soils, ASA/CSA/SSSA International Annual Meetings, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Hansen, A. M., and N.A. Jelinski. Household-Scale Spatial and Depth Distributions of Soil Lead in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meetings. Phoenix, AZ, November 6-9, 2016.

Hsiao, C-J, G.F. Sassenrath, C. W. Rice, L.H. Zeglin and G. M. Hettiarachchi. 2016. Soil Microbial Communities in Claypan Soils. ASA/CSA/SSSA International Annual Meetings, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Jelinski, N.A., M.M. Haller, J.K. Willenbring, A.M. Hansen, K. LaBine. Soil Kitchen: A mechanism for community engagement and citizen-science centered around the urban soil resource. Twin Cities Urban Agriculture Research Workshop, Minneapolis, MN, October 5^th, 2016.

Obrycki, John F, and Nicholas T. Basta. 2016. Limitations for Contaminated Soil Management Implementation. ASA/CSA/SSSA International Annual Meetings, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Obrycki, John F and Nicholas T. Basta. 2016.  Contextualizing Urban Soil Pb within a Public Health Framework. ASA/CSA/SSSA International Annual Meetings, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Pepper, I.L. 2016. The University of Arizona Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center. 21^st European Biosolids and Organic Resources Conference, Edinburgh, UK.

Sassi, H., Gerba, C.P., and Pepper, I.L. 2016. Ebola and Antibiotics: Are they a hazard in sewage and biosolids?  2016. 29^th Annual Biofest, Blaine, WA.

Sarpong, K. A., Amiri, A., Idowu, O. J., Smith, M., Brewer, C. E., Evaluating salt sequestration in the biochar of halophytes, ASA-CSSA-SSSA 2016 Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, November 9, 2016.

Stevens, B., A. Betts, K. Scheckel , S. Whitacre, R. Anderson, K. Bradham, D. Thomas and N. Basta. Comprehensive evaluation of in vitro bioaccessibility methods to predict bioavailability of arsenic in contaminated soils. 2016. 18th International Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment, Ghent, Belgium Sept 12-15, 2016.

Stevens, B., S. Whitacre, K. Bradham, D. Thomas, S. Casteel, R. Anderson, and N. Basta. 2016. Comparison of Bioavailability Measurements determined using Juvenile Swine and Adult Mouse Models for Arsenic Contaminated Soils. 18th International Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment, Ghent, Belgium Sept 12-15, 2016.

Whitacre, Shane, B. Stevens, Valerie Hanley Perry Myers, Andrea Foster, and Nick Basta. 2016. Independent Measures for More Confident Selection and Application of Arsenic Bioaccessibility Methods to Predict Bioavailability. 18th International Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment, Ghent, Belgium Sept 12-15, 2016.

Whitacre, S.W., B.N Stevens, V.L. Mitchell, P. Myers and N.T. Basta. 2016. Predicting Arsenic Bioavailability in Moderately Contaminated Soils. 18th International Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment, Ghent, Belgium Sept 12-15, 2016.

Zearley, A., Nicholas T. Basta and Shane D. Whitacre. 2016. Impact of Diet on Pb Bioccessibility for Wildlife in Vitro Methods. 2016. Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 6-9, 2016.

Book Chapters

Brown, S.L., K. McIvor and E. Snyder (Eds). Sowing seeds in the city: Ecological and Municipal Considerations. Springer, NY.

Brown, S.L., K. McIvor and E. Snyder (Eds). Sowing seeds in the city: Human Dimensions. Springer, NY.

Brown, S. and C. Cogger. 2016. Soil formation and nutrient cycling. In Brown, S.L., K. McIvor and E. Snyder (Eds). Sowing seeds in the city: Ecological and Municipal Considerations. Springer, NY.

Brown, S. 2016. A Guide to Types of Non Potable Water and the Potential for Reuse in Urban Systems. In Brown, S.L., K. McIvor and E. Snyder (Eds). Sowing seeds in the city: Ecological and Municipal Considerations. Springer, NY.

Brown, S. and N. Goldstein. 2016. The Role of Organic Residuals in Urban Agriculture. In Brown, S.L., K. McIvor and E. Snyder (Eds). Sowing seeds in the city: Ecological and Municipal Considerations. Springer, NY.

Brown, S. 2016. Soils and Climate Change. In Brown, S.L., K. McIvor and E. Snyder (Eds). Sowing seeds in the city: Ecological and Municipal Considerations.  Springer, NY.

Emery, I. and S. Brown. 2016. Lettuce to Reduce Greenhouse Gases: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Community Agriculture. In Brown, S.L., K. McIvor and E. Snyder (Eds). Sowing seeds in the city: Ecological and Municipal Considerations.  Springer, NY.

Hettiarachchi, G.M., C. Attanayake, P. Defoe, and S. Martin. 2016. Mechanisms to Reduce Risk Potential (p. 155- 170). In E Hodges Snyder, K. McIvor, and S Brown (Eds.) Sowing Seeds in the City: Human Dimensions. Springer, NY.

Masiello, C.A., Dugan, B., Brewer, C.E., Spokas, K., Novak, J.M., Liu, Z., Sorrenti, G. (2015) Chapter 19. Biochar effects on soil hydrology. In: J. Lehmann, S. Joseph (Eds.), Biochar for Environmental Management: Science and Technology, 2^nd ed: Routledge, pp. 543-562.

Obrycki J.F., K.K. Minca, and N.T. Basta. 2016. Screening for Soil Lead Contamination Using a Common Soil Test Method. In S. Brown, K. McIvor and E. Snyder (eds.) Sowing Seeds in the City: Municipal and Ecological Considerations, Springer, NY.

Technical Reports

Barbarick, K.A., and J.M. McDaniel. 2016. Application of anaerobically digested biosolids to dryland sunflowers: 2014 results. Colorado Ag. Exp. Sta. TR16-4.

Barbarick, K.A., and J.M. McDaniel. 2016. Biosolids application to no-till dryland rotations: 2015 results. Colorado Ag. Exp. Sta. TR16-5.

Basta, Nicholas, Brooke Stevens, Shane Whitacre, Kirk Scheckel, Aaron Betts, Karen Bradham, David Thomas, and. Chris Schadt. 2016. Mechanisms and Permanence of Sequestered Pb and As in Soils: Impact on Human Bioavailability. 2016. SERDP Project ER-1742, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, Alexandria, VA.

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Freeh, J. 2016. Removing N-Nitrosodimethylamine from water using pecan shell biochar. M.S. Thesis, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.

Dorothy Menefee. 2016. Anthropogenic influences on soil microbial properties. M.S. Thesis, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.

Obrycki, John Francis. 2016.   Ph.D. Dissertation. Managing Soils for Environmental Science and Public Health Applications. The Ohio State University, Columbus. OH.

Sharp, L. 2016. A study of pelletized New Mexican feedstocks subjected to varying levels of torrefaction. M.S. Thesis, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.

Stevens, Brooke Nan. 2016. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bioaccessibility, Bioavailability, and Chemical Speciation of Arsenic in Contaminated Soils and Solid Wastes. The Ohio State University, Columbus. OH.

Webinars

Basta, N.T. 2016. Mechanisms and Permanence of Sequestered Pb and As in Soils: Impact on Human Bioavailability, SERDP Project ER-1742. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program Webinar, Nov. 3, 2016 (attendance est. 420)

Popular Press and Press Releases

Huntsman, B., NMSU professor works to remove water pollutants, Las Cruces Sun-News, December 4, 2016, http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/education/nmsu/2016/12/04/nmsu-professor-works-remove-water-pollutants/94963006/.

Public release 21 March 2016 by Eurekalert (AAAS). Recycling pecan wood for commercial substrates.  https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-03/asfh_rpw032116.php

University of Washington. "Risk of lead poisoning from urban gardening is low, new study finds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 February 2016. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160202144232.htm.