Nanoparticles within WWTP sludges have minimal impact on leachate quality and soil microbial community structure and function

Durenkamp, Mark; Pawlett, Mark; Ritz, Karl; Harris, Jim A.; Neal, Andrew L.; McGrath, Steve P.

Abstract

One of the main pathways by which engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) enter the environment is through land application of waste water treatment plant (WWTP) sewage sludges. WWTP sludges, enriched with Ag and ZnO ENPs or their corresponding soluble metal salts during anaerobic digestion and subsequently mixed with soil (targeting a final concentration of 1400 and 140 mg/kg for Zn and Ag, respectively), were subjected to 6 months of ageing and leaching in lysimeter columns outdoors. Amounts of Zn and Ag leached were very low, accounting for <0.3% and <1.4% of the total Zn and Ag, respectively. No differences in total leaching rates were observed between treatments of Zn or Ag originally input to WWTP as ENP or salt forms. Phospholipid fatty acid profiling indicated a reduction in the fungal component of the soil microbial community upon metal exposure. However, overall, the leachate composition and response of the soil microbial community following addition of sewage sludge enriched either with ENPs or metal salts was very similar.

Citation

Durenkamp, M., Pawlett, M., Ritz, K., Harris, J. A., Neal, A. L., & McGrath, S. P. (2016). Nanoparticles within WWTP sludges have minimal impact on leachate quality and soil microbial community structure and function. Environmental Pollution, 211, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.12.063

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 31, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jan 19, 2016
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Aug 2, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 2, 2017
• Journal: Environmental Pollution
• Print ISSN: 0269-7491
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-6424
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 211
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.12.063
• Keywords: Greenhouse gases, Nitrification, PLFA, Silver nanoparticles, Zinc oxide nanoparticles
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/977310
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749115302773?via%3Dihub
• Contract Date: Aug 2, 2017