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HEAVY METALS AND TOXIC ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN MSW-COMPOSTS: RESEARCH RESULTS ON PHYTOAVAILABILITY, BIOAVAILABILITY, FATE, ETC.
Citation:
Ryan, J. AND R. Chaney. HEAVY METALS AND TOXIC ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN MSW-COMPOSTS: RESEARCH RESULTS ON PHYTOAVAILABILITY, BIOAVAILABILITY, FATE, ETC. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/A-94/030 (NTIS PB94155348).
Description:
This paper is a review and interpretation of research which as been conducted to determine the fate transport, and potential effects of heavy metals and toxic organic compounds in MSW-composts and sewage sludges. valuation of research findings identified a number of Pathways by which these contaminants can be transferred from MSW-compost or compost-amended soils to humans, livestock, or wildlife. he Pathways consider direct ingestion of compost or compost-amended soil by livestock and children, plant uptake by food or feed crops, and exposure to dust, vapor, and water to which metals and organics have migrated. n research on these questions, the chemical properties of sludges and composts were found to be very important in binding the metals and toxic organics. he "bioavailability" of contaminants in msw-composts describes the potential for accumulation in animals of metals or organics from ingested sludges or composts, or from food/feed materials grown on sludge or compost amended soils. resently, it appears that the most limiting heavy metal in MSW-composts may be Pb. SW-compost ay provide fertilizer and soil conditioner benefit in agriculture and horticulture if compost manufacturers carefully reject Pb rich wastes.