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SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF METALS IN BIOSOLIDS
Citation:
Scheckel*, K G., J A. Ryan*, AND G. M. Hettiarachchi**. SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF METALS IN BIOSOLIDS. Presented at Soil Science of America Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, October 31 - November 04, 2004.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
The results of decades of research illustrate that metals in biosolids-amended soils are retained at a higher rate than soils without biosolids-amendments indicating that either an individual or combination of constituents within biosolids is responsible for the elevated sorption capacity of biosolids-amended soils. The deliberation centers on the accountable component of biosolids as the effective sorbent fraction which may include inorganic phases and/or organic material. For example, the affinity of metals for organic substances has been well documented in the literature; however, studies have shown that as the level of organic matter returns to background levels in biosolids-amended soils, metal retention is still prominent. The extremely recalcitrant organic phases may be responsible for metal retention but this is yet to be definitively proven. Further, this dismisses Beckett et al.'s (1979) "time bomb theory" which details how metals in biosolids-amended soils would become labile in the environment as the organic substances decompose. Likewise, our recent research has suggested the influence of iron and manganese (oxide) phases may playa vital role in the sorption of metals. We employed micro-XANES and XRF methods to illustrate the association of metals to inorganic biosolids components.