Storage management influences greenhouse gas emissions from biosolids

R Majumder; SJ Livesley; D Gregory; SK Arndt

Journal article

Storage management influences greenhouse gas emissions from biosolids

R Majumder, SJ Livesley, D Gregory, SK Arndt

Journal of Environmental Management | Published : 2015

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.01.007

Download PDF

Abstract

Biosolids produced by wastewater treatment plants are often stored in stockpiles and can be a significant source of greenhouse gases (GHG). Growing trees in shallow stockpiled biosolids may remove nutrients, keep the biosolids drier and offset GHG emissions through C sequestration. We directly measured methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) flux from a large biosolid stockpile and two shallow stockpiles, one planted with Salix reichardtii (willow) trees, from December 2009 to January 2011. All stockpiles emitted large annual amounts of GHG ranging from 38kgCO2-eMg-1 dry biosolid for the large stockpile, to 65kgCO2-eMg-1 for the unplanted shallow stockpile, probably due t..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Stephen Livesley Author

Stefan Arndt Author

Related Projects (4)

Combining recycled water use, biofuel production and phytoremediation of contaminated land and biosolids.

The storage of biosolids, by-products of sewage treatment, is an environmentally unsustainable practice exacerbated by the presence of inorg..

MEGA-MOBILE ECOSYSTEM GAS-EXCHANGE ANALYSER FOR AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPES

This Mobile Ecosystem Gas-exchange Analyser will be able to continuously monitor water, energy, carbon and nitrogen exchange in a multitude ..

Methane uptake of forest soils

This project will provide a detailed understanding of capacity of soils in Australia to sequester the greenhouse gas methane. It will identi..

Combining recycled water use, biofuel production and phytoremediation of contaminated land and biosolids.

The storage of biosolids, by-products of sewage treatment, is an environmentally unsustainable practice exacerbated by the presence of inorg..

Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

The authors thank Kevin Gillett and Scott Laidlaw for help during the field based measurements. The study was supported by funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) grants LE0882936, LP0883573 and DP120101735 and the Melbourne Water Corporation (LP0883573).