The Real Dirt on Biosolids as Soil Amendments

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that more than 60 percent of dry biosolids—treated wastewater solids that can be recycled or stored—are applied to land, composted, or used to cover landfills. The biosolids have been processed to kill pathogens, and EPA strictly regulates biosolid use to ensure the materials don’t harm the environment, human health, or animal health. Farmers who follow pre- and post-application management regulations can obtain permits to use biosolids for amending fields where food and feed crops are grown. Now, research by an Agricultural Research Service scientist is helping to clarify the long-term effects that biosolid amendments can have on some soil types—and how the amendments could affect crop production. “Processed biosolids contain nitrogen and phosphorus that can be used for fertilizer,” says agronomist Eton Codling, who works at the ARS Environmental Management and Byproduct Utilization Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. “They also contain copper, manganese, and zinc, which are plant micronutrients. But biosolids also have lead and cadmium, which can contaminate the soil.” Tracking a Timeline Codling decided to investigate how long plant-available phosphorus and other minerals remain in soils amended with biosolids and how much phosphorus, copper, cadmium, lead, manganese, and zinc was taken up by wheat grown on those soils. He measured mineral levels in three different soils that had previously received a single amendment of a biosolid processed via one of the following methods: high heat, additions of lime, anaerobic digestion, or air drying

The Real Dirt on Biosolids as Soil Amendments

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that more than 60 percent of dry biosolids—treated wastewater solids that can be recycled or stored—are applied to land, composted, or used to cover landfills. The biosolids have been processed to kill pathogens, and EPA strictly regulates biosolid use to ensure the materials don’t harm the environment, human health, or animal health. Farmers who follow pre- and post-application management regulations can obtain permits to use biosolids for amending fields where food and feed crops are grown. Now, research by an Agricultural Research Service scientist is helping to clarify the long-term effects that biosolid amendments can have on some soil types—and how the amendments could affect crop production. “Processed biosolids contain nitrogen and phosphorus that can be used for fertilizer,” says agronomist Eton Codling, who works at the ARS Environmental Management and Byproduct Utilization Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. “They also contain copper, manganese, and zinc, which are plant micronutrients. But biosolids also have lead and cadmium, which can contaminate the soil.” Tracking a Timeline Codling decided to investigate how long plant-available phosphorus and other minerals remain in soils amended with biosolids and how much phosphorus, copper, cadmium, lead, manganese, and zinc was taken up by wheat grown on those soils. He measured mineral levels in three different soils that had previously received a single amendment of a biosolid processed via one of the following methods: high heat, additions of lime, anaerobic digestion, or air drying

Managing the Roman Empire for the long term: risk assessment and management policy in the fifth to seventh centuries

This chapter analyses the reasons for the survival of the eastern Roman state from three different but complementary angles: imperial administration, the environmental conditions impacting land-use for the period, and the ability of the state to leverage resources. We conclude that a major contributory factor in survival was the effective use of natural resources and a self-reinforcing social-ecological system through which the state and its elites and infrastructure facilitated the survival of landscapes, generating the resources necessary for the state’s continued existence. In areas where this broke down—as in the western part of the empire—the Roman state in the long term disappeared

To Examine the Interventions by Development Partners in Supporting the Growth and Development of Commercial Enterprises in Lira District, Northern Uganda

The development of entrepreneurship has motivated majority of Ugandans to start commercial enterprises (CEs) as a source of employment and economic growth. The objective of the study was to examine the various intervention employed by development partners in supporting the growth and development of commercial enterprises in Lira District, Northern Uganda. Using purposive and simple random sampling procedure, a sample of 274 participants was selected for the survey. A self administered questionnaire was structured. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package. The study recommended that development partners operating in the district should consider supporting commercial enterprise (CE) in advocating for policy reforms, providing financial support, creation business information center where entrepreneurs could access business information at affordable rates and supporting technological development to support creativity and innovations. Keywords: Policy reforms, Financial support, Business Information and Technological support

Challenges Faced by Development Partners in Supporting the Growth and Development of Commercial Enterprises in Lira District, Northern Uganda

Entrepreneurship is defined as the process where an individual discovers, evaluates and exploit opportunities independently. Most countries have embraced entrepreneurship development as ways of creating employment and economic growth and development. The objective of the study was to examine the challenges faced by commercial enterprises in Lira District Northern Uganda. Using both simple random sampling procedures, a sample of 274 participants were selected for the survey. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package. The study recommended that development partners operating in the district should consider supporting commercial enterprises (CEs) in accessing financial support, training upcoming managers in management skills and creating a favouarable environment which supports creativity and innovations. Keywords: Access to Finance, Human resource capabilities, Operational environment

Eruption dynamics within an emergent subglacial setting: a case study of the 2004 eruption of Grímsvötn volcano, Iceland

The November 2004 explosive eruption of Grímsvötn volcano, Iceland (G2004) commenced as a subglacial event within the interior of the Vatnajökull ice cap before breaking through the ice cover to generate a 6-10 km high eruption column. This produced a tephra apron extending >50 km across the ice surface northwards from the eruption site, incorporating 0.047 km3 (DRE) of plagioclase-bearing, sparsely porphyritic, basaltic tephra. This study focuses on quantifying the key eruption parameters and evaluating the stratigraphy, grain size and geochemical characteristics of the proximal facies of the subaerial deposit with a level of detail and precision that has never previously been possible for a modern glacio-volcanic event. The G2004 deposit consists of a finely layered sequence which is subdivided into seven units (A-G) on the basis of differences in texture, grain size and componentry and the presence of sharp contacts between the layers. It is poorly sorted and finegrained with a median clast diameter of 1.5 Φ. The grain size characteristics and clast morphologies are indicative of intense phreatomagmatic fragmentation, despite a significant component of highly vesicular juvenile glass. A wide range in thicknesses and geometries of depositional units reflects variations in intensity and style of activity. Units C and E account for 80% of the total deposit volume, including the entire distal portion, and are interpreted to represent a mixture of (i) a widely dispersed component that fell from the upper margins of a strongly inclined (~45°) 6-10 km high plume and (ii) a locally dispersed (<3 km from source) component originating from (1) pyroclastic density currents generated by shallow explosions and tephra jets and (2) sedimentation from the jet region and lower convective column margins. The other units are only locally dispersed around the vent. A significant proportion of fine material was deposited in the near-vent region due to particle aggregation processes. The bulk of the G2004 deposit is therefore identified as the product of continuous incremental deposition during the passage of a single quasi-steady current supplied by a sustained explosive phreatomagmatic eruption, with a variable contribution of material from concurrent tephra fallout. Major oxide, trace element and volatile composition of the G2004 tephra were analysed and compared with that of the G1998 and Laki events. Results indicate that the G2004 magma originated within a shallow-level, compositionally stratified chamber and was discharged through an independent plumbing system. The parent magmas for each of these three Grímsvötn events were produced by different degrees of partial melting within a similar lower-crust or mantle source, but are not related by fractional crystallization or magma mixing. Despite episodic intense vesiculation, the G2004 magma was fragmented at very shallow levels by almost exclusively phreatomagmatic mechanisms – the effect of which was to arrest the degassing process such that only 75% of the potential magmatic sulphur budget escaped to the atmosphere

Influence of Demographic Factors on Retirement Planning and Socio-Economic Status of Civil Servants in Uganda: Reflections from Pensioners from Busoga Sub-Region

This study provides a Ugandan perspective on the influence of demographic factors on retirement planning and the socio-economic status of civil servants. The study collected data from 236 pensioners using a questionnaire survey. The demographic factors included gender, marital status, age, income, and educational level. Using multiple regression, the study concludes that there is a low predictive influence of demographic factors on retirement planning and socio-economic status. Only educational level and monthly income have significant influences on retirement planning and the socioeconomic status of the retirees. This study offers a solid ground for increasing civil servants’ salaries in Uganda. Also, the government may consider identifying resources for the professional development needs of civil servants