Development of a soil quality index “SQI” from a former open dump: Dynamics of C and N mineralization

Highlights

● Biosolids boost OM mineralization, enhancing soil health.

● Moderate biosolid doses improve soil conditions effectively.

● SQI _w, with N_min, efficiently gauges soil quality, simplifying monitoring.

Abstract

Economic development triggers environmental pollution. To address this issue and mitigate its consequences on the environment and human health, urban wastewater treatment plants are commonly employed to produce treated water and biosolids. However, biosolid disposals pose issues due to space limits and leachate contamination. This study investigates the potential of using biosolids as an organic amendment to remediate soil contaminated with leachate from an open dump in Mexico. Treatments with different doses of biosolids were tested (control, without addition of biosolids; high, medium, and low doses, with a C/N = 8, 10, 12 respectively). The physicochemical and biological characteristics of the soil and biosolids were analyzed, and the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen mineralization over time were studied. The developed soil quality index, primarily based on the mineralized nitrogen indicator, differentiated soil quality among treatments, showing values of moderate quality for the treatments (high, medium, and low doses (0.56, 0.48, 0.40, respectively) and low quality for the control (0.34)). The use of biosolids as an organic amendment improved soil quality by increasing organic matter and microbial growth. Soil quality indices emerges as a practical tool for monitoring the remediation of leachate-contaminated open dump soils in Mexico and similar contexts worldwide.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

remediation / organic amendment / soil quality / biosolids / nonlinear regression model

References

[1] Alef, K., Nannipieri, P., 1995. Methods in Applied Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry. Elsevier.

[2] Ammar, E., Maury, H., Morin, L., Sghir, A., 2020. Environmental, Economic, and Ethical Assessment of the Treated Wastewater and Sewage Sludge Valorization in Agriculture. In: Pérez Solsona, S., Montemurro, N., Chiron, S., Barceló, D., eds. Interaction and Fate of Pharmaceuticals in Soil-Crop Systems. Springer Nature Switzerland. pp. 49–78.

[3] Bettinelli, M., Baroni, U., 1991. A microwave oven digestion method for the determination of metals in sewage sludges by ICP-AES and GFAAS. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry43, 33–40.

[4] Bremner, J.M., 2018. Nitrogen-Total. In: Sparks, D.L., Page, A.L., Helmke, P.A., Loeppert, R.H., Soltanpour, P.N., Tabatabai, M.A., Johnston, C.T., Summer, M.E., eds., Methods of Soil Analysis: Chemical Methods. the Soil Science Society of America, Inc., American Society of Agronomy, Inc. pp. 1085–1121.

[5] Brevik, E.C., Pereg, L., Steffan, J.J., Burgess, L.C., 2018. Soil ecosystem services and human health. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health5, 87–92.

[6] Comisión Nacional del Agua [CONAGUA], 2014. Inventario Nacional de Plantas Municipales de Potabilización y de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales en Operación. Diciembre 2014. available at AGUA website (in Spanish)

[7] Cottenie, A., 1980. Soil and plant testing as a basis of fertilizer recommendations. FAO Soils Bulletin38, 64–65.

[8] Dima, A.D., Pârvulescu, O.C., Mateescu, C., Dobre, T., 2020. Optimization of substrate composition in anaerobic co-digestion of agricultural waste using central composite design. Biomass and Bioenergy138, 105602.

[9] Ferreyroa, G.V., Vergara Cid, C., Verdenelli, R.A., Dominchin, M.F., Meriles, J.M., Pignata, M.L., Rodriguez, J.H., 2019. Availability of lead in agricultural soils amended with compost of biosolid with wood shavings and yard trimmings. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International26, 30324–30332.

[10] Green, V.S., Stott, D.E., Diack, M., 2006. Assay for fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity: Optimization for soil samples. Soil Biology & Biochemistry38, 693–701.

[11] Hendrickx, J.M.H., Das, B., Corwin, D.L., Wraith, J.M., Kachanoski, R.G., 2002. Relationship Between Soil Water Solute Concentration and Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity. In: Dane, J.H., Topp, G.C., eds. Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 4 Soil Science Society of America. pp. 1275–1282.

[12] Hussein, M., Yoneda, K., Zaki, Z., Othman, N.A., Amir, A., 2019. Leachate characterizations and pollution indices of active and closed unlined landfills in Malaysia. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management12, 100232.

[13] John, K., Abraham Isong, I., Michael Kebonye, N., Okon Ayito, E., Chapman Agyeman, P., Marcus Afu, S., 2020. Using machine learning algorithms to estimate soil organic carbon variability with environmental variables and soil nutrient indicators in an Alluvial soil. Land (Basel)9, 487.

[14] Kacprzak, M., Kupich, I., Jasinska, A., Fijalkowski, K., 2022. Bio-based waste’ substrates for degraded soil improvement—Advantages and challenges in European context. Energies15, 385.

[15] Karlen, D.L., Mausbach, M.J., Doran, J.W., Cline, R.G., Harris, R.F., Schuman, G.E., 1997. Soil quality: A concept, definition, and framework for evaluation (a guest editorial). Soil Science Society of America Journal61, 1.

[16] Kaurin, A., Lestan, D., 2018. Multi-substrate induced microbial respiration, nitrification potential and enzyme activities in metal-polluted, EDTA-washed soils. Environmental Pollution243, 238–245.

[17] Legay, N., Clément, J.C., Grassein, F., Lavorel, S., Lemauviel-Lavenant, S., Personeni, E., Poly, F., Pommier, T., Robson, T.M., Mouhamadou, B., Binet, M.N., 2020. Plant growth drives soil nitrogen cycling and N-related microbial activity through changing root traits. Fungal Ecology44, 100910.

[18] Lopez, V., 1999. Eliminación de Mezclas Complejas de Compuestos Organicos Volatiles (COV) en Efluentes Gaseosos por Biofiltración. Instituto Politecnico Nacional. available at CSIC website

[19] Luo, G., Li, L., Friman, V.P., Guo, J., Guo, S., Shen, Q., Ling, N., 2018. Organic amendments increase crop yields by improving microbe-mediated soil functioning of agroecosystems: A meta-analysis. Soil Biology & Biochemistry124, 105–115.

[20] Mahajan, G., Das, B., Morajkar, S., Desai, A., Murgaokar, D., Kulkarni, R., Sale, R., Patel, K., 2020. Soil quality assessment of coastal salt-affected acid soils of India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International27, 26221–26238.

[21] McBride, M.B., 2022. Long-term biosolids application on land: beneficial recycling of nutrients or eutrophication of agroecosystems?. Soil Systems6, 1.

[22] Meng, L., Li, W., Zhang, S., Zhang, X., Zhao, Y., Chen, L., 2021. Improving sewage sludge compost process and quality by carbon sources addition. Scientific Reports11, 1319.

[23] Nachimuthu, G., Hulugalle, N.R., Watkins, M.D., Finlay, L.A., 2022. Soil nitrogen and carbon changes in a biosolid amended sodic vertisol with a history of treated sewage effluent‐enriched water irrigation. Soil Use and Management38, 426–434.

[24] Naveen, B.P., Malik, R.K., 2019. Assessment of contamination potential of leachate from municipal solid waste landfill sites for metropolitan cities in India. Pollution 5, 312−322

[25] Pardo-Plaza, Y.J., Paolini Gómez, J.E., Cantero-Guevara, M.E., 2019. Biomasa microbiana y respiración basal del suelo bajo sistemas agroforestales con cultivos de café. Revista Udca Actualidad & Divulgacion Cientifica22, 1–8.

[26] Patel, D., Gismondi, R., Alsaffar, A., Tiquia-Arashiro, S.M., 2019. Applicability of API ZYM to capture seasonal and spatial variabilities in lake and river sediments. Environmental Technology40, 3227–3239.

[27] Peña, H., Mendoza, H., Diánez, F., Santos, M., 2020. Parameter selection for the evaluation of compost quality. Agronomy (Basel)10, 1567.

[28] Ploughe, L.W., Akin‐Fajiye, M., Gagnon, A., Gardner, W.C., Fraser, L.H., 2021. Revegetation of degraded ecosystems into grasslands using biosolids as an organic amendment: A metaanalysis. Applied Vegetation Science24, 1–15.

[29] R Core Team, 2021. R: language and environment for statistical computing [Software]. R foundation for statistical computing

[30] Rajoo, K.S., Karam, D.S., Ismail, A., Arifin, A., 2020. Evaluating the leachate contamination impact of landfills and open dumpsites from developing countries using the proposed Leachate Pollution Index for Developing Countries (LPIDC). Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management14, 100372.

[31] Reddy, N., Crohn, D.M., 2019. Quantifying the effects of active and cured greenwaste and dairy manure application and temperature on carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and dinitrogen emissions from an extreme saline-sodic soil. CATENA173, 83–92.

[32] Robledo-Mahón, T., Martín, M.A., Gutiérrez, M.C., Toledo, M., González, I., Aranda, E., Chica, A.F., Calvo, C., 2019. Sewage sludge composting under semi-permeable film at full-scale: Evaluation of odour emissions and relationships between microbiological activities and physico-chemical variables. Environmental Research177, 108624.

[33] Secretaría de Desarrollo Urbano y Medio Ambiente de Tamaulipas [SEDUMA], 2020. Programa Estatal para la Prevención y Gestión Integral de Residuos en Tamaulipas. available at the website of gob.mx (in Spanish)

[34] Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales [SEMARNAT], 2002. NOM-021-RECNAT-2002. Diario Oficial de la Federación. available at the website of gob.mx (in Spanish)

[35] Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales [SEMARNAT], 2003. NOM-004-SEMARNAT-2002. Diario Oficial de la Federación. available at the website of gob.mx (in Spanish)

[36] Sparling, G.P., Williams, B.L., 1986. Microbial biomas in organic soils: Estimation of biomass C, and effect of glucose or cellulose amendments on the amounts of N and P by fumigation. Soil Biology & Biochemistry18, 507–513.

[37] Tao, R., Li, J., Hu, B., Shah, J.A., Chu, G., 2021. A 2‐year study of the impact of reduced nitrogen application combined with double inhibitors on soil nitrogen transformation and wheat productivity under drip irrigation. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture101, 1772–1781.

[38] Urionabarrenetxea, E., Garcia-Velasco, N., Anza, M., Artetxe, U., Lacalle, R., Garbisu, C., Becerril, T., Soto, M., 2021. Application of in situ bioremediation strategies in soils amended with sewage sludges. Science of the Total Environment766, 144099.

[39] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [US EPA], 1993. Part 503—Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR), 32, 839–871. available at the website of eCFR

[40] Walkley, A., Black, I.A., 1934. An examination of different methods for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science37, 29–38.

[41] Wendeborn, S., 2020. The chemistry, biology, and modulation of ammonium nitrification in soil. Angewandte Chemie International Edition59, 2182–2202.

[42] Yeilagi, Sh., Rezapour, S., Asadzadeh, F., 2021. Degradation of soil quality by the waste leachate in a Mediterranean semi-arid ecosystem. Scientific Reports11, 11390.

[43] Yilmaz, E., Sönmez, M., 2017. The role of organic/bio–fertilizer amendment on aggregate stability and organic carbon content in different aggregate scales. Soil & Tillage Research168, 118–124.

[44] Yu, P., Liu, S., Zhang, L., Li, Q., Zhou, D., 2018. Selecting the minimum data set and quantitative soil quality indexing of alkaline soils under different land uses in northeastern China. Science of the Total Environment 616–617, 616–617

[45] Zanor, G.A., López Pérez, M.E., Martínez Yáñez, R., Ramírez Santoyo, L.F., Gutiérrez Vargas, S., León Galván, M.F., 2018. Mejoramiento de las Propiedades Físicas y Químicas de un Suelo Agrícola Mezclado con Lombricompostas de Dos Efluentes de Biodigestor. Ingeniería, Investigación y Tecnología19, 1–10. (in Spanish).

[46] Zeraatpisheh, M., Bakhshandeh, E., Hosseini, M., Alavi, S.M., 2020. Assessing the effects of deforestation and intensive agriculture on the soil quality through digital soil mapping. Geoderma363, 114139.

Author contributions

Conceptualization, B.G.S.-E. and E.C.-B.; methodology, B.G.S.-E. and E.C.-B.; software, H.I.B.-R.; validation, B.G.S.-E., H.I.B.-R. and E.C.-B.; formal analysis, H.I.B.-R. and E.C.-B.; investigation, B.G.S.-E., A.M.T.-H., Á.I.L.-A. and H.I.B.-R.; resources, E.C.-B.; data curation, H.I.B.-R. and E.C.-B.; writing—original draft preparation, H.I.B.-R. and E.C.-B.; writing—review and editing, H.I.B.-R., M.d.l.L.X.N.-R., A.M.T.-H., M.A.D.-C., Á.I.L.-A. and E.C.-B.; visualization, H.I.B.-R.; supervision, E.C.-B.; project administration, E.C.-B.; funding acquisition, E.C.-B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by Tecnológico Nacional de México (program: Scientific research projects 2021-2), grant number 13254.21-P; and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) and Tecnológico Nacional de México/IT de Celaya, CONACYT postgraduate grant number 491864.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Tecnológico Nacional de México.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Electronic supplementary material

Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at https://doi.org/10.1007/s42832-024-0234-6 and is accessible for authorized users.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2024 Higher Education Press