ISSN:
1745-6584
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
,
Geosciences
Notes:
Surface-water and ground-water quality were evaluated at a site before and for four years after the area was used for entrenchment of sewage sludge. The soils in the area are sandy and are underlain by a clay barrier. Depth of the water table which in most instances is above the clay barrier is from 1.0 to 13.0 m. Water samples taken from monitoring wells, two drainage tiles located along the perimeter of the sludge trenches, a catchment pond and a nearby stream were analyzed for NO3-N, NH4-N, and CI. Increases in Cl concentrations were detected in shallow wells within the trench site perimeter 12 months after sludge entrenchment. Chloride levels peaked approximately 18 months after entrenchment and levels declined but not to background levels four years after entrenchment. Nitrate levels increased in shallow wells located within or near the trench site perimeter at 18 months after entrenchment and peaked at 30 months. Decreases in NO3-N occurred thereafter but had not reached background levels in some wells. Ammonium increases were also detected in wells recording Cl and NO3-N increases but NH4-N increases were inconsistent. Increases in Cl and NO3-N levels were recorded in wells potentially below the trench area, but these levels were less than those recorded for wells within the trench site perimeter. The data from this study indicate that contamination of ground water by leachate from sludge trenches was within the trench site perimeter with a lesser degree of contamination recorded in wells below the trench site. The drainage tiles and clay barrier may have had a significant effect on the resulting ground-water data, and caution is advised in extrapolating these results to other locations.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.1978.tb03208.x
Permalink