Possibility of Reusing Water Treatment Residue as a Growing Medium of Turfgrass in View of Physical Properties

• Published in: Environment control in biology Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 9 - 16
• Main Authors: PARK, Seok-Gon, YAHATA, Hisashi, CHIKUSHI, Jiro, OH, Teak-Keun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japanese Society of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Engineers and Scientists 2010
• Subjects: intra- and inter-aggregate pores; relative gas diffusivity; sand; soil structure; water retention curve
• ISSN: 1880-554X; 1883-0986
• DOI: 10.2525/ecb.48.9

The possibility of reusing water treatment residue (WTR) was examined as an alternative material for sand that is now widely used as a growing medium. Physical properties such as water retention curve, relative gas diffusivity (D/D0), saturated hydraulic conductivity, porosity, available water-holding capacity and bulk density were compared between WTR and sand. D/D0, water retention capacity, total available water-holding capacity, total and capillary porosities, and bulk density were higher for WTR than for sand. This is attributed to creation of intra- and inter-aggregate pores through binding of silt and clay particles in the flocculation process of aggregates in the WTR. These physical characteristics of the WTR endorse a high possibility of reusing the WTR as an alternative for sand as a growing medium.