Removal of pathogenic bacteria from sewage-treated effluent and biosolids for agricultural purposes

• Published in: Applied water science Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 1 - 25
• Main Authors: Al-Gheethi, A. A., Efaq, A. N., Bala, J. D., Norli, I, Abdel-Monem, M. O., Ab. Kadir, M. O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.05.2018; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Agricultural management; Agriculture; Aquatic Pollution; Bacteria; Biosolids; Comparative Law; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Effluent treatment; Fertility; Health risks; Hydrogeology; Industrial and Production Engineering; International & Foreign Law; Mineral nutrients; Nanotechnology; Nutrient removal; Nutrients; Pathogen growth potential; Pathogenic bacteria; Pathogens; Plant species; Private International Law; Reduction; Regrowth; Removal; Reuse; Review Article; Sewage; Sewage bacteria; Sewage disposal; Sewage treatment; Sludge; Soil; Soil fertility; Solid waste management; Treated sewage; Treatment technology; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater treatment; Water Industry/Water Technologies; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water resources; Treatment technology; Treated sewage; Pathogenic bacteria; Pathogen growth potential; Reuse; Biosolids
• ISSN: 2190-5487; 2190-5495
• DOI: 10.1007/s13201-018-0698-6

The reuse of treated sewage for irrigation is considered as an important alternative water source in the new water management strategy of the countries that face a severe deficiency of water resources such as the Middle East countries. The organic material and fertilizing elements contained in biosolids are essential for maintaining soil fertility. However, both treated sewage and biosolids contain a large diversity of pathogens that would be transmitted to the environment and infect human directly or indirectly. Therefore, those pathogens should be reduced from the treated sewage and biosolids before the reuse in the agriculture. This paper reviews the considerations for reuse of treated sewage and biosolids in agriculture and further treatments used for reduction of pathogenic bacteria. The treatment methods used for the reduction of pathogens in these wastes have reviewed. It appeared that the main concern associated with the reduction of pathogenic bacteria lies in their ability to regrow in the treated sewage and biosolids. Therefore, the effective treatment method is that it has the potential to destruct pathogens cells and remove the nutrients to prevent the regrowth or recontamination from the surrounded environment. The removal of nutrients might be applicable in the sewage but not in the biosolids due to high nutrient contents. However, the reduction of health risk in the biosolids might be carried out by regulating the biosolid utilization and selecting the plant species grown in the fertilized soil with biosolids.