Sludge from a wastewater treatment plant can be applied to soil to make use of its fertilizing properties, neverthelessit is necessary to study all the effects of this deposition to ascertain any possible hazardous properties. Interactions among the soil, the water, and a lime-stabilized waste watersludge were studied, both in batch experiments, and in columnpercolation experiments. Firstly a physico-chemical characterization of the soil and the sludge used for the experiments was carried out. This analysis included pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, metals and cations.The kinetics and equilibrium of the sludge-water and leachate-soil systems were studied in batch experiments; thekinetics were fitted to a first order differential equation and distribution coefficients were found for the equilibrium.Experiments in columns (10 cm diameter × 50 cm height) were carried out with a bed of sludge over a bed of soil usingdifferent sludge/soil ratios and then 6 L of water (rainfall)was poured over the beds. Results showed good adsorption of Ca and a complete leaching of the aqueous phase of this ion afterpassing a volume of water equivalent to three volumes of the column. The concentration of heavy metals (Zn, Ni, Hg, Cd, Pb and Cr) in the leachates did not reach the admissible legal limits (Spanish and European regulations) in any case.

A fish canning facility processes 1900–2000 tons of mackerel and sardine annually at arate of 10–15 tons per day for a total of 200 days yr⁻¹. This factory generates an average of 20 m³ of industrial wastewaters per day. The objective of our study, which was carried out on a bimonthly basisfrom December 1995 to November 1996, was to determine the overall pollutant load associated with this effluent in relation to the applicable Egyptian Standards and to propose methods for pollutant load reduction before discharging it to the local sewer. The methods were to benefit through the recovery of wasted organic load and transform it into an environmentally safe residue amenable for either immediate reuse or final disposal thereafter. Five chemical coagulation/flocculation treatments were tried using ferric chloride, alum, lime, ferric chloride and lime, and alum and lime. The best method involved the use of FeCl₃ and Ca(OH)₂ (0.4 g Fe L⁻¹ and 0.2 g Ca L⁻¹, respectively) which reduced the average influent BOD₅ from 989 to 204 mg L⁻¹, the COD from 1324 to 320 mg L⁻¹, TSS from 4485 to 206 mg L⁻¹, total protein content from 812 to 66 mg L⁻¹ and oil and grease from 320 to 66 mg L⁻¹. The separated dried precipitate averaged 50 g L⁻¹ which was found to contain 40% by weight recovered protein and 20% recovered fat. The solid was ideal for on-site reprocessing as animal feed. As well, the final effluent, if not discharged to the area sewer, was safe for controlled use in some irrigation applications or forestry projects at the desert area surrounding the factory.

The maintenance of safe-drivingconditions in snow and ice-affected areas in thewintertime includes the use of sodium chloride (NaCl)as de-icing salts. In this study, the impact of NaClon soil-colloid mobilisation and exchangeablebase-cation leaching has been evaluated. The chemistryof groundwater samples below an infiltration trenchfor highway runoff and leachate from column studiessuggested that soil-colloid mobilisation had occurred,as the exchangeable sodium (Na) concentration and theelectrical conductivity (EC) in the groundwater/columnleachate reached the threshold values for colloiddispersion. Generally, samples with no dispersionproblems had high Na and calcium (Ca) concentrations,suggesting that the initial effect of the de-icingsalt was to stabilise the colloids. In the columnstudy there was a good agreement between the degree ofcolloid dipersion problems and lead (Pb) concentrationwhen the pH value was above 7.0. Significant negativecorrelations between Na/CEC (cation exchange capacity)and Ca/CEC in roadside soils from three sitesindicated that Na preferentially displaces Ca from theexchange sites. However, the groundwater dataindicated that Na ions also displace potassium (K) andmagnesium (Mg). A positive effect of NaCl seen at onesite was an increase in the K concentration, which ishighly likely an effect of Na ions displacing fixed Kbetween the layers of 2:1 type clay minerals. In soilslacking these types of clay minerals, severe Kshortage may result from a high plant demand combinedwith the low K concentration in the readily availablefractions in the original soil and a highsusceptibility to leaching. The most significantimpact on soil exchange processes was found to occurwithin 6 m from the road.

Roads play a major role intransporting sediment associated nonpoint sourcepollutants to urban stream networks via storm drains. In urban areas the relationship of erodible soil toroads may be of critical importance in controllingmetal contributions to roads. Two 50-m transects(Park and School) were investigated perpendicular toroads in Manoa basin, Oahu, Hawaii. Concentrations ofnine elements were compared to background control soillocations and to five supplemental samples from nearbyrecreational parks. Sediment from curbside areas ofroads (road deposited sediment) was collected as thestarting point of each transect, and subsequently soilwas sampled from two depths (0–2.5 cm and 7.5–10.0 cm)along the transects. Total and 0.5 M HCl extractableconcentrations were determined for aluminum (Al),calcium (Ca), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe),manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn)using either inductively coupled plasma-atomicemission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) or flame atomicemission spectroscopy (FAAS). Ca, Cu, Pb and Znexhibited anthropogenic enhancement, with Pb and Znhaving the greatest enrichment in road sedimentfollowed by locations nearest the road. Copperdisplayed a narrower band of contamination than eitherPb or Zn, and this may reflect larger aerosolassociations and more rapid fall velocities. Lead andZn exhibited substantial decay in concentration at 50 m compared to the road sediment, but enrichment wasstill apparent. The positioning of a band of soilbetween the road-curb area and the sidewalk for thePark transect facilitated deposition and storage oftrace metals, and with subsequent erosion by splash orconcentrated flow this area can account for continuedtransport of contaminated sediment to adjacent roadsurfaces. On the other hand the School transect hadno soil directly beside the road, and the nearestsample from the road (5 m) displayed enrichment butsubstantially lower than the Park transect. Thesepreliminary data suggest that remobilization of soilstored metals in close proximity to roads cansignificantly prolong the environmental contaminationof urban road systems and eventually stream sediments.

The water quality of a stream affected by miningactivities was investigated on the basis of a mineralogical studyfor the related solids, and their subsequent changes weremonitored for a year, so as to clarify the impact of the acidmine drainage (AMD) to the stream. The mine-affected stream wasclassified into Ca–Mg and sulfate type, and the concentrations ofits major constituents ranged from tens to hundreds times higherthan those of the background stream. This was most likely due toacid-generating reactions involving the oxidation of sulfides inthe mineralized zone, and subsequent neutralizations involvingcalcite and chlorite as possible sources of Ca and Mg,respectively. This interpretation is consistent with thethermodynamic and mass-balance calculations. The concentrationsof the dissolved constituents changed seasonally, dependinglargely on rainfall in the mine-affected stream. However, thedramatic decrease in the ratio of Mg/Ca, independent of rainfall,indicates that some changes did occur in sources, including theheterogeneous distribution of main source materials, the changein chemical conditions, especially in pH, pe(Eh), and PCO ₂,in the reacting fluid, and the consequential solubility changesin sources. In spite of the limitations of short-term monitoring,it does provide some meaningful information in order to constructa long-term monitoring program.

Rainwater samples (N = 51) were collected at Rampur, an areafree from anthropogenic activity during the monsoon of 1997 and1998. The concentration of ions follows a general pattern as Ca> NH₄ > Mg > SO₄ > Cl > F >Na > NO₃ > K > HCOO >CH₃ COO. The pH of precipitation ranges between 5.9 and 7.4. The levels of Ca and Mg at this site are higher than otherremote sites, probably dominated by particles of soil origin.Good correlation between Ca, NO₃, SO₄, HCOO and CH₃COO indicate that a fraction of NO₃, SO₄, HCOOand CH₃COO may be derived from soil or associated with Ca and Mg after neutralization. The order of neutralization factorCa (2.19) > NH₄ (1.26) = Mg (1.26) indicates that majorneutralization occurred by Ca. Factor analysis suggested thatCa, Mg, Na, K, NO₃, SO₄, HCOO and CH₃COO arecontributed by soil. NH₃ is known to exist as(NH₄)₂SO₄, NH₄NO₃ and NH₄Cl. Theymay be formed in the atmospheric water droplets by scavenging ofaerosols and reaction of gaseous species.