A health risk assessment on the consumption of trace metals found in crops grown on biosolids-amended soil

Abstract

The City of Winnipeg produces an average of approximately 655000 cubic meters of biosolids annually. Biosolids are solid residues that are produced by primary (physical/chemical) and secondary (biological) treatments of raw sewage. An alternative to disposal in the landfills is to recycle the biosolids, through the application to agricultural land. Biosolids contain nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous that are required for plant growth. However, biosolids also contain trace metals such as cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni). The uptake of such trace metals by crops grown on biosolid-amended soil could pose a health hazard to humans consuming the crops or their by-products. This study assessed the potential increase in health risk to humans from the consumption of trace metals in crops grown on biosolids-amended soil. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)