Phosphorus and nitrogen partitioning in a fluvial system during and after a manure spill and the development of a supplemental sediment chemical treatment

Shalamar D Armstrong, Purdue University

Abstract

Within the last 20 years in the U.S. manure spills have become a water quality issue and has been associated to the increase in the number of hogs coupled with a drastic decline in hog farms. Moreover, the current manure spill remediation method neglects phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) enriched stream sediments that act as a source of P and N in subsequent flow. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to (i) develop an understanding of P and N partitioning during a manure spill and the effectiveness of the current manure spill remediation method; (ii) determine the relationship between sediment particle size distribution and the depth of N and P sediment contamination following a spill; (iii) advance the current manure spill remediation practice via the establishment of sediment specific alum application rates to treat contaminated fluvial sediments following a manure spill; (iv) evaluate the sediment specific alum application rates to advance the remediation of P enriched fluvial sediments following a manure spill, under flow dynamics. Laboratory manure spill simulations were conducted using fluvarium techniques, swine manure, and sediments collected from drainage ditches located in the St Joseph River Watershed of Northeast, IN. All sediments acted as a significant sink for P and NH4-N and released P and NH4-N to the water column at concentrations that significantly exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency total P (0.076 mg L-1) and total N (2.18 mg L -1) nutrient criteria for the St Joseph River Watershed. Significantly greater sediment P and NH4-N concentrations were observed in the 0-1 cm depth relative to the 1-2 cm depth and the range of P and NH4-N concentrations for the entire 0-2 sediment depth were 3 to 12 mg P kg-1 and 7.2 to 45 mg NH4-N kg-1 . A 54% greater rate of alum was required to remediate clay loam sediments collected from a small drainage area relative to sediments that contain at least 85% sand that were collected from a larger drainage area. Augmenting the current remediation practice with alum reduced the water column P concentration in subsequent flow below the EPA total P standard and significantly reduced the sediment labile P by 91, 70, and 70% for the sand, sandy loam, and clay loam sediments, respectively. However, further investigation of the sediment alum treatments is needed to determine the time of effectiveness after application under flow conditions. The results from this research have the potential to advance the decision making of environmental protection agencies, manure spill first responders, and livestock producers when remediating manure spills that reach surface waters.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Smith, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Soil sciences|Agricultural engineering|Agricultural chemicals

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