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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #160030
Title: POLYACRYLAMIDE FOR COLIFORM BACTERIA REMOVAL FROM AGRICULTURAL WASTEWATER

Author
item SPACKMAN, ROSS - UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
item Entry, James
item Sojka, Robert
item ELLSWORTH, JASON - UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2003
Publication Date: 10/1/2003
Citation: Spackman, R., Entry, J.A., Sojka, R.E., Ellsworth, J.W. 2003. Polyacrylamide for coliform bacteria removal from agricultural wastewater. Journal of Soil And Water Conservation. 58(5):276-283.

Interpretive Summary: Polyacrylamide has reduced total and fecal coliform bacteria in animal waste water flowing in irrigation furrows. We measured efficacy of polyacrylamide dissolved in water and as a patch application to soil to remove total and fecal coliform bacteria from: 1) water flowing over dairy waste in furrow irrigated ungrazed forage production systems, 2) soil water after it flowed through 1 meter of soil and 3) influence of polyacrylamide on survival of total and fecal coliform bacteria in surface flow, soil and soil water. Total coliforms in surface flow decreased by 10 fold over the 7 days after waste regardless of polyacrylamide treatment. Fecal coliforms in surface flow decreased by 10 fold over the 7 days after waste application and 100 fold over the 28 d after waste application regardless of polyacrylamide treatment. Total coliforms in soil decreased by 10 fold over the 7 days after waste was applied, 100 fold over the 28 days after waste was applied and 1000 fold over the 63 days after waste was applied regardless of polyacrylamide treatment or soil depth. Fecal coliforms in soil were greater in the 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depths when waste was applied to soil regardless of soil polyacrylamide treatment. Fecal coliforms in all three soil depths decreased by up to 1000 fold over the 28 and 63 d after waste and polyacrylamide treatments were applied. Polyacrylamide may not provide additional protection to surface water from waste applied to ungrazed forage production systems, but the compound does not enhance survival of total and fecal coliform bacteria in soils or water.

Technical Abstract: Pollution of surface flow and ground water from animal waste application to soils has been documented. Polyacrylamide (PAM) has reduced total (TC) and fecal (FC) coliform bacteria in animal waste water flowing in irrigation furrows. We measured efficacy of PAM dissolved in water and as a patch application to soil to remove TC and FC from: 1) water flowing over dairy waste in furrow irrigated ungrazed forage production systems, 2) soil water after it flowed through 1 m of soil and 3) influence of PAM on survival of TC and FC in surface flow, soil and soil water. TC in surface flow did not differ when waste was applied to soil regardless of PAM treatment or day since waste was applied. TC in surface flow decreased by 10 fold over the 7 d after waste regardless of PAM treatment. FC in surface flow decreased by 10 fold over the 7 d after waste application and 100 fold over the 28 d after waste application regardless of PAM treatment. TC in soil decreased by 10 fold over the 7 d after waste was applied, 100 fold over the 28 d after waste was applied and 1000 fold over the 63 d after waste was applied regardless of PAM treatment or soil depth. TC did not differ in control soils and soils receiving waste regardless of soil depth or PAM treatment over the 28 and 63 d after dairy waste was applied. FC in soil were greater in the 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depths when waste was applied to soil regardless of soil PAM treatment. FC in all three soil depths decreased by up to 1000 fold over the 28 and 63 d after waste and PAM treatments were applied. In all treatments except the waste application x PAM patch treatment, TC in soil water showed a 10 fold decrease over the 28 and 63 d after waste was applied. PAM may not provide additional protection to surface water from waste applied to ungrazed forage production systems, but the compound does not enhance survival of TC or FC in soils or water.