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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #102333
Title: THE EFFICACY OF POLYACRYLAMIDE (PAM), PAM + ALUMINUM SULFATE AND PAM + CALCIUM OXIDE TO FILTER MICROORGANISMS AND NUTRIENTS FROM ANIMAL WASTEWATER

Author
item Entry, James
item Sojka, Robert

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Animal waste is increasingly cited as a major factor contributing to the input of nutrient and enteric microorganisms into surface and ground water. We measured nutrients and coliform bacteria in cattle, fish and swine manure leached through sand columns and surface runoff after passing through polyacrylamide (PAM), PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide. PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide reduced coliform bacteria in water leached through sand columns. Reductions were typically reduced by one order of magnitude compared to the control treatment. PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide reduced the concentration of most nutrients in leachate when cattle and swine manure, but not when fish manure were applied to sand columns. When water flowed over cattle manure and then PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide nutrient concentrations were reduced in water at 30 m from the manure compared to the PAM only treatment. The mixtures of PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide should be able to filter enteric microorganisms and nutrients from liquid animal wastewater running off of animal confinement areas and potentially reduce the amount of these pollutants entering surface and ground waters.

Technical Abstract: Animal waste is increasingly cited as a major factor contributing to the input of nutrient and enteric microorganisms into surface and ground water. We measured nutrients and coliform bacteria in cattle, fish and swine manure leached through sand columns and surface runoff after passing through polyacrylamide (PAM), PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide. PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide reduced coliform bacteria in water leached through sand columns. Reductions were typically reduced by one order of magnitude compared to the control treatment. PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide reduced the concentration of most nutrients in leachate when cattle and swine manure, but not when fish manure were applied to sand columns. When water flowed over cattle manure and then PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide nutrient concentrations were reduced in water at 30 m from the manure compared to the PAM only treatment. The mixtures of PAM + aluminum sulfate and PAM + calcium oxide should be able to filter enteric microorganisms and nutrients from liquid animal wastewater running off of animal confinement areas and potentially reduce the amount of these pollutants entering surface and ground waters.