Sources of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Their Fate during Land Application of Wastes

TLDR

Pathogenic microorganisms in land‑applied animal and human wastes pose recognized hazards, with major sources including animal feeding operations, municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents, biosolids, and on‑site treatment systems, and over 150 enteric pathogens identified, with a new one discovered annually. The study aims to better define land application risks by gathering data on pathogen concentrations, treatment effectiveness, detection standardization, and exposure quantification. Risk management relies on understanding pathogen sources, concentrations, removal by treatment processes, environmental survival, and exposure to sensitive populations.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The hazards associated with pathogens in land‐applied animal and human wastes have long been recognized. Management of these risks requires an understanding of sources, concentrations, and removal by processes that may be used to treat the wastes; survival in the environment; and exposure to sensitive populations. The major sources are animal feeding operations, municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents, biosolids, and on‐site treatment systems. More than 150 known enteric pathogens may be present in the untreated wastes, and one new enteric pathogen has been discovered every year over the past decade. There has been increasing demand that risks associated with the land treatment and application be better defined. For risks to be quantified, more data are needed on the concentrations of pathogens in wastes, the effectiveness of treatment processes, standardization of detection methodology, and better quantification of exposure.