Report No DWI0231

DETERMINATION OF POLLUTANTS IN EFFLUENTS (MPC 4332 C) DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE TRACE ELEMENT CONTENTS OF UK SEWAGE SLUDGES

DWI0231

Apr 1984

SUMMARY

This work follows on from the sewage sludge survey carried out in 1982/83 as part of the DOE contract entitled Determination of Pollutants in Effluents. The 1982/83 sewage sludge survey determined, by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry 7 most of the elements listed in the 'EEC Black and Grey lists of toxic substances' given in Appendix B of the June 1983 report(1). In all, 32 elements were determined in each of the 1013 sewage sludge samples received from the Water Authorities of England and Wales and the corresponding bodies in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This report contains the detailed analysis of the 1982/83 survey data and provides a picture of the levels of 32 elements found in sewage sludges in a number of categories. These include different disposal methods (agricultural land, landfill, sea and incineration), catchment areas, (domestic, industrial or mixed) and various sewage treatment methods. The information is presented graphically as plots of 'percentage sludge with lower concentration' versus logarithm of elemental concentration. In addition, the results are tabulated listing minimum, maximum, means and median values as well as total quantities of elements found in the sludges scaled up for the whole of the UK.

Copies of this report may be available as an Acrobat pdf download under the 'Find Completed Research' heading on the DWI website.