Organic Pollutants in Municipal Sludge — Health Risks

M. M. Varma
W. Wade Talbot

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DOI: 10.2190/R77P-K16J-K0J9-4GL5

Abstract

The chemical industry during the last twenty-five years has demonstrated a steady growth. It is estimated that at least 700 new chemical compounds are manufactured each year, and the precise chemical formulation of these is well-guarded, classified information. More than two million chemicals have been listed for use, mostly during the last thirty years [1]. While these substances have had great benefit to the society, disposal of waste chemicals and their by-products, both before and after use, is a major problem. Cleansing agents, cosmetics (containing solvents), deodorizers, disinfectants (containing naphthalene, chlorophenols, etc.), paints, pesticides, and other toxic substances are discharged into the environment without discrimination. This variety of discharged chemicals creates a significant burden on the human population—either directly or indirectly via accumulation in the food chain. A wide spectrum of different compounds have been identified in water and wastewater, many of them are toxic to mammals; the compounds range from simple hydrocarbons to complex chlorinated polynuclear compounds. The objectives of this article are to study contamination of municipal sludge by refractory organics and discuss the potential health implications caused by them.

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