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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314641

Title: Release and removal of microorganisms from land-deposited animal waste and animal manures: A review of data and models

Author
item BLAUSTEIN, RYAN - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Pachepsky, Yakov
item Shelton, Daniel
item HILL, ROBERT - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2015
Publication Date: 5/2/2015
Citation: Blaustein, R., Pachepsky, Y.A., Shelton, D.R., Hill, R. 2015. Release and removal of microorganisms from land-deposited animal waste and animal manures: A review of data and models. Journal of Environmental Quality. 44(5):1338-1354.

Interpretive Summary: Microbial indicators and pathogens are released from land-applied animal manure during precipitation and irrigation events and carried in overland and subsurface flow that can reach and contaminate surface waters and ground water used for human recreation and food production. Substantial research of the microbial release and removal has never been summarized. We developed the first comprehensive overview of microbial release processes and release-impacting factors, such as differences in release of microbial species or groups, bacterial attachment in turbid suspension, animal source, animal waste composition, waste aging, manure application method, manure consistency, manure treatment effect, rainfall intensity, duration, and energy, rainfall recurrence, dissolved salts and temperature, vegetation and soil, and spatial and temporal scale. Results of this work will useful in environmental microbial risks assessments and predictions in that they characterize the knowledge base on release/removal of manure-borne microorganisms and suggest avenues for future research.

Technical Abstract: Microbial pathogens present a leading cause of impairment to rivers, bays, and estuaries in the USA and agriculture is often viewed as the major contributor to such contamination. Microbial indicators and pathogens are released from land-applied animal manure during precipitation and irrigation events and carried in overland and subsurface flow that can reach and contaminate surface waters and ground water used for human recreation and food production. Simulating the release and removal of manure-borne pathogens and indicator microorganisms is an essential component of microbial fate and transport modeling with regard to food safety and water quality. While microbial release controls the quantities of available pathogens and indicators that move toward human exposure, a literature review on this topic is lacking. This critical review on microbial release and subsequent removal from manure and animal waste application areas includes sections on microbial release processes and release-impacting factors, such as differences in release of microbial species or groups, bacterial attachment in turbid suspension, animal source, animal waste composition, waste aging, manure application method, manure treatment effect, rainfall intensity, duration, and energy, rainfall recurrence, dissolved salts and temperature, vegetation and soil, and spatial and temporal scale. Differences in microbial release from liquid- and solid manures are illustrated and the influential processes are discussed. Models used for simulating release/removal and current knowledge gaps are presented and avenues for future research are suggested.