Evaluating the Physicochemical, Nutrient, and Pathogenic Characteristics of Fecal Sludge for Fertilizer Application: Case from Vadgaon Maval, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Unscientific application of fecal sludge (FS) on agricultural fields in India has led to fecal coliform and heavy metal accumulation in the food chain. The design of FS treatment depends on accurate knowledge of its characteristics, which is seldom available for nonurban India, where most of the agriculture sector is concentrated. In this study, nonurban FS from India has been systematically characterized for physicochemical properties, nutrient, and pathogenic content to assess its ability to be used as a fertilizer. It was found that the collected FS has nutrients (nitrogen=3.0%±0.4%, phosphorus=29.07±4.48 mg/L, potassium=43.57±0.74 mg/L), organic carbon (33%±3.2%), and physicochemical properties that qualify the Indian specifications of organic fertilizers, whereas its pathogenic content (i.e., 6 log cfu/g, and 6 to 13 viable helminth ova/g) is high as per US regulations. Thus, collected FS requires treatment by unplanted drying bed and co-composting to be used as fertilizer.