Determination of Some Macronutrients and Micronutrients and Some Toxic Elements in Sewage Sludges from Domestic and Industrial Influents Prior to Land Disposal: I. Development of Methods
SourceProcedures for the determination of some micronutrients and macronutrients and some toxic elements in sewage sludge are reviewed and evaluated. Digestion with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide prior to measurement by atomic absorption spectroscopy was well suited to the determination of heavy metals in sewage sludge nd compatible with the existing requirements and recommendations of the North American and Western European regulatory agencies. Ignition was found to satisfactorily prepare sewage sludge for the determination of phosphorus by spectrophotometry of the molybdenum blue complex, and extraction with water shows promise for isolating nitrites and nitrates from sewage sludge before their spectrophotometric determinations. The criteria used in evaluating the procedures were speed, simplicity, sensitivity, and selectivity.