Production of an innovative biowaste-derived fertilizer: Rapid monitoring of physical-chemical parameters by hyperspectral imaging

In this work the possibility to apply hyperspectral imaging as a fast and non-destructive technique for the monitoring of the production process at pilot plant scale of an innovative biowaste-derived fertilizer was explored. Different mixtures of urban organic waste, farm organic residues, biochar and vegetable active principles were selected and utilized in two different European countries, Italy and Spain, for the production of the innovative fertilizer. The biowaste-derived fertilizer samples were collected from the pilot plant piles at different curing time and acquired by the hyperspectral imaging device. Spectra have been collected in the near infrared wavelength range (1000-1700 nm). Conventional analyses were carried out on the same samples in order to find correlations between the physical-chemical parameters detected at laboratory scale, and the acquired reflectance spectra. The investigated parameters were: pH, electrical conductivity, soluble total organic carbon and soluble total nitrogen. Hyperspectral data were processed adopting chemometric strategies through the application of principal component analysis, for exploratory purposes, and partial least squares analysis to establish correlations between spectral features and measured physical-chemical parameters. Good correlations, with R² ranging between 0.85 and 0.96, were obtained for all the investigated parameters. Results showed as the proposed approach, based on hyperspectral imaging, is suitable to be adopted for a rapid and non-destructive monitoring of waste-derived fertilizer production.

Distribution of Mercury Concentrations in Tree Rings and Surface Soils Adjacent to a Phosphate Fertilizer Plant in Southern Korea

This study aimed to determine mercury concentrations in tree rings and surface soils at distances of 4, 26 and 40 km from a fertilizer plant located in Yeosu City, Korea. Mercury concentrations in all tree rings were low prior to the establishment of the plant in 1977 and became elevated thereafter. The highest average mercury concentration in the tree rings was 11.96 ng g^-1 at the Yeosu site located nearest to the plant, with the lowest average mercury concentration of 4.45 ng g^-1 at the Suncheon site furthest away from the plant. In addition, the highest mercury content in the surface soil was 108.51 ng cm^-3 at the Yeosu site, whereas the lowest mercury content in the surface soil was 31.47 ng cm^-3 at the Suncheon site. The mercury levels decreased gradually with increasing distance from the plant.