From your digestive system back to your plate.

       You wouldn't think that people would actually use bio solids as fertilizer right?  It may be hard to believe, but it is true. Some farmers do use bio solids as fertilizer, and you may find it disgusting, not to mention insanitary and dangerous. What are bio solids you may ask? To put it short, bio solids are human waste that forms sludge through sewage. There is a big misconception regarding the bio solids. The government has thought up of a "safe" way of disposing this hazardous waste by placing it over farmer's fields. This is the alternative to dumping the waste onto landfills, oceans and through an incinerator. Also, the government created the word, bio solid. The real term for this is sewage sludge. 

   Sewage sludge carry what are called pathogens. Pathogens are bacteria that can cause diseases in humans, in other animals, and also in plants. The diseases caused by bacteria are diverse and include food poisoning, tooth ache, certain forms of cancer and the list goes on. Believe it or not, there have been incidents of people dying because of the pathogenic bacteria. Here's one story that occured on August 5, 2002.


           "An 11-year-old boy from Osceola Mills, Pa., died of staphylococcal septicaemia. The boy had complained of a sore throat, headaches and boils on one leg and one arm several days after riding his motorbike through sewer sludge applied to a nearby field. The boy did not respond to antibiotics and died six days after the bacteria first travelled into his bloodstream."


    Clearly, this is not something to be taken lightly. Though, there are certain pros that are found for using sewage sludge as fertilizer. Nutrients found in could be nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and trace elements such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfur and zinc, which are necessary for crop production and growth. Also, Municipalities get rid of the never-ending stream of sewage sludge, and farmers gain fertilizer for free. This also opens up jobs for people to transport the sludge. 


       I may have exaggerated a little, and sewer sludge are indeed monitored and kept track of to be rid of pathogens and other harmful chemicals, but do the pros outweigh the cons? It may be a beneficial course of action rather than having to wait extended periods of time for crops to develop, and is a much better way of disposing of sewer sludge rather than filling landfills and our oceans with it. Not to mention much better than incinerating it. Although I don't exactly agree with this option, it is the only solution we currently have and what we will use until an alternative comes up.

Sources:

Fertilizer or Pollution?

Sewage Sludge

science direct pathogens

hazards of sewage sludge / August 5 2002 story

Sewage Sludge Pro and Con

Bio Solid Useful to Society

Comments :

Claudia Luk


Jordan Pedrajas

There is no such thing as luck. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

The development of technology over the years has been critical to our evolution and development as a race. We have been able to create forms of medical treatment that was unavailable for people hundreds of years ago. We have treatments for those who may be diagnosed with cancer. The evolution of medicine has been astonishing as we have antidotes for most illness that may occur.

         

     In 1972, a life changing invention along the lines of x-ray computed tomography (CT) was created. An invention that obtains the visual digital information of ones interior features and displays the imagine in a third dimension. CT has become an important tool in medical imaging to supplement X-rays and medical ultrasound. It has more recently been used for preventive medicine or when screening for diseases. Institutions have enabled the public to be able to come in and be scanned which could be as short as 5 seconds. 

CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA), is a test that is used to take visual image of one's pulmonary arteries. A scan will contrast the pulmonary vessels being filled. Any mass filling defects, will appear dark in place of the contrast, blocking the space where blood should be flowing into the lungs.

Canadians also had a breakthrough, with the name of insulin. Insulin is a hormone, and is also a protein. Insulin is created in our system via a group of cells in the pancreas called islet cells. Insulin is used to lower our blood sugar level, which if high, could mean the development of diabetes. Diabetes could possibly lead to nerve damage, kidney failure, Arteriosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases. Before finding ways to for insulin to be injected into the body, people would have had to starve themselves in order to keep the blood sugar levels low. The inventor for insulin is Frederick G. Banting, who won the Nobel Prize in the medical field in 1923.

Sources: 

Frederick G. Banting

Diabetes and Insulin

Blood and Glucose

X-Ray Computed Tomography

CTPA

Comments :

Claudia Luk

Dora