Sewage-Based Fertilizers

Some people may be shocked to learn that farmers in all 50 states of the USA use half of all the sewage accumulated in water treatment plants to fertilize crops. Raw wastewater is processed, dried, and bagged with the name, "biosolids." The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages the use of Grade A Biosolids on farmlands and gardens. 1

Some scientific studies support the EPA’s position that biosolids (processed sewage sludge) are safe to use as fertilizer on farmlands if not used regularly. 2

Repeated use of . . . sewage sludge, as well as wastewater, may cause [farmland] contamination [with toxic heavy metals] at a large scale.3

Trace elements such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) have toxic effects on living organisms and are often considered as contaminants.3

The EPA’s policy on biosolids appears to assume that accumulations of toxic metals and arsenic are the only problems with sewage-based fertilizer. However, biosolids also contain drugs of every variety passed on through human waste as well as detergents, cleansers, and anything else sent down drains.

One step in standard sewage processing, anaerobic digestion, increases the potency of estrogens in sewage sludge.

Anaerobic digestion may exacerbate the estrogenicity of sludge due to bioconversion to more potent metabolites.4

Many chemical pollutants in the environment have estrogenic activity, causing hormonal changes that promote the growth of breast cancer, reduce sperm counts and male fertility, and disrupt healthy fetal development. Increased exposure to estrogenic substances in the food supply through the use of biosolids on farms and gardens is not good.

A proposed alternative method for processing sewage sludge is hydrothermal carbonization. This process partially degrades some drugs but, unfortunately, increases the concentration of the drug, phenazone.5

Scientists continue to propose innovative methods to process human waste and wastewater to destroy harmful contaminants in biosolids. Meanwhile, evidence against the use of inadequately processed sewage sludge as fertilizer appears to be ignored.

It seems unreasonable to offer the farm community 'free fertilizer' and promote its use when the public health risks associated with the land application of sludge have not been addressed. The case against land application does not stop with the issues posed by pathogens; other heath risks are associated with the elevation of heavy metals in the soils and foods, the release of mercury into the atmosphere from sludge spreading and the presence of priority pollutants in the land-applied sludge.6

Other Soil Contaminants

Sewage sludge use as biosolids is not the only potential cause of large-scale soil contamination with heavy metals and other toxic substances.

Repeated use of metal-enriched chemicals, fertilizers, and organic amendments such as sewage sludge as well as wastewater may cause [farmland] contamination [with toxic heavy metals] at a large scale.3

In the USA, farmers use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on more than 98 percent of farmland acreage.

While the adoption rate [of organic farming] remains high, the overall adoption level is still low—only about 0.8 percent of all U.S. cropland and 0.5 percent of all U.S. pasture was certified organic in 2011.7

Organically Grown Crops

Only certified organic farmers guarantee crops free from exposure to chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other toxic chemical substances.

Most people will agree that organically grown foods taste better than conventional crops. The higher nutrient concentrations in organic foods, and possibly other factors, appear to account for the more vibrant flavors.

Whereas few studies have been conducted, there is a trend in the data indicating higher nutrient content in organically grown crops. This phenomenon is possibly due to a higher water content in conventional crops, which causes nutrient dilution. For individual nutrients, existing studies show that organic fertilization practices produce crops with higher levels of ascorbic acid, lower levels of nitrate, and improved protein quality compared with conventionally grown crops.8

The following finding is from one of the existing studies mentioned above. Micronutrients are the vitamins and trace elements that the body requires in small amounts.

The micronutrient content of food groups was more frequently reported to be higher for organic vegetables and legumes compared to their conventional counterparts . . . . This trend was supported by a mean percent difference in micronutrient content favoring organic vegetables (+5.9%, P<0.001) and legumes (+5.7%, P<0.001).9

Compared to chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers are more effective in increasing the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients from the soil.

Liquid organic fertilization resulted in an increased uptake of macro and micronutrients compared to mineral fertilized trees. . . . Therefore, liquid organic fertilizers could be used as an alternative to traditional mineral fertilization in drip irrigated citrus trees.10

Agricultural and Garden Soil Quality

Toxic Loads and Nutrient Levels

The nutritional content and safety of food crops depend on soil quality, not just fertilizer usage.

Both deficiency and toxicity of trace elements occur in agroecosystems. Application of trace elements in fertilizers is effective in correcting micronutrient deficiencies for crop production, whereas remediation of soils contaminated with metals is still costly and difficult although phytoremediation appears promising as a cost-effective approach.11

Agricultural soils should have low levels of the chemical elements arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel since they have toxic effects at higher concentrations.

By the way, all chemical elements in the soil are in the form of minerals, which are composed of two or more different chemical elements. For example, arsenic (the chemical element) commonly occurs in soils in the form of aluminum arsenate and iron arsenate (minerals).

Some trace elements, including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), and boron (B) are essential to plant growth and are called micronutrients. Except for B, these elements are also heavy metals and are toxic to plants at high concentrations.11

Soil Mineral Levels

While many scientists talk about an extensive loss in agricultural soil quality due to erosion and pollution, others are more concerned about counterproductive soil mineral levels.

Discussions on potential harmful impacts on human and animal health related to soil chemistry are frequently focused on soil pollution. However, problems related to natural excess or deficiency of chemical substances may be even more important in a global perspective.12

Problems related to trace element deficiencies in soils have frequently been reported in agricultural crops as well as in livestock. Deficiencies in plants are often observed for boron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. In animals deficiency problems related to cobalt, copper, iodine, manganese, and selenium are well known.12

Scientists have studied trace element deficiencies in humans in considerable detail, but more research on soil deficiencies in essential trace elements is needed.

Deficiencies of micronutrients, including essential trace elements, affect up to 3 billion people worldwide. The dietary availability of trace elements is determined largely by their soil concentrations. . . . However, global concentrations of trace elements and the factors controlling their distributions are virtually unknown.13

Michael Karr describes some factors affecting soils in the United States as follows:

Mineral nutrient depletion continues to be a problem in U.S. farm, forest and range soils. This depletion is caused by natural processes, such as weathering and erosion, particularly in the sensitive soils of the southeastern United States. More significantly, throughout the United States, human accelerated depletion is caused by the production of high yield crops and livestock grazing. Those activities cause nutrients to be removed and organic matter to be depleted from the soil's natural cycling system. Moreover, when commercial growers attempt to replenish the soils of only some mineral nutrients by fertilization, they may exacerbate mineral nutrient imbalances.14

R.A. McCance and E.M. Widdowson published a study on the mineral depletion of the foods available to the United Kingdom over a 51 year period.

In order to provide some insight into any variation in the quality of the foods available to us as a nation between 1940 and 1991, it was possible to compare and contrast the mineral content of 27 varieties of vegetable, 17 varieties of fruit, 10 cuts of meat and some milk and cheese products. The results demonstrate that there has been a significant loss of minerals and trace elements in these foods over that period of time. It is suggested that the results of this study cannot be taken in isolation from recent dietary, environmental and disease trends.15

An article posted at  scientificamerican.com offers the following explanation:

The main culprit in this disturbing nutritional trend is soil depletion: Modern intensive agricultural methods have stripped increasing amounts of nutrients from the soil in which the food we eat grows. Sadly, each successive generation of fast-growing, pest-resistant carrot is truly less good for you than the one before.16

However, other scientists argue that modern crop varieties, selected for fast growth, are responsible for the steady declines in the nutritional content of foods.

Contemporaneous analyses of modern versus old crop varieties grown side-by-side, and archived samples, show lower mineral concentrations in varieties bred for higher yields where increased carbohydrate is not accompanied by proportional increases in minerals – a “dilution effect”. . . . The benefits of increased yield to supply food for expanding populations outweigh small nutrient dilution effects addressed by eating the recommended daily servings of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.17

We suggest that any real declines are generally most easily explained by changes in cultivated varieties between 1950 and 1999, in which there may be trade-offs between yield and nutrient content.18

Conclusion

Unfortunately, most food crops grown conventionally in the United States may not be safe for long-term use due to various toxic loads and the lack of essential trace elements.

For food safety, farmers and gardeners should not expose food crops to pesticides, herbicides, biosolids (sewer sludge), and other sources of drug residues, heavy metals, or industrial waste. Essential trace elements can also become toxic in high amounts, a potential problem with chemical fertilizer usage.

Productive soils require optimal levels of trace elements necessary for plant growth plus other trace elements vital to human and animal health. Healthy plants and plants that appear healthy may not contain the trace elements that humans and animals require for health.

The “dilution effect” of fast-growing new crops (compared to heirloom varieties) does not negate the findings of scientists across the globe who verify ongoing soil mineral depletion and micronutrient deficiencies in human populations.

Micronutrients are essential to sustain life and for optimal physiological function. Widespread global micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) exist, with pregnant women and their children under 5 years at the highest risk. Iron, iodine, folate, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies are the most widespread MNDs, and all these MNDs are common contributors to poor growth, intellectual impairments, perinatal complications, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality.19

Organic farming methods enrich soils with organic composts and animal waste, a sustainable way of soil fertilization that works with nature. Organic fertilizers and applications of rock dust help replenish soils with a full spectrum of trace elements, a growing number of which scientists find important to human health.

New essential trace elements are still being identified, and their number reached 19 at present. Development of pathological anatomy of essential trace element deficiency is an important task of modern medicine.20

The fertilizer manufacturers for conventional agriculture supply chemical formulas designed solely to promote plant growth. These chemical fertilizers do not provide the growing number of trace elements found essential for human health. That is one reason why conventionally grown crops lack many trace elements vital to human health.

Recommendations

Consume organically grown fruits and vegetables when possible and grow your own when feasible.

Use the most effective dietary supplements that you can find to:

1. Supply the essential trace elements that you lack.
2. Promote toxin elimination from your body.

We find the following dietary supplements most effective. While there are other good products for the above purposes, these two top our list.

1. Pro-Cell
2. ACZ Nano

Pro-Cell

The use of  Pro-Cell helped lead to many of the testimonials listed here. The noticeable effect of this liquid trace mineral supplement within 60 days is clear evidence to us of the sorry state of our food supply.

In addition to supplying essential trace minerals, Pro-Cell’s organic matrix binds with heavy metals, promoting their elimination. One of our physician clients, a pediatrician, told us that  Pro-Cell significantly reduced blood lead levels in one of her patients and improved the health of many others.

Incidentally, “Pro-Cell” is the manufacturer’s label. Some retail companies sell this product under other names for up to $60.00 per 32-ounce bottle, which marketers justify by the product’s effectiveness. Although lower prices underrate the value of this product, you can  see our price here.

ACZ Nano

ACZ Nano is an oral spray containing a zeolite specially processed for human use. Zeolites are microporous, aluminosilicate minerals that efficiently binds and eliminates heavy metals and other toxins.

ACZ Nano oral spray used between meals reduces the body burden of toxins. When taken with meals, ACZ Nano binds with food-borne toxins, which is particularly helpful when not consuming organic foods.

References

1.  https://www.epa.gov/biosolids/frequent-questions-about-biosolids Retrieved 1 November 2017

2. Alvarenga, et al. Sewage sludge, compost and other representative organic wastes as agricultural soil amendments: Benefits versus limiting factors. Waste Manag. 2015 Jun;40:44-52. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2015.01.027. Epub 2015 Feb 21.

3. He ZL, et al. Trace elements in agroecosystems and impacts on the environment. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2005;19(2-3):125-40. Epub 2005 Oct 24. PMID: 16325528

4. Semblante, et al. Trace organic contaminants in biosolids: Impact of conventional wastewater and sludge processing technologies and emerging alternatives. J Hazard Mater. 2015 Dec 30;300:1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.06.037. Epub 2015 Jun 24.

5. vom Eyser, et al. Pharmaceutical load in sewage sludge and biochar produced by hydrothermal carbonization. Sci Total Environ. 2015 Dec 15;537:180-6. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.021. Epub 2015 Aug 15.

6. Reilly M. The case against land application of sewage sludge pathogens. Can J Infect Dis. 2001 Jul;12(4):205-7.

7.  https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/organic-pr... Retrieved 2 November 2017

8. Worthington V. Effect of agricultural methods on nutritional quality: a comparison of organic with conventional crops. Altern Ther Health Med. 1998 Jan;4(1):58-69.

9. Hunter D., et al. Evaluation of the micronutrient composition of plant foods produced by organic and conventional agricultural methods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011 Jul;51(6):571-82. doi: 10.1080/10408391003721701.

10. Martínez-Alcántara B., et al. Liquid Organic Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture: Nutrient Uptake of Organic versus Mineral Fertilizers in Citrus Trees. PLoS One. 2016 Oct 20;11(10):e0161619. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161619. eCollection 2016.

11. He ZL, Yang XE, Stoffella PJ. Trace elements in agroecosystems and impacts on the environment. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2005;19(2-3):125-40. Epub 2005 Oct 24.

12. Steinnes E. Soils and geomedicine. Environ Geochem Health. 2009 Oct;31(5):523-35. doi: 10.1007/s10653-009-9257-2.

13. Jones GD, et al. Selenium deficiency risk predicted to increase under future climate change. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Mar 14;114(11):2848-2853. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1611576114. Epub 2017 Feb 21.

14. Karr, M. Mineral Nutrient Depletion in US Farm and Range Soils.  PDF

15. R.A. McCance and E.M. Widdowson. A study on the mineral depletion of the foods available to us as a nation over the period 1940 to 1991.  PDF

16. Dirt Poor: Have Fruits and Vegetables Become Less Nutritious? https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-d...

17. Marles, R.J. Mineral nutrient composition of vegetables, fruits and grains: The context of reports of apparent historical declines.  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/... Retrieved 2 November 2017 PDF

18. Davis DR1, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82.

19. Bailey RL, West KP Jr, Black RE. The epidemiology of global micronutrient deficiencies. Ann Nutr Metab. 2015;66 Suppl 2:22-33. doi: 10.1159/000371618. Epub 2015 Jun 2.

20. Avtsyn AP. An insufficiency of essential trace elements and its manifestations in pathology. Arkh Patol. 1990;52(3):3-8.

About Horton Tatarian

I’m a biochemist who examines scientific findings on health and disease. My degree in biochemistry is from U.C. Berkeley. UCLA School of Medicine granted an M.D. degree in 1974. Since then, independent research prepared me to advise clients on natural ways of self-care.

Use this link for questions or comments.