time bomb

The results of decades of research illustrate that metals in biosolids-amended soils are retained at a higher rate than soils without biosolids-amendments indicating that either an individual or combination of constituents within biosolids is responsible for the elevated sorption capacity of biosolids-amended soils.

The deliberation centers on the accountable component of biosolids as the effective sorbent fraction which may include inorganic phases and/or organic material.

Knowing that soils are a potential climate change time-bomb is nothing new -- but now, for the first time, a group of international scientists have found a way to distinguish just how much of these ancient carbon stores are being lost to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

This means that in the future they may be able to accurately forecast how loss of soil carbon will impact on climate change.