The US is one of the leading global producers of paper industry with approximately 24 percent of the share of world paper supply. Despite diversity of the feedstock and production methods, C rich papermill biosolids (PB) is a major byproduct of paper production process. Landfilling is the predominant method of PB management. Increasing landfill cost and its potential environmental consequences have incentivized research and development efforts to find beneficial uses for PB. This sensible option reduces the overall paper production costs and increases environmental sustainability. Pelletization of PB increases its marketability by reducing transportation costs. This greenhouse study was conducted to gain a better understanding of the properties and effects of a recently developed pelletized papermill biosolids (PPB) on bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and soil. Urea and PPB were each applied at four total N rates equivalent to 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg N ha −1 and an additional control treatments of 0 N was included. The total C and N concentration in this PPB were 379 and 14 g•kg −1 respectively and its C:N ratio was 27.2. Nitrogen treatment significantly (P ≤ 0.0839) influenced pepper height, dry biomass, N concentration, and N uptake. Plant height ranged from 31.2 to 44.4 cm; 135 kg•ha −1 urea-N and PPB-N produced the tallest and shortest plants respectively. Dry biomass of the pepper that did not receive any N, those treated with urea-N or PPB-N were 5.3, 5.7-7.5, and 5.9-6.5 g•plant −1 respectively. Nitrogen concentration in control treatment (0 N) was 36.4 g•kg −1 and that of pepper treated with any N ranged from 32.0-40.7 g•kg −1. There was an inverse numerical, albeit not always statistically significant, relationship between PPB rate and plant N concentration. Generally, pepper treated with urea removed significantly more N from soil than control or PPB treated pepper. Nitrogen uptake by plants that did not receive any N and those amended with urea or PPB were 194, 229-270, and 155-164 mg•plant −1 respectively. Pepper N uptake and concentration data indicate that How to cite this paper:

Beneficial utilization of industrial byproducts such as papermill biosolids (PB) provides a unique opportunity to reduce the overall production cost and increase environmental sustainability. Pelletization of a byproduct enhances its marketability by improving the transportation and application. This greenhouse study was conducted to gain a better understanding of the properties and effects of, a recently developed pelletized papermill biosolids (PPB), on corn (Zea mays L.) and soil. Urea and PPB were each applied at four total N rates equivalent to 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg•ha −1 and an additional control treatments of 0 was also included. The PPB contained 379 and 14 g•kg −1 total N and C and its C:N ratio was 27. Nitrogen treatment significantly (P < 0.0001) influenced corn dry biomass, N concentration, and N uptake. Corn dry biomass ranged 26.9-41.1 g•plant −1 where application of 180 kg•ha −1 of PPB-N produced the smallest plant biomass. Numerically the dry biomass of corn that did not receive any N, corn fertilized with any PPB, and corn fertilized with any urea was 38.3, 26.9-41.1 and 38.1-40.92 g•plant −1 respectively. Nitrogen concentration in corn plants ranged 6.2-11.5 g•kg −1. Nitrogen concentration in corn that did not receive any urea or corn that received urea was 8.7-11.5 g•kg −1 and was significantly more than corn treated with any PPB. Total N uptake (removed from soil) by the corn plant was 166-455 mg•plant −1. Total N uptake by corn that did not receive any N, corn fertilized with any PPB, and corn fertilized with any urea were 327, 166-278, and 379-455 mg•plant −1 respectively. The data suggest that the high C/N ratio (27.2) of PPB resulted in immobilization of PPB-N. Thus the next step will be to research the optimal rates of inorganic N that should be incorporated into this PPB to reduce its C:N to make it an effective high organic matter content N fertilizer. Nitrogen treatment significantly (P < 0.0001) influenced soil organic matter (SOM) which ranged 18.5-19.7 g•kg −1. The SOM of the treatments How to cite this paper: Mozaffari, M. and Hays, H.C.