Returning organic carbon (C) and plant nutrients in municipal biosolids to agriculture soils is one way of improving the health and sustainability of our food production system. Once applied, biosolids decompose and release carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) into the atmosphere, as well as nitrate (NO −3 ) and ammonium (NH + 4 ) ions into the soil that are available for plant uptake (Gougoulias et al., 2014;Lal, 2013). Biosolids application also builds soil organic C content and in some cases ameliorates soil pH and electrical conductivity. Each year, Canadian farmers apply about 50% of the 780,000 dry tonnes of municipal biosolids generated (Cheminfo Services Inc.
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