The importance of preventing erosion has been considered a pressing issuefor decades. The latest techniques in conventional erosion control near wetlands utilize hay bales and silt fences. Although these conventional methods may reduce the amount of erosion, their effectiveness is infrequentlyreliable. These methods are considered the standard means of erosion prevention in Massachusetts. The purpose of this research is to determine the environmental adequacy of wood wastes and composted materials from variouslocations throughout Massachusetts to control erosion. Nutrient measurements consisted of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). Testing for microbial growth included enterococci and e. coli. The pH was also measured. Further assessment utilized a statistical analysis of the data, conducted to insure repeatability of results from the test methods. Nine test columns were constructed, as nine different sample locations were involved in the testing. Synthetic precipitation was passed through each sample placed in a column; the effluent was collected at various time intervals. Overall, concentrations of each chemical analytedecreased expectedly with time and leaching, and were within the same magnitude at each corresponding time step. It is significant to mention that the average carbon to nitrogen ratio was 11:1, typical for plant organic material. Furthermore, the compost beneficially acted as a pH buffer. The repeatability of results is supportive of the testing procedure, as ratios of replicate samples for both TOC and TN concentrations justified a semi-predictable trend despite non-quantifiable variability.
Abstract