ABSTRACT
Sediment is solid matter suspended in or deposited from a liquid by physical, chemical, or biological agents. Chemical and physical changes after accumulation cause soft sediment to turn to sedimentary rock in the long term. Biological sediment classifications include secretion and degradation of calcium carbonate skeletons, trapping and baffling of sedimentary particles by organisms, pelletization, burrowing, and various effects of microorganisms. Sludge is the unwanted residual of wastewater treatment processes which must be handled and disposed of properly. This residual is most often a semisolid material. The specific resistance of sludge is a quantitative measure of its intrinsic filtration properties. Soil is composed of solids, liquids, and gases whose composition is determined by geologic, biologic, atmospheric, and anthropogenic influences. Soil consistence is a measure of the strength of the bonds that hold the natural aggregate of the soil together. The most important characteristics of soils are their ability to exchange cations and to adsorb compounds onto their surface.
