Hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction as a preconcentration and clean-up step after pressurized hot water extraction for the determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in sewage sludge

A method for the quantitative determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in sewage sludge was developed and validated. The target compounds were extracted using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) and then purified and preconcentrated by three-phase hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME) followed by LC–ESI-MS analysis. The PHWE was optimized with regard to the pH of solvent as well as other operational parameters. The optimum conditions were 0.01 M NaOH as the extraction solvent, temperature of 120 °C, pressure of 100 bar, static time 5 min, 5 cycles, flush volume 90% and purge time 60 s. Spike recoveries for sludge samples spiked at 200 ng g⁻¹ were in the range of 101–109% but for the native drugs in non-spiked sludge samples, recoveries were 38.9%, 59.8%, 90.3% and 47.8% for ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen, respectively. Donor phase pH, ionic strength and extraction time were optimized for HF-LPME after PHWE. The optimum conditions were 2 h extraction at pH 1.5 without salt addition. Enrichment factors in the range of 947–1213 times were achieved (extraction recoveries were 23.6–30.3%) for HF-LPME after PHWE. The matrix effect on the ionization of drugs in LC–ESI-MS was also investigated. The results show that there is a smaller matrix effect (−8.9% to +14.6%) in comparison with other published values obtained using solid phase extraction (SPE) for clean-up after pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). Method detection limits (MDLs) and method quantification limits (MQLs) for different drugs were in the range of 0.4–3.7 ng g⁻¹ and 1.5–12.2 ng g⁻¹ in dried sludge samples, respectively. The characteristics of the proposed method were compared with those of other published works. The considerably lower ion suppression/enhancement and minimum use of organic solvents (a few microliters of di-n-hexyl ether) in the sample preparation step are two highlighted advantages of the proposed method in comparison with previously published works. The method was applied to determine NSAIDs in sewage sludge from Källby wastewater treatment plant (Lund, Sweden) in April, June, August and October 2010. The highest concentration level was recorded for ibuprofen in the April sewage sludge sample (588 ng g⁻¹) and all of the selected NSAIDs were detected in all the samples analyzed.     

Continuous catalytic pyrolysis of oily sludge using U-shape reactor for producing saturates-enriched light oil

Continuous catalytic pyrolysis of oily sludge was carried out in a special U-shape reactor for producing saturates-enriched light oil. The sludge underwent thermal pyrolysis first and then catalytic pyrolysis. During the thermal pyrolysis, chain hydrocarbons were first cracked and further polymerized into aromatics. The effect of temperatures (400–800 °C) on the products was investigated and the maximum liquid yield (67.7%) was obtained at 500 °C. High temperature promoted polymerization, thus the distribution of aromatics in the liquid product was increased and was more concentrated in polyaromatics at 800 °C. In the catalytic upgrading stage, dolomite was used as catalyst and aromatics were adsorbed on it, either aggregated or decomposed. As a result, a light oil product with 57.0% saturates was obtained at the residence time of 8.9?s due to the conversion of aromatics and heavy hydrocarbons into light aliphatic hydrocarbons such as straight chain hydrocarbons. Compared with the oil phase in the raw sludge sample, the content of saturates was increased by 45.0% and that of the asphaltenes was reduced by 88.5%. Meanwhile, the inherent moisture in the oily sludge could participate in the steam reforming reaction, promoting the decomposition of aromatics and leading to an increase in the H₂ generation. Moreover, the release of H₂S was reduced from 0.132 to 0.005?mol per kg sludge and the sulfur content of the oil product was also decreased in the presence of dolomite. The deactivation of dolomite can be attributed to the carbonization of CaO and deposition of polyaromatic coke on the catalyst surface.     

磷对泥/煤混燃灰熔融特性的影响及矿物相演变规律

采用灰熔点仪、X射线荧光仪(XRF)研究了无机非金属P2O5对城市污水污泥与烟煤的混烧灰熔融特性的影响,利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)、X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)研究在各混烧温度下灰中含磷矿物在晶体和非晶体间的演变。结果表明,对于Al_2O_3含量较多且熔点较高的灰样,磷含量的增加可显著降低其灰熔点,P2O5含量在0-4%时影响最大,使其灰熔点降低126℃;但对碱性含量高的灰样的影响较小。低温灰中主要以磷酸铝(AlPO_4)晶体为主,温度升高后,与硬石膏(CaSO_4)等含钙矿物和赤铁矿(Fe_2O_3)反应生成晶体Ca_3(PO_4)_2和玻璃相(Fe_2O_3)_(0.252)(P_2O_5)_(0.748),磷含量增加可使灰中玻璃相(Fe_2O_3)_(0.252)(P_2O_5)_(0.748)增加,是磷降低灰熔点的主要原因。     

Thermochemical and Toxic Element Behavior during Co-Combustion of Coal and Municipal Sludge

The thermochemical and kinetic behavior of co-combustion of coal, municipal sludge (MS) and their blends at different ratios were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. Simulation experiments were performed in a vacuum tube furnace to determine the conversion behavior of toxic elements. The results show that the combustion processes of the blends of coal and municipal sludge are divided into three stages and the combustion curves of the blends are located between those of individual coal and municipal sludge samples. The DTG_max of the sample with 10% sludge addition reaches a maximum at the heating rate of 20 °C/min, indicating that the combustion characteristics of coal can be improved during co-combustion. Strong interactions were observed between coal and municipal sludge during the co-combustion. The volatilization rates of toxic elements decrease with an increasing proportion of sludge in the blends during co-combustion, which indicates that the co-combustion of coal and sludge can effectively reduce the volatilization rate of toxic elements. The study reflects the potential of municipal sludge as a blended fuel and the environmental effects of co-combustion of coal and municipal sludge.     

Evaluation of a biological wastewater treatment system combining an OSA process with ultrasound for sludge reduction

Sludge production is an undesirable by-product of biological wastewater treatment. The oxic-settling-anaerobic (OSA) process constitutes one of the most promising techniques for reducing the sludge produced at the treatment plant without negative consequences for its overall performance. In the present study, the OSA process is applied in combination with ultrasound treatment, a lysis technique, in a lab-scale wastewater treatment plant to assess whether sludge reduction is enhanced as a result of mechanical treatment. Reported sludge reductions of 45.72% and 78.56% were obtained for the two regimes of combined treatment tested in this study during two respective stages: UO1 and UO2. During the UO1 stage, the general performance and nutrient removal improved, obtaining 47.28% TN removal versus 21.95% in the conventional stage. However, the performance of the system was seriously damaged during the UO2 stage. Increases in dehydrogenase and protease activities were observed during both stages. The advantages of the combined process are not necessarily economic, but operational, as US treatment acts as contributing factor in the OSA process, inducing mechanisms that lead to sludge reduction in the OSA process and improving performance parameters.     

Determination of musk fragrances in sewage sludge by pressurized liquid extraction coupled to automated ionic liquid‐based headspace single‐drop microextraction followed by GC‐MS/MS

A method for the quantitative determination of ten musk fragrances extensively used in personal care products from sewage sludge was developed by using a pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) followed by an automated ionic liquid‐based headspace single‐drop microextraction and gas chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. The influence of main factors on the efficiency of PLE was studied. For all musks, the highest recovery values were achieved using 1 g of pretreated sewage sludge, H₂O/methanol (1:1) as an extraction solvent, a temperature of 80°C, a pressure of 1500 psi, an extraction time of 5 min, 2 cycles, a 100% flush volume, a purge time of 120 s, and 1 g Florisil as in‐cell clean‐up extraction sorbent. The use and optimization of an in‐cell clean‐up sorbent was necessary to remove fatty interferents of the PLE extract that make the subsequent ionic liquid‐based headspace single‐drop microextraction difficult. Validation parameters, namely LODs and LOQs, ranged from 0.5–1.5 to 2.5–5 ng/g, respectively. Good levels of intra‐ and interday repeatabilities were obtained analyzing sewage sludge samples spiked at 10 ng/g (n = 3, RSDs < 10%). The method applicability was tested with sewage sludge from different wastewater treatment plants. The analysis revealed the presence of all the polycyclic musks studied at concentrations higher than the LOQs, ranging from 6 to 530 ng/g. However, the nitro musk concentrations were below the LOQs or, in the case of musk xylene, was not detected.     

长江三角洲地区污水厂污泥中全氟有机酸污染特征

对长江三角洲地区污泥的分析结果表明：脱水剩余污泥中总全氟有机酸（PFAs）的浓度范围为122-1098ng／g,其中三氟乙酸（TFA）和五氟丙酸（PFPrA,除S13未检出外）一般是污染水平最高的两种PFAs,分别为107-562ng／g和4．41-395ng／g,占总PFAs的12％-93％和0．7％-61％,这充分说明在以后的监测中需要将超短链PFAs纳入检测范围．尽管全氟辛酸（PFOA）和全氟辛磺酸（PFOS）的浓度一般低于超短链的TFA和PFPrA,甚至在某些情况下还会低于部分中长链PFCAs,但在绝大多数情况下它们依然是两种主要的PPAs类污染物,浓度分别为2．78-66．9ng／g和1．27-80．4ng／g,占总PFAs的0．7％-8．8％和1％-20％．一般而言,全氟羧酸（PFCAs）的检出率较高,可达92．3％-100％,但是对全氟烷基磺酸（PFSAs）而言,除PFOS的检出率为100％外,全氟丁磺酸（eFBS）和全氟己磺酸（PFHxS）的检出率较低,仅分别为15．4％和7．8％．此外,不同的污水处理工艺可能会严重影响污水处理过程中PFAs污染水平和归趋,造成这种现象的原因可能是不同工艺条件下污泥的吸附性能不同,也可能是不同处理工艺对其前体物的降解转换率不同．     

Energy Properties and Biomass Yield of Miscanthus x Giganteus Fertilized by Municipal Sewage Sludge

The application of municipal sewage sludge as fertilizer in the production of non-food energy crops is an environmentally and economically sustainable approach to sewage sludge management. In addition, the application of municipal sewage sludge to energy crops such as Miscanthus x giganteus is an alternative form of recycling nutrients and organic material from waste. Municipal sewage sludge is a potential source of heavy metals in the soil, some of which can be removed by growing energy crops that are also remediation agents. Therefore, the objective of the research was to investigate the effect of municipal sewage sludge applied at three different rates of 1.66, 3.22 and 6.44 t/ha on the production of Miscanthus. Based on the analyses conducted on the biomass of Miscanthus fertilized with sludge from the wastewater treatment plant in three fertilization treatments, it can be concluded that the biomass of Miscanthus is a good feedstock for the process of direct combustion. Moreover, the application of the largest amount of municipal sewage sludge during cultivation had no negative effect on the properties of Miscanthus biomass. Moreover, the cellulose and hemicellulose content of Miscanthus is ideal for the production of second-generation liquid biofuels. Fertilizer treatments had no effect on the content of cellulose and lignin, while a significant statistical difference was found for hemicellulose.     

Case studies in dynamic modelling of large-scale wastewater treatment plants

Several large-scale wastewater treatment plants have been modelled successfully using an extensive modelling library in the General Purpose Simulator, GPS-X. The mathematical models included all important processes on the selected wastewater treatment plants, i.e. primary sedimentation, activated sludge biokinetics and final clarification.The models have been used in different areas, such as: a)analysis of operational scenarios; b) determenation of sustained and peak capacity of plants(rated plant capacity) and c) investigation of plant expansion scenarios. Out of more than twenty documented cases four, involving simulation studies on large-scale wastewater plants are discussed.