Phosphorus and Energy Recovery from Manure and Digestion Residues

Abstract

Human and animal excrements, in particular manure, stand for a significant and undisputable source of plant nutrients and renewable energy. In Europe, only 36% of P-inputs to soils originate from primary resources (rock phosphate) whereas 63% come from animal and human excretions applied to cropland as manure, digestion residues and sewage sludge. Simultaneously these waste flows represent a potential hazard to human health and aquatic bodies because of pathogens and eutrophication. Management of these waste flows is far from being sustainable, in part due to the lack of efficient processing technologies. A cooperative InnoEnergy—EIT financed KIC Knowledge and Innovation Community—research project pursues development and demonstration of highly efficient technologies to overcome the constraints and to yield renewable phosphate fertilizers and energy from waste flows that may have a combined technical energy potential of 3,600 PJ/year and an annual phosphate recovery potential of 4.5–5.5 million tonnes (as P₂O₅) in Europe.     

Simultaneous determination of Cd,Cr, Cu,Ni, Pb and Zn in sewage sludge by slurry introduction ICP-OES method

In order to evaluate the slurry nebulisation method as an alternative method for analysis of sewage sludge, the metal content of sludge samples of different origins was determined. The concentrations of six elements: Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined by introducing the sludge as a slurry into an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Calibration was performed by using aqueous standard solutions. For comparison, the sewage sludge was also digested by microwave digestion and introduced into the plasma as an aqueous solution. The accuracy of the method was checked by analysing a sewage sludge certified reference material (CRM 007-040 Sewage Sludge). The Student's t-test showed that values obtained using slurry nebulisation were close to the certified values at a 95% confidence level. The values of elements Cd 11.1?±?0.8; Cr 37.7?±?3.3; Cu 563.3?±?38.4; Pb 119.2?±?10.1; Zn 729?±?68.2?mg?kg^?1 obtained using this method were comparable with those obtained using the conventional method. The slurry method can, therefore, be successfully applied to the determination of content of each element in sewage sludge with RSD less than 3%, without the need to predissolve them. This could avoid the use of hazardous chemicals, incomplete dissolution and loss of volatile analytes.     

Dried Biomass of Activated Sludge for Cu2+ Adsorption: Behaviors and Mechanisms

Activated sludge was tested for its ability to remove Cu²⁺ from aqueous solution. The effects of various experimental parameters (initial pH, initial Cu²⁺ concentration, adsorbent dosage, and temperature) on Cu²⁺ adsorption were evaluated. The Langmuir isotherm model well described the adsorption of Cu²⁺ onto activated sludge. The pseudo-second-order kinetic equation was appropriate for describing the kinetic performance of the sorption. Furthermore, Webber–Morris models indicated that the sorption of Cu²⁺ was generally found to involve with the intraparticle diffusion process. Parameters of adsorption thermodynamic suggested that the interaction of Cu²⁺ adsorbed by sludge was spontaneous and exothermic. Activated sludge was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis and results showed that active groups such as –OH, –COOH, –NH₂ were involved in Cu²⁺ adsorption. Zeta potential analysis demonstrated inner-sphere adsorption for Cu²⁺ adsorption on sludge.     

灰中酸性成分对灰熔融温度的影响

搜集并统计了世界129种典型煤种、城市污水污泥及污泥/煤混烧灰样的灰成分及灰熔融特征温度等相关数据,研究灰中酸性成分SiO2、Al2O3、TiO2和P2O5对灰熔融特性的影响。结果表明,Al2O3是决定灰熔点的主要因素,酸性金属氧化物SiO2、Al2O3和TiO2形成的耐熔矿物质石英、偏高岭石、莫来石、金红石等可提高灰熔点。非金属氧化物P2O5与污泥和污泥/煤的灰熔点FT二次拟合很好且明显降低熔点,污泥灰中P2O5含量显著高于煤灰是导致其熔点明显低于煤的重要原因。     

Headspace stir bar sorptive extraction followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to determine musk fragrances in sludge samples without sample pretreatment

A direct, simple and solvent‐free method based on headspace stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy was developed to determine 13 musk fragrances (six polycyclic musks, three nitro musks and four macrocyclic musks) in sludge without sample treatment. The optimal headspace stir bar sorptive extraction conditions were achieved when a polydimethylsiloxane stir bar was exposed for 45 min in the headspace of a 10 mL vial filled with 100 mg of sludge mixed with 0.2 mL of water stirred at 750 rpm at 80°C. The stir bar was then desorbed in the thermal desorption gas chromatography and mass spectrometry system, obtaining limits of detection between 5 and 30 ng/g. The method applicability was tested with sewage sludge from two urban wastewater treatment plants and from a potable water treatment plant. Results showed galaxolide and tonalide to be the most abundant musk fragrances found in wastewater treatment plants with maximal concentrations of 9240 and 7500 ng/g, respectively. Maximum concentration levels between 35 and 635 ng/g were found for musk ketone, musk moskene, traseolide, phantolide and celestolide in this kind of samples. Concentrations below the limits of quantitation of phantolide, galaxolide, tonalide and musk ketone were found in sludge from a potable water treatment plant.     

Synthesis of dual pH- and temperature-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/sewage sludge ash hydrogel with the simultaneously high performance of swelling and deswelling

An advanced dual pH- and temperature-sensitive hydrogel (NASH2.5) was optimally synthesized through modification of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) hydrogel with introducing 5 mol% acrylic acid (AA) and 2.5 wt% sewage sludge ash (SSA). The swelling kinetic results showed that NASH2.5 exhibited both high equilibrium swelling ratio and swelling rate, which was attributed to the higher porous structure as shown in scanning electron microscope, and the more hydrogen bonding formed inside of the hydrogel as investigated in Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. In addition, its curve was better fitted to the pseudo-second-order model, indicating that the water absorption process was dominated by chemisorption through forming the hydrogen bonding among the water molecules and carboxyl/silanol groups of the hydrogel. Compared with the pure NIPAM hydrogel, the water transport mechanism switched from Case I diffusion to Case II diffusion by introduction of AA and further SSA. Furthermore, through the results of the deswelling kinetics in pH value change (from 9 to 4 and 2, respectively), temperature value change (from 25 to 40, 50, and 60°C, respectively), and dual pH and temperature values changes, NASH2.5 not only presented a high pH sensitivity, but also showed high sensitive to temperature by achieving high water recovery ratio in rapid dehydrated rate. Therefore, the dual stimuli-sensitive hydrogel with the simultaneously high performance of swelling and deswelling would provide a suitable alternative for specific applications such as pollutant adsorption.     

Application of Natural Clinoptilolite for Ammonium Removal from Sludge Water

Sludge water (SW) arising from the dewatering of anaerobic digested sludge causes high back loads of ammonium, leading to high stress (inhibition of the activity of microorganisms by an oversupply of nitrogen compounds (substrate inhibition)) for wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). On the other hand, ammonium is a valuable resource to substitute ammonia from the energy intensive Haber-Bosch process for fertilizer production. Within this work, it was investigated to what extent and under which conditions Carpathian clinoptilolite powder (CCP 20) can be used to remove ammonium from SW and to recover it. Two different SW, originating from municipal WWTPs were investigated (SW1: c₀ = 967 mg/L NH₄-N, municipal wastewater; SW2: c₀ = 718–927 mg/L NH₄-N, large industrial wastewater share). The highest loading was achieved at 307 K with 16.1 mg/g (SW1) and 15.3 mg/g (SW2) at 295 K. Kinetic studies with different specific dosages (0.05 g_CLI/mg_NH4-N), temperatures (283–307 K) and pre-loaded CCP 20 (0–11.4 mg/g) were conducted. At a higher temperature a higher load was achieved. Already after 30 min contact time, regardless of the sludge water, a high load up to 7.15 mg/g at 307 K was reached, achieving equilibrium after 120 min. Pre-loaded sorbent could be further loaded with ammonium when it was recontacted with the SW.     

Identification and Quantification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Polyhydroxyalkanoates Produced from Mixed Microbial Cultures and Municipal Organic Wastes at Pilot Scale

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are well-known biodegradable plastics produced by various bacterial strains, whose major drawback is constituted by the high cost of their synthesis. Producing PHAs from mixed microbial cultures and employing organic wastes as a carbon source allows us to both reduce cost and valorize available renewable resources, such as food waste and sewage sludge. However, different types of pollutants, originally contained in organic matrices, could persist into the final product, thus compromising their safety. In this work, the exploitation of municipal wastes for PHA production is evaluated from the environmental and health safety aspect by determining the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in both commercial and waste-based PHA samples. Quantification of PAHs by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on 24 PHA samples obtained in different conditions showed very low contamination levels, in the range of ppb to a few ppm. Moreover, the contaminant content seems to be dependent on the type of PHA stabilization and extraction, but independent from the type of feedstock. Commercial PHA derived from crops, selected for comparison, showed PAH content comparable to that detected in PHAs derived from organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Although there is no specific regulation on PAH maximum levels in PHAs, detected concentrations were consistently lower than threshold limit values set by regulation and guidelines for similar materials and/or applications. This suggests that the use of organic waste as substrate for PHA production is safe for both the human health and the environment.     

两级SBR无外加碳源除磷脱氮的运行模式

在已有的两级SBR除磷脱氮工艺研究成果的基础上,分析了该工艺除磷与脱氮的优势和原运行模式存在的不足,提出了采用两级SBR工艺优化除磷与脱氮的改进运行模式,讨论了采用改进后的运行模式,在无需外加碳源条件下,实现对城市污水同步高效除磷与脱氮的可行性,分析了对该两级工艺实行实时过程控制的可行性。     

加热与加酸对污泥释磷影响研究

利用热和酸有助于微生物细胞破碎原理,对含磷污泥在不同温度（60、70、80、90℃）,不同无机酸（H2SO4、HCl、HNO3）以及两者共同作用下的释磷效果进行了比较研究．结果表明,随着加热时间延长和温度升高,污泥释磷率提高,90℃下加热2h,总磷（T-P）释放率为22．5％,明显比60℃下高．在加酸条件下,随着酸浓度提高,T-P释放率提高．在10％HCl反应条件下,污泥磷释放效果最好,释磷比率为52．2％;10％HzS0t条件下,释磷效果稍差,释磷率为46．0％;10％HNO3与前两者相比,释磷效果最差,释磷率为39．6％．加热和加酸条件下释磷效果的比较结果表明,加酸比加热更有利于T-P释放．在热和酸联合作用下,污泥T-P释放效果更好．在90℃＋2％HCl条件下经2h后,T—P释放率达到96．3％．显微镜观察显示仅仅加热对含磷污泥中微生物的细胞形态破坏得不彻底,但通过加热和加酸联合作用和反应后,微生物细胞被完全破碎．