Determining the performance of lignin-based flocculants in improving biosludge dewaterability.

In the wastewater treatment plant of pulp and paper mills, biosludge dewatering is needed to reduce the sludge handling and disposal costs. It is usually facilitated by means of the addition of synthetic polymers. There is increasing interest in replacing synthetic polymers with biopolymers derived from low value by-products or industrial residuals to improve the environmental footprint of dewatering.

Enhancing Biosludge Dewaterability with Hemoglobin from Waste Blood as a Bioflocculant.

Synthetic polymers are widely used in the treatment of biosludge (waste activated sludge) to enhance its dewaterability. This paper discusses the results of a systematic study using hemoglobin (Hb) from animal blood and methylated hemoglobin (MeHb), a derivative in which a methyl group replaces the hydrogen carboxyl groups, to replace synthetic polymers to improve the dewatering efficiency of biosludge. With regular hemoglobin, no improvement in biosludge dewatering was found.