Formation of vivianite in digested sludge and its controlling factors in municipal wastewater treatment.

Engineering solutions to recover phosphorus from municipal wastewater are required to close the anthropogenic phosphorus cycle. After chemical phosphorus elimination by iron, the ferrous iron‑phosphorus mineral vivianite forms in digested sludge, and its separation is being researched at the pilot scale. In this study, sludge samples from 16 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) demonstrated that phosphorus bound to biomass and redox-sensitive iron in activated sludge was transformed into other phosphorus binding forms, including vivianite, during digestion.

Variation of the element composition of municipal sewage sludges in the context of new regulations on phosphorus recovery in Germany.

Unlabelled: Phosphorus (P) recovery is obligatory for all sewage sludges with more than 20 g P/kg dry matter (DM) from 2029 in Germany. Nine wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were chosen to investigate variations of phosphorus contents and other parameters in sewage sludge over the year. Monthly sewage sludge samples from each WWTP were analyzed for phosphorus and other matrix elements (C, N, H, Ca, Fe, Al, etc.

Experimental determination of the HS mass transfer coefficient across the liquid-gas interface in gravity sewers.

Hydrogen sulphide (HS) emissions in sewer systems lead to several problems such as corrosion, odour nuisances, and health damage to sewer workers. Although the gas is formed in the liquid phase, its effects are noticeable when released into the sewer atmosphere. Until recently, the lack of analytical procedures for continuous monitoring of HS in the liquid phase, as well as its toxicity, have challenged the quantification of the mass transfer coefficient under real conditions.

Multi-parameter calibration of a UV/Vis spectrometer for online monitoring of sewer systems.

UV/Vis spectrometers are powerful tools for online monitoring of wastewater constituents and processes. However, most studies only focus on typical parameters such as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids. This work presents a multi-parameter approach for calibration of a UV/Vis spectrometer for online monitoring of sewer systems.

Pilot study of thermal alkaline pretreatment of waste activated sludge: Seasonal effects on anaerobic digestion and impact on dewaterability and refractory COD.

Thermal alkaline pretreatment (TAP) of waste activate sludge (WAS) was carried out in pilot-scale over a year to investigate its seasonal effects on anaerobic digestion and its impact on dewaterability, sludge liquor quality and formation of soluble refractory COD (sCOD). Temperature of TAP was set at 65-70 °C and pH was increased by initial dosing of sodium hydroxide [NaOH] (50% w/w, 1-2.5 mL/L sludge) as alkali agent following 2-2.

Effect of temperature on biogas yield increase and formation of refractory COD during thermal hydrolysis of waste activated sludge.

Thermal hydrolysis (TH) increases the anaerobic biodegradability of waste activated sludge (WAS), but also refractory organic and nutrient return load to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). This could lead to an increase in effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the WWTP. The aim of this study was to investigate the trade-off between increase in biogas production through TH and anaerobic digestion and increase in refractory COD in dewatered sludge liquors at different temperatures of TH in lab-scale.

Full-scale performance of selected starch-based biodegradable polymers in sludge dewatering and recommendation for applications.

Agricultural reuse of dewatered sludge is a valid route for sludge valorization for small and mid-size wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) due to the direct utilization of nutrients. A more stringent of German fertilizer ordinance requires the degradation of 20% of the synthetic additives like polymeric substance within two years, which came into force on 1 January 2017. This study assessed the use of starch-based polymers for full-scale dewatering of municipal sewage sludge.

Phosphorus recovery from municipal and fertilizer wastewater: China's potential and perspective.

Phosphorus (P) is a limited resource, which can neither be synthesized nor substituted in its essential functions as nutrient. Currently explored and economically feasible global reserves may be depleted within generations. China is the largest phosphate fertilizer producing and consuming country in the world.