Use of clay minerals for sewage sludge stabilization and a preliminary assessment of the treated sludge’s fertilization capacity

Samara, Eftihia; Ζdragas, Αntonios; Barbayiannis, Nikolaos

doi:10.1007/s11356-019-05132-y

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In fact, sufficient stabilization can be achieved, even under less favorable conditions, such as mesophilic ones. There are strong indications that the addition of attapulgite in sewage sludge prior to its use in agriculture, promotes further the destruction of pathogens [30]. Such a behavior could also be significantly enhanced by the supplementary addition of small quantities of attapulgite to the digestate stream prior to final disposal or use.…”

Section: Microbiological Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Primary Sewage Sludge

Sakaveli

Petala

Tsiridis

et al. 2021

Water

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Processing of the produced primary and secondary sludge during sewage treatment is demanding and requires considerable resources. Most common practices suggest the cotreatment of primary and secondary sludge starting with thickening and anaerobic digestion. The aim of this study is to investigate the anaerobic digestion of the primary sludge only and estimate its impact on sludge treatment and energy recovery. Within this context, the performance of the anaerobic digestion of primary sludge is explored and focused on practices to further enhance the methane production by using additives, e.g., a cationic polyelectrolyte and attapulgite. The results showed that the overall yield in methane production during anaerobic digestion of primary sludge alone was higher than that obtained by the anaerobic digestion of mixed primary and secondary sludge (up to 40%), while the addition of both organic polyelectrolyte and attapulgite enhanced further the production of methane (up to 170%). Attapulgite increased the hydrolysis rate of biosolids and produced relatively stabilized digestate, though of lower dewaterability. Moreover, the results suggest that single digestion of primary sludge may accomplish higher methane production capacities at lower digestors’ volume increasing their overall efficiency and productivity, while the produced digestates are of adequate quality for further utilization mainly in agricultural or energy sectors.

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Section: Microbiological Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Primary Sewage Sludge

Sakaveli

Petala

Tsiridis

et al. 2021

Water

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“…While the use of physical/chemical conditioners alone may enhance dewatering, but not substantially drying efficiency, a study indicated that mixing locally available clay minerals (bentonite, attapulgite, mixed clays, and zeolite) showed beneficial effects in sewage sludge stabilization and humidity reduction in a Greek greenhouse. An initially highly dewatered sludge (moisture around 84%) was dried significantly more effectively in tests with these minerals’ addition (Samara et al 2019 ). Addition of the minerals showed to increase treated sludge fertilizing value, however, potential environmental impacts (in particular with respect to accumulation of Ni, Cr, Zn and B) as well as possible effects on final disposal options different from agriculture were pointed out.…”

Section: Solar Drying Application: Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable management of biological solids in small treatment plants: overview of strategies and reuse options for a solar drying facility in Poland

Boguniewicz-Zabłocka

Kłosok-Bazan

Capodaglio

2020

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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The issue of sustainable management of biosolids (excess sludge) from wastewater treatment is an important issue in the entire developed world. Residual sludge disposal costs and environmental impact may be significant, and reducing such costs, as well as the energy consumption for dewatering and drying, is a key issue for safe and sustainable sludge disposal, considering the recent ban of some disposal options, such as landfilling, in many European countries. An alternative to thermal technologies is solar drying (not to be confused with bio-drying, very close to the concept of composting). Solar greenhouse drying technology is characterized by reduced land requirements compared with traditional outdoor drying beds, as well as by low-energy requirements compared with other thermal drying methods. Process operation is cost-efficient, with close to no maintenance, and observed specific evaporation rates up to threefold higher than conventional drying beds. Many applications of this technology exist in Poland, Germany and Austria: more than 10,000 t of wet sludge per year is treated in this way in Germany alone and almost as many (9000 t/year) in Poland. This paper examines current biosolids treatment technologies applicable to small wastewater treatment plants (2000-9999 population equivalents served) and opportunities for possible solids reuse in Poland in view of sustainable circular economy schemes. In particular, a purely solar-driven greenhouse facility for sewage sludge drying was investigated under different conditions (season, temperature, environmental humidity) and possible improvements for its efficiency evaluated. Sludge processed by solar drying could have different final disposal pathways, according to season, in accordance with the prescriptions of the new National Waste Management Plan of Poland.

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“…Nutrient leaching can be particularly problematic on sandy, coarse-textured soils in south-western Australia 16 . Therefore, one way to reduce the potential for N leaching in these soils is to apply biosolids in combination with other soil conditioners such as biochars, clay and straw 9 , 17 – 22 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Co-application of clay minerals with sewage sludge has been shown to influence N retention in sewage sludge 22 . The biosolids product used in this study is a modified form of high quality biosolids that has been used as a slow release fertiliser for sandy soils in south-western Australia.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Co-application of LaBC and biochar has potential to reduce N accumulation in soil and leaching from the biosolid component in coarse-textured soils based on a number of studies demonstrating interactions between biochars, clay and N-cycling from biosolids 17 – 22 . For example, addition of biochar to a soil amended with biosolids reduced nitrate leaching over periods up to 5 months in two silt-loam soils collected from pasture sites 17 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Co-application of a biosolids product and biochar to two coarse-textured pasture soils influenced microbial N cycling genes and potential for N leaching

Shanmugam

Mickan

Jaafar

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Co-application of biochar and biosolids to soil has potential to mitigate N leaching due to physical and chemical properties of biochar. Changes in N cycling pathways in soil induced by co-application of biological amendments could further mitigate N loss, but this is largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to determine whether co-application of a biochar and a modified biosolids product to three pasture soils differing in texture could alter the relative abundance of N cycling genes in soil sown with subterranean clover. The biosolids product contained lime and clay and increased subterranean clover shoot biomass in parallel with increases in soil pH and soil nitrate. Its co-application with biochar similarly increased plant growth and soil pH with a marked reduction in nitrate in two coarse textured soils but not in a clayey soil. While application of the biosolids product altered in silico predicted N cycling functional genes, there was no additional change when applied to soil in combination with biochar. This supports the conclusion that co-application of the biochar and biosolids product used here has potential to mitigate loss of N in coarse textured soils due to N adsoption by the biochar and independently of microbial N pathways.

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Use of clay minerals for sewage sludge stabilization and a preliminary assessment of the treated sludge’s fertilization capacity

Cited by 14 publications

References 29 publications

Enhanced Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Primary Sewage Sludge

Enhanced Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Primary Sewage Sludge

Sustainable management of biological solids in small treatment plants: overview of strategies and reuse options for a solar drying facility in Poland

Co-application of a biosolids product and biochar to two coarse-textured pasture soils influenced microbial N cycling genes and potential for N leaching

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