Use of Sewage Sludge in the Production of Plant Biomass for Energy: Biological and Economic Conditions

Abstract

The goal of this article is a presentation of the legal, biological, and economic conditions of energy production using biomass, especially taking into account the application of sewage sludge certified for natural use in agriculture. Any increase in the production of biomass necessitates the introduction of cheap and highly-efficient plant production technologies that are environmentallyfriendly. Use of certified sewage sludge can increase the economic efficiency of energy crops and have a beneficial impact on the environment.

The agricultural and therapeutic potential of <i>Lavatera thuringiaca</i> (L.)

“…Plants used for energy crops should be characterized by efficient conversion of solar radiation into biomass and large annual growth under minimal habitat requirements and good adaptation to the climate conditions. As a perennial crop, L. thuringiaca can be cultivated for energy purposes, as it produces a relatively high biomass yield in different environmental conditions and affects the structure and fertility of the soil (Romanowska-Duda et al, 2014). Depending on the habitat conditions and the level of fertilization, L. thuringiaca harvested once a year yields 15-25 t ha −1 , and when harvested twice, the yield is higher at 23.0-27.0 t ha −1 (Staszewski et al, 2008;Staszewski & Staszewski, 2014), which is a good result, compared to other popular energy crops such as (t ha −1 ) Salix spp.…”

“…is perennial plant adapts well to different environmental conditions, has low water demands, and is frost-resistant. According to different authors, it can be cultivated as a perennial plant suitable for production of high-performance energy biomass (Romanowska-Duda et al, 2014;Staszewski et al, 2008), a supplement for plant feed for ruminants (Staszewska, 1997), a raw material for the pharmaceutical industry (Matławska et al, 1999;Vadivel et al, 2016;Vysochina et al, 2011), a honey plant for bees to be cultivated on wastelands and uncultivated fields (Staszewski & Staszewski, 2014), an ecological plant to be sown on roadsides and used in recultivation of degraded land (Klimont et al, 2013), a high-value ornamental plant to be grown in gardens and parks on dry soils (Staszewska, 1997), and as a food crop, in the production of pigments, and raw material in the production of strings and ropes (Celka et al, 2013). e literature on L. thuringiaca consists mainly of natural history publications on the botany and occurrence of the species in different regions and habitats, while reports on the economic use of the species are sporadic, scattered, and fragmentary.…”

Evaluation of Effects of Municipal Sludge Leachates on Water Quality

“…Over time, this problem has been exacerbated as a result of increasing urbanization and industrialization [1]. Therefore, large amounts of municipal sludge are produced in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), where various physicochemical and biological processes take place in order to efficiently treat wastewater [2]. This process produces an increased amount of sludge that has regularly been disposed in sanitary landfills.…”