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Optimization, modeling, and characterization of water treatment sludge modified by ultrasound-assisted acid activation for enhancing of turbidity removal

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Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the feasibility of applying recovered water treatment sludge (WTS) as a low-cost coagulant using the acidification/sonification method for turbidity removal. The WTS was completely characterized by BET, XRD FTIR, and FE-SEM observation. The effects of the main variables including WTS dosage (50–250 mg/l), sedimentation time (10–50 min), initial turbidity (10–350 NTU), and pH values (5–9) have been assessed and optimized using central composite design through response surface methodology. The developed empirical model significantly predicts and supports the results. The results showed that the turbidity removal was approximately completed at pH 9, initial turbidity of 350 NTU, and sedimentation time of 10 min by applying 250 mg/l WTS. The turbidity removal at the optimum condition was 85.83%. The results of this study indicated a high potential for recycled WTS as a low-cost coagulant, which can be used in the full-scale application.

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Acknowledgements

The authors hereby express their gratitude to Water and Wastewater Company of Kermanshah Province for financial support (Grant Number 129/95/21868) and Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences for supplying laboratory facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, and Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

    Danial Nayeri & Seyyed Alireza Mousavi

  2. Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

    Seyyed Alireza Mousavi

  3. Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

    Danial Nayeri

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  1. Danial Nayeri
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Correspondence to Seyyed Alireza Mousavi.

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Nayeri, D., Mousavi, S.A. Optimization, modeling, and characterization of water treatment sludge modified by ultrasound-assisted acid activation for enhancing of turbidity removal. Environ Dev Sustain 23, 8377–8393 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00971-z

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