Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution Characteristics of Extracellular Polymeric Substance Extracted from Dewatered Sludge Treated with Enzymes and Thermal Pressure

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Waste and Biomass Valorization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), a high molecular weight biological polymer that can bind to a large amount of organic matter and moisture, plays a vital role in the process of sludge formation and structural stability, affecting sedimentation and dewatering performance of sludge. The aim of this study was to observe the changes in the key components of EPS extracted from mechanical dewatered sludge before and after enzyme and thermal pressure treatment. The results showed that the soluble protein content increased by 160 and 110% and the polysaccharide content increased by 180 and 200% after adding 0.03 g/g TSS neutral protease and alpha-amylase, respectively. The effect of compound enzyme treatment was better than that of single enzyme treatment. Furthermore, three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy indicated the presence of tryptophan and aromatic-like proteins, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the types of functional groups exhibited a sharp decrease in the loosely bound-EPS layer after thermal pressure treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Saveyn, H., Pauwels, G., Timmerman, R., Van der Meeren, P.: Effect of polyelectrolyte conditioning on the enhanced dewatering of activated sludge by application of an electric field during the expression phase. Water Res. 39(13), 3012–3020 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Yuan, H.P., Zhu, N.W., Song, F.Y.: Dewaterability characteristics of sludge conditioned with surfactants pretreatment by electrolysis. Bioresour. Technol. 102(3), 2308–2315 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Luo, K., Yang, Q., L, X.M.., al, e: Enhanced hydrolysis of excess sludge by external enzymes. Environ. Sci. 31, 763–767 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Liu, Y., Fang, H.H.: Influences of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on flocculation, settling, and dewatering of activated sludge. Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol. 33(3), 237–273 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Silva A F, Carvalho G, Soares R, et al. Step-by-step strategy for protein enrichment and proteome characterisation of extracellular polymeric substances in wastewater treatment systems. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 95(3), 767–776(2012).

  6. Froslashlund, B., Palmgren, R., Keiding, K., et al.: Extraction of extracellular polymers from activated sludge using a cation exchange resin. Water Res. 30(8), 1749–1758 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Block, J.C., Manem, J., Urbain, V.: Bioflocculation in activated sludge: an analytic approach. Water Res. 27(5), 829–838 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lin, Y.M., Sharma, P.K., van Loosdrecht, M.C.M: The chemical and mechanical differences between alginate-like exopolysaccharides isolated from aerobic flocculent sludge and aerobic granular sludge. Water Res. 47(1), 57–65 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Dignac, M.-F., Urbain, V., Ryback, D., et al.: Chemical description of extracellular polymers: implication on activated sludge floc structure. Water Sci. Technol. 38(8), 45–53 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Houghton, J.I., Stephenson, T.: Effect of influent organic content on digested sludge extracellular polymer content and dewaterability. Water Res. 36(14), 3620–3628 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Jiang, J.Q., Zhao, Q.L., Wei, L.L., et al.: Extracellular biological organic matters in microbial fuel cell using sewage sludge as fuel. Water Res. 44(7), 2163–2170 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Neyens, E., Baeyens, J., Dewil, R.: Advanced sludge treatment affects extracellular polymeric substances to improve activated sludge dewatering. J. Hazard. Mat. 106(2), 83–92 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Jin, B., Wilén, B., Lant, P.: Impacts of morphological, physical and chemical properties of sludge flocs on dewaterability of activated sludge. Chem. Eng. J. 98(1), 115–126 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Higgins, M. J., Novak, J. T.: Characterization of exocellular protein and its role in bioflocculation. J. Environ. Eng. 123(5), 479–485 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Adav, S. S., Lee, D. J., Tay, J. H.: Extracellular polymeric substances and structural stability of aerobic granule. Water Res. 42(6–7), 1644–1650 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Frolund, B., Griebe, T., Nielsen, P.H.: Enzymatic activity in the activated-sludge floc matrix. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 43, 755–761 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Poxon, T.L., Darby, J.L.: Extracellular polyanions in digested sludge: measurement and relationship to sludge dewaterability. Water Res. 31, 749–758 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Yu, G.H., He, P.J., Shao, L.M.: Characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) fractions from excess sludges and their effects on bioflocculability. Bioresour. Technol. 100(13), 3193–3198 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Liu, H., Fang, H.H.: Extraction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of sludges. J. Biotechnol. 95(3), 249–256 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhang, W.J., Cao, B.D., Wang, D.S.: Influence of wastewater sludge treatment using combined peroxyacetic acid oxidation and inorganic coagulants re-flocculation on characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Water Res. 88, 728–739 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Higuchi, Y., Ohashi, A., Imachi, H., et al.: Hydrolytic activity of alpha-amylase in anaerobic digested sludge. Water Sci. Technol. 52(1–2), 259–266 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Boczar, B.A., Begley, W.M., Larson, R.J.: Characterization of enzyme activity in activated sludge using rapid analyses for specific hydrolases. Water Environ. Res. 64(6), 792–797 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Goel, R., Mino, T., Satoh, H., et al.: Enzyme activities under anaerobic and aerobic conditions in activated sludge sequencing batch reactor. Water Res. 32(7), 2081–2088 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang, W., Liu, W., Wang, L.: Characteristics and distribution research on extracellular polymer substance extracted from sewage sludge. J. Environ. Biol. 37(2), 305–312 (2016)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  25. Li, J.B., Zeng, Y.F., Liu, W.W., et al.: Effect of methanogenesis of residue from thermal pre-treatment sludge by anaerobic fermentative hydrogen production. Proc. Environ Sci. 31, 318–324 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Adav, S.S., Lee, D.J., Lai, J.Y.: Potential cause of aerobic granular sludge breakdown at high organic loading rates. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 85(5), 1601–1610 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Bramhachari, P.V., Kishor, P.B., Ramadevi, R., et al.: Isolation and characterization of mucous exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Vibrio furnissii strain VB0S3. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 17, 14–51 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Badireddy, A.R., Chellam, S., Gassman, P.L., et al.: Role of extracellular polymeric substances in bioflocculation of activated sludge microorganisms under glucose-controlled conditions. Water Res. 44(15), 4505–4516 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Gary, W.S.: Spectrometric identification of organic compounds. Vib. Spectrosc. 4(1), 123–124 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Barth, A., Zscherp, C.: What vibrations tell us about proteins. Q. Rev. Biophys. 35(4), 369–430 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Raszka, A., Chorvatova, M., Wanner, J.: The role and significance of extracellular polymers in activated sludge. Part I: literature review. Acta Hydrochim. Et Hydrobiol. 34(5), 411–424 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. He, C., Giannis, A., Wang, J.Y.: Conversion of sewage sludge to clean solid fuel using hydrothermal carbonization. Appl. Energy. 111, 257–266 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Orem, W.H., Neuzil, S.G., Lerch, H.E., Cecil, C.B.: Experimental early-stage coalification of a peat sample and a peatified wood sample from Indonesia. Org. Geochem. 24(2), 111–125 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Henderson, R.K., Baker, A., Murphy, K.R., Hamblya, A., Stuetz, R.M., Khan, S.J.: Fluorescence as a potential monitoring tool for recycled water systems: a review. Water Res. 43(4), 863–881 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Chen, W., Westerhoff, P., Leenheer, J.A., Booksh, K.: Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix regional integration to quantify spectra for dissolved organic matter. Environ. Sci. Technol. 37(24), 5701–5710 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Wei, D., Wang, Y.F., Wang, X.D., Li, M.T., et al.: Toxicity assessment of 4-chlorophenol to aerobic granular sludge and its interaction with extracellular polymeric substances. J. Hazard. Mater. 289, 101–107 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Wang, Z., Gao, M., Wang, Z., et al.: Effect of salinity on extracellular polymeric substances of activated sludge from an anoxic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor. Chemosphere. 93(11), 2789–2795 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Ng, T.C.A., Ng, H.Y.: Characterization of initial fouling in aerobic submerged membrane bioreactors in relation to physico-chemical characteristics under different flux conditions. Water Res. 44(7), 2336–2348 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Li, W.H., Sheng, G.P., Liu, X.W., et al.: Characterizing the extracellular and intracellular fluorescent products of activated sludge in a sequencing batch reactor. Water Res. 42(12), 3173–3181 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Yu, G.H., He, P.J., Shao, L.M.: Novel insights into sludge dewaterability by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix combined with parallel factor analysis. Water Res. 44(3), 797–806 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Li, X. Y., Yang, S. F.: Influence of loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on the flocculation, sedimentation and dewaterability of activated sludge. Water Res. 41(5), 1022–1030 (2007)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51308349) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51276119).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Energy and Environment, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang, 110136, China

    Weiyun Wang, Lingyun Wang, Xuemei Gao, Tianhua Yang & Rundong Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Clean Energy, Shenyang, 110136, Liaoning Province, China

    Weiyun Wang, Lingyun Wang, Xuemei Gao, Tianhua Yang & Rundong Li

Authors
  1. Weiyun Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lingyun Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xuemei Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tianhua Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Rundong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Weiyun Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, W., Wang, L., Gao, X. et al. Distribution Characteristics of Extracellular Polymeric Substance Extracted from Dewatered Sludge Treated with Enzymes and Thermal Pressure. Waste Biomass Valor 9, 1523–1533 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-017-9941-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-017-9941-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation