Skip to main content

Solubilization of Sewage Sludge to Improve Anaerobic Digestion

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Environmental Bioengineering

Part of the book series: Handbook of Environmental Engineering ((HEE,volume 11))

Abstract

With the sludge treatment, the solubilization process of sewage sludge invites our attention because of the shortage of a final disposal site. In this chapter, a high-speed rotary disk process was applied to solubilization of sewage sludge from a sewage plant. With anaerobic treatment, the solubilized sludge by high-speed rotary disk process could be shortened from a digestion period of 30 to 10 days. Moreover, by applying the solubilized sludge to the activated sludge process, the excess sludge produced from the final sedimentation tank could be reduced to approximately 60%.

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

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Ødegaard H (2004) Sludge minimization technologies – an overview. Water Sci Technol 49(10):31–40

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ardern E, Lockett WT (1914) Experimental on the oxidation of sewage without the aid of filters. J Soc Chem Ind 33(523):11–22

    Google Scholar 

  3. Navia R, Soto M, Vidal G et al (2002) Alkaline pretreatment of Kraft mill sludge to improve its anaerobic digestion. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 69(6):869–876

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division, Office of Solid Waste. (1999) Biosolids generation, use, and disposal in the United States. EPA530-R-99–009. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  5. Renner R (2000) Sewage sludge: pros & cons. Environ Sci Technol 34(19):430A–435A

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ministry of Environment Japan (ed) (2009) Annual Report on the Environment, the Sound Material-Cycle Society and the Biodiversity in Japan 2009. Ministry of Environment Japan, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  7. Jokela J, Rintala J, Oikari A, Reinikainen O, Mutka K, Nyronen T (1997) Aerobic composting and anaerobic digestion of pulp and paper mill sludges. Water Sci Technol 36:181–188

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Weemaes MPJ, Verstraete WH (1998) Review: evaluation of current wet sludge disintegration techniques. J Chem Technol biotechnol 73:83–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Canales A, Pareilleux A, Rols JL, Goma G, Huyard A (1994) Decreased sludge production strategy for domestic wastewater treatment. Water Sci Technol 30:97–106

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Huang GH, Anderson WP, Baetz BW (1994) Environmental input-output analysis and its application to regional solid-waste management planning. J Environ Manage 42(1):63–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. USEPA, www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/reduce.htm

  12. Environment Agency Japan. Law No.110 of 2000

    Google Scholar 

  13. Matthews P (1998) Sustentability in biosolids management. Water Sci Technol 38:97–102

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kopp J, Müller J, Dichtl N, Schwedes J (1997) Anaerobic digestion and dewatering characteristics of mechanical disintegrated excess sludge. Water Sci Technol 36(11):129–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Pavlostathis SG, Gossett JM (1988) Preliminary conversion mechanisms in anaerobic digestion of biological sludges. J Energ Eng-ASCE 114:575–592

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Nah IW, Kang YW, Hwang KY et al (2000) Mechanical pretreatment of waste activated sludge for anaerobic digestion process. Water Res 34:2362–2368

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Baier U, Schmidheiny P (1997) Enhanced anaerobic degradation of mechanically disintegrated biosolids. Water Sci Technol 36(11):137–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Choi HB, Hwang KY, Shin EB (1997) Effects on anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge pretreatment. Water Sci Technol 35(10, Advanced Wastewater Treatment: Nutrient Removal and Anaerobic Processes):207–211

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lin J-G, Ma Y-S, Chao AC, Huang C-L (1998) BMP test on chemically pretreated sludge. Bioresource Technol 68(2):187–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Hwang KY, Shin EB, Choi HB (1997) A mechanical pretreatment of waste activated sludge for improvement of anaerobic digestion system. Water Sci Technol 36(12):111–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Groenroos A, Kylloenen H, Korpijaervi K, Pirkonen P, Paavola T, Jokela J, Rintala J (2005) Ultrasound assisted method to increase soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) of sewage sludge for digestion. Ultrason Sonochem 12(1–2):115–120

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Bien JB, Malina G, Bien JD, Wolny L (2004) Enhancing anaerobic fermentation of sewage sludge for increasing biogas generation. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng 39(4):939–949

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Nickel K (2002) Ultrasonic disintegration of biosolids – benefits, consequences and new strategies. Hamburger Berichte zur Siedlungswasserwirtschaft 35(Ultrasound in Environmental Engineering II):189–199

    Google Scholar 

  24. Onyeche TI, Schlafer O, Bormann H, Schroder C, Sievers M (2002) Ultrasonic cell disruption of stabilized sludge with subsequent anaerobic digestion. Ultrasonics 40(1–8):31–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Clark PB, Nujjoo I (2000) Ultrasonic sludge pretreatment for enhanced sludge digestion. Water Environ Manage 14(1):66–71

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Lafitte-Trouque S, Forster CF (2002) The use of ultrasound and gamma-irradiation as pre-treatments for the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge at mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures. Bioresour Technol 84(2):113–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Forster CF, Chacin E, Fernandez N (2003) The use of ultrasound to enhance the thermophilic digestion of waste activated sludge. Environ Technol 21:357–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. McDermott BL, Chalmers AD, Goodwin JAS (2001) Ultrasonication as a pre-treatment method for the enhancement of the psychrophilic anaerobic digestion of aquaculture effluents. Environ Technol 22(7):823–830

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Neis U, Nickel K, Tiehm A (2000) Enhancement of anaerobic sludge digestion by ultrasonic disintegration. Water Sci Technol 42(9):73–80

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Chiu YC, Chang CN, Lin JG et al (1997) Alkaline and ultrasonic pretreatment of sludge before anaerobic digestion. Water Sci Technol 36(11):155–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Tiehm A, Nickel K, Neis U (1997) The use of ultrasound to accelerate the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Water Sci Technol 36(11):121–128

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Rivard CJ, Nagle NJ (1996) Pretreatment technology for the beneficial biological reuse of municipal sewage sludges. Appl Biochem Biotech 57/58(Seventeenth Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, 1995):983–991

    Google Scholar 

  33. Neis U, Nickel K, Tiehm A (2001) Ultrasonic disintegration of sewage sludge for enhanced anaerobic biodegradation. Adv Sonochem 6:59–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Tiehm A, Nickel K, Zellhorn M, Neis U (2001) Ultrasonic waste activated sludge disintegration for improving anaerobic stabilization. Water Res 35(8):2003–2009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Wunsch B, Heine W, Neis U (2002) Combating bulking sludge with ultrasound. Hamburger Berichte zur Siedlungswasserwirtschaft 35(Ultrasound in Environmental Engineering II):201–212

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wang Q, Kuninobu M, Ogawa H, Kato Y (1999) Degradation of volatile fatty acids in highly efficient anaerobic digestion. Biomass Bioener 16(6):407–416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Chu CP, Lee DJ, Chang BV et al (2002) “Weak” ultrasonic pre-treatment on anaerobic digestion of flocculated activated biosolids. Water Res 36(11):2681–2688

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Wang QH, Kuninobu M, Kakimoto K, Ogawa HI, Kata Y (1999) Upgrading of anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge by ultrasonic pretreatment. Bioresour Technol 68(3):309–313

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Neis U, Tiehm A Ultrasound in wastewater and sludge treatment. Hamburger Berichte zur Siedlungswasserwirtschaft (1999) 25(Ultrasound in Environmental Engineering):39–61

    Google Scholar 

  40. Quarmby J, Scott JR, Mason AK, Davies G, Parsons SA (1999) The application of ultrasound as a pre-treatment for anaerobic digestion. Environ Technol 20(11):1155–1161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Bien J, Wolny L (1997) Changes of some sewage sludge parameters prepared with an ultrasonic field. Water Sci Technol 36(11):101–106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Shin KS, Kang H (2003) Electron beam pretreatment of sewage sludge before anaerobic digestion. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 109(1–3):227–239

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Kopplow O, Barjenbruch M, Heinz V (2004) Sludge pre-treatment with pulsed electric fields. Water Sci Technol 49(10):123–129

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Gavala HN, Yenal U, Ahring BK (2004) Thermal and enzymatic pretreatment of sludge containing phthalate esters prior to mesophilic anaerobic digestion. Biotechnol Bioeng 85:561–567

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Valo A, Carrere H, Delgenes JP (2004) Thermal, chemical and thermo-chemical pre-treatment of waste activated sludge for anaerobic digestion. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 79(11):1197–1203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Pinnekamp J (1989) Effects of thermal pretreatment of sewage sludge anaerobic digestion. Water Sci Technol 21:97–108

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Haug RT, Stuckey DC, Dossett JM, McCarty PL (1978) Effects of thermal pretreatment on digestibility and dewaterability of organic sludges. J Water Pollut Control Fed 50:73–85

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Haug RT, LeBrun TJ, Tortorici LD (1983) Thermal pretreatment of sludges – a field demonstration. J Water Pollut Control Fed 55:23–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Hiraoka M, Takeda N, Sakai S, Yasuda A (1984) Highly efficient anaerobic digestion with thermal pretreatment. Water Sci Technol 17:529–539

    Google Scholar 

  50. Li YY, Noike T (1992) Upgrading of anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge by thermal pretreatment. Water Sci Technol 26:857–866

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Li YY, Noike T (1989) Effects of thermal pretreatment and retention time on the degradation of waste activated sludge in anaerobic digestion. J Water Pollut Res 12(2):112–121 (In Japanese)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Jolis D, Jones B, Zhou G, Jones S, Isleta C, Solheim O (2002) Pilot study of pre-treatment to mesophilic anaerobic digestion for improved biosolids stabilization. In: WEFTEC 02, Conference proceedings, Annual technical exhibition & conference, 75th, Chicago, IL, Sept 28–Oct 2, pp 3061–3070

    Google Scholar 

  53. Gossett JM, Stuckey DC, Owen WF, McCarty PL (1982) Heat treatment and anaerobic digestion of refuse. J Environ Eng-ASCE 108:437–454

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Bonmati A, Flotats X, Mateu L et al (2001) Study of thermal hydrolysis as a pretreatment to mesophilic anaerobic digestion of pig slurry. Water Sci Technol 44(4):109–116

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Stuckey DC, McCarty PL (1984) The effect of thermal pretreatment on the anaerobic biodegradability and toxicity of waste activated sludge. Water Res 18:1343–1353

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Wechs F (1984) Influence of pretreatment on anaerobic stabilization of sewage sludge. Water Sci Technol 16(12):365–373

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Lin JG, Chang CN, Chang SC (1997) Enhancement of anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge by alkaline solubilization. Bioresour Technol 62(3):85–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Vlyssides AG, Karlis PK (2004) Thermal-alkaline solubilization of waste activated sludge as a pre-treatment stage for anaerobic digestion. Bioresour Technol 91:201–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Ray BT, Lin JG, Rajan RV (1990) Low-level alkaline solubilization for enhanced anaerobic digestion. J Water Pollut Control Fed 62(1):81–87

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Novelli A, Ottonello F, Converti A, Lodi A, Rovatti M, Del Borghi M (1995) Alkaline hydrolysis for the treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes and sludges. Chem Biochem Eng Quarterly 9(4):195–199

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Knezevic Z, Mavinic DS, Anderson BC (1995) Pilot scale evaluation of anaerobic codigestion of primary and pretreated waste activated sludge. Water Environ Res 67(5):835–841

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Penaud V, Delgenes JP, Moletta R (2000) Characterization of soluble molecules from thermochemically pretreated sludge. J Environ Eng-ASCE 126(5):397–402

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Sawayama S, Inoue S, Tsukahara K, Ogi T (1996) Thermalochemical liquidization of anaerobically digested and dewatered sludge and anaerobic retreatment. Bioresour Technol 55:141–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Delgenes JP, Penaud V, Torrijos M et al (2000) Investigations on the changes in anaerobic biodegradability and biotoxicity of an industrial microbial biomass induced by a thermochemical pretreatment. Water Sci Technol 41(3):137–144

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Tanaka S, Kobayashi T, Kamiyama K et al (1997) Effects of thermochemical pretreatment on the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. Water Sci Technol 35(8):209–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Tanaka S, Kamiyama K (2002) Thermochemical pretreatment in the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. Water Sci Technol 46(10):173–179

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Sawayama S, Inoue S, Yagishita T et al (1995) Thermochemical liquidization and anaerobic treatment of dewatered sewage-sludge. J Ferment Bioeng 79(3):300–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Penaud V, Delgenes JP, Moletta R (1999) Thermo-chemical pretreatment of a microbial biomass: influence of sodium hydroxide addition on solubilization and anaerobic biodegradability. Enzyme Microb Technol 25(3–5):258–263

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Penaud V, Delgenes JP, Moletta R (2000) Influence of thermochemical pretreatment conditions on solubilization and anaerobic biodegradability of a microbial biomass. Environ Technol 21(1):87–96

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Muller JA (2000) Pretreatment processes for the recycling and reuse of sewage sludge. Water Sci Technol 42(9):167–174

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Rajan RV, Lin JG, Ray BT (1989) Low-level chemical pretreatment for enhanced sludge solubilization. Res J Water Pollut Control Fed 61:1678–1683

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Ray BT, Rajan RV, Lin JG (1990) Low-level alkaline solubilization for enhanced anaerobic digestion. J Water Pollut Control Fed 62:81–87

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Goel R, Tokutomi T, Yasui H (2003) Anaerobic digestion of excess activated sludge with ozone pretreatment. Water Sci Technol 47:207–214

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Weemaes M, Grootaerd H, Simoens F et al (2000) Anaerobic digestion of ozonized biosolids. Water Res 34:2330–2336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Kim JS, Lee YY, Park SC (2000) Pretreatment of wastepaper and pulp mill sludge by aqueous ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 84–86:129–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Hasegawa S, Shiota N, Katsura K et al (2000) Solubilization of organic sludge by thermophilic aerobic bacteria as a pretreatment for anaerobic digestion. Water Sci Technol 41(3):163–169

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Imai T, Fukagawa M, Ukita M, Sekine M, Higuchi T, Kawamura T (2003) A study on solubilization of excess sludge by high speed rotary disk process. J Water Environ Technol 1(1):79–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  78. Murakami Y (2001) A study on solubilization of excess sludge by high-speed rotary disk. Yamaguchi University Graduation Thesis, Ube, Yamaguchi (Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  79. Baba Y (2004) A study on volume reduction process of excess sludge by high-speed rotary disk. Yamaguchi University Master’s Thesis, Ube, Yamaguchi (Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  80. Eto T (2007) Development of volume reduction process of excess sludge with nitrogen and phosphorus removal function. Yamaguchi University Master’s Thesis, Ube, Yamaguchi (Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Imai, T., Liu, Y., Ukita, M., Hung, YT. (2010). Solubilization of Sewage Sludge to Improve Anaerobic Digestion. In: Wang, L., Tay, JH., Tay, S., Hung, YT. (eds) Environmental Bioengineering. Handbook of Environmental Engineering, vol 11. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-031-1_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-031-1_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-493-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60327-031-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics