Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of Different Pretreatments on Anaerobically Digested Sludge Characteristics: Suitability for Final Disposal

  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The debate on sludge recycling and disposal has been recently a target of growing interest due to the expressed concern about the potential risks of its agricultural use on human health and the environment. This fact has led to revisions in government policy and regulations and many novel treatment processes have been proposed in order to make the recycling and reuse of sewage sludge sustainable. In this work, the use of some pretreatments (alkaline, thermal, and ozonation) combined with conventional anaerobic digestion has been assessed on digested sludge quality in terms of pathogens, dewatering properties, heavy metals, and organic pollutants. All pretreatments proved to be efficient to reach the requirements proposed in the Working Document on Sludge prepared by the European Commission (CEC, Council Directive of 27 April 2000 on Working Document on Sludge—third draft. Brussels: European Commission DG Environment. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/sludge/pdf/sludge_en.pdf, 2000a) and also those established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, Standards for the disposal and utilization of sewage sludge, part 503. Retrieved from http://www.epa.state.il.us/public-notices/2004/lincoln-trails-mhp/draft-permit.pdf, 1993).

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahn, K. H., Park, K. Y., Maeng, S. K., Hwang, J. H., Lee, J. W., Song, K. G., et al. (2002). Ozonation of wastewater and ozonation for recycling. Water Science and Technology, 46(10), 71–77.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, N. J., Dixon, D. R., Harbour, P. J., & Scales, P. J. (2002). Complete characterization of thermally treated sludge. Water Science and Technology, 46(10), 51–54.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • APHA-AWWA-WPCF (Eds.).(2001). Compendium of methods for the microbiological examination of foods. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.

  • APHA-AWWA-WPCF (Eds.).(2005). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.

  • Araujo, M., Sueiro, R. A., Gómez, M. J., & Garrido, M. J. (2001). Evaluation of fluorogenic TSC agar for recovering Clostridium perfringens in groundwater samples. Water Science and Technology, 43, 201–204.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battersby, N., & Wilson, V. (1989). Survey of the anaerobic biodegradation potential of organic chemicals in digesting sludge. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 55, 433–439.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battimelli, A., Millet, C., Delgenes, J. P., & Moletta, R. (2003). Anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge combined with ozone post-treatment and recycling. Water Science and Technology, 48(4), 61–68.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bivins, J. L., & Novak, J. T. (2001). Changes in dewatering properties between thermophilic and mesophilic stages in temperature-phased anaerobic digestion systems. Water Environment Research, 73, 444–449. doi:10.2175/106143001X139498.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa, M., Omil, F., Alder, A. C., & Lema, J. M. (2006). Comparison between the conventional anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge and its combination with a chemical or thermal pre-treatment concerning the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Water Science and Technology, 53(8), 109–117. doi:10.2166/wst.2006.241.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa, M., Omil, F., Ternes, T., & Lema, J. M. (2007a). Fate of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) during anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Water Research, 41(10), 2139–2150. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2007.02.012.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa, M., Manterola, G., Larrea, L., Ternes, T., Omil, F., & Lema, J. M. (2007b). Influence of ozone pre-treatment on sludge anaerobic digestion: removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products. Chemosphere, 67(7), 1444–1452. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.10.004.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CEC (1986). Council Directive of 12 June 1986 on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture. Council of the European Communities (Directive 86/278/EEC).

  • CEC (1991). Council Directive of 21 May 1991 on urban waste water treatment. Council of the European Communities (Directive 91/271/EEC).

  • CEC (1999). Council Directive of 26 April 1999 on the landfill use of waste. Council of the European Communities (Directive 1999/31/EC).

  • CEC.(2000a). Council Directive of 27 April 2000 on Working Document on Sludge—third draft. Brussels: European Commission DG Environment. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/sludge/pdf/sludge_en.pdf.

  • CEC (2000b). Council Directive of 4 December 2000 on the incineration and the co-incineration of industrial and municipal solid waste. Council of the European Communities (Directive 2000/76/EEC).

  • CEC.(2004). Draft discussion document for the AD HOC meeting on biowastes and sludge 15–16 January 2004, Brussels. Brussels: Council of the European Communities. Retrieved from http://www.ewaonline.de/downloads/WD_sludge.pdf.

  • Chiu, Y. C., Chang, C. N., Lin, J. G., & Huang, S. J. (1997). Alkaline and ultrasonic pretreatment of sludge before anaerobic digestion. Water Science and Technology, 36(11), 155–162. doi:10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00681-1.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chu, C. P., Feng, W. H., Chang, B. V., & Lee, D. J. (1999). Reduction in microbial density level through freezing and thawing. Water Research, 33, 3532–3535. doi:10.1016/S0043-1354(99)00067-6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Climent, M., Ferrer, I., Baeza, M. D., Artola, A., Vázquez, F., & Font, X. (2007). Effects of thermal and mechanical pretreatments of secondary sludge on biogas production under thermophilic conditions. Chemical Engineering Journal, 133(1–3), 335–342. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2007.02.020.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darvodelsky, P., & Fien, M. (2005). The health impact of biosolids use on land. Water, 21(12), 20–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dewil, R., Appels, L., Baeyens, J., & Degreve, J. (2007). Peroxidation enhances the biogas production in the anaerobic digestion of biosolids. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 146(3), 577–581. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.04.059.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • FDA (Eds.) (1995). Bacteriological analytical manual. Gaithersburg, USA: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AOAC International.

  • Fernández-Cirelli, A., Ojeda, C., Castro, M. J. L., & Salgot, M. (2008). Surfactants in sludge-amended agricultural soils: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 6, 135–148. doi:10.1007/s10311-008-0146-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goel, R., Tokutomi, T., Yasui, H., & Naike, T. (2003). Optimal configuration for anaerobic digestion with ozonation. Water Science and Technology, 48(4), 85–96.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo, L., Li, X. M., Bo, X., Yang, Q., Zeng, G. M., Liao, D. X., et al. (2008). Impacts of sterilization, microwave and ultrasonication pre-treatment on hydrogen producing using waste sludge. Bioresource Technology, 99(9), 3651–3658. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2007.07.026.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han, Y., Sung, S., & Dague, R. R. (1997). Temperature-phased anaerobic digestion of wastewater sludge. Water Science and Technology, 36(6–7), 367–374. doi:10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00544-1.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holt, M. S., & Bernstei, S. L. (1992). Linear alkylbenzene in sewage sludges and sludge amended soils. Water Research, 26, 613–624. doi:10.1016/0043-1354(92)90235-V.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hong, S. M., Park, J. K., & Lee, Y. O. (2004). Mechanisms of microwave irradiation involved in the destruction of fecal coliforms from biosolids. Water Research, 38(6), 1615–1625. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2003.12.011.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, S., Jang, H., Lee, M., Song, J., & Kim, S. (2006). Characteristics of sludge reduction in an integrated pretreatment and aerobic digestion process. Water Science and Technology, 53(7), 235–242. doi:10.2166/wst.2006.228.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ikehata, K., & El-Din, M. G. (2004). Degradation of recalcitrant surfactants in wastewater by ozonation and advanced oxidation processes: a review. Ozone Science and Engineering, 26(4), 327–343. doi:10.1080/01919510490482160.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jan, T. W., Adav, S. S., Lee, D. J., Wu, R. M., Su, A., & Tay, J. H. (2008). Hydrogen fermentation and methane production from sludge with pretreatments. Energy & Fuels, 22(1), 98–102. doi:10.1021/ef700278j.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, K. C., & Northcott, G. L. (2000). Organic contaminants in sewage sludges: a survey of UK samples and a consideration of their significance. Final report to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Water Quality Division.

  • Kepp, U., Machenbach, I., Weisz, N., & Solheim, O. E. (2000). Enhanced stabilisation of sewage sludge through thermal hydrolysis—three year of experience with full-scale plant. Water Science and Technology, 42(9), 89–96.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Killilea, J. E., Colleran, E., & Scahill, C. (2000). Establishing procedures for design, operation and maintenance of sewage sludge anaerobic treatment plants. Water Science and Technology, 41(3), 305–312.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J., Park, C., Kim, T. H., Lee, M., Kim, S., Kim, S. W., et al. (2002). Effects of various pretreatments for enhanced anaerobic digestion with activated sludge. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 95(3), 271–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laturnus, F., von Arnold, K., & Grøn, C. (2007). Organic contaminants from sewage sludge applied to agricultural soils. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 14(1), 53–60. doi:10.1065/espr2006.12.365.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, J. G., Cahn, C. N., & Chang, S. C. (1997). Enhancement of anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge by alkaline solubilization. Bioresource Technology, 62(3), 85–90. doi:10.1016/S0960-8524(97)00121-1.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Magoarou, P. (2000). Urban wastewater in Europe—what about the sludge? (pp. 9–16). Proceedings of the EU Workshop on Problems Around Sludge, Stresa, Italy, November.

  • Odegaard, H. (2004). Sludge minimization technologies—an overview. Water Science and Technology, 49(10), 31–40.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petrovic, M., & Barceló, D. (2000). Determination of anionic and nonionic surfactants, their degradation products and endocrine-disrupting compounds in sewage sludge by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry, 72(19), 4560–4567. doi:10.1021/ac000306o.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stedman, L. (2005). Chemical conditioning of sludge. Water, 21(12), 23–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tapana, C., & Pagilla, K. R. (2000). Anaerobic thermophilic/mesophilic dual-stage sludge treatment. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 126(9), 796–801. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2000)126:9(796).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tenenbaum, D. (1997). The beauty of biosolids. Environmental Health Perspectives, 105, 32–37. doi:10.2307/3433058.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trably, E., & Patureau, D. (2006). Successful treatment of low PAH-contaminated sewage sludge in aerobic bioreactors. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 13, 170–176. doi:10.1065/espr2005.06.263.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uradzinski, J., Wysok, B., Bielicki, Z., & Gomolka-Pawlicka, M. (2005). Ozonation as an alternative method of disinfecting knives for use in meat processing. Bulletin of the Veterinary Institute in PuLawy, 49(4), 399–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1993). Standards for the disposal and utilization of sewage sludge, part 503. Retrieved from http://www.epa.state.il.us/public-notices/2004/lincoln-trails-mhp/draft-permit.pdf.

  • Vanhulle, S., Trovaslet, M., Enaud, E., Lucas, M., Taghavi, S., Van Der Lelie, D., et al. (2008). Decolorization, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity reduction during a combined ozonation/fungal treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater. Environmental Science & Technology, 42(2), 584–589. doi:10.1021/es071300k.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weber, W. J. (1972). Physicochemical processes for water quality control. New York: Wiley-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weemaes, M., Grootaerd, H., Simoens, F., & Verstraete, W. (2000). Anaerobic digestion of ozonized biosolids. Water Research, 34(8), 2330–2336. doi:10.1016/S0043-1354(99)00373-5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (MICROFARM project, CTQ2007-66265). Special thanks go to the Department of Microbiology and Parasitology and the Department of Edafology of the University of Santiago de Compostela and the Department of Environmental Chemistry of the Institute of Chemical and Environmental Research of Barcelona for the analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, E-15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Marta Carballa, Francisco Omil & Juan M. Lema

Authors
  1. Marta Carballa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francisco Omil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Juan M. Lema
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marta Carballa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carballa, M., Omil, F. & Lema, J.M. Influence of Different Pretreatments on Anaerobically Digested Sludge Characteristics: Suitability for Final Disposal. Water Air Soil Pollut 199, 311–321 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9880-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9880-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation