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Wang Y, Shi Y, Fang L, Wang Z, Wu P, Yang X, Shi X, Pi K. Characteristics and aging of microplastics in waste activated sludge under persulfate and hydrothermal co-treatment: Impact of solid content and temperature. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 358:124498. [PMID: 38972564 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Activated persulfate and hydrothermal treatment (HTT) are often employed to treat waste activated sludge, which can improve the efficiency of subsequent sludge treatment and change the distribution of pollutants in the sludge. However, the impact of sludge solid content and temperature on the occurrence and aging of microplastics (MPs) during HTT remains poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of persulfate-HTT (SPS-HTT) co-treatment on the migration, occurrence, and aging of MPs in sludge with different solid contents (2% and 5% solid content). The results indicated that SPS-HTT co-treatment triggers both the disruption of sludge flocs and the melting deformation of MPs at high temperatures, leading to variations in the increasing trend of MP concentration in the solid-liquid phase at different solid contents. 5% solid content sludge showed a weak release of MPs from the solid phase. The proportion of fiber MPs first increased and then decreased with increasing temperature, while no significant changes were observed in the color and type of MPs. Higher temperature and solid content induced the melting deformation of MPs, exacerbated the aging of polypropylene MPs, and resulted in rough surfaces, higher carbonyl index, and variations in crystallinity. Moreover, the correlation between the carbonyl index and aging indicators increased with increasing solid content. The MP-derived dissolved organic matter under HTT primarily comprised soluble microbial by-products and humic acid-like substances. These findings underscore the significance of sludge solid content in affecting the migration and aging of MPs during HTT, and offer novel insights into the application of HTT to MP management in sludge treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yafei Shi
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Health Perception and Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
| | - Longyu Fang
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Zhipeng Wang
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Pan Wu
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Health Perception and Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Xiong Yang
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Health Perception and Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Xiong Shi
- National Engineering Research Center for Ecological Environment of Yangtze River Economic Zone, China Three Gorges Corporation, Wuhan, 430014, China
| | - Kewu Pi
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Health Perception and Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
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2
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Zahra SA, Persiani R, Dueholm MK, van Loosdrecht M, Nielsen PH, Seviour TW, Lin Y. Rethinking characterization, application, and importance of extracellular polymeric substances in water technologies. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 89:103192. [PMID: 39216163 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Biofilms play important roles in water technologies such as membrane treatments and activated sludge. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are key components of biofilms. However, the precise nature of these substances and how they influence biofilm formation and behavior remain critical knowledge gaps. EPS are produced by many different microorganisms and span multiple biopolymer classes, which each require distinct strategies for characterization. The biopolymers additionally associate with each other to form insoluble complexes. Here, we explore recent progress toward resolving the structures and functions of EPS, where a shift towards direct functional assessments and advanced characterization techniques is necessary. This will enable integration with better microbial community and omics analyses to understand EPS biosynthesis pathways and create further opportunities for EPS control and valorization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasmitha A Zahra
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Rozalia Persiani
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Morten Kd Dueholm
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Mark van Loosdrecht
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Per H Nielsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Thomas W Seviour
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Yuemei Lin
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 Delft, the Netherlands.
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3
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Li Y, Xiao S, Zhang Q, Wang N, Yang Q, Hao J. Development and standardization of spectrophotometric assay for quantification of thermal hydrolysis-origin melanoidins and its implication in antioxidant activity evaluation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135021. [PMID: 38944987 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Melanoidins are brown recalcitrant polymers originating from the thermal hydrolysis pretreatment (THP) of organic solid waste (OSW). Owing to their various formation pathways and complex structures, there is currently no reliable method to quantify melanoidins. In this study, a spectrophotometric method was developed to determine melanoidins concentration in different OSW. Three typical model Maillard reaction systems (glucose-glycine, glucose/fructose-20 amino acids, and dextran-bovine serum albumin) were used to acquire the characteristic peaks and establish standard curves. The results showed that a standard curve using glucose/fructose-20 amino acids model melanoidins at 280 nm was the optimal quantification method, because it had the best correlation with the physicochemical indicators of melanoidins and semi-quantification results calculated by excitation-emission matrix fluorescence. In addition, the applicability of the proposed method was evaluated using multiple real melanoidins samples extracted from thermally pretreated OSW under different THP conditions and food-derived melanoidins as well, demonstrating its validity and advantages. This study is the first to provide a simple, effective, and accurate method for quantifying THP-origin melanoidins from different sources. Remarkably, as a specific and important application scenario, the proposed quantification method was employed to investigate the concentration dependence of melanoidins antioxidation in thermally pretreated OSW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Siwei Xiao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Qian Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Nan Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Qing Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Jiuxiao Hao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China.
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4
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He Y, Chen W, Xiang Y, Zhang Y, Xie L. Unveiling the effect of PFOA presence on the composting process: Roles of oxidation stress, carbon metabolism, and humification process. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 479:135682. [PMID: 39236542 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an emerging pollutant, has been frequently detected in organic solid waste. It becomes a major concern for compost application, but studies on its toxic effects during composting are rare. This study evaluated the impact of PFOA presence at the environmentally relevant level on the humification process and microbiology during composting. The results showed that the PFOA presence (15.5 μg/kg dry) caused 45.5 % and 40.5 % decreases in the total organic carbon and humic acid-like substances, respectively. PFOA negatively affected microbial activity during the thermophilic period, as evidenced by the increases in reactive oxygen species and lactate dehydrogenase concentration. It altered the microbial community with an enrichment of Bacteroidota, conducive to resisting press. Unexpectedly, the PFOA presence induced hormesis at the maturity period, consistent with stimulated carbon metabolism (i.e., glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation). The modulated microbial metabolism stimulated the catabolic metabolism of small-molecule humus precursors and reduced intracellular quinone availability. Furthermore, the secretion of auxiliary activities for crude fiber degradation was suppressed, which decreased the generation of extracellular quinone, and thereby impeded the humification process. These findings deciphered the metabolic response of composting to PFOA presence and highlighted the potential carbon loss of PFOA-containing composting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying He
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Weizhen Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Yuankun Xiang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
| | - Li Xie
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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5
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Du Z, Lu B, Li D, Chai X. Strengthening nitrogen removal of rural wastewater treatment in humus biochemical system under low dissolved oxygen conditions: Sludge and microbial characteristics. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 366:121762. [PMID: 39067308 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
To achieve efficient and cost-effective treatment for the rural wastewater, a novel humus biochemical system (HBS) process derived from humus bio-functional material was proposed to treat rural wastewater under low dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions, and the operational performance, sludge characteristics, and microbial community in HBS were systematically investigated in this study. The results indicated that the HBS reactor could be operated stably under low DO levels of 0.2-0.8 mg/L, and maintained high removal efficiencies of 96.4%, 96.0%, and 88.2% for chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, and total nitrogen, with corresponding effluent concentrations of 11.0, 1.7, and 5.1 mg/L, respectively. The sludge produced from HBS was characterized by relatively large particle size, complex structural morphology, and abundant humic substances, which favorably improved the system stability. Illumina sequencing demonstrated that HBS reactor possessed high microbial abundance and diversity and was enriched with plenty of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, which synergistically intensified the whole biological nitrogen removal process in this system. The study presented the feasibility and adaptability of HBS for energy-efficient rural wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengliang Du
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Bin Lu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Dong Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xiaoli Chai
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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6
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Sun T, Cai S, Zhang X, Wang D, Zhang W. Leaching hazards of tire wear particles in hydrothermal treatment of sludge: Exploring molecular composition, transformation mechanism, and ecological effects of tire wear particle-derived compounds. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 257:121669. [PMID: 38728786 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Tire wear particles (TWPs) are considered a significant contributor of microplastics (MPs) in the sludge during heavy rainfall events. Numerous studies have shown that hydrothermal treatment (HT) of sludge can accelerate the leaching of MP-derived compound into hydrothermal liquid, thus impairing the performance of subsequent anaerobic digestion and the quality of the hydrothermal liquid fertilizer. However, the leaching behavior of TWPs in the HT of sludge remains inadequately explored. This study examined the molecular composition of TWP-derived compounds and transformation pathways of representative tire-related additives under different hydrothermal temperatures using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with mass difference analysis. The acute toxicity and phytotoxicity of TWP leachates were assessed using Vibrio qinghaiensis Q67 and rice hydroponics experiments. The results indicated that elevating the hydrothermal temperature not only amplified the leaching behavior of TWPs but also enhanced the chemical complexity of the TWP leachate. Utilizing both suspect and non-target screenings, a total of 144 compounds were identified as additives, including N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6-PDD), hexa(methoxymethyl)melamine (HMMM), dibutyl phthalate (DBP). These additives underwent various reactions, such as desaturation, acetylation, and other reactions, leading to the formation of different transformation products (TPs). Moreover, certain additives, including caprolactam and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinol, demonstrated the potential to form conjugate products with amino acids or Maillard products. Meanwhile, TWP-derived compounds showed significant acute toxicity and detrimental effects on plant growth. This study systematically investigated the environmental fate of TWPs and their derived compounds during the HT of sludge, offering novel insights into the intricate interactions between the micropollutants and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Sun
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Siying Cai
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Department of environmental engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Weijun Zhang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Detoxication and Resource Recovery, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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7
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Li Z, You Z, Zhang L, Chen H. Effect of total solids content on anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge enhanced by high-temperature thermal hydrolysis. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 359:120980. [PMID: 38669887 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Total solids (TS) content may provide a regulatory strategy for optimizing anaerobic digestion enhanced by high-temperature thermal hydrolysis, but the role of TS content is not yet clear. In this study, the effect of TS content on the high-temperature thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion of sludge and its mechanism were investigated. The results showed that increasing the TS content from 2% to 8% increased the sludge solubility and methane production potential, reaching peak values of 26.6% and 336 ± 6 mL/g volatile solids (VS), respectively. With a further increase in TS content to 12%, the strong Maillard reaction increased the aromaticity and structural stability of extracellular polymer substances, decreasing sludge solubility to 18.6%. Furthermore, the decrease in sludge biodegradability and the formation of inhibitory by-products resulted in a reduction in methane production to 272 ± 4 mL/g VS. This article provides a new perspective to understand the role of TS content in the thermal hydrolysis of sludge and a novel approach to regulate the Maillard reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Li
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China
| | - Zhimin You
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China.
| | - Liuqing Zhang
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China
| | - Hongbo Chen
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China.
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8
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Chen H, Ye Q, Wang X, Sheng J, Yu X, Zhao S, Zou X, Zhang W, Xue G. Applying sludge hydrolysate as a carbon source for biological denitrification after composition optimization via red soil filtration. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 249:120909. [PMID: 38006788 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Sludge hydrolysate, the byproduct generated during sludge hydrothermal treatment (HT), is a potential carbon source for biological denitrification. However, the refractory organic matters and the nutrient substances are unfavorable to the nitrogen removal. In this study, effects of HT conditions on the hydrolysate properties, and the hydrolysate compositions optimization via red soil (RS) filtration were investigated. At HT temperature of 160-220 °C and reaction time of 1-4 h, the highest dissolution rate of organics from sludge to hydrolysate achieved 70.1 %, while the acetic acid dominated volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was no more than 5.0 % of the total organic matter content. The NH4+-N and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) were the main nitrogen species in hydrolysate. When the hydrolysate was filtered by RS, the high molecular weight organic matters, DON, NH4+ and PO43- were effectively retained by RS, while VFAs and polysaccharide favorable for denitrification were kept in the filtrate. When providing same COD as the carbon source, the filtrate group (Fi-Group) introduced lower concentrations of TN and humic substances but higher content of VFAs. This resulted in TN removal rate (57.0 %) and denitrification efficiency (93.6 %) in Fi-Group higher than those in hydrolysate group (Hy-Group), 39.4 % and 83.7 %, respectively. It is noticeable that both Hy- and Fi- Groups up-regulated most of denitrification functional genes, and increased the richness and diversity of denitrifying bacteria. Also, more denitrifying bacteria genera appeared, and their relative abundance increased significantly from 3.31 % in Control to 21.15 % in Hy- Group and 31.31 % in Fi-Group. This indicates that the filtrate is a more suitable carbon source for denitrification than hydrolysate. Moreover, the pH rose from 4.6 ± 0.14 to 6.5 ± 0.05, and the organic carbon, TN, TP and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of RS increased as well after being filtered, implying that the trapped compounds may have the potential to improve soil quality. This study provides a new insight for hydrolysate application according to its composition characteristics, and helps make the most use of wasted sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620, PR China; Key Lab of Eco-restoration of Regional Contaminated Environment (Shenyang University), Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110044, PR China; School of Life Science, Jinggangshan University, 28 Xueyuan Road, Ji'an, 343009, PR China
| | - Qinhui Ye
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Xiulan Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Jun Sheng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Xin Yu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Shiyi Zhao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Xiaoming Zou
- School of Life Science, Jinggangshan University, 28 Xueyuan Road, Ji'an, 343009, PR China.
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- Key Lab of Eco-restoration of Regional Contaminated Environment (Shenyang University), Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110044, PR China
| | - Gang Xue
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
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9
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Pang H, Li X, Qin Q, Wei Q, Zhang Y, Xu D, Xu Y, Zhang Z, Lu J. In-situ sewer sediment self-cleaning by plant ash-driven hydrolysis: Impairing adhesion and hydraulic erosion resistance from gelatinous biopolymer molecule deconstruction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168276. [PMID: 37923257 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The gelatinous structure and adhesion of sediments induced strong hydraulic erosion resistance and bottom siltation, which brought about serious challenges in sewer management. The in-situ sediment self-cleaning technology with low energy and labor consumption has become urgent demand. This study proposed an innovative plant ash-triggered molecule hydrolysis strategy for driving sewer sediment self-cleaning. Plant ash treatment at the optimal dosage of 0.10 g/g SS promoted molecular deconstruction and dissolution of aromatic proteins (tryptophan-like and tyrosine-like proteins), humic acids (fulvic acid-like and humic acid-like substances) and carbohydrates with secondary structure deflocculation (α-helix to β-turn), meanwhile numerous microbial cells were lysed, contributing to linkage breakage in extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). The gelatinous EPS disruption and outward migration with cohesion reduction were achievable. Sediment adhesion was vulnerable to EPS structural damage, which was degenerated by 91.14 %. Correspondingly, the sediment matrix structure was observably disintegrated into dispersive and small fragments, with increased surface electronegativity and eliminated adhesive bio-agglomeration. Thereby, the sensitivity of sediments to hydraulic erosion was greatly improved. In this case, substantial organic and inorganic sediment particles were solubilized and downstream transported by gravity sewage flow. Such plant ash-triggered hydrolysis provided a sustainable strategy for sediment self-cleaning in "waste control by waste" pattern, which improved sediment floating by 7.25-9.57 times. Considerable economic benefits of 35.56-123.46 CNY/(sewer meter length) were obtained compared with traditional mechanical flushing approaches. The findings might provide theoretical and engineering inspirations for solving sewer sediment issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heliang Pang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an 710055, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Xingwang Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Qiwen Qin
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Qiao Wei
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Yuyao Zhang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Dong Xu
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Yumeng Xu
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Jinsuo Lu
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an 710055, China.
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10
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Zhu Y, Cao Y, Fu B, Wang C, Shu S, Zhu P, Wang D, Xu H, Zhong N, Cai D. Waste milk humification product can be used as a slow release nano-fertilizer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:128. [PMID: 38167856 PMCID: PMC10761720 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44422-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The demand for milk has increased globally, accompanied by an increase in waste milk. Here, we provide an artificial humification technology to recycle waste milk into an agricultural nano-fertilizer. We use KOH-activated persulfate to convert waste milk into fulvic-like acid and humic-like acid. We mix the product with attapulgite to obtain a slow-release nano fulvic-like acid fertilizer. We apply this nano-fertilizer to chickweeds growing in pots, resulting in improved yield and root elongation. These results indicate that waste milk could be recycled for agricultural purposes, however, this nano-fertilizer needs to be tested further in field experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Zhu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxuan Cao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingbing Fu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengjin Wang
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 5V6, Canada
| | - Shihu Shu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China
| | - Pengjin Zhu
- Guangxi Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Nanning, 530000, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongfang Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China
| | - He Xu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China
| | - Naiqin Zhong
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongqing Cai
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Cao X, He R, Jia M. Characterization of melanoidins in thermal hydrolysis sludge and effects on dewatering performance. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 239:117226. [PMID: 37788760 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Thermal hydrolysis pretreatment (THP) of sludge can form the refractory brown melanoidins due to the occurrence of the Maillard reaction, which adversely involves the subsequent sludge anaerobic digestion (AD) process. However, details of the generation pattern of melanoidins and how they affect the sludge dewaterability remain largely unknown. This work aims to determine an approach to characterize and quantify the melanoidins created by THP of sludge. On this basis, the effect of melanoidins on sludge dewatering performance was revealed by adding synthetic melanoidins to the mixed sludge. Experimental results showed that three-dimensional fluorescence-region integration (3DEEM-FRI) could effectively distinguish melanoidins from other organic substances and achieve semi-quantitative characterization in sludge. The melanoidins significantly deteriorated the sludge dewaterability, and the lowest solids content of the filter cake (TS) was only 17.78% at the addition of 480 mg (g TS)-1, which was a drop of about 20% compared to the control group. The mechanism investigations indicated that the internal structure of sludge becoming particularly complicated and the opportunities for molecules to collide with each other enlarged because of the contribution of melanoidins, resulting in the increment of the sludge apparent viscosity and consistency coefficient (k), a decline of the flow behavior index (n) and a weakening of flowability. Melanoidins could capture massive water molecules and carry negative charges with the decrease of sludge particle size and zeta potential value, which enhanced the electrostatic repulsion between sludge particles and abated the flocculation ability, thus further aggravating the sludge dewatering performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuqin Cao
- Key Laboratory of Urban Storm Water System and Water Environment, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 1#Zhanlanguan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Ran He
- School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 1#Zhanlanguan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Mingyan Jia
- School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 1#Zhanlanguan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China
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12
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Xu H, Yang XL, Liu Y, Xia YG, Song HL. Towards bio-utilization and energy recovery potential exploration of membrane foulant from membrane bioreactor by using microbial fuel cell-centered technology. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 387:129580. [PMID: 37506943 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The utilization of membrane foulant is expected to push forward the developments of membrane bioreactor (MBR). In this study, the combination of microbial fuel cell (MFC) with bio-electrochemical enhanced hydrolysis process was proposed, and three systems were conducted to utilize the membrane foulant and simultaneously harvest electricity. Polysaccharides (PS), proteins (PN) and humic acid (HA) concentration variations and the fluorescent compound changes in different chambers revealed the biodegradability of membrane foulant. Optimized HRT improved the hydrolysis of membrane foulant while allowing MFC to utilize the biodegradable components efficiently. MFC-MFC system had the highest voltage and satisfactory effluent quality at HRT of 1 d. Microbial community structure analysis indicated that Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes and Bacteroidetes were the majority phyla and network analysis further revealed that Proteobacteria played a key role in membrane foulant utilization. This study suggests that MFC hybrid systems has potential application for synchronous membrane foulant reuse and energy recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Xu
- School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Dongnan Daxue Road 2, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Xiao-Li Yang
- School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Dongnan Daxue Road 2, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, China.
| | - Yun Liu
- School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Dongnan Daxue Road 2, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yang-Guang Xia
- School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Dongnan Daxue Road 2, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Hai-Liang Song
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Engineering Lab of Water and Soil Eco-Remediation, Nanjing 210023, China.
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13
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Chen R, Dai X, Dong B. Two birds with one stone: The multiple roles of hydrothermal treatment in dewatering municipal sludge and producing value-added products. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165072. [PMID: 37364842 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Sludge dewatering and resource recovery are key steps in the sustainable treatment of municipal sludge (MS) owing to the high levels of moisture and nutrients. Among the treatment options available, hydrothermal treatment (HT) is promising to efficiently improve dewaterability and recover biofuels, nutrients, and materials from MS. However, hydrothermal conversion at different HT conditions generates multiple products. Integrating the characteristics of dewaterability and value-added products under different HT conditions facilitates the application of HT for the sustainable management of MS. Therefore, a comprehensive review of HT for its multiple roles in MS dewatering and value-added resource recovery is conducted. First, the impact of HT temperature on sludge dewaterability and key mechanisms are summarized. Then, this study elucidates the characteristics of biofuels produced (combustible gases, hydrochars, biocrudes, and H2-rich gases), nutrient recovery (proteins and phosphorus), and value-added materials under a wide range of HT conditions. Importantly, along with the integration and evaluation of HT product characteristics under different HT temperatures, this work proposes a conceptual sludge treatment system that integrates the different value-added products in different HT stages. Furthermore, a critical evaluation of the knowledge gaps in the HT for sludge deep dewatering, biofuels, nutrients, and materials recovery is provided along with recommendations for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Bin Dong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, China Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, PR China.
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14
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Wang L, Zhou J, Jia Q, Ma X, Zhao Y, Gong L, Zhang H. Anaerobic digestion of hydrothermally pretreated dewatered sewage sludge: effects of process conditions on methane production and the fate of phosphorus. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:66767-66780. [PMID: 37099108 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26990-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) characteristics and the fate of phosphorus (P) and anaerobic digestion (AD) performance of dewatered sewage sludge (DSS) were investigated at different hydrothermal conditions. The maximum methane yield reached 241 mL CH4/g COD when the hydrothermal conditions were 200 °C-2 h-10% (A4), and the yield was 78.28% higher than that without pretreatment (A0) and 29.62% higher than that of the initial hydrothermal conditions (A1, 140 °C-1 h-5%). Proteins, polysaccharides, and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were the main hydrothermal products of DSS. 3D-EEM analysis revealed that tyrosine, tryptophan proteins, and fulvic acids decreased after HTP, but the content of humic acid-like substances increased, and this phenomenon was more noticeable after AD. Solid-organic P was converted into liquid-P during the hydrothermal process, and nonapatite inorganic P was converted into organic P during AD. All samples achieved positive energy balance, and the energy balance of A4 was 10.50 kJ/g VS. Microbial analysis showed that the composition of the anaerobic microbial degradation community changed as the sludge organic composition was altered. Results showed that the HTP improved the anaerobic digestion of DSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyu Wang
- School of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53, Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266042, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- School of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53, Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266042, Shandong Province, China
| | - Qinwei Jia
- School of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53, Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266042, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiaofan Ma
- School of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53, Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266042, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yuhang Zhao
- School of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53, Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266042, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lei Gong
- School of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53, Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266042, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Haonan Zhang
- School of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53, Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266042, Shandong Province, China
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15
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Arrieta AA, Nuñez de la Rosa Y, Palencia M. Electrochemistry Study of Bio-Based Composite Biopolymer Electrolyte-Starch/Cardol. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15091994. [PMID: 37177142 PMCID: PMC10181454 DOI: 10.3390/polym15091994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The environmental problems generated by pollution due to polymers of petrochemical origin have led to the search for eco-friendly alternatives such as the development of biopolymers or bio-based polymers. The aim of this work was to evaluate the electrochemical behavior of a biopolymer composite made from cassava starch and cardol extracted from cashew nut shell liquid. The biopolymers were prepared using the thermochemical method, varying the synthesis pH and the cardol amounts. The biopolymers were synthesized in the form of films and characterized by cyclic voltamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The biopolymers showed a rich electroactivity, with three oxidation-reduction processes evidenced in the voltamperograms. On the other hand, the equivalent circuit corresponding to the impedance behavior of biopolymers integrated the processes of electron transfer resistance, electric double layer, redox reaction process, and resistance of the biopolymeric matrix. The results allowed us to conclude that the cardol content and the synthesis pH were factors that affect the electrochemical behavior of biopolymer composite films. Electrochemical processes in biopolymers were reversible and involved two-electron transfer and were diffusion-controlled processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro A Arrieta
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Universidad de Sucre (University of Sucre), Sincelejo 700001, Colombia
| | - Yamid Nuñez de la Rosa
- Faculty of Engineering and Basic Sciences, Fundación Universitaria Los Libertadores, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Manuel Palencia
- Research Group in Science with Technological Applications (GI-CAT), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, University of Valle, Cali 760042, Colombia
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16
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Wang L, Hao J, Yu X, Zhang B, Sui J, Wang C. Method development for the identification, extraction and characterization of melanoidins in thermal hydrolyzed sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 864:161204. [PMID: 36581290 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Melanoidins, the brown late-stage Maillard reaction products, are responsible for color development and refractoriness in thermal hydrolyzed sludge (THS), causing negative effects on wastewater treatment. This study aimed to develop a methodology for the identification, isolation and preliminary characterization of the THS melanoidins. After thermal hydrolysis, the formation of melanoidins were confirmed by physicochemical indicators and excitation-emission matrix fluorescence analysis. The macroporous resin adsorption method was adopted to successfully extract melanoidins from THS with high recovery and selectivity. The main chemical components of the extracted melanoidins were carbohydrate (23.1 %), protein (43.8 %) and phenol (13.7 %), and the C/N was 4.5. In addition, furans, alcohols and sulfur-containing volatile substances were detected by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy determined that functional groups such as CO, CN, NH, C-O-C, amide I and phenyl were present in the structure of THS melanoidins, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated the formation of heterocyclic macromolecular structures. Their formation pathways were speculated to involve the cross-linkage of low-molecular-weight components (e.g. proteins, Amadori and Schiff base compounds) and the polymerization of heterocyclic units (e.g. furans, pyroles and pyrazines). The above results clarify the fundamental characteristics of the melanoidins formed during sludge thermal hydrolysis and will help improve subsequent research on melanoidins control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leshi Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Jiuxiao Hao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Xintian Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Bingjie Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Jun Sui
- Guangdong Shouhui Lantian Engineering and Technology Co. Ltd., Guangzhou 510075, China
| | - Chuanxin Wang
- Guangdong Shouhui Lantian Engineering and Technology Co. Ltd., Guangzhou 510075, China
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17
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Wang X, Jiang C, Wang H, Xu S, Zhuang X. Strategies for energy conversion from sludge to methane through pretreatment coupled anaerobic digestion: Potential energy loss or gain. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 330:117033. [PMID: 36603247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion (AD) of wasted activated sludge from wastewater plants is recognized as an effective method to reclaim energy in the form of methane. AD performance has been enhanced by coupling various pretreatments that impact energy conversion from sludge. This paper mainly reviewed the development of pretreatments based on different technologies reported in recent years and evaluated their energy benefit. Significant increases in methane yield are generally obtained in AD with pretreatments demanding energy input, including thermal- and ultrasound-based methods. However, these energy-intense pretreatments usually gained negative energy benefit that the increase in methane yield consumed extra energy input. The unbalanced relationship counts against the goal of energy reclamation from sludge. Combined pretreatment consisting of multiple technologies normally outcompetes the single pretreatment, and the combination of energy-intense methods and chemicals potentially reduces energy input and simultaneously ensure high methane yield. For determining whether the energy reclamation from sludge via AD contribute to mitigating global warming, integrating greenhouse gas emission into the evaluation system of pretreated AD is further warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Cancan Jiang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Huacai Wang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; The Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Shengjun Xu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuliang Zhuang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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18
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Du Z, Zhao P, Fu Q, Wang Q, Hu A, Zhang W, Wang D. Biostimulants in dissolved organic matters recovered from anaerobic digestion sludge with alkali-hydrothermal treatment: Nontarget identification by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 173:107813. [PMID: 36805157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Recovering high-value biomaterials from anaerobic digestion sludge (ADS) has attracted considerable attention. However, the molecular features and biological effects of abundant dissolved organic matters (DOMs) in ADS are still unclear, which limits the efficient recycling and application of these bioproducts. This study investigated the molecular composition and transformation of DOMs recovered from ADS through a mild-temperature alkali-hydrothermal treatment (AHT) with ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and energy spectroscopy, and the fertilizing effects of DOMs were evaluated by rice hydroponics. The results indicated that AHT processes significantly promoted the solubilization and release of DOMs from ADS, where most of DOMs molecules remained unchanged and mainly consisted of N-containing compounds with 1-3 N atoms, featuring aromatic or N-heterocyclic rings. Furthermore, AHT processes at pH of 9-10 induced the hydrolysis of partial protein-like substances in DOMs, which was accompanied by formation of heterocyclic-N compounds. Under AHT at pH of 11-12, protein-like and heterocyclic-N substances were increasingly decomposed into amino-N compounds containing 1 or 5 N atoms, while numerous oxygenated aromatic substances with phytotoxicity were degraded and removed from DOMs. Rice hydroponic test verified that ADS-derived DOMs recovered by AHT process at pH of 12 exhibited the highest bioactivity for rice growth, which was attributed to the abundance of amino compounds and humic substances. This study proposed a novel process for the recovery of high-quality liquid organic fertilizer from ADS through AHT process, which can further enrich the technical options available for the safe utilization of sludge resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengliang Du
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Peipei Zhao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Qinglong Fu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Qiandi Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Aibin Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Weijun Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Detoxication and Resource Recovery, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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19
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Characteristics of Solidified Carbon Dioxide and Perspectives for Its Sustainable Application in Sewage Sludge Management. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032324. [PMID: 36768646 PMCID: PMC9916872 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Appropriate management is necessary to mitigate the environmental impacts of wastewater sludge. One lesser-known technology concerns the use of solidified CO2 for dewatering, sanitization, and digestion improvement. Solidified CO2 is a normal byproduct of natural gas treatment processes and can also be produced by dedicated biogas upgrading technologies. The way solidified CO2 is sourced is fully in line with the principles of the circular economy and carbon dioxide mitigation. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the production and application of solid CO2 in the pretreatment and management of sewage sludge. Using solidified CO2 for sludge conditioning causes effective lysis of microbial cells, which destroys activated sludge flocs, promotes biomass fragmentation, facilitates efficient dispersion of molecular associations, modifies cell morphology, and denatures macromolecules. Solidified CO2 can be used as an attractive tool to sanitize and dewater sludge and as a pretreatment technology to improve methane digestion and fermentative hydrogen production. Furthermore, it can also be incorporated into a closed CO2 cycle of biogas production-biogas upgrading-solidified CO2 production-sludge disintegration-digestion-biogas production. This feature not only bolsters the technology's capacity to improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of digestion processes, but can also help reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions, a crucial advantage in terms of environment protection. This new approach to solidified CO2 generation and application largely counteracts previous limitations, which are mainly related to the low cost-effectiveness of the production process.
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20
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Yang N, Yang S, Yang L, Song Q, Zheng X. Exploration of browning reactions during alkaline thermal hydrolysis of sludge: Maillard reaction, caramelization and humic acid desorption. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114814. [PMID: 36403650 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The browning reaction produces melanoidins, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and humic acids which influence subsequent anaerobic digestion and protein recovery. This paper systematically evaluates the variation of organics that make sludge browning with heating temperature and reaction time, the effect of browning organics on protein recovery and anaerobic digestion, and finally proposes a pathway for the occurrence of the Maillard reaction (MR) in the sludge environment. The results show that the browning of sludge hydrolysate is related to the comprehensive influence of the MR, caramelization and humic acid desorption. The increase of temperature (80 °C-150 °C) and pH (9-13) will promote the extent of browning of sludge hydrolysate, and the sludge browning reaction basically stabilizes at the reaction time of 1 h. Humic acid and melanoidin could co-precipitate with the protein, thereby reducing the purity of the recovered protein. The inhibition of anaerobic digestion starts when the melanoidin concentration is 8.01 mmol/L. The three-dimensional fluorescence, GC-MS and FT-IR analysis show that melanoidins have the same functional groups and fluorescence properties as humic acid does, and the humic acid in the supernatant of the sludge treated with ATH was not only converted at its adsorbed state, but also possibly generated by the reaction of the dissolved proteins with polysaccharides. Finally, LC-MS/MS was used to identify the intermediate products of the MR and the possible structural formula of melanoidin. This study further clarifies the browning reaction in hydrothermal sludge treatment and provides help for the accuracy of subsequent studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Yang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Shucheng Yang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
| | - Luxiong Yang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Qingsi Song
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Xing Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Shaanxi, 710048, China
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21
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Li Y, Ling J, Xue J, Huang J, Zhou X, Wang F, Hou W, Zhao J, Xu Y. Acute stress of the typical disinfectant glutaraldehyde-didecyldimethylammonium bromide (GD) on sludge microecology in livestock wastewater treatment plants: Effect and its mechanisms. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 227:119342. [PMID: 36399842 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Glutaraldehyde and didecyldimethylammonium bromide (GD) is a disinfectant widely used to prevent African swine fever (ASF) in livestock farms. However, the effect of residual GD on the activated sludge microbial ecology of receiving wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remains largely unknown. In this study, seven simulated systems were established to research the effects of GD on WWTPs and reveal the underlying mechanisms of microecological responses to GD at different concentrations. Both the nitrogen and carbon removal rates decreased with increasing GD concentrations, and nitrogen metabolism was inhibited more obviously, but the inhibition weakened with increasing stress duration. Microorganisms activated their SoxRS systems to promote ATP synthesis and electron transfer to support the hydrolysis and efflux of GD by producing a small number of ROS when exposed to GD at less than 1 mg/L. The overproduction of ROS led to a decrease of antioxidant and nitrogen removal enzyme activities, and upregulation of the porin gene increased the risk of GD entering the intracellular space upon exposure to GD at concentrations higher than 1 mg/L. Some denitrifiers survived via resistance and their basic capabilities of sugar metabolism and nitrogen assimilation. Notably, low concentrations of disinfectants could promote vertical and horizontal transfer of multiple resistance genes, especially aminoglycosides, among microorganisms, which might increase not only the adaptation capability of denitrifiers but also the risk to ecological systems. Therefore, the risks of disinfectants targeting ASF on ecology and health as well as the effects of disinfectant residuals from the COVID-19 epidemic should receive more attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jiayin Ling
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing, 526061, China
| | - Jinghao Xue
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Junwei Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiao Zhou
- Analysis and Test Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Analysis and Test Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Waner Hou
- Analysis and Test Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jianbin Zhao
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yanbin Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Analysis and Test Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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22
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Wang Y, Zhao X, Wang Y, Wang I, Turap Y, Wang W. Hydrothermal treatment enhances the removal of antibiotic resistance genes, dewatering, and biogas production in antibiotic fermentation residues. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 435:128901. [PMID: 35500337 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are enriched in antibiotic fermentation residues (AFRs). In this study, we investigated the effect of hydrothermal treatment on dewatering, biogas production, and removal of ARGs in the penicillin fermentation residue (PFR). Solid, 120 µm particles in the PFR were disintegrated to 30 - 40 µm after 140 - 180 °C hydrothermal range. Of extracellular polymeric substance, 79.8 ± 0.4% was decomposed to release 82.2 ± 0.6% of bound water at 180 °C. The effective solid-liquid separation was achieved only after a hydrothermal treatment of 180 °C. More than 75% of organic matter in the filtrate was transformed into biogas by the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB). The absolute abundance of 16 S rRNA and ARGs decreased by 2.4 - 5.2 logs after hydrothermal treatment. The ratio of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) to total ARGs increased at 80 °C and decreased at higher temperature (>120 °C). The absolute abundance of ARGs increased by 0.7 - 1.6 logs in anaerobic digestion, and the relative abundances of ARGs based on 16 S rRNA plummeted by 3 logs. Most (98.7 ± 0.4%) ARGs were distributed in suspended solids and were removed by membrane filtration. Hydrothermal treatment demonstrated broad applicability to 10 varieties of AFRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiumei Zhao
- NCPC Environment Protection & Research Co., LT, Shijiazhuang 050015, China
| | - Yongkang Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Iwei Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yusan Turap
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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23
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Yu Y, Li P, Zhu B, Liu Y, Yu R, Ge S. The application of sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes in hydrothermal treatment of activated sludge at different stages: A comparative study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:59456-59465. [PMID: 35386076 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20038-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Integrating hydrothermal treatment (HT) and advanced oxidation processes (AOP) was proved to be a promising approach for improving sludge dewaterability. In this study, the EPS valorization under elevated temperature and sulfate radical-based AOP were investigated to clarify the valorization of organic matter in different EPS layers and its effects on the sludge dewaterability. Results indicated that the organic matters in the inner layer of EPS decreased sharply with the elevated temperature, and released into the soluble EPS. Sulfate radical-based AOP significantly accelerated the degradation of organics and microbial cells lysis, especially in the presence of ZVI. The protein with the higher hydrophobicity was detected under the AOP enhanced HT. A better synergistic effect on sludge dewaterability was obtained by integrated the AOP at the initial hydrothermal stage. 3D-EEM and parallel factor analysis indicated that the protein and microbial by-product like substances in tightly bound EPS significantly affected the dewaterability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- School of Energy and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China.
| | - Panpan Li
- School of Energy and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingxing Zhu
- School of Energy and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Liu
- College of Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, No. 289 Lingyusi Street, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Yu
- School of Energy and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China
| | - Shifu Ge
- School of Energy and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China
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24
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Chen R, Dai X, Dong B. Decrease the effective temperature of hydrothermal treatment for sewage sludge deep dewatering: Mechanistic of tannic acid aided. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 217:118450. [PMID: 35452974 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The formation of refractory compounds and high nitrogen concentrations in filtrates is the bottleneck of hydrothermal treatment (HT) for sludge deep dewatering. To simultaneously solve these two problems, tannic acid (TA)-aided HT was firstly developed in this study. TA addition improved dewaterability under all investigated HT temperatures by improving the sludge relative hydrophobicity. Moreover, the effective HT temperature was reduced from 180 to 160 ℃. The soluble extracellular polymeric substances (S-EPSs) of the sludge hydrothermally treated at 160 ℃ under the optimal TA dose (0.15 mmol/g total solids) contained 47.27% less total organic nitrogen than the S-EPSs of the raw sludge. This result means that the corresponding filtrate contained lower concentrations of refractory compounds and nitrogen than those under the conventional HT conditions and thus could be more easily treated. Furthermore, the changes in the protein secondary structure and the interaction of TA with high-molecular-weight (HMW) proteins in S-EPSs were found to be highly relevant (p < 0.05) to the improvement of sludge dewaterability. With increasing HT temperature (120-180 ℃), the S-EPS HMW proteins with numerous hydrophilic functional groups (hydroxyl and carboxyl) were hydrolyzed, and their secondary structures unfolded; consequently, more sites were exposed for hydrophobic binding with TA, and the TA-protein interaction was more stable and spontaneous. The precipitation of protein with TA also increased with the HT temperature. Thus, TA-aided HT improves protein precipitation and sludge dewaterability through protein structure destruction and the production of more hydrophobic binding sites for TA. The identification of the influencing mechanisms on SS EPS-TA interaction mode and binding capacity are conducive to the further upgrading of TA-aided HT for engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Bin Dong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, China Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, PR China.
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25
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Chen R, Sheng Q, Chen S, Dai X, Dong B. The three-stage effect of hydrothermal treatment on sludge physical-chemical properties: Evolution of polymeric substances and their interaction with physicochemical properties. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 211:118043. [PMID: 35026549 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hydrothermal treatment (HT) is effective for the deep dewatering of sewage sludge (SS); however, the effective temperature generally exceeds 180 ℃, resulting in the production of refractory compounds in the sludge filtrates. To explore a new process based on HT, achieving ideal dehydration efficiency at lower temperatures, it is essential to identify the key sludge dewatering mechanism under different HT stages. In this study, the relationship between the properties of sludge polymeric substances (components and molecular structures) and the physical-chemical properties of sludge flocs during HT (120-260 ℃) was investigated. The results indicated that the SS surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity was mainly responsible for sludge dewaterability in the solubilization (120 ℃) and hydrolyzation stages (140-180 ℃), while the mechanically bound water and capillary force were the main limiting factors of sludge dewaterability during the carbonization stage (200-260 ℃). Moreover, in the solubilization stage (120 ℃), a plenty of high-Mw (Mw > 70 kDa) polymeric substances with numerous hydrophilic functional groups and a compact structure were released from the intracellular region to the outer layer, which improved the hydrophilicity of sludge floc surface and deteriorated the sludge dewaterability. With the hydrolysis of the polymeric substances (140-180 ℃, hydrolyzation stage), the destruction of proteins secondary structures and peptide chains exposed more hydrophobic groups, resulting in the release of bound water and improvement of sludge dewaterability. At HT temperatures of 200-260 ℃ (carbonization stage), dehydration and amine aldehyde condensation occurred, benefiting the formation of fixed carbon and smooth morphology structure of SS, reducing the capillary force-induced water-holding capacity of sludge flocs. The establishment of the three-stage influencing theory and the identification of key influencing factors are conducive to the further regulation and upgrading of HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Qian Sheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Sisi Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Bin Dong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, China Three Gorges, Corporation, Beijing 100038, PR China.
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26
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Li X, Xiao X, Liu Y, Fang G, Wang P, Zou D. Analysis of organic matter conversion behavior and kinetics during thermal hydrolysis of sludge and its anaerobic digestion performance. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 305:114408. [PMID: 34974216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In thermal hydrolysis (TH) of waste activated sludge (WAS), the material transformation of a specific temperature heating for a set duration is generally examined. However, this study looked at the material changes of TH as the temperature rose (90-210 °C) and the kinetic derivation of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), protein, and carbohydrate using the Coats-Redfern model. It was found that the proportion of soluble protein and soluble carbohydrate in the organic components and their contents reached the maximum (17.39 and 8.10 g L-1 respectively) at 180 °C. Differently, volatile fatty acid (VFA), amino acids, and ammonia nitrogen increased with the TH temperature and reached a maximum at 210 °C. The fitting equations of non-isothermal dynamics at the medium- and low-temperature stages (90-180 °C) at n = 1, 0.5, and 2 were studied. When n = 1, the activation energies of COD, protein, and carbohydrate were 33.32, 23.34, and 36.15 kJ mol-1, respectively. And the kinetic analysis results were in good agreement with the experimental results (the maximum rate of increase in protein and carbohydrate was at 135-150 °C and 150-180 °C, respectively). Moreover, the pattern of anaerobic digestion performance of WAS was comparable to the trend of protein and carbohydrate in TH, the highest cumulative methane production was 159.68 mL·g-1VS for the TH sludge at 180 °C. This study provided a theoretical foundation for the use of thermal hydrolysis in engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Li
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xiong Xiao
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yanping Liu
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Gang Fang
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Pingbo Wang
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Dexun Zou
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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27
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Wang S, Hu ZY, Geng ZQ, Tian YC, Ji WX, Li WT, Dai K, Zeng RJ, Zhang F. Elucidating the production and inhibition of melanoidins products on anaerobic digestion after thermal-alkaline pretreatment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 424:127377. [PMID: 34879570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The refractory organics released from waste activated sludge (WAS) are unwanted produced in thermal-alkaline pretreatment, which are not well documented. In this study, we refer to them as melanoidins products (MPs) with characteristics of high molecular weight and inhibition to microbes. The results showed that these MPs from thermal-alkaline (80 °C and pH 10) pretreatment of WAS were identified with a broad molecular weight (>1000 Da). Dark-colored MPs were further verified from glucose and tryptophan as the model components, with values of UV280 and UV420 increasing. The produced MPs with a molecular weight of 1220, 6835, and even 21,200,000 Da were confirmed by SEC-HPLC. Unexpectedly, MPs were found to be electroactive with higher redox peak values than that of humic acids, which were almost not degraded by anaerobes as revealed by SEC-HPLC and 3D-EEM spectra. For the first time, the results demonstrated that MPs delayed volatile fatty acids production and reduced the methane yield (22-26% lower), which was likely attributed to the toxicity and/or electrons competition with anaerobes such as Methanosaeta. Thus, it is clear that MPs negatively impact anaerobic digestion after thermal-alkaline pretreatment, which shall be re-evaluated to minimize MPs when producing biochemicals from WAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wang
- Center of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Zhi-Yi Hu
- Center of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Zi-Qian Geng
- Center of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Ye-Chao Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Wen-Xiang Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Wen-Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Kun Dai
- Center of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Raymond Jianxiong Zeng
- Center of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Fang Zhang
- Center of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
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28
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Li P, Yu Y, Zhu L, Zhou Z, Zhang W, Wu P, Yu R. Enhanced dewaterability of waste-activated sludge with zero-valent iron-activated persulfate oxidation under mild hydrothermal conditions. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2022; 85:851-861. [PMID: 35166705 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2022.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A novel technique to enhance sludge dewaterability with zero-valent iron-activated persulfate (ZVI/PDS) and hydrothermal treatment (HT) under mild temperature is proposed in this study. Key operating parameters were considered to study their influences on the dewaterability of sludge. Comparative studies of organic matter, especially extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), were analyzed carefully to reveal the mechanisms involved. The results indicated that the specific resistance to filtration declined by 86.72%, and the capillary suction time reduced by 72.35% compared with the raw sludge under optimal conditions of 100 mg/g TSS ZVI and 200 mg/g TSS PDS doses at 120 °C. Soluble protein and fulvic acid-like in EPS were the key components affecting the sludge dewatering performance. The disappearance of the peak in the amide III led to a decrease in hydrophilic functional groups, which helped to improve sludge dewaterability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panpan Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Street, Nanjing 210096, China E-mail: ; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; Panpan Li and Yang Yu contributed equally to this work
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Street, Nanjing 210096, China E-mail: ; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; Panpan Li and Yang Yu contributed equally to this work
| | - Lixiang Zhu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Street, Nanjing 210096, China E-mail: ; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zhanhang Zhou
- School of Economics and Management, Tianjin Chengjian University, No. 26 Jinjing Road, Xiqing District, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Street, Nanjing 210096, China E-mail:
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Street, Nanjing 210096, China E-mail:
| | - Ran Yu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Street, Nanjing 210096, China E-mail: ; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
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29
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Du Z, Wang Q, Du Y, Xu Q, Wang D, Zhang W. Obtaining high-value nitrogen-containing carbon nanosheets with ultrahigh surface area from waste sludge for energy storage and wastewater treatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 805:150353. [PMID: 34818788 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Recovering high value-added resources from waste activated sludge (WAS) is a potential way for the sustainable wastewater treatment. In this study, hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C was used to simultaneously improve sludge dewaterability and recover sludge organic matters (SOMs). The recovered SOMs were subsequently employed as precursors to prepare nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets via a facile stepwise synthesis method. The as-prepared optimal carbon (AP-SOM800) was characterized with an ultrahigh specific surface area (3473 m2/g), appropriate porosity (1.77 cm3/g), and abundant heteroatoms (1.47% N and 7.44% O). AP-SOM800 exhibited a high specific capacitance (409 F/g at 0.25 A/g), low resistance (0.52 Ω), and superior cyclic stability (only 9.09% loss after 10,000 cycles) in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Furthermore, AP-SOM800 demonstrated an extraordinary adsorption capacity (1528 mg/g for methyl orange (MO) and 1265 mg/g for tetracycline (TC)) that can be maintained (˃ 1200 mg/g) over a wide range of pH conditions. Specifically, 80.97% of MO and 66.67% of TC were rapidly absorbed through AP-SOM800 within 10 min, and 90.27% of MO and 81.24% of TC were eventually removed from wastewater after 60 min. The adsorption processes fit closely with the pseudo-second-order kinetic (R2 > 0.999) and Langmuir models (R2 > 0.914), revealing that the adsorption processes were dominated by a monolayer chemical adsorption reaction. This study suggests that high value-added materials can be obtained from the WAS through improving and extending the traditional sludge treatment processes, which will enrich the technical options available for future sustainable sludge treatment and disposal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengliang Du
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Source Apportionment and Control of Aquatic Pollution, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China
| | - Qiandi Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Youjing Du
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Kunming 650118, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiongying Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Weijun Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Source Apportionment and Control of Aquatic Pollution, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China.
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30
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Wang Q, Xu Q, Wang H, Han B, Xia D, Wang D, Zhang W. Molecular mechanisms of interaction between enzymes and Maillard reaction products formed from thermal hydrolysis pretreatment of waste activated sludge. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 206:117777. [PMID: 34688093 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Thermal hydrolysis pretreatment (THP) is often used to improve the anaerobic digestion performance of waste activated sludge (WAS) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). During the THP process, the proteins and polysaccharides in the biomass will undergo hydrolysis and Maillard reaction, producing biorefractory organic substances, such as recalcitrant dissolved organic nitrogen (rDON) and melanoidins. In this study, a series of spectroscopy methods were used to quantitatively analyze the Maillard reaction of glucose and lysine, and the interaction mechanisms of the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) and lysozyme were investigated. Results showed that the typical aromatic heterocyclic structures in MRPs, such as pyrazine and furan, were found to quench molecular fluorescence of lysozyme, resulting in an unfolding of standard protein structure and increase in lysozyme hydrophobicity. Significant loss of enzyme activity was detected during this process. Thermodynamic parameters obtained from isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) confirmed that the interaction between MRPs and lysozyme occurred both exothermically and spontaneously. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that the molecular interactions of MRPs and protein included parallel dislocation aromatic stacking, T-shaped vertical aromatic stacking, H-bond and H-bond coupled to aromatic stacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiandi Wang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China; Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Qiongying Xu
- Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Huidi Wang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Bo Han
- Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Dasha Xia
- Hangzhou Yanqu Information Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China; Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Weijun Zhang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China.
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31
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Peng S, Hu A, Ai J, Zhang W, Wang D. Changes in molecular structure of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) with temperature in relation to sludge macro-physical properties. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 201:117316. [PMID: 34130082 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are important components of activated sludge, whose content and composition have important effects on the macro-physical properties of sludge. In this study, the response of EPS in sludge to temperature (-40-200 °C) was systematically investigated using XAD resin fractionation, variable-temperature infrared spectra (VTIS) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS). The relationships between the molecular structure of EPS and the macro-physical properties (rheological property and dewatering performance) of waste activated sludge (WAS) at varying temperature were also established. During the freezing treatment, the solubilization of biopolymers and destruction of the hydrophilic functional groups (hydroxy, amino and carboxyl) resulted in the production of small organic matters, which enhanced EPS hydrophobicity and reduced electrostatic repulsion of sludge, and subsequent dewaterability improvement. For the hydrothermal treatment, the EPS transformation showed a two-stages reaction including stage I (70-120 °C) and stage II (>120 °C). Stage I (70-120 °C), a plenty of hydrophilic functional groups (hydroxy, amino and carboxyl) in EPS were exposed via the solubilization of biopolymers, which enhanced electrostatic repulsion of sludge and EPS hydrophilicity, and subsequence in deterioration of sludge dewaterability and fluidity. However, at stage II (>120 °C), the high temperature caused hydrolyzation of macromolecular organic matters in completely, in which the secondary structure of the protein was destroyed, causing the peptide chain to unfold. In addition, the reduction of α-helix and β-sheet content and intensified Maillard reaction decreased electrostatic repulsion of sludge, thus resulted in the improvement of sludge dewaterability and fluidity. This study enriched the theoretical basis of the optimal control of sludge treatment based on temperature regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sainan Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Aibin Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Ai
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Weijun Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China.
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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