Abstract
This manuscript analyzed the process of autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) used in installations of municipal sewage treatment plants in Poland. Additionally, solutions for sludge management and the parameters of operating installations were presented. Attention was also put to the energy consumption of the process, where the energy consumption for 1 m3 of sludge treated was between 18.4 and 27.79 kWh. The amount of sewage flowing into the analyzed plants was between 1500 and 14,000 m3/d. On the basis of research carried out in the years 2003–2019 in the selected plants, the characteristics of sludge after the ATAD process were presented. The parameters that determine the usefulness of the sludge as an organic fertilizer were indicated above all. The content of total nitrogen, which was from 2.4 to 8.1% of dry matter, ammonium nitrogen, which was from 0.8 to 1.8% of dry matter, and total phosphorus, which was from 1.1 to 4.2% of dry matter, recommended using sludge for fertilization. It was also pointed out that sewage sludge should be regularly tested for the dynamics of changes in chemical composition and biological parameters. These are the factors that increase risk and limit the use of sludge for fertilization.
Highlights
Municipal wastewaterand sludge treatment plants are an essential element of surface water protection systems
In the autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) process, the sludge is transformed into biomass, which can be used in nature
A very important task of the sludge treatment plant management is to reduce the risk of the substances, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) values are presented by Bartkowska [32]
Summary
Municipal wastewaterand sludge treatment plants are an essential element of surface water protection systems. It is necessary to prevent the generation of waste, continue to prepare it for reuse, recycle it, use other utylization methods, and dispose of it. For the sake of circular economy (CE) policy, one of the key elements of a resource-efficient and environmentally friendly society is recycling, which reduces costs and dependence on natural resources, reduces waste generation, and stimulates economic growth. From this point of view, sludge can be valued as a secondary raw material and used as a valuable source of nutrients and organic matter [3]. The review and evaluation of the results of the research will serve to realize that in accordance with the assumptions of sustainable development, the sewage sludge produced in the analyzed sewage treatment plants should be treated not as a waste but as a source of recovery of nutrients
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