Abstract
The dewatering of waste sludge continues to be a major problem in wastewater treatment. In this study, the solubilization treatment of waste sludge and extracellular polymeric substances using a solubilizing reagent was examined experimentally. For this purpose, a compression test of thickened waste sludge obtained after solubilization treatment was carried out. The total solid content of the dewatered cake was over 30% when using hydrochloric acid or acetic acid as the solubilizing reagent; however, it was about 20% when using sodium hydroxide. The thickened waste sludge was effectively solubilized when the concentration of acetic acid in the sludge, assuming that it was diluted by free water and not bound water in the sludge, was greater than 0.3 kmol/m3. A flocculated sedimentation test using the supernatant water after solubilization treatment was also carried out, revealing that it functions in a similar manner to commercial flocculant in aggregating solid particles under gravity. This result indicates that the supernatant water can act as a bioflocculant. Methane fermentation of the supernatant water was subsequently carried out. The findings showed that by using acetic acid as a solubilizing reagent, solubilized organic substances in the supernatant water could be recovered as a bioenergy resource.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
