Abstract
Phosphorus presents a limited, irreplaceable and essential nutrient necessary for the growth of organisms. There is an increasing effort to recover phosphorus from production waste streams. Sewage sludge presents an important source of phosphorus but also contains organic pollutants and heavy metals. Thermal treatment technologies seem to be a promising option to treat sewage sludge and obtain ash/char from which high recovery rate of phosphorus can be reached. In this review, sewage sludge management options in compliance with EU legal requirements are first reviewed. Follows, an overview of sewage sludge thermal treatment technologies including incineration, hydrothermal carbonisation, pyrolysis and gasification, for the purpose of phosphorus recapture. We summarize recent advances in thermal treatment processes of sewage sludge and phosphorus recovery, identify challenges and knowledge gaps. Thermochemical methods proved to have many advantages over pure wet chemical methods for phosphorus recovery. The review provides the foundation for future research aimed at achieving efficient, economic and environmental sustainable recapture of phosphorus from sludge thermal treatment products.
Highlights
Phosphorus (P) is a limited, non-renewable resource, but is a vital nutrient for the growth of organisms, and cannot be replaced by other elements [1]
P recovery from char combustion ash obtained at 900°C is higher than from ash obtained at lower temperature, under the same extraction conditions
7 Conclusion Sewage sludge thermal treatment technologies present a promising option for sewage sludge management which is in compliance with EU legal requirements and for phosphorus recovery whose reserves have been considerably depleted
Summary
Phosphorus (P) is a limited, non-renewable resource, but is a vital nutrient for the growth of organisms, and cannot be replaced by other elements [1]. It includes the description of new technology for P recovery from sludge ash, aimed at extraction of phosphorus during the incineration process itself. Sewage sludge thermal treatment technologies would decrease waste disposal cost, allow energy recovery, conserve natural resources and provide new sources of P, which is an essential, non-renewable element whose shortage poses a significant problem on earth [25] [26].
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