Optimization of Fenton oxidation pre-treatment for B. thuringiensis - based production of value added products from wastewater sludge

Synthesis of Atmospherically Stable Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles (nZVI) for the Efficient Catalytic Treatment of High-Strength Domestic Wastewater

Here, we report the fabrication of nZVI by the wet chemical technique in the presence of ethanol using ferric iron and sodium borohydride as the reducing agents under ambient conditions. The obtained nZVI particles are mainly in a zero-valent oxidation state and do not undergo significant oxidation for several weeks. The structural and morphological parameters of nZVI were investigated by using UV, XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, and DLS analysis. The optical nature, bandgap energy, and absorption edge were all revealed by the UV–visible spectrum. The phase development and crystallinity of nZVI particles were shown by the XRD pattern. The morphological investigation revealed that the nanoparticles were spherical with an average size of 34–110 nm by using ImageJ software, and the elemental analysis was analyzed using EDX. Furthermore, the catalytic treatment performance of domestic wastewater was evaluated in terms of pH, COD (chemical oxygen demand) solubilization, total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), phosphorous, and total nitrogen (TN) reduction under aerobic and anaerobic operating conditions. The effluent was subjected to a process evaluation with a different range (100–500 mg/L) of nZVI dosages. The COD solubilization and suspended solids reduction were significantly improved in the anaerobic condition in comparison to the aerobic condition. Furthermore, the effect of nZVI on phosphorous (PO43−) reduction was enhanced by the electrons of iron ions. The high concentration of nZVI dosing has a positive impact on COD solubilization and phosphorous removal regardless of the aeration condition with 400 mg/L of nZVI dosage.

Improvement of anaerobic digestion of sewage mixed sludge using free nitrous acid and Fenton pre-treatment

BACKGROUND

Recently, it has been indicated that free nitrous acid (FNA) and Fenton pre-treatment of waste activated sludge can enhance methane production in anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. In addition, it has been revealed that the substances used in these pre-treatments are both eco-friendly and economically attractive because not only are they produced in anaerobic digestion, but they are also low priced. Since primary sludge and waste activated sludge are mixed prior to anaerobic digestion in the majority of wastewater treatment plants, this study aims to assess the influence of combined FNA and Fenton on the anaerobic digestion of mixed sludge.

RESULTS

According to this study's results, methane generation from anaerobic digestion of mixed sludge was enhanced when using FNA and Fenton pre-treatment, affirming the effectiveness of the individual and combined pre-treatments in anaerobic digestion of mixed sludge. The enhanced methane production was significant in combined pre-treatments (up to 72%), compared with FNA and Fenton pre-treatment alone (25% and 27%, respectively). This corroborates the positive synergistic effect of the combined pre-treatments on methane production. The enhanced methane can be attributed to augmented soluble fractions of organic matter in addition to increased readily biodegradable organic matter, caused by the pre-treatments. Additionally, the amount of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was assessed during anaerobic digestion, and it was revealed that COD decreased considerably when the pre-treatment strategies were combined.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals that the pre-treatments are potentially applicable to full-scale wastewater treatment plants because a mixture of primary sludge and waste activated sludge was used for the pre-treatments. Additionally, combined FNA and Fenton pre-treatments prove more effective in enhancing methane production and organic removal than these pre-treatments alone. The enhanced methane production is important for two reasons: a higher amount of renewable energy could be generated from the enhanced methane production and the COD of digested sludge reduces in such a way that facilitates application of the sludge to agricultural lands and reduces sludge transport costs.

A novel strategy for producing compost with enhanced biopesticide properties through solid-state fermentation of biowaste and inoculation with Bacillus thuringiensis

In the framework of a circular economy, organic solid wastes are considered to be resources useful for obtaining value-added products. Among other potential uses, biodegradable wastes from agricultural, industrial, and domestic sources are being studied to obtain biopesticides through solid-state fermentation (SSF), mainly at the laboratory scale. The suitability of biowaste (source-selected organic fraction of municipal solid waste) for use as a substrate for Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) growth under non-sterile conditions in a 10 L SSF reactor was determined in this study. An operational strategy for setting up a semi-continuous process yielding a stabilised organic compost-like material enriched with Bt suitable for use as a soil amendment was developed. Concentrations of 1.7·10⁷-2.2·10⁷ and 1.3·10⁷-2.1·10⁷ CFU g^-1 DM for Bt viable cells and spores, respectively, were obtained in the final material. As the results confirmed, Bt-enriched compost-like material with potential biopesticide properties can be produced from non-sterile biowaste.

Wastewater sludges pretreated by different oxidation systems at mild conditions to promote the biogas formation in anaerobic processes

The effect of different oxidation processes at mild conditions including the coupled-Fenton (sono-Fenton, photo-Fenton, and sono-photo-Fenton) and their blank systems (ultrasound, ultraviolet, zero valent iron, and Fenton) on anaerobic digestion of the sludge for biogas production was investigated. Ultrasounds led to the highest organic matter solubilization (3.8 up to 5.2 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L, for the raw and treated sludge, respectively), while for the rest, organic matter transformation was observed resulting in an almost soluble COD net balance. Results indicated that for the most oxidative processes, the released organic matter was probably mineralized by the hydroxyl radicals produced during the treatments. It is interesting to remark that even if the biochemical methane potential was barely enhanced by the different methods applied, all the methods demonstrated to enhance the overall kinetics of the biomethanation processes, increasing the rapidly biodegradable fraction of the sludge.

Degradation of Reactive Yellow X-RG by O3/Fenton system: response surface approach, reaction mechanism, and degradation pathway

O₃/Fenton for the treatment of effluent containing Reactive Yellow X-RG is investigated. The response surface methodology is applied to study the main and interactive effects of the parameters. With the initial dye concentration being controlled at 300 mg L^-1, the optimized conditions for wastewater treatment are 3.68, 29.19 and 18.49 mg min^-1 for initial pH, mole ratio of [H₂O₂]/[Fe²⁺] and ozone dosage, respectively. The regression quadratic model well describing the degradation efficiency of O₃/Fenton process is developed and validated by the analysis of variances, respectively. In addition, a possible pathway for Reactive Yellow X-RG degradation is proposed by detecting the temporal evolution of intermediates in the solution, with the use of some techniques including ultraviolet spectrophotometric method (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Meanwhile, every reaction step is given to explain the degradation mechanisms.

Impact of ultrasonic treatment on dewaterability of sludge during Fenton oxidation

Fenton oxidation was compared with Fenton oxidation coupled with ultrasonication (Fenton + US) for sludge dewatering. Different Fenton reagent (H2O2, Fe(2+)) concentrations, pH, and reaction times were studied in different systems on the basis of the specific resistance to filtration (SRF) and capillary suction time (CST). It was found that Fenton + US can significantly reduce Fe(2+) and H2O2 dosages and reaction times. After ultrasonication of the system at pH 3, with an ultrasonic frequency of 25 kHz and a sound energy density of 100 W/L, the Fe(2+), H2O2 dosage, and reaction time were reduced by 66.7, 75.0, and 75.0 %, respectively, when compared with Fenton oxidation at the same dewaterability of sludge. The microstructure of sludge and hydroxyl radical (·OH) density in Fenton oxidation and Fenton + US was further examined. Fenton + US produced more · OH in a sludge system than did individual Fenton oxidation. The concentration of · OH in Fenton + US fell from 79.2 to 6 mg/L over 3.5 h, while the concentration of · OH in Fenton oxidation fell from 59.6 to 1 mg/L over 2 h, thus destroying the microstructure of sludge more effectively. Sludge treated using Fenton + US for 30 min showed a much thinner and looser microstructure.

Solar photoelectro-Fenton degradation of the herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid optimized by response surface methodology

A central composite rotatable design and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to optimize the experimental variables of the solar photoelectro-Fenton (SPEF) treatment of the herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA). The experiments were made with a flow plant containing a Pt/air-diffusion reactor coupled to a solar compound parabolic collector (CPC) under recirculation of 10 L of 186 mg L(-1) MCPA solutions in 0.05 M Na(2)SO(4) at a liquid flow rate of 180 L h(-1) with an average UV irradiation intensity of about 32 Wm(-2). The optimum variables found for the SPEF process were 5.0 A, 1.0mM Fe(2+) and pH 3.0 after 120 min of electrolysis. Under these conditions, 75% of mineralization with 71% of current efficiency and 87.7 k Wh kg(-1) TOC of energy consumption were obtained. MCPA decayed under the attack of generated hydroxyl radicals following a pseudo-first-order kinetics. Hydroxyl radicals also destroyed 4-chloro-2-methylphenol, methylhydroquinone and methyl-p-benzoquinone detected as aromatic by-products. Glycolic, maleic, fumaric, malic, succinic, tartronic, oxalic and formic acids were identified as generated carboxylic acids, which form Fe(III) complexes that are quickly photodecarboxylated by the UV irradiation of sunlight at the CPC photoreactor. A reaction sequence for the SPEF degradation of MCPA was proposed.

Effect of ultrasonication and Fenton oxidation on biodegradation of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in wastewater sludge

The presence of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and its metabolites, i.e. 2-ethylhexanol, 2-ethylhexanal, and 2-ethylhexanoic acid in wastewater sludge (WWS) were investigated during aerobic digestion and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-based fermentation of WWS. Ultrasonication and Fenton oxidation pre-treatment was applied to improve biodegradability of WWS and bioavailability of the target compounds for digestion and fermentation. DEHP and 2-ethylhexanoic acid were observed at higher concentration, meanwhile 2-ethylhexanol and 2-ethylhexanal were observed at lower concentration in WWS. After 20-day aerobic digestion, DEHP removal was 72%, 89%, and 85%, and 2-ethylhexanoic acid removal was 71%, 84%, 79%, respectively for raw, ultrasonicated, and Fenton-oxidized sludges. Bt was found to degrade DEHP, leading to DEHP removal of 21%, 40%, and 30%, respectively for raw, ultrasonicated, and Fenton-oxidized sludges in the fermentation. The results suggested that aerobic stabilization and Bt-based fermentation can remove the phthalates, and pre-treatment of WWS was also effective in improvement of DEHP biodegradation. Hence, Bt-based biopesticide production from WWS can be applied safely when taking into consideration the phthalate contaminants.