Kinetics and capacity of phosphorus extraction from solid residues obtained from wet air oxidation of sewage sludge.

Solid residues from thermal treatments of sewage sludge (SS) represent a valuable source of phosphorus (P) for the fertilizer production. This study aims at evaluating the P recovery potential from solid residues obtained from wet air oxidation of SS under subcritical water conditions (WAO residues). A series of P extraction experiments was performed by acidic and alkaline leaching at different liquid to solid ratios. Hot chemical extractions and P fractionations were also carried out to characterize the chemical composition of the WAO residues. The main objectives of this work were to determine the best operating conditions for P extraction, and to describe and understand the kinetics and the main mechanisms leading to P release. The results obtained in this study indicate that 1 M citric acid and 1 M HCl at the liquid to solid ratio of 10 L/kg can extract 61% and 65% of the total P content after 2 h of contact time at room temperature, thus giving P extraction capacities of 81 and 86 g P/kg WAO residues, respectively. The analysis of kinetic data indicates that P extraction with 1 M HCl is faster, but 1 M citric acid can give higher P extraction efficiencies at the equilibrium. The molar ratios of Ca to P of the leachates suggest that P extraction from WAO residues was primarily due to the dissolution of a mixture of various Ca-P complexes.

Modelling hydrodynamics of horizontal flow steel slag filters designed to upgrade phosphorus removal in small wastewater treatment plants.

Steel slag filters, if well designed and operated, may upgrade phosphorus removal in small wastewater treatment plants such as stabilization ponds and constructed wetlands. The main objective of this study was to develop a systemic modelling approach to describe changes in the hydraulic performances and internal hydrodynamics of steel slag filters under real dynamic operating conditions. The experimental retention time distribution curves (RTD curves) determined from tracer experiments performed at different times during the first year of operation of two field-scale steel slag filters were analyzed through a three stage process. First, a statistical analysis of the RTD curves was performed to determine statistical parameters of the retention time distribution. Second, classical tanks in series (TIS) and plug flow with dispersion (PFD) models were used to obtain a first evaluation of the dispersion and mixing regime. Finally, a multi-flow path TIS model, based on the assumption of several flow paths with different hydraulic properties, is proposed to accurately describe the internal hydrodynamics. Overall, the results of this study indicate that higher CaO content, round shape, and larger grain size distribution of steel slag may promote plug-like flow rather than dispersion. The results of the multi-flow path TIS model suggest that the internal hydrodynamics of steel slag filters can be primarily described by two main flow paths: (i) a faster main flow path showing higher plug flow, followed by (ii) a slower secondary flow path showing higher dispersion. The results also showed that internal hydrodynamics may change over time as a consequence of physical-chemical phenomena occurring in the filter, including accumulation of precipitates, slag hydration and carbonation, and particle segregation.

Fermentative hydrogen production in an up-flow anaerobic biofilm reactor inoculated with a co-culture of Clostridium acetobutylicum and Desulfovibrio vulgaris.

Dark fermentation systems often show low H2 yields and unstable H2 production, as the result of the variability of microbial dynamics and metabolic pathways. Recent batch investigations have demonstrated that an artificial consortium of two anaerobic bacteria, Clostridium acetobutylicum and Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, may redirect metabolic fluxes and improve H2 yields. This study aimed at evaluating the scale-up from batch to continuous H2 production in an up-flow anaerobic packed-bed reactor (APBR) continuously fed with a glucose-medium. The effects of various parameters, including void hydraulic retention time (HRTv), pH, and alkalinity, on H2 production performances and metabolic pathways were investigated. The results demonstrated that a stable H2 production was reached after 3-4days of operation. H2 production rates increased significantly with decreasing HRTv from 4 to 2h. Instead, H2 yields remained almost stable despite the change in HRTv, indicating that the decrease in HRTv did not affect the global metabolism.

Anaerobic biofilm reactors for dark fermentative hydrogen production from wastewater: A review.

Dark fermentation is a bioprocess driven by anaerobic bacteria that can produce hydrogen (H2) from organic waste and wastewater. This review analyses a relevant number of recent studies that have investigated dark fermentative H2 production from wastewater using two different types of anaerobic biofilm reactors: anaerobic packed bed reactor (APBR) and anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR). The effect of various parameters, including temperature, pH, carrier material, inoculum pretreatment, hydraulic retention time, substrate type and concentration, on reactor performances was investigated by a critical discussion of the results published in the literature. Also, this review presents an in-depth study on the influence of the main operating parameters on the metabolic pathways. The aim of this review is to provide to researchers and practitioners in the field of H2 production key elements for the best operation of the reactors. Finally, some perspectives and technical challenges to improve H2 production were proposed.

Steel slag filters to upgrade phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands: two years of field experiments.

Electric arc furnace steel slag (EAF-slag) and basic oxygen furnace steel slag (BOF-slag) were used as filter substrates in two horizontal subsurface flow filters (6 m(3) each) designed to remove phosphorus (P) from the effluent of a constructed wetland. The influences of slag composition, void hydraulic retention time (HRTv), temperature, and wastewater quality on treatment performances were studied. Over a period of almost two years of operation, the filter filled with EAF-slag removed 37% of the inlet total P, whereas the filter filled with BOF-slag removed 62% of the inlet total P. P removal occurred predominantly via CaO-slag dissolution followed by Ca phosphate precipitation. P removal efficiencies improved with increasing temperature and HRTv, most probably because this affected the rates of CaO-slag dissolution and Ca phosphate precipitation. It was observed that long HRTv (>3 days) can cause high pH in the effluents (>9) as a result of excessive CaO-slag dissolution. However, at shorter HRTv (1-2 days), pH values were elevated only during the first five weeks and then stabilized below a pH of 9. The kinetics of P removal were investigated employing a first-order equation, and a model for filter design was proposed.

Phosphate removal from synthetic and real wastewater using steel slags produced in Europe.

Electric arc furnace steel slags (EAF-slags) and basic oxygen furnace steel slags (BOF-slags) were used to remove phosphate from synthetic solutions and real wastewater. The main objective of this study was to establish an overview of the phosphate removal capacities of steel slags produced in Europe. The influences of parameters, including pH, and initial phosphate and calcium concentrations, on phosphate removal were studied in a series of batch experiments. Phosphate removal mechanisms were also investigated via an in-depth study. The maximum capacities of phosphate removal from synthetic solutions ranged from 0.13 to 0.28 mg P/g using EAF-slags and from 1.14 to 2.49 mg P/g using BOF-slags. Phosphate removal occurred predominantly via the precipitation of Ca-phosphate complexes (most probably hydroxyapatite) according to two consecutive reactive phases: first, dissolution of CaO-slag produced an increase in Ca(2+) and OH(-) ion concentrations; then the Ca(2+) and OH(-) ions reacted with the phosphates to form hydroxyapatite. It was found that the release of Ca(2+) from slag was not always enough to enable hydroxyapatite precipitation. However, our results indicated that the Ca(2+) content of wastewater represented a further source of Ca(2+) ions that were available for hydroxyapatite precipitation, thus leading to an increase in phosphate removal efficiencies.