Characterization of activated sludge exocellular polymers using several cation-associated extraction methods

Evaluation of prior research and preliminary investigations in our laboratory led to the development of an extraction strategy that can be used to target different cations in activated sludge floc and extract their associated extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The methods we used were the cation exchange resin (CER) procedure, base extraction, and sulfide addition to extract EPS linked with divalent cations, Al, and Fe, respectively. A comparison of sludge cations before and after CER extraction revealed that most of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) were removed while Fe and Al remained intact, suggesting that this method is highly selective for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)-bound EPS. The correlation between sludge Fe and sulfide-extracted EPS was indicative of selectivity of this method for Fe-bound EPS. The base extraction was less specific than the other methods but it was the method releasing the largest amount of Al into the extract, indicating that the method extracted Al-bound EPS. Concomitantly, the composition of extracted EPS and the amino acid composition differed for the three methods, indicating that EPS associated with different metals were not the same. The change in EPS following anaerobic and aerobic digestion was also characterized by the three extraction methods. CER-extracted EPS were reduced after aerobic digestion while they changed little by anaerobic digestion. On the other hand, anaerobic digestion was associated with the decrease in sulfide-extracted EPS. These results suggest that different types of cation-EPS binding mechanisms exist in activated sludge and that each cation-associated EPS fraction imparts unique digestion characteristics to activated sludge.     

Novel insights into sludge dewaterability by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix combined with parallel factor analysis

Sludge dewatering is of major interest in sludge volume reduction and handling properties improvement. Here we report an approach of fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) combined with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis to elucidate the factors that influence sludge dewaterability. Sludge flocs from 11 full-scale wastewater treatment plants were collected to stratify into different extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) fractions and then to characterize their fluorescence EEMs. Both the normalized capillary suction time (CST) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF) were applied to determine sludge dewaterability. The results showed that fluorescence EEMs of tightly bound fractions were not affected by the wastewater sources. In contrast, fluorescence EEMs of loosely bound fractions were affected by the wastewater sources. All the fluorescence EEMs could be successfully decomposed into a six-component model by PARAFAC analysis. Both normalized CST and SRF were significantly correlated with component 1 [excitation/emission (Ex/Em) = (220, 275)/350] in the supernatant fraction, with components 5 [Ex/Em = (230, 280)/430] and 6 [Ex/Em = (250, 360)/460] in the slime and LB-EPS fraction. These results reveal that except for proteins-like substances (component 1), sludge dewaterability is also affected by humic acid-like and fulvic acid-like substances (components 5 and 6) in the slime and LB-EPS fractions. Furthermore, this paper presents a promising and facile approach (i.e., EEM-PARAFAC) for investigating sludge dewaterability.     

Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to reveal bacterial pathogen diversity in biosolids

Given the potential for a variety of bacterial pathogens to occur in variably stabilized sewage sludge (biosolids), an understanding of pathogen diversity and abundance is necessary for accurate assessment of infective risk when these products are land applied. 16S rDNA was PCR amplified from genomic DNA extracted from municipal wastewater residuals (mesophilic- and thermophilic-phased anaerobic digestion (MAD and TPAD), composting (COM)), and agricultural soil (SOIL), and these amplicons were sequenced using massively parallel pyrosequencing technology. Resulting libraries contained an average of 30,893 16S rDNA sequences per sample with an average length of 392 bases. FASTUNIFRAC-based comparisons of population phylogenetic distance demonstrated similarities between the populations of different treatment plants performing the same stabilization method (e.g. different MAD samples), and population differences among samples from different biosolids stabilization methods (COM, MAD, and TPAD). Based on a 0.03 Jukes-Cantor distance to 80 potential bacterial pathogens, all samples contained pathogens and enrichment ranged from 0.02% to 0.1% of sequences. Most (61%) species identified were opportunistic pathogens of the genera Clostridium and Mycobacterium. As risk sciences continue to evolve to address scenarios that include multiple pathogen exposure, the analysis described here can be used to determine the diversity of pathogens in an environmental sample. This work provides guidance for prioritizing subsequent culturable and quantitative analysis, and for the first time, ensuring that potentially significant pathogens are not left out of risk estimations.     

以污泥为黏合剂的型煤固硫助燃新探

本文从污泥的特性分析入手,说明污泥在型煤成形、固硫、助燃等方面的作用及对环境的改善.并结合哈尔滨市污泥处理和二氧化硫减排实际,提出在中小型锅炉上推广污泥固硫活性型煤的综合利用污泥资源,治理大气污染的意见.     

碱木素油田化学剂研究进展

本文综述了碱木素类油田化学剂的研究进展。以碱木素为主要原料，可以制成许多油田化学剂，如钻井液添加剂、油井水泥添加剂、堵水调剖剂、表面活性剂采油的牺牲剂、原油乳化降粘剂等。利用碱木素制备油田化学剂可降低油田化学剂的成本，减少纸厂制浆黑液对环境的污染，有发展前景。     

正确的政策导向是发展可持续污泥处理技术的保障

对污泥厌氧消化技术在国内外的应用及发展情况作了简单介绍.通过与其他污泥处理工艺对比,分析了污泥厌氧消化的优缺点、污泥厌氧消化工艺的费用与收益.指出污泥厌氧消化工艺是一种可持续的实用技术,理应成为城市污水处理厂污泥稳定化处理的首选工艺.认为应对现行的《城市污水处理及污染防治技术政策》进行修改,鼓励有条件的污水处理厂在选择污泥处理工艺时优先考虑厌氧消化技术.     

长桥水厂排泥水处理及板框压滤机系统

在给水厂生产废水处理工艺中有不少采用了板框压滤机脱水系统.对长桥水厂60万m3/d排泥水处理及板框压滤机系统概况、运行情况、系统特点进行了介绍,并针对滤板数量估算、大型板框压滤机进泥排水均匀性、全自动滤布抖动装置、进泥泵形式等设计运行的经验和需关注的问题提出了看法.     

高硬度含铁含锰地下水的处理

黑龙江双城市净水厂原水取用地下水,其含有铁、锰和高硬度,采用石灰软化法、曝气和常规水处理工艺,处理后水中的铁、锰和硬度均达到《生活饮用水卫生标准》(GB 5749—2006)。但由于采用石灰软化去除硬度,出水中残存的硬度多以CaCO3和Mg(OH)2沉淀物形式存在,致煮沸水中表面有白色沉淀物薄膜,因此采取在滤后水中加入少量盐酸的方法,使煮沸水中不再出现白色沉淀物薄膜。去除硬度的生产废水中含有高浓度的CaCO3和Mg(OH)2沉淀物,直接排放会堵塞下水道和污染接纳水体,故进行了生产废水处理以利于环境保护和污泥回收利用。     

UNITANK系统不同运行方式下污泥膨胀的特点与控制

由于连续进水、连续出水的UNITANK系统在流态上接近完全混合,基质浓度梯度大大降低,这对于控制污泥膨胀是较为不利的。试验表明,UNITANK系统的单级好氧处理系统在较低或较高的有机负荷下易发生污泥膨胀,在中等负荷下若使得进水池溶解氧充足则可控制污泥膨胀的发生;脱氮除磷处理系统由于进行缺氧搅拌的边池可起到缺氧选择器的作用,其不发生污泥膨胀的有机负荷限值范围较单级好氧处理系统大;与SBR系统相比,UNITANK系统控制污泥膨胀的能力相对较弱。     

The effect of operating conditions on aquatic worms eating waste sludge

Several techniques are available for dealing with the waste sludge produced in biological waste water treatment. A biological approach uses aquatic worms to consume and partially digest the waste sludge. In our concept for a worm reactor, the worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) are immobilised in a carrier material. For correct sizing and operation of such a worm reactor, the effect of changes in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, ammonia concentration, temperature and light exposure were studied in sequencing batch experiments. DO concentration had an effect on both sludge consumption rate and sludge reduction efficiency. Sludge consumption rate was four times higher at DO concentrations above 8.1 mg/L, when compared to DO concentrations below 2.5 mg/L. Sludge reduction was 36 and 77% at these respective DO concentrations. The effect is most likely the result of a difference in gut residence time. An increase in unionised ammonia concentration drastically decreased the consumption rate. Ammonia is released by the worms at a rate of 0.02 mg N/mg TSS digested; therefore, replacing the effluent in the worm reactor is required to maintain a low ammonia concentration. The highest sludge consumption rates were measured at a temperature around 15 °C, whilst the highest TSS reduction was achieved at 10 °C. Not exposing the worms to light did not affect consumption or digestion rates. High temperatures (above 25 °C) as well as low DO concentrations (below 1 mg/L) in the worm reactor should be avoided as these lead to significant decreases in the number of worms. The main challenges for applying the worm reactor at a larger scale are the supply of oxygen to the worms and maintaining a low ammonia concentration in the worm reactor. Applying a worm reactor at a waste water treatment plant was estimated to increase the oxygen consumption and the ammonia load by 15-20% and 5% respectively.