Controlling odors from sewage sludge using ultrasound coupled with Fenton oxidation

We examined the effects of ultrasound (U), Fenton oxidation (F), and ultrasound coupled with Fenton oxidation (U + F) pre-treatments (prior to anaerobic digestion) on the elimination of odorous compounds. The results demonstrated that U promoted odor release, while the coupled treatment and F alone decreased odor release. After 20-min treatments, the concentration of dissolved sulfide (S(2-)) under the coupled U + F treatment declined from 17.4 mg/L to 8.1 mg/L, decreasing by more than 50% and 34%, respectively, for U alone and F alone. In addition, the dissolved sulfate (SO4(2-)) concentration under couple U + F treatment significantly increased in sewage sludge from 200 mg/L to 390.6 mg/L, up 95.3% compared to U alone and 5% compared to F alone. This illustrates the oxidation process from S(2-) to SO4(2-). Throughout experimentation, SO4(2-) was odorless and stable, highlighting the mechanism of odor control. Thus, combining U and F into a single coupled treatment proved to be a better alternative pretreatment for controlling sludge odor compared to the U and F alone and can effectively decrease potential odor release.