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Excess sludge disintegration by discharge plasma oxidation: Efficiency and underlying mechanisms
Tengfei Li1, Yanhui Fan1, Hu Li1
1College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China.
The Science of the Total Environment
|February 18, 2021
Summary
Discharge plasma oxidation effectively disintegrates excess sludge, reducing solids and water content. This method utilizes reactive oxygen species to break down sludge flocs and release bound water, aiding wastewater treatment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Plasma Science
Background:
- Wastewater treatment generates significant excess sludge, necessitating efficient reduction methods.
- Current sludge reduction techniques face challenges in efficiency and environmental impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of discharge plasma oxidation for excess sludge disintegration and reduction.
- To analyze the mechanisms by which plasma treatment affects sludge properties and composition.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing discharge plasma oxidation to treat excess sludge.
- Quantifying sludge disintegration, total suspended solids (TSS) reduction, and water content changes.
- Analyzing the transformation of extracellular polymer substances (EPS) and cell lysis.
Main Results:
- Achieved 18.22% sludge disintegration and 27.8% reduction in TSS.
- Reduced filter cake water content from 81.9% to 76.0% and bound water from 2.66 to 0.73 g/g dry solid.
- Increased soluble EPS fraction from 16.10% to 58.51% and decreased tightly bound EPS from 70.62% to 28.91%.
Conclusions:
- Discharge plasma oxidation is an effective method for excess sludge disintegration and reduction.
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in sludge disintegration through floc destruction and cell lysis.
- Plasma treatment significantly alters EPS composition, enhancing soluble fractions and reducing bound fractions.
Keywords:
Cell lysisDischarge plasmaExcess sludgeExtracellular polymeric substancesSludge disintegration
