Utilizing Industrial Waste for the Microbiological Decontamination of Sewage Sludge

Malika Khelladi; Meriem Abaidia; Abdelkader Debab

doi:10.48084/etasr.11593

Authors

Malika Khelladi Faculty of Science and Technology, University Abdelhamid Ibn-Badis of Mostaganem, Mostaganem, Algeria
Meriem Abaidia Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology of Oran, Oran, Algeria
Abdelkader Debab Laboratory of Process and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology of Oran, Oran, Algeria

Volume: 15 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 24752-24757 | August 2025 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.11593

Received: 19 April 2025 | Revised: 26 May 2025 | Accepted: 1 June 2025 | Online: 6 June 2025

Corresponding author: Malika Khelladi

Abstract

Sewage sludge (SS) disposal methods are increasingly used in sustainable applications, such as land reclamation for forestry and agriculture, which are recognized as effective strategies for nutrient recovery from the sludge. However, SS typically contains high levels of pathogenic microorganisms and chemical pollutants, necessitating appropriate treatment before reuse. Alkaline treatment is widely employed to reduce pathogenic content and improve the safety of SS for agricultural applications. In this context, the present study investigates the valorization of Filter Cake (FC), a byproduct of brown sugar refining primarily composed of calcium oxide (CaO), as a chemical conditioning aid in the dehydration and sanitization of digested SS. The objective was to explore the feasibility of converting digested SS and FC into value-added products in alignment with circular economy principles. The effect of FC as a drying adjuvant and disinfecting agent was evaluated by adding it to dehydrated SS at proportions of 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 g_FC/g_DS (grams of FC over grams of dry solid content). The FC addition resulted in increased pH levels and a significant reduction in microbiological contamination. During the thermal drying of the dehydrated SS, FC has a further positive impact on reducing pathogens to below regulatory limits and drying time. The optimal drying conditions for reducing dehydrated SS moisture content (up to 12%), minimizing drying time, and reducing microbiological contamination levels below the legal limit were 70 °C and 0.20 g_FC/g_DS. Overall, the current study confirms the beneficial role of FC in improving the drying and disinfection performance of dehydrated SS. These findings support the potential of producing a safer and more sustainable organic soil amendment, thereby contributing to resource recovery and environmental protection.

Keywords:

chemical conditioning, circular economy, filter cake, pathogens, sewage sludge

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Metcalf & Eddy Inc., Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse, 4th ed., Boston, Mass., USA: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

I. S. Turovskiĭ and P. K. Mathai, Wastewater sludge processing. Hoboken, NJ. USA: Wiley-Interscience, 2006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/047179161X

M. Aghanaghad, E. Asgari, A. Sheikhmohammadi, and H. Tajfar, "Health risk assessment of heavy metals/metalloid caused by using sewage sludge in agriculture," Desalination and Water Treatment, vol. 321, Jan. 2025, Art. no. 100977. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dwt.2024.100977

I. Aparicio, J. L. Santos, and E. Alonso, "Limitation of the concentration of organic pollutants in sewage sludge for agricultural purposes: A case study in South Spain," Waste Management, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 1747–1753, May 2009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2008.11.003

T. Bennama, A. Elaziouti, and A. Debab, "Effective removal of chemical oxygen demand from sanitary landfill leachate using raw and chemically treated olive stones," International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, vol. 104, no. 16, pp. 4189–4208, Dec. 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03067319.2022.2100255

M. Khelladi, M. Abaidia, S. Boulerial, K. Bekrentchir, A. Benhamou, and A. Debab, "Low-cost Packing Materials in an Aerated Biofilter for Lagoon Effluent Treatment," Journal of Chemists and Chemical Engineers of Croatia, no. 9–10, Sep. 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15255/KUI.2022.017

M. Khelladi et al., "Evaluation of treated wastewater quality from Cap-falcon plant for agriculture irrigation," Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 2441–2460, May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54021/seesv5n1-121

A. Poustie, Y. Yang, P. Verburg, K. Pagilla, and D. Hanigan, "Reclaimed wastewater as a viable water source for agricultural irrigation: A review of food crop growth inhibition and promotion in the context of environmental change," Science of The Total Environment, vol. 739, Oct. 2020, Art. no. 139756. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139756

M. Sharma et al., "Wastewater treatment and sludge management strategies for environmental sustainability," in Circular Economy and Sustainability, Elsevier, 2022, pp. 97–112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-821664-4.00027-3

G. Yang, G. Zhang, and H. Wang, "Current state of sludge production, management, treatment and disposal in China," Water Research, vol. 78, pp. 60–73, Jul. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.04.002

S. Jain, S. Jain, I. T. Wolf, J. Lee, and Y. W. Tong, "A comprehensive review on operating parameters and different pretreatment methodologies for anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 52, pp. 142–154, Dec. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.07.091

H. Rigby et al., "A critical review of nitrogen mineralization in biosolids-amended soil, the associated fertilizer value for crop production and potential for emissions to the environment," Science of The Total Environment, vol. 541, pp. 1310–1338, Jan. 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.089

H. Wang et al., "Technological options for the management of biosolids," Environmental Science and Pollution Research - International, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 308–317, Jun. 2008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-008-0012-5

L. Appels, J. Baeyens, J. Degrève, and R. Dewil, "Principles and potential of the anaerobic digestion of waste-activated sludge," Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 755–781, Dec. 2008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2008.06.002

G. Silvestre, B. Fernández, and A. Bonmatí, "Significance of anaerobic digestion as a source of clean energy in wastewater treatment plants," Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 101, pp. 255–262, Sep. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2015.05.033

P. Neumann, S. Pesante, M. Venegas, and G. Vidal, "Developments in pre-treatment methods to improve anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge," Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 173–211, Jun. 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-016-9396-8

S. Pilli, S. Yan, R. D. Tyagi, and R. Y. Surampalli, "Thermal Pretreatment of Sewage Sludge to Enhance Anaerobic Digestion: A Review," Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 45, no. 6, pp. 669–702, Mar. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2013.876527

Q. Wang et al., "Technologies for reducing sludge production in wastewater treatment plants: State of the art," Science of The Total Environment, vol. 587–588, pp. 510–521, Jun. 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.203

C. A. L. Chernicharo, J. B. Van Lier, A. Noyola, and T. Bressani Ribeiro, "Anaerobic sewage treatment: state of the art, constraints and challenges," Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 649–679, Dec. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-015-9377-3

Y. Shen, J. L. Linville, M. Urgun-Demirtas, M. M. Mintz, and S. W. Snyder, "An overview of biogas production and utilization at full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the United States: Challenges and opportunities towards energy-neutral WWTPs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 50, pp. 346–362, Oct. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.04.129

Q. H. Zhang et al., "Current status of urban wastewater treatment plants in China," Environment International, vol. 92–93, pp. 11–22, Jul. 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.03.024

Q. Zhang, J. Hu, D.-J. Lee, Y. Chang, and Y.-J. Lee, "Sludge treatment: Current research trends," Bioresource Technology, vol. 243, pp. 1159–1172, Nov. 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.07.070

V.G.Gude, "Energy positive wastewater treatment and sludge management," Edorium Journal of Waste Management, vol. 1, pp. 10-15, Jan. 2015.

J. Oladejo, K. Shi, X. Luo, G. Yang, and T. Wu, "A Review of Sludge-to-Energy Recovery Methods," Energies, vol. 12, no. 1, Dec. 2018, Art. no. 60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en12010060

United States Environmental Protection Agency, "Part 503—Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge, Subpart B—Land Application, Section 503.13—Pollutant limits," U.S. EPA, Washington, DC, EPA/833/R-95/001, Oct. 1995. [Online]. Available: https://www3.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/owm0237.pdf

B. Bina, H. Movahedian, and I. Kord, "The effect of lime stabilization on the microbiological quality of sewage sludge," Iranian Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 34-38, Jan. 2004.

A. López, J. Rodríguez-Chueca, R. Mosteo, J. Gómez, and M. P. Ormad, "Microbiological quality of sewage sludge after digestion treatment: A pilot scale case of study," Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 254, May 2020, Art. no. 120101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120101

J. M. North, J. G. Becker, E. A. Seagren, M. Ramirez, C. Peot, and S. N. Murthy, "Methods for Quantifying Lime Incorporation into Dewatered Sludge. II: Field-Scale Application," Journal of Environmental Engineering, vol. 134, no. 9, pp. 762–770, Sep. 2008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2008)134:9(762)

A. F. Santos, T. E. Vaz, D. V. Lopes, O. Cardoso, and M. J. Quina, "Beneficial use of lime mud from kraft pulp industry for drying and microbiological decontamination of sewage sludge," Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 296, Oct. 2021, Art. no. 113255. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113255

C. Valderrama, R. Granados, and J. L. Cortina, "Stabilisation of dewatered domestic sewage sludge by lime addition as raw material for the cement industry: Understanding process and reactor performance," Chemical Engineering Journal, vol. 232, pp. 458–467, Oct. 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2013.07.104

M. Decloux, Sugar factory transformation processes (part 1), Techniques de l’Ingénieur Agroalimentaire, Dec. 2002.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Method 1684: Total, Fixed, and Volatile Solids in Water, Solids, and Biosolids," U.S. EPA, EPA-821-R-01-015, Jan. 2001. [Online]. Available: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-10/documents/method_1684_draft_2001.pdf

ISO 16649-2:2001 – Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of β-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony-count technique at 44°C using 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl β-D-glucuronide, International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2001.

ISO 6579:2002 – Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp., International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2002.

P. Stroot, "Anaerobic codigestion of municipal solid waste and biosolids under various mixing conditions—I. digester performance," Water Research, vol. 35, no. 7, pp. 1804–1816, May 2001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(00)00439-5

T. Wang, B. Xu, X. Zhang, Q. Yang, B. Xu, and P. Yang, "Enhanced Biogas Production and Dewaterability from Sewage Sludge with Alkaline Pretreatment at Mesophilic and Thermophilic Temperatures," Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, vol. 229, no. 3, Mar. 2018, Art. no. 57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-3726-0

X. Liu, B. Dong, and X. Dai, "Hydrolysis and acidification of dewatered sludge under mesophilic, thermophilic and extreme thermophilic conditions: Effect of pH," Bioresource Technology, vol. 148, pp. 461–466, Nov. 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2013.08.118

A. Kelessidis and A. S. Stasinakis, "Comparative study of the methods used for treatment and final disposal of sewage sludge in European countries," Waste Management, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 1186–1195, Jun. 2012. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2012.01.012

T. Mechichi and S. Sayadi, "Evaluating process imbalance of anaerobic digestion of olive mill wastewaters," Process Biochemistry, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 139–145, Jan. 2005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2003.11.050

D. J. Batstone, J. Keller, R. B. Newell, and M. Newland, "Modelling anaerobic degradation of complex wastewater. I: model development," Bioresource Technology, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 67–74, Oct. 2000. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8524(00)00018-3

I. Siegert and C. Banks, "The effect of volatile fatty acid additions on the anaerobic digestion of cellulose and glucose in batch reactors," Process Biochemistry, vol. 40, no. 11, pp. 3412–3418, Nov. 2005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2005.01.025

P. Jenicek, J. Kutil, O. Benes, V. Todt, J. Zabranska, and M. Dohanyos, "Energy self-sufficient sewage wastewater treatment plants: is optimized anaerobic sludge digestion the key?," Water Science and Technology, vol. 68, no. 8, pp. 1739–1744, Oct. 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2013.423

P. Alvarenga et al., "Sewage sludge, compost and other representative organic wastes as agricultural soil amendments: Benefits versus limiting factors," Waste Management, vol. 40, pp. 44–52, Jun. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.01.027

K. Khaskhoussy, B. Kahlaoui, B. Messoudi Nefzi, O. Jozdan, A. Dakheel, and M. Hachicha, "Effect of Treated Wastewater Irrigation on Heavy Metals Distribution in a Tunisian Soil," Engineering, Technology & Applied Science Research, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 805–810, Jun. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.563

T. A. Marcinkowski, "Effect of alkalization process on changes in composition of sewage sludge," Environment Protection Engineering, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 153-160, Jan. 2010.

I. B. Estrada, A. Aller, F. Aller, X. Gómez, and A. Morán, "The survival of Escherichia coli, faecal coliforms and enterobacteriaceae in general in soil treated with sludge from wastewater treatment plants," Bioresource Technology, vol. 93, no. 2, pp. 191–198, Jun. 2004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2003.10.022

V. Pilnáček et al., "Micropollutant biodegradation and the hygienization potential of biodrying as a pretreatment method prior to the application of sewage sludge in agriculture," Ecological Engineering, vol. 127, pp. 212–219, Feb. 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2018.11.025

Y. Xu, Q. Zhang, J. Xu, X. Sun, and H. Chen, "Study on Drying of Municipal Sludge and Pollutants Release Characteristics," Processes, vol. 13, no. 1, Dec. 2024, Art. no. 53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13010053