Organics Characteristics of Sludge from a Full-Scale Anaerobic Digester Treating Domestic Mixed Sewage Sludge

Abstract

Sewage sludge, normally in form of mixed sewage sludge is treated using anaerobic digester worldwide. In Malaysia, sewage sludge was categorized as domestic sewage sludge since sewage treatment plant treats only domestic sewage. The complex organic compounds in form of carbohydrates and proteins are transformed to methane during anaerobic digestion. The characteristics of complex organic compounds in domestic mixed sewage sludge are needed to assess the energy recovery form digesting domestic mixed sewage sludge. Besides that, it is common to use anaerobic biomass from existing anaerobic digester for the new setup of the anaerobic reactor. Therefore, this study was outlined to study the characteristics of domestic mixed sewage sludge and anaerobic biomass, particularly on the complex organic compounds. The complex organic compounds measured were carbohydrates and proteins. The higher complex organic solubilisation as a result of thermal pre-treatment was proven to improve the methane production. Therefore, in this study, the impact of low thermal pre-treatment in improving the organics solubilisation was assessed too. Low thermal pre-treatment at 70°C and 90°C at various treatment time were applied to the domestic mixed sewage sludge. The results indicated that the domestic sewage sludge and anaerobic biomass from a full-scale anaerobic digester contained complex organic compounds; existed mostly in form of particulate as shown by the low value of soluble to total ratio. Besides that, the low thermal treatment at 70°C and 90°C increased the organics solubilisation. Protein solubilisation was observed exceeded 8% after being treated for 20 min at both thermal treatments. However, the impact of low thermal treatment was better at 90°C, in which higher solubilisation was observed at longer treatment time.