The bacterial community structures in two sewage treatment plants with different processes and performance were investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments with group-specific primers. Samples of raw sewage and treated effluents were amplified using the whole-cell PCR method, and the activated ...

The study was focused on two goals: (i) the confirmation of the existence of a general relation between the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sewage sludge and in plants growing in it, regardless of the type and content of sewage sludge, and (ii) if so, the answer to the question whether the uptake of PAHs by plants depends on their type. To realize the set aims, the content...

A field study was conducted to assess the agronomical performance of eggplant (Solanum melongena cv. Pusa Purple Long Hybrid-F1) grown in sewage sludge amended soil in rainy and summer seasons during two consecutive years 2012 and 2013. The results showed that sewage sludge significantly (P < 0.05/P < 0.01) increased the Organic Carbon (OC), sodium (Na + ), potassium (K + ), calcium (Ca 2+ ), m...

So far, no research has been focused on the determination of organomercuries in sewage sludge. Here, an ultrasonic extraction method for the rapid determination of methylmercury (MeHg) and ethylmercury (EtHg) in sewage sludge after ultrasound-assisted extraction is proposed. Using TMA (tetramethylammonium hydroxide) as the extractant with 3.0 g copper powder, ultrasonic extraction for 30 min at...

Activated sludge is now one of the most widely used biological processes for the treatment of wastewaters from medium to large populations. It produces high amounts of sewage sludge that can be managed and perceived in two main ways: as a waste it is discharged in landfill, as a fertilizer it is disposed in agriculture with direct application to soil or subjected to anaerobic digestion and comp...

Morera, M. T., Echeverría J. and Garrido, J. 2002. Bioavailability of heavy metals in soils amended with sewage sludge. Can. J. Soil Sci. 82: 433–438. The recycling of sewage sludge to agricultural land results in the slow accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metals in soils. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the bioavailability of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn applied to soils in urban...

The effect of sewage sludge fertilization on nitrogen and sulphur content in maize was assessed in a pot experiment conducted in 2003-2005. The experimental design comprised the following treatments in four replications on three soils: treatment without fertilizer – (0); mineral fertilization – (NPK); farmyard manure – (FYM); sewage sludge A – (SSA); a mixture of sewage sludge A with peat – (MS...

A novel microwave treatment of sewage sludge was developed as part of the ongoing studies for enhancing the recovery of phosphorus from municipal wastes. The microwave treatment provided a rapid and efficient process to release phosphate from sewage sludge. By using the microwave treatment for only 5 min, up to 76% of the total phosphate in the sludge could be released into the solution. No che...

This work reports some reflections about the European and Italian regulation on sewage sludge. In Europe, the progressive augment of the production of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants has recently led to a growing attention about management of this type of solid matrix. European Directives and Italian guidelines stimulated reuse of sewage sludge on agricultural soils or in comp...

Optimised Ammonia Sanitisation of Sewage Sludge Franziska Häfner The usage of sewage sludge as an organic fertiliser offers a way to recycle nutrients and organic matter for a sustainable agriculture. Sewage sludge is rich in plant nutrient like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients. Concerning the depletion of phosphorus resources, the reuse of sewage ...