Article
Thermodynamics
Oraleou Sangue Djandja, Pei-Gao Duan, Lin-Xin Yin, Zhi-Cong Wang, Jia Duo
Summary: A neural network model was successfully used to predict the nitrogen content of hydrochar, with sewage sludge-N identified as the main contributor, predicting a conversion rate of 40-70%.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Longfei Xie, Le Gou, Yuanyuan Wang, Liyi Dai
Summary: Sewage sludge and polyvinyl chloride were investigated for co-hydrothermal carbonization. It was found that under acidic conditions, stubborn protein in sludge could be converted into free amino acids, leading to improved combustion performance of hydrochar. The addition of PVC increased volatile matter and fixed carbon, but excessive loading hindered combustion performance due to the generation of graphite-like carbon. Optimization studies showed that increased water loading amount had a significant effect on nitrogen content in hydrochar, promoting denitrification efficiency and preventing further polymerization.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
A. Sathiya Kala, Sreedharan Krishnan, M. H. Chandrakant, V Susitharan, A. M. Babitha Rani
Summary: This study aimed to optimize the nutrients used for producing high nutritional biofloc in a bioreactor utilizing aquaculture waste. A Full Factorial design was used to determine the optimal parameters, including sludge quantity, carbon nitrogen ratio, and bioflocculant dose. The results showed that the interaction between carbon nitrogen ratio and bioflocculant dose, as well as the interaction between sludge quantity, carbon nitrogen ratio, and bioflocculant dose, significantly influenced the percentage of crude protein and crude lipid in biofloc. The floc volume of biofloc was also significantly influenced by the interaction between carbon nitrogen ratio and bioflocculant dose. The optimized parameters were 30 g/L of sludge, a carbon nitrogen ratio of 20:1, and 30 ppm of cationic starch, resulting in maximum crude protein and crude lipid content in biofloc, as well as maximum floc volume.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fenghao Cui, Minkyung Kim, Chul Park, Dokyun Kim, Kyung Mo, Moonil Kim
Summary: The study used PCA to analyze the partial-nitrification process with aerobic granular sludge, identifying water quality parameters and bacterial community diversity while analyzing their correlations. By reducing data dimensionality and extracting useful information, PCA can effectively support data analysis in biological wastewater treatment.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
N. Srinivas, K. S. Kumar, A. R. Sailesh, M. Sudarshan
Summary: Sewage sludge is a secondary waste from sewage treatment plants that can have negative effects on soil, water, and the food chain if not properly disposed. Electroremediation, a cost-effective and efficient technique, has been used in this study to remove heavy metals from sewage sludge. The results showed significant reduction in concentrations of various heavy metals after electroremediation. This indicates that electroremediation can be a feasible method for treating heavy metals in sewage sludge. Overall, the importance of this study is rated as 8/10.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhanshi Ni, Haobo Bi, Chunlong Jiang, Hao Sun, Wenliang Zhou, Junjian Tian, Qizhao Lin
Summary: This study investigated the co-combustion of sewage sludge and coffee industry residues using thermogravimetric and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed an improvement in the comprehensive combustion index as the mass percentage of coffee industry residues increased.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yujie Fan, Leif Meyer, Miao Gong, Barbel Krause, Ursel Hornung, Nicolaus Dahmen
Summary: This study investigates the fate of nitrogen during catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of sewage sludge (SS) using three different catalysts (CuNi/SiO2, HCOOH, CuSO4) with 5 wt% loading. CuNi/SiO2 catalyst has similar bio-crude yields to non-catalyzed experiments, while HCOOH slightly increases the yields and CuSO4 obtains the maximum yields of 24.5 wt% with a 15% reduction in nitrogen content. Mechanistic investigations using model compounds show that CuSO4 effectively increases the yield and reduces the nitrogen content during HTL. Coke deposition and adsorbed poisoning by Maillard reaction products are proposed as the main reasons for catalyst deactivation.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mi Yan, Jintao Cui, Tian Li, Hongyu Feng, Dwi Hantoko, Ekkachai Kanchanatip
Summary: This study conducted a comprehensive investigation on the transformation and distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus during supercritical water gasification of sewage sludge. The results showed that organic nitrogen was converted to ammonium nitrogen, while phosphates were enriched in the solid phase. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical basis for the utilization of the liquid product and the recovery of phosphorus from the solid product.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Renjie Chen, Xiaohu Dai, Bin Dong
Summary: Hydrothermal treatment is a promising method for the sustainable treatment of municipal sludge, improving dewaterability and recovering biofuels, nutrients, and materials. This review summarizes the impact of different treatment temperatures on sludge dewaterability and product characteristics, and proposes an integrated sludge treatment system.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Athanasios Ragkos, Kentaro Hayashi, Joao Serra, Hideaki Shibata, Efstratios Michalis, Sadao Eguchi, Azusa Oita, Claudia Marques-dos-Santos Cordovil
Summary: Sustainable nitrogen management in agriculture requires coordinated efforts and holistic approaches. Stakeholders in Japan have differing views on nitrogen use and sustainability challenges. Further research is needed to address these issues and guide future policy design for more sustainable nitrogen use.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elham Shahrayini, Hossein Shafizadeh-Moghadam, Ali Akbar Noroozi, Mostafa Karimian Eghbal
Summary: This study evaluates the capability of visible-near-infrared spectroscopy to estimate soil organic carbon at different depths. The results show that the random forest model performs better than other models, and the highest accuracy is achieved with no preprocessing for most depths. The study demonstrates that spectral data can provide useful information for predicting soil organic carbon content at different depths.
GEOCARTO INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Fujin Xu, Huiqing Chang
Summary: This study assessed the greenhouse gas emissions under different rates of composted sewage sludge as a nitrogen fertilization substitute. It found that the use of composted sewage sludge as a nitrogen fertilizer substitute can reduce N2O, CH4, and CO2 emissions. The study also showed that the GHGI and global warming potential were significantly reduced while wheat yield increased under the 20% sludge replacement treatment. Additionally, the composted sewage sludge significantly increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content, with significant increase in soil nitrate nitrogen content at certain replacement ratios.
Article
Spectroscopy
Daniel Holub, Jakub Buday, Pavel Porizka, Jozef Kaiser
Summary: The usage of plastics has steadily increased over the last few decades, but earlier production methods often involved the use of potentially toxic materials, including heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, chromium (VI), mercury, and lead. Recently, various directives have been put in place to control the levels of these hazardous materials in plastic products, including those made from recycled polymer waste. This paper explores the use of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) as a reliable and efficient method for quantifying lead content in post-consumer recycled materials. The results showed an accuracy of over 90% and a relative precision of 86% using standard multivariate chemometric techniques.
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART B-ATOMIC SPECTROSCOPY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yujie Fan, Claudia Prestigiacomo, Miao Gong, Thomas Tietz, Ursel Hornung, Nicolaus Dahmen
Summary: This study investigates the continuous flow processing of waste sewage sludge through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The results show that HTL can achieve high mass recovery and yield of biocrude. The selection of recovery solvent is found to play a significant role in determining the biocrude yields.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Munirah Abdul Zali, Hafizan Juahir, Azimah Ismail, Ananthy Retnam, Azrul Normi Idris, Anuar Sefie, Ismail Tawnie, Syaiful Bahren Saadudin, Masni Mohd Ali
Summary: This study examined the distribution of seven sterol compounds in sewage treatment plants, groundwater, and river water. Faecal stanols and beta-sitosterol were found to be dominant in STP samples, while groundwater samples were influenced by natural/biogenic sterols, and river water samples had a mixture of sources. Principal component analysis showed distinct sources of sterols in the samples, and the study provides insights for sewage assessment in aquatic environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
J. A. Saez, M. D. Perez-Murcia, A. Vico, M. R. Martinez-Gallardo, F. J. Andreu-Rodriguez, M. J. Lopez, M. A. Bustamante, J. C. Sanchez-Hernandez, J. Moreno, R. Moral
Summary: The study compared the effects of composting and vermicomposting on the potential toxicity of sediments derived from long-term stored olive mill wastewater (OMW). Results showed that composting assisted with earthworms was more effective in reducing the ecotoxicity of OMWS, especially during the maturation stage. Vermicomposting was also effective in reducing OMWS salinity, but a pre-composting process was necessary to provide suitable conditions for earthworms.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria R. Martinez-Gallardo, Maria J. Lopez, Juan A. Lopez-Gonzalez, Macarena M. Jurado, Francisca Suarez-Estrella, Maria D. Perez-Murcia, Jose A. Saez, Raul Moral, Joaquin Moreno
Summary: This study compares the characteristics of long-time stored OMW sludges in evaporation ponds and assesses their impact on the underlying soil layer. The results show that organic matter and toxicity levels play a significant role in affecting the microbial community, and higher toxicity and biomass carbon levels on the surface suggest reduced leach flow and depletion of contaminants. Biostimulation of natural microbiota through sustainable biological treatments could promote the bioremediation of OMW sludges, offering a potential solution to environmental concerns in olive oil-producing countries.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
M. A. Bustamante, M. P. Gomis, M. D. Perez-Murcia, D. Gangi, F. G. Ceglie, C. Paredes, A. Perez-Espinosa, M. P. Bernal, R. Moral
Summary: This study evaluated the use of a washing pre-treatment to improve the quality of livestock waste-derived composts as peat substitutes in substrates for pepper seedling production. The results showed that the pre-treatment effectively reduced compost salinity without negative effects on the growing media quality, leading to beneficial effects on the germination and growth of pepper seedlings.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Antonio Marin-Martinez, Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Ma Angeles Bustamante, Enrique Agullo, Concepcion Paredes
Summary: In semi-arid vineyard agroecosystems, organic amendments such as compost and manure can improve soil fertility and grape yield, with increased CO2 emissions but decreased N2O emissions seen in plots with higher grape production. The optimal vineyard management for soil properties, yield, and GHG mitigation was found to be the use of compost in a drip-irrigated trellising vineyard with the grape variety Monastrell.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alicia Hernandez-Lara, Margarita Ros, Jessica Cuartero, Maria Angeles Bustamante, Raul Moral, Francisco Javier Andreu-Rodriguez, Juan A. Fernandez, Catalina Egea-Gilabert, Jose Antonio Pascual
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of three composting piles on the bacterial and fungal communities of baby-leaf lettuce crops, finding that fungal communities were more influenced by composting phases while bacterial communities were more sensitive to chemical changes. All composts were considered stable and mature, with compost C_C showing higher maturity. Bacterial phyla related to soil-borne pathogen suppression were more abundant in all three composts, but C_A and C_B showed higher suppressiveness against P. irregulare than C_C, likely due to higher abundance of potential suppressive genera such as Aspergillus and Penicillium.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Luciano Orden, Gaston A. Iocoli, Maria Angeles Bustamante, Raul Moral, Roberto A. Rodriguez
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of compost application on the release of nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon in the soil. The results showed that compost led to a predominance of nitrification, especially in sandy loam soil. Compost also had high available phosphorus content, but with a slow release. After compost application, a significant period of nitrogen immobilization occurred, resulting in a relative deficit of nitrogen. Therefore, it is important to study nutrient release dynamics and fertilization potential in different soil and climate conditions to minimize potential environmental impacts.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Banira Lombardi, Luciano Orden, Patricio Varela, Maximiliano Garay, Gaston Alejandro Iocoli, Agustin Montenegro, Jose Saez-Tovar, Maria Angeles Bustamante, Maria Paula Juliarena, Raul Moral
Summary: This study compared the effects of using treated dairy effluent or dissolved granulated urea for fertigation on maize crop yield, soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions. Results showed similar maize yields between the two treatments, but dairy effluent led to higher net GHG emissions during fertigation. However, the emissions from dairy effluent were lower than the CO(2)eq emissions from urea manufacturing or long-term effluent storage, highlighting the importance of life cycle assessments.
Article
Agronomy
Maria Pilar Gomis, Maria Dolores Perez-Murcia, Xavier Barber, Encarnacion Martinez-Sabater, Raul Moral, Maria Angeles Bustamante
Summary: The constraints of using peat in horticulture have led to the search for alternative materials. This study explores the feasibility of using organic materials derived from palm trees as growing media for lettuce transplant production. The study found that mixing palm-derived materials with coir fiber showed similar performance to 100% coir fiber in terms of lettuce seedling growth.
Article
Agronomy
Victor Valverde-Orozco, Irene Gavilanes-Teran, Julio Idrovo-Novillo, Lourdes Carrera-Beltran, Sofia Buri-Tanguila, Kimberly Salazar-Garcia, Concepcion Paredes
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the agro-livestock wastes in Ecuador, in order to design suitable composting processes for their treatment. The results showed that these wastes have high nutrient and organic matter content, low levels of heavy metals, and composting is a feasible strategy for their treatment.
Article
Agronomy
Encarnacion Martinez-Sabater, Maria Dolores Perez-Murcia, Francisco Javier Andreu-Rodriguez, Luciano Orden, Enrique Agullo, Jose Saez-Tovar, Juan Martinez-Tome, Maria Angeles Bustamante, Raul Moral
Summary: The treatment and utilization of organic solid waste is a promising alternative for increasing crop productivity and reducing environmental impact. In this study, the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on dill crop yield, soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions were investigated. The results showed that organic-based fertilizers reduced nitrogen concentrations in crops and had similar yields to synthetic fertilizers, while also mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Z. E. Blesa Marco, J. A. Saez, A. M. Pedraza Torres, E. Martinez Sabater, L. Orden, F. J. Andreu-Rodriguez, M. A. Bustamante, F. C. Marhuenda-Egea, M. J. Lopez, F. Suarez-Estrella, R. Moral
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of agricultural plastic waste (APW) on the vermicomposting process. The results suggest that plastic presence, depending on type, size, and degradation degree, can adversely affect E. fetida and the characteristics of the vermicomposts produced. The environmental significance lies in how plastic presence can impact organic waste degradation and the reuse of organic materials in agriculture.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
I. Nogues, C. Rumpel, M. Sebilo, V. Vaury, R. Moral, M. A. Bustamante
Summary: This study assessed the fate of C and N compounds during the composting process of cattle and pig slurry anaerobic digestates. It found that there was no isotopic discrimination during composting, indicating the previous stabilization of the manure. Additionally, the composts increased N values and delta N-15 soil values, and the plants grown on compost-amended soils showed higher N and delta N-15 abundance compared to control and inorganic fertilized plants. Overall, the delta N-15 abundance of anaerobic digestate composts could be a useful tool for detecting the type of fertilizer used in agricultural production.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Victor Valverde-Orozco, Irene Gavilanes-Teran, Julio Idrovo-Novillo, Lourdes Carrera-Beltran, Cristian Basantes-Cascante, Maria Angeles Bustamante, Concepcion Paredes
Summary: On-farm composting of agro-livestock wastes is best done through pile turning (PW) system. However, this system has long composting periods and inefficient aeration. To improve this, the combination of turnings with forced aeration (PR) was compared to PW for co-composting vegetable waste with different manures. Results showed that the PR system produced sanitized composts with higher agronomic value and reduced organic matter and nutrient losses compared to PW system.
Review
Agronomy
Andres Perez-San Martin, Frutos C. Marhuenda-Egea, Maria Angeles Bustamante, Gustavo Curaqueo
Summary: This review critically analyzes and updates the chemical spectroscopy methods for evaluating the transformation of organic matter in composting, and discusses their potential applications in optimizing compost quality for agricultural use.
