A review on recent disposal of hazardous sewage sludge via anaerobic digestion and novel composting

Liew CS 1 , Yunus NM 2 , Chidi BS 3 , Lam MK 4 , Goh PS 5 , Mohamad M 6 Show all authors , Sin JC 7 , Lam SM 8 , Lim JW 9 , Lam SS 10

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
  • 2 Centre of Research in Ionic Liquids (CORIL), Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
  • 3 Bioresource Engineering Research Group (BioERG), Cape Peninsula University of Technology, P.O. Box 652, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
  • 4 Department of Chemical Engineering, HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
  • 5 Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Johor, Malaysia
  • 6 Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • 7 Department of Petrochemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, 31900 Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
  • 8 Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, Kampar, 31900 Perak, Malaysia
  • 9 Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia. Electronic address: junwei.lim@utp.edu.my
  • 10 Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China. Electronic address: lam@umt.edu.my
J Hazard Mater, 2022 Feb 05;423(Pt A):126995.
PMID: 34482076 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126995

Abstract

The high investment cost required by modern treatment technologies of hazardous sewage sludge such as incineration and anaerobic digestion have discouraged their application by many developing countries. Hence, this review elucidates the status, performances and limitations of two low-cost methods for biological treatment of hazardous sewage sludge, employing vermicomposting and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). Their performances in terms of carbon recovery, nitrogen recovery, mass reduction, pathogen destruction and heavy metal stabilization were assessed alongside with the mature anaerobic digestion method. It was revealed that vermicomposting and BSFL were on par with anaerobic digestion for carbon recovery, nitrogen recovery and mass reduction. Thermophilic anaerobic digestion was found superior in pathogen destruction because of its high operational temperature. Anaerobic digestion also had proven its ability to stabilize heavy metals, but no conclusive finding could confirm similar application from vermicomposting or BSFL treatment. However, the addition of co-substrates or biochar during vermicomposting or BSFL treatment may show synergistic effects in stabilizing heavy metals as demonstrated by anaerobic digestion. Moreover, vermicomposting and BSFL valorization had manifested their potentialities as the low-cost alternatives for treating hazardous sewage sludge, whilst producing value-added feedstock for biochemical industries.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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