Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
Volume 20, Issue 6, Pages 3811-3836Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s10311-022-01465-2
Keywords
Emerging pollutants; Sewage sludge; Anaerobic digestion; Valorization; Climate change
Funding
- Science Technology Innovation Funding Agency (STIFA)-Egypt [41591]
- National Research Centre-Egypt [12030202]
- Bryden Centre project [VA5048]
- European Union's INTERREG VA Programme
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The occurrence of emerging contaminants in sludges is a growing concern in wastewater treatment and agriculture. This review examines the inhibitory effects of these contaminants on anaerobic digestion and presents remediation methods such as electrooxidation, ultrasonication, thermal hydrolysis, ozonation, and bioaugmentation. Despite these methods, liquid digestates still contain emerging pollutants, highlighting the need for pretreatment.
The rising occurrence of emerging contaminants in sludges both inhibits the anaerobic digestion of sludges and induces health issues when sludges are recycled in agriculture, calling for methods to remove contaminants. Here we review emerging pollutants in wastewater treatment plants, before and after anaerobic digestion. We present their inhibitory effects and remediation methods to alleviate inhibition. Pharmaceuticals have been detected in about 50% of the sludge samples. Sewage sludge contaminants include 19% of diuretics, 16-21% of lipid-modifying agents, hydrochlorothiazide, diclofenac, furosemide, clarithromycin, atorvastatin, and carbamazepine. Levels of antibiotics, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and estrone range from 500 to 600 ng/g in sludges from wastewater treatment plants. Remediation methods comprise electrooxidation, ultrasonication, thermal hydrolysis, ozonation, and bioaugmentation. Fermenting the sludges with acidogenic bacteria reduces the level of emerging pollutants in the supernatant. Nonetheless, liquid digestates still contains emerging pollutants such as sunscreen octocrylene at 147 ug/L and acetaminophen at 58.6 ug/L. As a result, pretreatment of sludge containing emerging pollutants is required.
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