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Enhancement of Solubility and Biohydrogen Production from Sewage Sludge with Lime Mud Filtrate

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Abstract

This work has been performed to investigate the use of lime mud filtrate (LMF) pretreatment to enhance hydrogen (H2) evolution from sewage sludge (SS). The SS samples were pretreated with LMF (pH 8.0–11.0) at 55 °C for 48 h, prior to the H2 fermentation. The maximum H2 yield of 38.30 ml/g-VS (volatile solid) was obtained from the SS pretreated by LMF pH of 10.0, with the corresponding lag time of 3.10 h, which was well described by the modified Gompertz model. Adequate pH of LMF facilitated the solubilization of SS and the release of organic matters, providing adequate substrates for subsequent bio-H2 evolution. The soluble chemical oxygen demand was increased from 25.0 to 91.7%, as compared with the control test without LMF soak. However, further increase in pH of LMF could decrease the concentration of available substrate, thus reducing the H2 yield. This technique revealed sustainable waste management and energy recovery.

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Acknowledgements

This work was sponsored by the Shandong Province Natural Science Foundation, China (ZR2016EEM33), and it was also supported by the Foundation (KF201720) of Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Science and Technology of Ministry of Education/ Shandong Province, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Science).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Science), Jinan, 250353, China

    Jishi Zhang, Chen Yao & Chuanfang Fan

  2. Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Science and Technology of Ministry of Education/Shandong Province, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Science), Jinan, 250353, China

    Jishi Zhang

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  1. Jishi Zhang
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  2. Chen Yao
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Correspondence to Jishi Zhang.

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Highlights

• High pH of lime mud filtrate (LMF) facilitated sewage sludge (SS) solubilization.

• The SS soaked with adequate LMF provided available substrate for anaerobes.

• LMF was used as alkali and inorganic nutrient in hydrogen (H2) evolution of SS.

• Maximum H2 yield of 18.30 ml/g-VS was obtained from the SS-pH 10.0 substrate.

• LMF pretreatment is an alternative approach to enhance bio-H2 production.

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Zhang, J., Yao, C. & Fan, C. Enhancement of Solubility and Biohydrogen Production from Sewage Sludge with Lime Mud Filtrate. Water Air Soil Pollut 229, 129 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-3779-0

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