title: Investigation of the effectiveness of nutrient release from sludge foam after hybrid pretreatment processes by IR analysis and EDX Quantification.
abstract: One of the problems in wastewater treatment technologies is the formation of foam/scum. It is thought that filamentous microorganisms are responsible for foam formation and foam elimination/destruction can be carried out by various methods, among which disintegration is included. Hybrid disintegration (chemical decomposition and hydrodynamic cavitation) of foam microorganisms results in the transfer of phosphates, ammonium nitrogen, magnesium and potassium from the foam solids into the liquid phase. Application of both methods as a hybrid pretreatment process caused an increase in the concentration of phosphates of about 650 mg [Formula: see text] L(-1) and ammonium nitrogen of about 30 mg [Formula: see text] L(-1). The concentration of Mg(2+) and K(+) in the solution increased from 6.8 and 26.1 mg Mg(2+) L(-1) to 32.2 and 82.2 mg K(+) L(-1), respectively. The presence of nutrients and metal cations in the solid phase of foam was acknowledged by EDX Quantification. The confirmation of physico-chemical changes and release of cellular matter as a result of cellular lysis (hybrid disintegration) was done by infrared analysis. It was demonstrated that the disintegration of foam permits the removal of a part of nutrients in the form of struvite.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Materials, Civil and Environmental Engineering , Institute of Environmental Protection and Engineering, University of Bielsko-Biala , Bielsko-Biala , Poland.
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machnicka
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Materials, Civil and Environmental Engineering , Institute of Environmental Protection and Engineering, University of Bielsko-Biala , Bielsko-Biala , Poland.
authors.forename: Klaudiusz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grübel
mesh_terms: D064751:Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010710:Phosphates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D000069877:Struvite; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D064751:Ammonium Compounds; D010710:Phosphates; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D000069877:Struvite; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Mechanical and chemical pretreatments; activated sludge foam; ammonium nitrogen; cations; phosphates