title: Effect of anaerobic digestion and liming on plant availability of phosphorus in iron- and aluminium-precipitated sewage sludge from primary wastewater treatment plants.
abstract: More efficient plant utilisation of the phosphorus (P) in sewage sludge is required because rock phosphate is a limited resource. To meet environmental legislation thresholds for P removal from wastewater (WW), primary treatment with iron (Fe) or aluminium (Al) coagulants is effective. There is also a growing trend for WW treatment plants (WWTPs) to be coupled to a biogas process, in order to co-generate energy. The sludge produced, when stabilised, is used as a soil amendment in many countries. This study examined the effects of anaerobic digestion (AD), with or without liming as a post-treatment, on P release from Fe- and Al-precipitated sludges originating from primary WWTPs. Plant uptake of P from Fe- and Al-precipitated sludge after lime treatment but without AD was also compared. Chemical characterisation with sequential extraction of P and a greenhouse experiment with barley (Hordeum vulgare) were performed to assess the treatment effects on plant-available P. Liming increased the P-labile fraction in all cases. Plant P uptake increased from 18.5 mg pot-1to 53 mg P pot-1with liming of Fe-precipitated sludge and to 35 mg P pot-1with liming of the digestate, while it increased from 18.7 mg pot-1to 39 and 29 mg P pot-1for the Al-precipitated substrate and digestate, respectively. Thus, liming of untreated Fe-precipitated sludge and its digestate resulted in higher P uptake than liming its Al-precipitated counterparts. AD had a negative impact on P mobility for both sludges.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO, Frederik A. Dahls vei 20, NO-1430 Ås, Norway E-mail: emilio.alvarenga@nibio.no.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alvarenga
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO, Frederik A. Dahls vei 20, NO-1430 Ås, Norway E-mail: emilio.alvarenga@nibio.no.
authors.forename: Anne Falk
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Øgaard
authors.affiliation: Siv. Ing. Lasse Vråle AS, Steinspranget 20, Drammen, Norway.
authors.forename: Lasse
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vråle
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum; D007501:Iron; D010758:Phosphorus; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater