Impact of compost process temperature on organic micro-pollutant degradation

Yumna Sadef; Tjalfe Gorm Poulsen; Kai Bester

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.07.003

Impact of compost process temperature on organic micro-pollutant degradation

Sci Total Environ. 2014 Oct 1:494-495:306-12. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.07.003. Epub 2014 Jul 21.

Authors

Yumna Sadef¹, Tjalfe Gorm Poulsen², Kai Bester³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry Biotechnology and Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Sohngaardsholmsvej 57, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgsvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; College of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, 54000 Lahore, Pakistan; Department of Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China. Electronic address: ys@bio.aau.dk.
² Department of Chemistry Biotechnology and Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Sohngaardsholmsvej 57, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China.
³ Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgsvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.

PMID: 25058897
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.07.003

Abstract

Aerobic composting has gained considerable attention because of its ability to remove organic micro-pollutants. Compost process temperature is a key parameter controlling degradation rate. Impact of process temperature on removal of 15 key organic micro-pollutants often found in sewage sludge (including two metabolites) during sewage sludge composting was investigated at 18-70°C over 52 days. Removal rates generally depended strongly on temperature and for all compounds an optimal temperature for removal was observed. Optimal temperatures for the 13 parent compounds ranged from 25 to 70°C and relative removal of the 13 parent compounds was as high as 99% across all combinations of compound and temperature with an average removal of 66%. The two metabolites were both formed and removed during the course of composting and the data indicated that metabolites may very well have other optimal removal temperatures than their parent compounds.

Keywords: Aerobic composting; Biomass remediation; Metabolite fate; Optimal temperature; Sewage sludge.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biodegradation, Environmental
Sewage / chemistry*
Soil / chemistry*
Soil Pollutants / chemistry*
Temperature*
Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*

Substances

Sewage
Soil
Soil Pollutants