Integrated resource recovery from aerobic granular sludge plants

Bahgat, Nouran T.; Wilfert, Philipp; Korving, Leon; Loosdrecht, M.C.M. van

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2023.119819

Cited by 25 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…AGS was collected from full-scale WWTPs (Zutphen) in the Netherlands, which is operated with the Nereda® technology developed by Royal HaskoningDHV, the Netherlands. The extraction of EPS from aerobic granules was based on the alkaline heat extraction method described in detail by Bahgat et al (2023) . The extraction was performed within the pH range of 9 to 11 with the addition of 25% KOH at 80°C for 2 h. The EPS was precipitated followed by acidification with 30% HCl to the pH range of 2 to 4 ( Figure 1 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… Schematic overview of the EPS produced from excess granular sludge at the Kaumera demonstration plant (Zutphen, the Netherlands) (as described in detail by Bahgat et al (2023) ) and the subsequent lab extraction of the water-soluble adhesive fraction and its analysis. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In AGS, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by microorganisms form a hydrogel matrix, which is a dense network that gives the granular microbial structures their physical and chemical stability ( Kehrein et al, 2020 ). These substances can be extracted and used for various high-value purposes while reducing waste sludge disposal and processing ( Sam and Dulekgurgen, 2016 ; Bahgat et al, 2023 ). The total Dutch production of Kaumera is expected to reach up to 85,000 tons per year by 2030 ( van Leeuwen et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The water-soluble fraction of extracellular polymeric substances from a resource recovery demonstration plant: characterization and potential application as an adhesive

Chen,

Erol,

Choi

et al. 2024

Front. Microbiol.

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Currently, there is a growing interest in transforming wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) into resource recovery plants. Microorganisms in aerobic granular sludge produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which are considered sustainable resources to be extracted and can be used in diverse applications. Exploring applications in other high-value materials, such as adhesives, will not only enhance the valorization potential of the EPS but also promote resource recovery. This study aimed to characterize a water-soluble fraction extracted from the EPS collected at the demonstration plant in the Netherlands based on its chemical composition (amino acids, sugar, and fatty acids) and propose a proof-of-concept for its use as an adhesive. This fraction comprises a mixture of biomolecules, such as proteins (26.6 ± 0.3%), sugars (21.8 ± 0.2%), and fatty acids (0.9%). The water-soluble fraction exhibited shear strength reaching 36–51 kPa across a pH range of 2–10 without additional chemical treatment, suggesting a potential application as an adhesive. The findings from this study provide insights into the concept of resource recovery and the valorization of excess sludge at WWTPs.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The water-soluble fraction of extracellular polymeric substances from a resource recovery demonstration plant: characterization and potential application as an adhesive

Chen,

Erol,

Choi

et al. 2024

Front. Microbiol.

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“…The extraction of EPS from both aerobic and anaerobic granules was based on the alkaline heat extraction method described in the previous work. − Aerobic granular sludge was collected from two full-scale wastewater treatment plants (Epe and Zutphen) in the Netherlands, which are operated with the Nereda Technology. EPS was extracted by alkaline extraction as explained in detail by Bahgat et al for the demonstration plants of Epe (sewage) and Zutphen (dairy). The extraction was performed between pH 9 and 11 by the addition of 25% KOH at 80 °C.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sialylation and Sulfation of Anionic Glycoconjugates Are Common in the Extracellular Polymeric Substances of Both Aerobic and Anaerobic Granular Sludges

Chen,

de Bruin,

Pronk

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Anaerobic and aerobic granular sludge processes are widely applied in wastewater treatment. In these systems, microorganisms grow in dense aggregates due to the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). This study investigates the sialylation and sulfation of anionic glyconconjugates in anaerobic and aerobic granular sludges collected from full-scale wastewater treatment processes. Size exclusion chromatography revealed a wide molecular weight distribution (3.5 to >5500 kDa) of the alkaline-extracted EPS. The high-molecular weight fraction (>5500 kDa), comprising 16.9–27.4% of EPS, was dominant with glycoconjugates. Mass spectrometry analysis and quantification assays identified nonulosonic acids (NulOs, e.g., bacterial sialic acids) and sulfated groups contributing to the negative charge in all EPS fractions. NulOs were predominantly present in the high-molecular weight fraction (47.2–84.3% of all detected NulOs), while sulfated glycoconjugates were distributed across the molecular weight fractions. Microorganisms, closely related to genera found in the granular sludge communities, contained genes responsible for NulO and sulfate group synthesis or transfer. The similar distribution patterns of sialylation and sulfation of the anionic glycoconjugates in the EPS samples indicate that these two glycoconjugate modifications commonly occur in the EPS of aerobic and anaerobic granular sludges.

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“…Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are known to critically affect the properties and performance of activated sludge [3] and are also reported to be the most important factor affecting sludge dewatering performance [4]. EPS are mainly composed of a wide variety of biopolymers with a high molecular weight (including proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides), which comprise 60-80% of the sludge volume [5]; therefore, recovering biopolymers from sludge has become a current research hotspot and attracts considerable attention in various applications [6,7]. As a complex of natural biopolymers, EPS can not only maintain the stability of sludge structure but also protect cells from external environmental stress (including toxic substances and heavy metals) [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Recovery of Alginate-like Extracellular Polymers (ALE) from Waste-Activated Sludge Using Sodium Percarbonate: Performance and Characteristics

Liu,

Ren,

Zhai

et al. 2023

Sustainability

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Resource recovery from waste-activated sludge is of great practical significance to achieve sustainable wastewater treatment. Alginate-like extracellular polymers (ALE), a typical class of extracellular polymer substances, are valuable bio-based products with broad application prospects. However, due to the low extraction efficiency of the current method, its practical applications are severely limited. In this study, sodium percarbonate (SPC) was first applied to enhance ALE extraction from conventional activated sludge to replace the sodium carbonate (SC) in the heating-SC method. The results showed that the ALE extracted by the heating-SPC method increased by 30.11% compared to the heating-SC method, and the alginate equivalent was slightly improved. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that the ALE primarily comprised galactose and glucose, indicating the potential for biomedical applications. The particle size distribution and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) composition of the sludge indicated that SPC could improve the cracking of the sludge flocs and the organic release. In addition, due to SPC’s ability to oxidize, the molecular composition of the ALE extract changed. In conclusion, SPC used as a substitute for SC in the heating-SC method could be effectively employed to recover ALE from waste-activated sludge. In future studies, further optimization of the operational conditions needs to be considered.

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Integrated resource recovery from aerobic granular sludge plants

Cited by 25 publications

References 38 publications

The water-soluble fraction of extracellular polymeric substances from a resource recovery demonstration plant: characterization and potential application as an adhesive

The water-soluble fraction of extracellular polymeric substances from a resource recovery demonstration plant: characterization and potential application as an adhesive

Sialylation and Sulfation of Anionic Glycoconjugates Are Common in the Extracellular Polymeric Substances of Both Aerobic and Anaerobic Granular Sludges

Enhanced Recovery of Alginate-like Extracellular Polymers (ALE) from Waste-Activated Sludge Using Sodium Percarbonate: Performance and Characteristics

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