10.

2478/v10060-011-0066-9

Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW

Land Reclamation No 44 (2), 2012: 101–109
(Ann. Warsaw Univ. of Life Sci. – SGGW, Land Reclam. 44 (2), 2012)

Sewage sludge stabilization indicators in aerobic digestion –

a review
MONIKA KAZIMIERCZAK
Department of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW

Abstract: Sewage sludge stabilization indicators INTRODUCTION

in aerobic digestion – a review. Raw sludge is a
waste product that originates in the process of
The sludge is a waste product originates
wastewater treatment. The sludge characterizes it-
self by significant ability to putrefaction, emission from wastewater treatment process.
of odors and low ability to dewater. In addition, The primary and secondary sludge and
pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites exist in sludge arises after chemical treatment
the sludges. This is the reason why they must be are known. Primary sludge, as a result
stabilized and disposed in order to eliminate or of sedimentation process of suspen-
reduce unwanted or harmful features. There are
several ways of sludge treatment with use of bio- sion both organic and mineral character,
logical, chemical, and thermal methods. Biologi- is generated in a primary sedimenta-
cal methods, however, are most commonly used. tion tank. Secondary sludge originates
Among these methods anaerobic fermentation or in sedimentation tanks after biological
aerobic stabilization are usually in use. Aerobic treatment of wastewater in activated
digestion is basically used for small amounts of
sludges, thus in small and medium-sized waste-
sludge or trickling filter process. Sludge
water treatment plants. The process involves the after chemical treatment arises as a result
removal of organic matter present in the sludge of chemical precipitation of phosphorus
under aerobic conditions by microorganisms. from primary or secondary sludge (Ro-
There are various types of aerobic stability, differ- man 1986; Stier and Fischer 1998; Bień
ing with the temperature of the process or tanks
in which the process is carried out. The paper
and Wystalska 2005; Bień 2007; Poded-
presents sewage sludge stabilization indicators, worna and Umiejewska 2008).
which can be divided into physicochemical and Raw sewage sludge is hazardous
biological activity parameters. These indicators waste. By dint of its content of easily de-
are reduction of volatile suspended solids, total gradable organic matter sludge is char-
organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, speci-
acterized by significant capacity of pu-
fic oxygen uptake rate and dehydrogenase activ-
ity. The paper shows the comparison of the results trefaction, what involves the release of
obtained by many foreign and Polish authors. The odors. This sludge characterizes itself by
review of sewage sludge stabilization indicators low ability to dewater, in consequence
also consists of the influences of some of other it consists the high degree of hydration.
factors on volatile suspended solids. Generated sludge occupies high volume.
Key words: aerobic digestion, sewage sludge sta- Moreover, pathogenic germs, viruses and
bilization indicators. parasites live in sludge. For this men-
102 M. Kazimierczak

tioned reasons, the sludge has to be sta- Heidrich seem to be too high. Aerobic
bilized in order to eliminate or decrease digestion involves the use of the decom-
unwanted or harmful features (Graczyk position process of organic matter con-
1984; Podedworna and Umiejewska tained in sewage sludge, involving mi-
2008). Next, sludge has to be disposed croorganisms under aerobic conditions.
e.g. destined for agricultural use as soil The organic matter in sewage sludge is a
and plants fertilizers, for land reclama- substrate for microbial metabolic chain.
tion, combusted and then used for land In the first phase, easily degradable or-
reclamation or stored in landfills (Roman ganic matter is oxidized on the strength
1986; Siuta 2003). of enzymes produced by the microorgan-
There are several ways of sludge isms living in activated sludge, resulting
treatment. These are biological, chemi- in rapid multiplication of microorgan-
cal and thermal ones. Biological methods isms. These microorganisms use organic
include aerobic and anaerobic digestion matter for biomass increasing and syn-
and composting. For the chemical meth- thesis of the substance. The first phase is
ods lime stabilization is being used. Also being continued until the sludge contains
thermal – the most radical methods, py- easily degradable organic matter. In the
rolysis, burning or complete incineration second phase, after the exhaustion of the
are in use. Due to the efficiency and costs external source of organic matter, cellu-
the most important and common is the lar material is oxidized, and microorgan-
biological stabilization performed under isms obtain energy from self-oxidation
anaerobic conditions (fermentation) and of these cellular substances. In the third
aerobic (oxidative stabilization) (Bar- phase, the further intracellular oxidation
toszewski 1994; Sadecka 2002; Poded- is being continued. Phase two and three
worna and Umiejewska 2008; Poded- are called aerobic stability (Heidrich and
worna and Heidrich 2010; Środa et al. Witkowski 2005; Podedworna and Um-
2012). iejewska 2008).
In terms of investment costs, aero- Aerobic digestion may be carried out
bic sludge stabilization requires far less in various ways. For very small waste-
costs than anaerobic, and is mainly used water treatment plant, serving the village
for small amounts of sludge and, there- far below the 10,000 people equivalent,
fore, small and medium-sized wastewa- most commonly simultaneous aerobic di-
ter treatment plants (Bartoszewski 1994; gestion is being used due to the fact that
Sadecka 2002; Halicka and Heidrich the stabilization of sludge takes place
2008; Okutman 2010). Halicka and Hei- in the nitrification tanks. The second
drich (2008) say that, from an economic way is the classic aerobic digestion of
point of view, the fermentation is pref- sludge applied to larger plants. The proc-
erable for treatment with a population ess takes place in isolated, open tanks.
equivalent of more than 100,000 people, Another way is discontinuous stabiliza-
while the aerobic sludge stabilization tion with denitrification and densifica-
is beneficial in towns with a population tion, called combined anaerobic – aero-
of between 10,000 and 30,000 people. bic digestion. It depends on the oxygen
These numbers showed by Halicka and cycle phases during which the sludge
 Sewage sludge stabilization indicators in aerobic digestion – a review 103

is aerated and circulated and anaerobic carried out by Okutman (2010) shows
phases, which excludes the mixing and that for sludge from municipal wastewa-
aeration. During this phase sludge deni- ter treatment plants operating with acti-
trification process take place. The sludge vated sludge and bio-phosphorus tanks
is then subjected to mechanical densifi- for advanced wastewater treatment, big-
cation. Popular method, recently, is the gest removal of dry matter and volatile
stabilization in thermophilic conditions. suspended solids was observed during
The basis of the process is the concentra- aerobic digestion at 20°C after 18 days.
tion of sludge, after delivered of oxygen, The removal of dry matter was 26%, and
spontaneous heating sludge follows to a removal of volatile suspended solids was
temperature of 55–80°C. The process is 31%, and has not changed significantly
carried out in separate, closed tanks with over the following days of the experi-
aeration (Steinle 1993; Podedworna and ment. The VSS/SS ratio, defined as the
Umiejewska 2008). ratio of the concentration of volatile sus-
pended solids to dry solids, was evalu-
ated as well. Before digestion VSS/SS
SEWAGE SLUDGE ratio was 0.59 and after 35 days of the
STABILIZATION INDICATORS experiment, 0.54. From 22nd day there
was no significant change of the indica-
Several criteria are being used to evalu- tor. Also Cokgor et al. (2012) investigat-
ate the sludge degradation. They vary ed the sludge coming from the municipal
in labor and speed of results obtaining. wastewater treatment plant operating
These criteria can be divided into physi- with activated sludge with biological
cochemical parameters and biological phosphorus removal. The stabilization
activity. was carried out at 20°C. In case of aero-
bic digestion dry weight removal was
Physicochemical parameters observed at 8.5% after 14 days and 22%
Volatile suspended solids (VSS) after 30 days of the experiment. Volatile
removal suspended solids removal was respec-
tively 10% after days and 28% after 30
Sludge mineralization occurs during the
days. Okutman, Cokgor et al. also give
process of digestion, in which a reduc-
the value of the VSS/SS ratio. Before di-
tion of volatile suspended solids take
gestion it was 0.52, 0.51 after 14 days of
place. The loss of organic matter at the
investigation and 0.48 after 30 days.
level of 38–40% is assumed as the sta-
Bernard and Gray (2000) investigated
bilization limit (Podedworna and Umie-
the sludges from three wastewater treat-
jewska 2008). A number of studies were
ment plants. Aerobic digestion process
carried out, where one of the basic pa-
was conducted at an ambient temperature
rameters for level of sludge degradation
of 16.5–20°C. Loss of dry weight after
was dry weight and loss on burning. The
35 days of this study was in the range of
authors based on these parameters rec-
41.6–53.5%. However, volatile suspend-
ommended the minimum time required
ed solids removal at the same time was
to sludge degradation. The investigation
in the range of 53.1–63.9%. The authors
104 M. Kazimierczak

indicate the minimum required stabiliza- served for the temperature of 50°C. Loss
tion time as 14 days. After this time, the of 62.3% was achieved within 17 days.
loss of volatile suspended solids was in At the same time the increasing in loss
the range of 22–48%. of volatile suspended solids with the in-
Table 1 summarizes the results ob- crease in temperature was noticed.
tained by the authors discussed above. In another study conducted by Zupan-
Given values are: the temperature of in- cic and Ros (2008), it was proved that
dividual experience, procentage reduc- the disintegration of volatile suspended
tion of volatile suspended solids after solids is affected not only by the temper-
14 or 18 days (in parentheses next to the ature but also by the gas used to aerate.
value given the exact number of days) The researchers came to the conclusion
and after the end of stabilization process. that both attempt of oxygen and air are
Quite significant differences in the loss two temperature ranges in which the sta-
of volatile suspended solids obtained in bilization process takes place in a satis-
the experiments of various authors may factory manner. The first range for both

TABLE 1. The comparison efficiency reduction volatile suspended solids after various authors
Bernard
Indicator Okutman Cokgor
i Gray
Temperature (°C) 20 20 16.5–20
Reduction (%) of volatile suspended
31 (18 d.) 10 (14 d.) 22–48 (14 d.)
solids (after 14 or 18 days)
Reduction (%) of volatile suspended > 31 (did not change signi-
28 53.1–63.9
solids (after stabilization process) ficantly)

be noticed. oxygen and air is in the mesophilic range

The removal of the concentration of and the best result was obtained at 38°C,
volatile suspended solids also affected the superior is system with oxygen. Loss
other factors. As Podedworna and Umie- of volatile suspended solids at a level of
jewska (2008) stated, the rate of decom- 60% was observed after 21 days of study,
position of volatile suspended solids is and the same loss of volatile suspended
strongly dependent on the temperature solids for the air was observed after 39
process, and increases with the increase days. The second temperature range is
in temperature. different for the two methods of aera-
Borowski (2000) in his study shows tion. System with air is more effective
that for the process temperature of 55°C for the temperature range of 50–58°C,
sludge is stabilized after 8 days. The loss where the loss of volatile suspended sol-
of volatile suspended solids after this ids at a level of 60% was observed after
time was 39.3%. 17 days for the temperature of 55.9°C.
In a study by Ros and Zupancic For the oxygen system, the second range
(2002) of the aerobic digestion at 20, 37, of temperature was between 25–30°C,
40, 45, 50 and 55°C, maximum loss of the loss of volatile suspended solids at
volatile suspended solids have been ob- a level of 60% was achieved after 31
 Sewage sludge stabilization indicators in aerobic digestion – a review 105

days. The researchers also found that the sedimentation tank, was 77.39 mg/L and
system of aeration with oxygen does not fell to 37.31 mg/L by the end of the ex-
work for thermophilic aerobic digestion. periment. But form day 70, the value of
Above 50°C sludge stops to degrade due COD was constant. The authors affirmed
to high concentrations of dissolved oxy- that it was because the system was stable
gen. In nature such high concentration of and the remaining non-degraded COD
dissolved oxygen at a temperature above was resistant to biodegradation.
50°C is not observed and the bacteria COD was used by Zupancic and Ros
probably is not able to survive and mul- (2008) as one of the main parameters of
tiply in these conditions. sludge degradation measurement. In this
study the authors investigated aerobic di-
Total organic carbon (TOC)
gestion of waste activated sludge coming
Study by Cokgor et al. (2012) of the aer- form municipal wastewater treatment
obic digestion of sludge originating from plant. Pure oxygen and air was used to
the wastewater treatment plant showed aeration in variety of temperatures. The
that the concentration of TOC at the be- scientist concluded that there were two
ginning of the experiment was 2200 mg/ ranges of temperatures for both oxygen
/L and was reduced to 995 mg/L. The au- and air aeration when successful degra-
thors affirmed that TOC content of the dation was observed. The first range for
stabilized sludge is an important para- both oxygen and air was in the mesophilic
meter when sludge is landfilling. In this range and the best result was obtained at
study scientists reached remarkable re- 38°C. The superior is system with oxy-
moval of TOC after 30 days, but it didn’t gen which reached 55% of COD degra-
comply with the limitation for landfilling dation in 18 days and 60% in 23 days.
for their country. The air-aerated system reached 55% in
Okutman (2010) investigated aerobi- 18 days as well, but after that time deg-
cally digested sludge coming from mu- radation of COD was poor. The second
nicipal treatment plant. The major reduc- temperature range was different for the
tion of TOC was observed after 22 days two methods of aeration. The system
of digestion and achieved removal of with air was more effective for the tem-
38%. The experiment lasted over month perature range of 50–58°C, where 60%
and achieved removal of 42% of TOC of COD degradation was observed after
after that period. The author affirmed that 23 days for the temperature of 55.9°C.
most of removed TOC was consumed by For the oxygen system, the second range
microorganisms. was between 25–30°C, where 60% of
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) COD degradation was observed after 27
decrease days. The degradation of COD corre-
Chemical oxygen demand decline can sponds with VSS removal in this study.
be used to measure stability degree of Biological activity
sludge (Graczyk 1984).
Sanchez et al. (2006) observed that The specific oxygen uptake rate
the initial value of COD, aerobically (SOUR) and oxygen uptake rate (OUR)
digested sludge coming from primary
106 M. Kazimierczak

The specific oxygen uptake rate (respira- Dehydrogenase activity

tory rate) it is the milligram of oxygen The dehydrogenases are the enzymes
consumed by microorganisms per gram that transfer hydrogen. Their activity is
of volatile suspended solids (VSS) per associated with the presence of living
hour. This rate shows the degree of sta- bacterial cells. Dehydrogenase activity
bility of sludge and is combined with re- test is a simple way for an assessment of
moval of biological substrate and growth the stability of sludge (Stier and Fischer
or decay of microorganisms. 1998). Assay consists in the reduction of
Sanchez et al. (2006) investigated colorless triphenyltetrazolium chloride
aerobically digested sludge coming to red triphenylformazan and spectro-
from the primary sedimentation tanks. photometric measurement of the color
Specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) intensity (Bernat et al. 2007).
had an initial value of 3.08 mg O2/g Sanchez et al. (2006) conducted re-
TS/h at the beginning of the experiment search on sludge coming from the pri-
and increased to a maximum value of mary sedimentation tanks. Dehydroge-
14.5 mgO2/g TS/h on day 46. Then nase activity was measured. In the early
SOUR decreased and reached days of study a drop of microbial activ-
1.13 mg O2/g TS/h after 135 days. The ity was observed, which was associated
author explained that the decrease indi- with their adaptation to the new condi-
cated a reduction in respiratory activity. tions. Then reported a slight increase in
Bernard and Gray (2000) in their this activity, which lasted until day 46,
study investigated the sludges coming after which there was a clear decrease in
from three wastewater treatment plants the activity of microorganisms. This de-
aerobically digested at an ambient tem- hydrogenase activity correlated with es-
perature of 16.5–20°C. SOUR rapidly terase activity survey, carried out in this
decreased over the first 14 days of the experiment.
process. After 35 days of the aerobic Graczyk (1984) in her studies of
digestion reduction of SOUR ranged highly concentrated organic wastewater
from 65.8–93.1% and reached less than revealed that the activity of dehydroge-
1 mg O2/g TS/h. The sludges were fully nases in this wastewater reached a maxi-
stabilized after 7 days of aerobic diges- mum during the second day of the ther-
tion. mophilic aerobic digestion process. Then
Cokgor et al. (2012) investigated the a significant decrease of the enzyme ac-
domestic sludge aerobically digested at tivity was reported. This decrease is ex-
room temperature of 20°C for 35 days. plained by the author of the exhaustion
Scientists measured oxygen uptake rate of easily degradable substrates and the
(OUR) profile at the beginning and after lack of a protein compounds.
17 and 30 days of experiment. Maximum Study by Oviedo et al. (2005) of the
OUR value was observed at the begin- aerobic digestion of sludge originating
ning of aerobic digestion and was around from the primary sedimentation tanks,
40.5 mg O2/L/h and decreased over showed that the dehydrogenase activity
time to 18 mg O2/L/h after 17 days and is a good indicator of microbial activity.
21 mg O2/L/h after 30 days. At the beginning of the process a drop
 Sewage sludge stabilization indicators in aerobic digestion – a review 107

of dehydrogenase activity was observed. digestion tank increases, as well as con-

The authors explain this fact with micro- struction costs. Longer retention time of
bial adaptation to the new conditions, sludge is associated with higher amounts
after this adaptation stage of the slight of sludge and thus the construction of a
increase in activity was recorded up to larger tank. This is the reason why it is
46 day, and then decrease of microbial important to determine the optimal time
activity was recorded. The authors did of digestion, which is highly dependent
not explain the reasons for the increase, on the rate of degradation of suspended
and then the decrease in dehydrogenase solids. For the sludge from wastewater
activity. However, this relationship cor- treatment plants operating with activated
relates with studies of Graczyk (1984). sludge, the minimum time of digestion
Analyzing studies concluded by given in the literature at a temperature of
Oviedo et al. (2005) and Sanchez et al. about 20°C is about 14–18 days. How-
(2006) these two articles are based on the ever, inconsistent data involves the re-
same investigation of aerobic digestion moval of volatile suspended solids, or
of sludge coming from the primary clari- the dry matter after this time. For stabili-
fiers. ty boundary it is assumed that removal of
Activity of dehydrogenases test can volatile suspended solids is at 38–40%.
be successfully carried out as a rou- Literature data show that after that time
tine assay of sludge stabilization stage. this ratio is in the range of 10–48%.
It is a simple, fast and inexpensive test Temperature also has an impact on
(Sanchez et al. 2006). removal of volatile suspended solids.
When the temperature increases, also
the rate of removal of this compound in-
CONCLUSION creases. Also gas used for aeration of di-
gestion tanks has an impact on removal
There are several parameters use to esti- of this compounds. The literature shows,
mate degree of sludge degradation. Usu- that for a system using an oxygen, sta-
ally a few of them are used at the same bilization occurs more efficiently for the
experiment. Remove of volatile suspend- temperature range 25–30°C, and 38°C.
ed solids is commonly used parameter. The most efficient for system of air is
However, attention should be paid to the thermophilic range of temperature.
fact, that in the literature different rates TOC is a parameter which is impor-
of removal of volatile suspended solids tant when sludge is landfilling.
are given. The rate of removal has a sig- COD correlates with VSS during aer-
nificant impact on the effectiveness cost obic digestion. It’s also quite simple and
and efficiency of the process of receiving quick parameters to assay.
stabilized sludge. The longer stabilization SOUR is combined with removal of
time the better sludge is stabilized. With biological substrate and growth or decay
the increase of sludge digestion time, of microorganisms. The sludge is fully
operating and investments costs associ- stabilized when this parameter reach less
ated with the maintenance of a sufficient than 1 mg O2/g TS/h.
concentration of dissolved oxygen in a
108 M. Kazimierczak

A good indicator is a test for dehy- COKGOR E.U., OKUTMAN TAS D.,
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ZUPANCIC G.D., ROS M. 2008: Aerobic Słowa kluczowe: tlenowa stabilizacja osadów,
and two-stage anaerobie sludge digestion osady ściekowe, stopień ustabilizowania osadów.
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Author’s address:
Streszczenie: Wskaźniki stopnia ustabilizowania Monika Kazimierczak
osadu w procesie tlenowej stabilizacji. Surowe Katedra Inżynierii Budowlanej
osady ściekowe są odpadem, który powstaje w Wydział Budownictwa i Inżynierii Środowiska
procesie oczyszczania ścieków. Charakteryzuje je Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego
znaczna zdolność do zagniwania, co wiąże się z ul. Nowoursynowska 159, 02–787 Warszawa
wydzielaniem przez nie odorów, cechuje je niska Poland
zdolność do oddawania wody. Ponadto w osadach e-mail: [Link]@[Link]