@Article{Bahgat_etal2023,
author="Bahgat, N. T.
and Wilfert, P.
and Korving, L.
and Loosdrecht, M. van",
title="Integrated resource recovery from aerobic granular sludge plants",
journal="Water Research",
year="2023",
volume="234",
pages="119819",
optkeywords="EPS extraction",
optkeywords="Sewage",
optkeywords="Mass balances",
optkeywords="Phosphorus",
optkeywords="Methane",
optkeywords="Nitrogen",
abstract="The study evaluated the combined phosphorus, nitrogen, methane, and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) recovery from aerobic granular sludge (AGS) wastewater treatment plants. About 30\% of sludge organics are recovered as EPS and 25--30\% as methane (≈260~ml methane/g VS) by integrating alkaline anaerobic digestion (AD). It was shown that 20\% of excess sludge total phosphorus (TP) ends in the EPS. Further, 20--30\% ends in an acidic liquid waste stream (≈600~mg PO4-P/L), and 15\% in the AD centrate (≈800~mg PO4-P/L) as ortho-phosphates in both streams and is recoverable via chemical precipitation. 30\% of sludge total nitrogen (TN) is recovered as organic nitrogen in the EPS. Ammonium recovery from the alkaline high-temperature liquid stream is attractive, but it is not feasible for existing large-scale technologies because of low ammonium concentration. However, ammonium concentration in the AD centrate was calculated to be 2600~mg NH4-N/L and ≈20\% of TN, making it feasible for recovery. The methodology used in this study consisted of three main steps. The first step was to develop a laboratory protocol mimicking demonstration-scale EPS extraction conditions. The second step was to establish mass balances over the EPS extraction process on laboratory and demonstration scales within a full-scale AGS WWTP. Finally, the feasibility of resource recovery was evaluated based on concentrations, loads, and integration of existing technologies for resource recovery.",
optnote="exported from refbase (http://www.uhydro.de/base/show.php?record=303), last updated on Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:27:30 +0200",
issn="0043-1354",
opturl="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135423002543"
}