Characteristics of Sludge from the Treatment of Soilless Plant Cultivation Wastewater in a Rotating Electrobiological Disc Contactor (REBDC)

Joanna Rodziewicz, Artur Mielcarek (), Wojciech Janczukowicz, Jorge Manuel Rodrigues Tavares and Krzysztof Jóźwiakowski
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Joanna Rodziewicz: Department of Environment Engineering, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska 117a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Artur Mielcarek: Department of Environment Engineering, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska 117a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Wojciech Janczukowicz: Department of Environment Engineering, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska 117a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Jorge Manuel Rodrigues Tavares: Department of Technologies and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Beja, Apartado 6155, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal
Krzysztof Jóźwiakowski: Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: Due to the high nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in wastewater from soilless cultivation of tomatoes, the sludge formed during wastewater treatment can be used as a source of nutrients in agriculture. The effect of electrical direct current (DC) density (J) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) in a rotating electrobiological contactor (REBDC) on the quantity and quality of sludge generated in the process of tomato soilless cultivation wastewater treatment was determined. The cathode consisted of discs immobilized with biomass, while the anode was an aluminum electrode. HRTs of 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 24 h and (J) of 0.63, 1.25, 2.50, 5.00, and 10.00 A/m 2 were applied. The study showed that the increase in (J) caused an increase in the amount of sludge generated. The increase of (J) contributed to increased concentrations of biogenes in the sludge, whereas extension of HRT at a given current density contributed to increased concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus (up to 6.2% and 0.8% respectively) and to the reduced content of organic matter (up to 23.04%). The examined sludge was stabilized, sanitary, and safe, and may be an alternative to mineral fertilizers. This study showed that larger sludge amounts are produced in a DC mode aerobic REBDC than in an alternating current anaerobic one.

Keywords: tomatoes; soilless cultivation wastewater; rotating electrobiological contactor; sludge; phosphorus and nitrogen content; aluminium and iron (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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