An enhanced disintegration using refinery spent caustic for anaerobic digestion of refinery waste activated sludge.

Jin Li, Qinghong Wang, Jiahao Liang, Huimin Li, Shaohui Guo, Mohamed Gamal El-Din, Chunmao Chen

Journal of environmental management 2021 Apr 15

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Alkali-mediated disintegration is efficient to improve the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS). In the present study, the role and potential of refinery spent caustic (RSC), an alkaline hazardous waste, in enhancing the disintegration of refinery waste activated sludge (RWAS) was investigated. The high alkalinity and free ammonia of RSC destroyed the microbial cell wall and promoted the release of intracellular substances. The contents of N-acetylglucosamine and proteins in the disintegrated liquid greatly increased to 0.41 mg/L and 1147 mg/L, respectively, relative to no disintegration (0.04 mg/L and 3.3 mg/L). The methane production (66.1 mL/g-VS) from RWAS anaerobic digestion increased by 226% compared to without disintegration (20.3 mL/g-VS). This study provides a newly developed "wastes-treat-wastes" management approach of refinery wastewater using combined treatment processes for RWAS and RSC using a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly disintegration of RWAS. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Jin Li, Qinghong Wang, Jiahao Liang, Huimin Li, Shaohui Guo, Mohamed Gamal El-Din, Chunmao Chen. An enhanced disintegration using refinery spent caustic for anaerobic digestion of refinery waste activated sludge. Journal of environmental management. 2021 Apr 15;284:112022