Sludge processors have wide choice of solutions for waste ammonia problems

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Environmental Solutions; (United States)

OSTI ID:7010426

Chen, Y S.R.; Samela, D ^[1]; Kaylor, F

---

1. Stone and Webster Engineering Corp., Boston, MA (United States). Environmental Technology and Services Div.

The Ocean Dumping Act of 1988 phased out dumping of sewage sludge into the ocean. To use sewage sludge beneficially, facilities treat and process it using such techniques as digestion, dewatering, composting, thermal drying and chemical stabilization. All of these processes create waste discharges containing high concentrations of nitrogen, mainly in the form of ammonia. When nitrification occurs in receiving waters, ammonia is oxidized to nitrate and can lower dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Excess ammonia also is toxic to fish and other aquatic life. Nitrogen reduction alternatives for sludge dewatering and processing waste discharges include the following: air stripping; steam stripping; breakpoint chlorination; selective ion exchange; reverse osmosis; and chemical precipitation. To remove wastewater nitrogen using biological processes, ammonia and organic nitrogen first are oxidized aerobically (nitrification) to nitrate nitrogen, which then is converted biologically to nitrogen gas (denitrification) under zero or low dissolved oxygen (anoxic) conditions. Because sludge treatment discharges contain valuable quantities of ammonia, they may be considered for reuse as supplemental fertilizer for land application or for reclamation through spraying or injection into soil. Such discharges also may be used in combustion processes.

• OSTI ID: 7010426
• Journal Information: Environmental Solutions; (United States), Vol. 7:9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
AMMONIA
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
NITRATES
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
SEWAGE SLUDGE
WASTE PROCESSING
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
RECYCLING
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
CONTROL
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
PROCESSING
SEWAGE
SLUDGES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
320305 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Industrial Waste Management