Using a New Acid-tolerant Bacteria to Improve Sludge Management

摘要

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are evolving frompollutant removal facilities to energy and resource recoveryfactories. This paper introduces an acidic activated-sludgeprocess, which expands the operational pH from a neutral(～7) to acidic range (2–6), using a new ammonia-oxidisingbacterium Ca. Nitrosoglobus. The acidic activated-sludgeprocess enables nitrogen removal via anammox, which doesnot require organic carbon and allows the organics insewage to be captured and recovered as biomethane. Theacidic activated-sludge process also reduces solidsconcentration, inactivates pathogens, and removes metalsfrom sludge, generating Class A biosolids which qualify forunrestricted agricultural reuse. Overall, the establishedacidic activated-sludge process opens up new opportunitiesto address the main challenges confronted by WWTPs, i.e.,attaining satisfactory pollutant removal while maximisingenergy and resource recovery from sewage.