scholarly journals The possibility of using sewage sludge for energy crop cultivation exemplified by reed canary grass and giant miscanthus

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Antonkiewicz ◽  
Barbara Kołodziej ◽  
Elżbieta Jolanta Bielińska ◽  
Anna Popławska

Abstract Energy crops, on account of high biomass yields, have high nutrient requirements in relation to macroelements. Municipal sewage sludge can be a potential source of micronutrients for plants with high nutrient requirements. The use of macronutrients from sewage sludge by energy crops is an alternative form of nutrient recycling from organic waste. The aim of the research was to assess the content, uptake and use of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na from municipal sewage sludge by reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) and giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu). The effect of sewage sludge on the ratios between macroelements in the biomass of the tested plants was also assessed. The multi-year field experiment involved four levels of fertilization with sewage sludge at doses of 0, 10, 20, 40, 60 Mg DM·ha−1. Due to the low potassium content in this waste, supplementary potassium fertilization (100 kg K·ha−1 in the form of 40% potassium salt (KCl)) was applied once on all plots. It was established that the increasing doses of sewage sludge had a considerable effect on the increase in the content and uptake of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na by the biomass of the tested energy crops. The research shows that, compared to giant miscanthus, reed canary grass had a higher macronutrient content. The largest amount of uptaken N, P, K, Ca and Mg was found in reed canary grass (at a dose of 40 Mg DM·ha−1), whereas Na was detected in giant miscanthus (at a dose o 20 Mg DM·ha−1). It was established that giant miscanthus, on account of its higher yielding, recovers macroelements from sewage sludge applied to soil at a dose of 10 Mg DM·ha−1 to the greatest extent. The increasing doses of sewage sludge considerably decreased the value of K:Mg, Ca:Mg, Ca:P ratios in miscanthus biomass yield. The applied doses of sewage sludge (40–60 Mg DM·ha−1) increased the value of K:Ca, Ca:P, K:Na ratios in miscanthus biomass yield.

2016 ◽  
Vol 85 ◽  
pp. 363-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Kołodziej ◽  
Magdalena Stachyra ◽  
Jacek Antonkiewicz ◽  
Elżbieta Bielińska ◽  
Janusz Wiśniewski

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4371
Author(s):  
Neven Voća ◽  
Josip Leto ◽  
Tomislav Karažija ◽  
Nikola Bilandžija ◽  
Anamarija Peter ◽  
...  

The application of municipal sewage sludge as fertilizer in the production of non-food energy crops is an environmentally and economically sustainable approach to sewage sludge management. In addition, the application of municipal sewage sludge to energy crops such as Miscanthus x giganteus is an alternative form of recycling nutrients and organic material from waste. Municipal sewage sludge is a potential source of heavy metals in the soil, some of which can be removed by growing energy crops that are also remediation agents. Therefore, the objective of the research was to investigate the effect of municipal sewage sludge applied at three different rates of 1.66, 3.22 and 6.44 t/ha on the production of Miscanthus. Based on the analyses conducted on the biomass of Miscanthus fertilized with sludge from the wastewater treatment plant in three fertilization treatments, it can be concluded that the biomass of Miscanthus is a good feedstock for the process of direct combustion. Moreover, the application of the largest amount of municipal sewage sludge during cultivation had no negative effect on the properties of Miscanthus biomass. Moreover, the cellulose and hemicellulose content of Miscanthus is ideal for the production of second-generation liquid biofuels. Fertilizer treatments had no effect on the content of cellulose and lignin, while a significant statistical difference was found for hemicellulose.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 907
Author(s):  
Dariusz Zielonka ◽  
Wiesław Szulc ◽  
Monika Skowrońska ◽  
Beata Rutkowska ◽  
Stefan Russel

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of three hemp cultivars to accumulate heavy metals under sewage sludge (SS) and phosphogypsum (PG) application. The field study was carried out from 2014 to 2016 on Luvisol (loamy sand) in Poland. The experiment scheme included five treatments—T0: the control without fertilization, T1: 170 kg N (nitrogen) ha−1 from sewage sludge, T2: 170 kg N ha−1 from sewage sludge and 100 kg ha−1 of phosphogypsum, T3: 170 kg N ha−1 from sewage sludge and 500 kg ha−1 of phosphogypsum, and T4: 170 kg N ha−1 from sewage sludge and 1000 kg ha−1 of phosphogypsum. It was found that the application of municipal sewage sludge enriched the soil with the bioavailable forms of heavy metals to the greatest extent and contributed to the highest increase in their contents in vegetative and generative organs of hemp plants. These parameters showed a phosphogypsum dose-dependent decline, which could hinder the phytoextraction process. The greatest extractions of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) from the soil treated with SS and PG were achieved by the Tygra variety, which had the highest bioconcentration factor (BCF) and biomass yield.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12306
Author(s):  
Sławomir Rybka ◽  
Krzysztof Tereszkiewicz

The aim of the research was to determine the possibility of using ash from the thermal utilization of municipal sewage sludge as a fertilizer in the cultivation of giant miscanthus (miscanthus sinensis giganteus) for energy purposes. An attempt was also made to determine the optimal level of fertilization with ash from the thermal utilization of municipal sewage sludge in the commodity cultivation of miscanthus. It was assumed that the ash produced after thermal utilization of municipal sewage sludge could replace conventional mineral fertilizers. To prove the thesis, laboratory experiments of the miscanthus cultivation miscanthus were carried out. The results allowed to determine the optimal fertilization dose for miscanthus to be used in the next stage of the field research. Miscanthus does not pose a succession threat due to the method of reproduction in central Europe; therefore, its cultivation may remain under control. The research showed that for fertilization of miscanthus × giganteus crops, the ashes from thermal utilization of municipal sewage sludge could be used effectively. In experimental crops, it was shown that the optimal level of miscanthus fertilization in terms of yield was 8.32 g of ash per pot and 0.1 g of nitrogen per pot. As a result of laboratory tests, based on biometric features, the most favorable dose of ash and nitrogen fertilization from thermal utilization of municipal sewage sludge for use in field conditions was selected. The dose amounted to 3.7 t of ash∙ha−1 and 45 kg of nitrogen∙ha−1. In order to reduce the costs of cultivation, it was possible to abandon the use of nitrogen fertilizers since their omission did not cause a significant drop in yield. It is necessary to continue research in the field in order to confirm the correctness of the results obtained from laboratory tests.


Agronomie ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Gigliotti ◽  
Pier Lodovico Giusquiani ◽  
Daniela Businelli

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3106
Author(s):  
Tomasz Kalak ◽  
Kinga Marciszewicz ◽  
Joanna Piepiórka-Stepuk

Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the removal of nickel ions due to their negative effects on the environment and human health. In this research, fly ash obtained as a result of incineration of municipal sewage sludge with the use of circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) technology was used to analyze the possibility of removing Ni(II) ions in adsorption processes. The properties of the material were determined using analytical methods, such as SEM-EDS, XRD, BET, BJH, thermogravimetry, zeta potential, SEM, and FT-IR. Several factors were analyzed, such as adsorbent dose, initial pH, initial concentration, and contact time. As a result of the conducted research, the maximum sorption efficiency was obtained at the level of 99.9%. The kinetics analysis and isotherms showed that the pseudo-second order equation model and the Freundlich isotherm model best suited this process. In conclusion, sewage sludge fly ash may be a suitable material for the effective removal of nickel from wastewater and the improvement of water quality. This research is in line with current trends in the concepts of circular economy and sustainable development.


2014 ◽  
Vol 665 ◽  
pp. 404-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan Yu ◽  
Pei Sheng Li

Moisture distribution in sewage sludge was considered as the essential of thermal drying. Some methods were given in literatures to test the moisture distribution, but there was no standard method to determine the critical water content between different kinds of water. The municipal sewage sludge was dried by hot air in this work. Based on the drying curve, the derivative of drying rate with respect to dry basis moisture content was brought out to analyze the moisture distribution in sewage sludge. Results show that this method can easily determine the free water, interstitial water, surface water and bound water with a high accuracy. The present work can provide new insight to determine the moisture distribution in sewage sludge, which was still lacking in the literatures.


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