Positive feedback on dewaterability of waste-activated sludge by the conditioning process of Fe(II) catalyzing urea hydrogen peroxide

The treatment and disposal of sludge is a complex environmental problem because of the high moisture content. Herein, We reported the process of Fe(II) activating Urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP) to improve waste activated sludge (WAS) dewaterability for the first time. Fe(II)/UHP was proven to significantly improve WAS dewaterability. Specifically, under the optimal conditions with 60/35-Fe(II)/UHP mg/g TSS, the CST, SRF, and WCSC of WAS reduced from 215.3 ± 7.5s, 9.2 ± 0.32 (× 1012 m/kg), and 92.2 ± 0.7% (control) to 62.3 ± 4.3s, 2.8 ± 0.09 (× 1012m/kg), and 70.4 ± 0.4%, respectively. Further analysis revealed that •OH was generated in the Fe(II)/UHP system and played the dominant role in enhancing WAS dewaterability. •OH was found to attack extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and cells, causing EPSs fragmentation and decomposition part of EPSs into micro-molecule organics or even inorganics, and leading to cell destruction, thus liberating the EPSs-bound and cells-bound water. •OH also degraded the protein in centrifugal liquor (CL) into micro-molecule organics such as amino acids, which could reduce the viscosity and electronegativity of CL. The above facts ultimately reduced solid-liquid interface interaction but increased hydrophobicity, flocculation, and flowability of WAS. Meanwhile, the broken WAS flocs were then re-flocculated via adsorption bridging and charge neutralization induced by Fe(II) and Fe(III). Moreover, Fe(II)/UHP treatment achieved the reduction and stabilization of heavy metals of dewatered sludge, which further enabled its land application. Finally, the Fe(II)/UHP process was found to be more attractive than the Fe(II)/persulfate, classical Fenton processes, and cPAM in terms of cost savings and practical implementation.