A tool kit for municipal biosolids disintegration for enhanced biodegradation

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Canada's municipalities rely on biological treatment systems to treat the wastewater produced by its citizens. Research concerning the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewaters is urgently needed to sustain the growth of our country. Furthermore, the quality of waste (residual) sludge (biosolids) produced during sewage treatment is worsening as a result of the presence of anthropogenic micro-pollutants, such as heavy metals, personal care products, endocrine disrupters, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or dioxins, limiting agricultural and land reuse. New and practical wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge reduction approaches would not only reduce the operational and capital costs associated with sludge management and disposal, but also result in production of less biosolids and deleterious environmental effects when sent to landfill or agricultural land. Research by Environmental Engineering faculty at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBC O) addresses both the treatment of wastewater and the treatment of biosolids produced during wastewater treatment. The biosolids disintegrator tool kit is comprised of a thermal (closed vessel microwave unit), mechanical (laboratory French press) and ultrasonic sludge disintegrators which are key instruments to study residual biosolids minimization through advanced hydrolysis and biodegradation. Other benefits of this research will be improved sludge dewaterability and less biosolids returned to the environment as well as reduction of contaminants transferred to food crops grown on land and leaching into groundwater. The tool kit will be heavily used by the environmental faculty and students and will enhance the discovery, innovation and training capabilities of researchers at UBC O.