Process reduces sludge from wastewater treatment plants

The process was developed by the Water Research Institute (WRI) of the Italian National Research Council and was tested and scaled up as part the EU-funded Innowatech project.

Biological processes are said to offer the cheapest way to treat industrial wastewater but pollutants from industries such as leather, textiles and pharmaceuticals are not easily broken down by microbes.

WRI scientists have reportedly developed a technology where the microbial biomass, which breaks down wastes, grows mainly as granules and the process is known as SBBGR (Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactor).

According to a statement issued by youris.com, the granules are trapped in pores between plastic support material in a reactor and the microbes are stressed so less sludge is produced. This is because the microbes are not given suitable conditions to proliferate, so fewer microbes and less waste results.

Removing one kilo of wastewater through a biological system produces half a kilo of sludge, which then needs to be disposed of, according to Antonio Lopez, project co-ordinator at WRI. ‘With this technology, you produce only 50g of sludge.’ A treatment plant using this technology could be 10 times smaller than usual.