Sludge Reduction by Aquatic Worms in Wastewater Treatment
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Sludge reduction by aquatic worms in wastewater treatment with emphasis on the potential application of Lumbriculus variegatus Promotor Prof. dr. ir. W. H. Rulkens Hoogleraar Milieutechnologie Copromotor Dr. ir. A. Klapwijk Voormalig universitair hoofddocent, sectie Milieutechnologie Samenstelling promotiecommissie Prof. dr. H. J. P. Eijsackers Wageningen Universiteit Prof. ir. J. H. J. M. van der Graaf Technische Universiteit Delft Prof. dr. ir. A. J. M. Stams Wageningen Universiteit Dr. ir. P. F. M. Verdonschot Alterra, Wageningen Universiteit en Researchcentrum Sludge reduction by aquatic worms in wastewater treatment with emphasis on the potential application of Lumbriculus variegatus Hellen J. H. Elissen Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor op gezag van de rector magnificus van Wageningen Universiteit, Prof. dr. M. J. Kropff, in het openbaar te verdedigen op dinsdag 18 december 2007 des ochtends te elf uur in de Aula Elissen, H. J. H., 2007. Sludge reduction by aquatic worms in wastewater treatment with emphasis on the potential application of Lumbriculus variegatus. PhD thesis Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands - with references – with summaries in English and Dutch, 192 pages. ISBN 978-90-8504-777-3. ╡╡╡Abstract ╞╞╞ In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), large amounts of biological waste sludge are produced. In the Netherlands, the application of this sludge in agriculture or disposal in landfills is no longer allowed, mainly because of its high heavy metal content. The sludge therefore generally is incinerated. Sludge processing costs are estimated to be half of the total wastewater treatment costs. This thesis focuses on the application of aquatic worms to reduce the amount and volume of the excess sludge. Several worm species, belonging to the Aeolosomatidae, Tubificidae (including Naidinae) or Lumbriculidae have specific characteristics that could make them suitable for such an application. A 2.5-year survey of free-swimming Aeolosomatidae and Naidinae in WWTPs showed that their growth was hard to control and their effect on the treatment process unclear. The sessile species Lumbriculus variegatus was selected for further research, because of its stable and quantifiable growth and sludge reduction. In addition, batch experiments indicated that L. variegatus has more potential for sludge reduction than sessile Tubificidae. Different municipal waste sludges could be digested by L. variegatus . This process typically was twice as fast as endogenous sludge digestion and on average 0.09 ( ±0.04) mg sludge/ mg worm/ day (dry matter based) was digested. However, the final reduction percentage was the same for both processes (around 50 % dry matter based) and 17 (±6) % could be attributed to digestion by the worms. The resulting worm faeces had a distinct compact shape and a highly improved initial settling rate and settleability (low sludge volume index of around 60 mL/ g), which could be beneficial to further processing. Around 7 % of the sludge (dry matter based) was converted into new worms after asexual reproduction by division and biomass growth. This protein-rich biomass can easily be separated from the sludge and re-used, e.g. as aquarium fish food, because the concentrations of most heavy metals in the worms were lower than in the waste sludge. A reactor set-up for sludge reduction with L. variegatus was developed, based on immobilization of the worms in a carrier material and a complete separation of waste sludge and worm faeces. It showed promising results in a sequencing batch experiment, but should be further optimized as sludge reduction percentages as well as other performance parameters varied considerably. The process has high potential for full-scale applications, but the feasibility depends on the unknown maximum effective worm population density that can be maintained, and the production, re-use possibilities and value of the produced worm biomass. Keywords : Waste sludge reduction, wastewater treatment, aquatic worms, Lumbriculus variegatus ╨╨╨ Opgedrage aan mien auwers, miene broor en mien groetauwers ╥╥╥ ╡╡╡Contents ╞╞╞ Frequently used terms and abbreviations 9 Chapter 1 Introduction to sludge reduction research with aquatic worms 11 Chapter 2 Descriptions of aquatic worms in sludge reduction research 19 Chapter 3 Population dynamics of free-swimming Annelida in four Dutch wastewater treatment plants in relation to process characteristics 31 Chapter 4 Development of a test to assess the sludge reduction potential of Lumbriculus variegatus in waste sludge 51 Chapter 5 Factors influencing sludge reduction by Lumbriculus variegatus 65 Chapter 6 The effects of sludge consumption by Lumbriculus variegatus on sludge characteristics 91 Chapter 7 Comparison of sludge reduction between Lumbriculus variegatus , sessile Tubificidae and mixed cultures of both 111 Chapter 8 A new reactor concept for sludge reduction using Lumbriculus variegatus 125 Chapter 9 Discussion and outlook towards application of Lumbriculus variegatus in wastewater treatment 135 Summary 151 Samenvatting 157 References 163 Appendix I 181 Appendix II 183 About the author 185 Publications 186 Dankwoord/ Acknowledgments 188 ╡╡╡Frequently used terms and abbreviations ╞╞╞ Annelida Animal phylum consisting of segmented terrestrial, freshwater and marine worms Aphanoneura Class of Annelida consisting of one (mainly) aquatic family, the Aeolosomatidae Ash Inorganic fraction of waste sludge. Calculated by subtracting the VSS from the TSS AT Aeration tank in wastewater treatment plant Consumption Ingestion/uptake of sludge by worms Digestion by worms Sludge (TSS) breakdown after consumption during worm gut passage due to metabolic processes (e.g. maintenance, growth) D Linear sludge digestion rate by worms (dry matter based; in d -1) Dry weight Dead worm weight, determined after drying overnight at 105 °C in porcelain crucible Endogenous digestion Sludge (TSS) breakdown due to endogenous respiration —i.e. oxidation of bacterial tissue— in sludge without external substrate (adapted from van Loosdrecht & Henze, 1999) Faeces percentage Visual estimation of the worm faeces as fraction of the total amount of waste sludge plus worm faeces. A faeces percentage of 100 % indicates that worms have consumed all the sludge flocs Free-swimming Common term in wastewater treatment to describe (small) species of aquatic worms (like Naidinae (Tubificidae) and Aeolosomatidae) that are abundant in the mixed liquor (in or on the sludge flocs) of wastewater treatment plants G Linear worm biomass growth rate (dry matter based; in d -1) Gn Linear worm number growth rate (in d -1). Measure of reproduction n Number of worms N Number of samples (unless indicated otherwise, e.g. Chapter 3) ╡9╞ Oligochaeta Class of Annelida consisting of aquatic families like Tubificidae (including the Naidinae) and Lumbriculidae, but also terrestrial families like earthworms Reduction or digestion General term used to describe (TSS or VSS) breakdown of sludge by (combinations of) biological, chemical, mechanical or physical methods Sessile Common term in wastewater treatment to describe species of (larger) aquatic worms (like Tubificidae (except for the Naidinae) and Lumbriculidae) that are mainly found on surfaces in wastewater treatment plants, e.g. the reactor walls or carrier materials Sludge age Or SRT (solids retention time). The average period of time the sludge has remained in the system. Also indicated with ‘θ’ SVI Sludge volume index of sludge (in mL/ g). Volume of 1 g of sludge TSS after settling of the sludge flocs. SVI 30 is the SVI after 30 minutes. SVI values decrease with improved settleability TSS Total suspended solids. Portion of the total solids retained on a filter with a specified pore size, measured after being dried at 105 °C VSS Volatile suspended solids or organic fraction of the waste sludge. Those solids that can be volatilized and burned off when the TSS are ignited at 600 °C W/S ratio Worm to sludge ratio (dry matter based; dimensionless) Waste sludge Surplus (activated) sludge produced in WWTPs Wet weight Live worm weight, determined after removing adhering water on a perforated piece of aluminium foil on tissue paper Worm faeces Fraction of sludge excreted as faecal pellets by worms after consumption and digestion WWTP Wastewater treatment plant Y Yield. Worm biomass produced from sludge digested by worms only (dry matter based; dimensionless or percentage) ╡10 ╞ ╡╡╡Chapter 1╞╞╞ Introduction to sludge reduction research with aquatic worms ╡Chapter 1 ╞ 1.1 The problem of waste sludge production in wastewater treatment In aerobic WWTPs (wastewater treatment plants), large amounts of biological waste sludge are produced with an average sludge production of 0.4 kg VSS (volatile suspended solids) per kg COD (chemical oxygen demand) of incoming wastewater removed (Tchobanoglous et al. , 2003). A worldwide average of 20-40 kg dry matter waste sludge is produced per population equivalent per year (Kroiss, 2004). Waste sludge is a complex mixture of water (up to more than 95 %), bacteria, dead organic and inorganic materials, containing phosphorous and nitrogen compounds and various pollutants (e.g. heavy metals, organic pollutants and pathogens) (Rulkens, 2004). In Europe, wastewater is treated in more than 40,000 WWTPs, which produce around 7 million tonnes of dry waste sludge yearly (Roman et al. , 2006; Spinosa, 2007). In the Netherlands, almost 400 municipal WWTPs currently produce a total amount of 350,000 tonnes dry sludge