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Open AccessReview
Impacts of Polyvinyl Alcohol and Chitosan-Modified Biochar on the Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Valuable Resource Recovery
by
Ping Fa Chiang
Ping Fa Chiang 1,*,
Teng Ling Zhang
Teng Ling Zhang 2,
Ndungutse Jean Maurice
Ndungutse Jean Maurice 3,*,
Mugabekazi Joie Claire
Mugabekazi Joie Claire 4,
Bigirimana Gentil
Bigirimana Gentil 5,
Abdul Ghaffar Memon
Abdul Ghaffar Memon 6 and
Abdulmoseen Segun Giwa
Abdulmoseen Segun Giwa 7,*
1
School of Economics and Management, Nanchang Institute of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330100, China
2
School of Education, Nanchang Institute of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330100, China
3
Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
4
Faculty of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
5
College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
6
Department of Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
7
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330100, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Processes 2024, 12(9), 1987; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091987 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 7 August 2024
/
Revised: 2 September 2024
/
Accepted: 12 September 2024
/
Published: 14 September 2024
Abstract
The accumulation of organic dyes and heavy metals (HMs) in sewage sludge (SS) after wastewater treatment is a significant problem due to the non-degradable nature of these pollutants. Moreover, the simultaneous removal of HMs and dyes in the complex process of SS treatment, such as anaerobic digestion (AD), has become attractive. HMs and dyes present in SS can have a detrimental effect on anaerobic digesters. These pollutants not only inhibit the production of methane, which is crucial for biogas generation, but also affect the stability of AD treatment, which can result in failure or inadequate performance of the AD process. This review highlights a novel method of removing HMs and dyes from the AD process of SS through the use of biochar modified with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CTS). The applications of conventional biochar have been limited due to poor adsorption capacity. However, modification using PVA/CTS composites enhances properties such as surface functional groups, adsorption capacity, porosity, surface area selectivity, and stability. Furthermore, this modified version can function as an additive in AD of SS treatment to boost biogas production, which is a viable source for heat generation or electricity supply. In addition, the digestates can be further processed through plasma pyrolysis for the removal of HMs and dyes bound to the modified biochar. Plasma pyrolysis generates two major products: syngas and slag. The syngas produced can then be used as a source of hydrogen, heat, and electricity, while the slag can potentially be reused as an AD additive or as a biofertilizer in the agricultural sector. Additionally, this study addresses the challenges associated with this integration and biochar modifications, and offers an outlook on understanding the interactions between the modified biochar properties, microbial dynamics, and the presence of micropollutants to ensure the economic viability and scalability of this technology. This comprehensive review provides insights into the potential of PVA/CTS-modified biochar as an effective additive in AD systems, offering a sustainable approach to SS treatment and valuable resource recovery.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Chiang, P.F.; Zhang, T.L.; Maurice, N.J.; Claire, M.J.; Gentil, B.; Memon, A.G.; Giwa, A.S.
Impacts of Polyvinyl Alcohol and Chitosan-Modified Biochar on the Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Valuable Resource Recovery. Processes 2024, 12, 1987.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091987
AMA Style
Chiang PF, Zhang TL, Maurice NJ, Claire MJ, Gentil B, Memon AG, Giwa AS.
Impacts of Polyvinyl Alcohol and Chitosan-Modified Biochar on the Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Valuable Resource Recovery. Processes. 2024; 12(9):1987.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091987
Chicago/Turabian Style
Chiang, Ping Fa, Teng Ling Zhang, Ndungutse Jean Maurice, Mugabekazi Joie Claire, Bigirimana Gentil, Abdul Ghaffar Memon, and Abdulmoseen Segun Giwa.
2024. "Impacts of Polyvinyl Alcohol and Chitosan-Modified Biochar on the Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Valuable Resource Recovery" Processes 12, no. 9: 1987.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091987
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