Hygienization of Surplus Activated Sludge By Dry Ice

The presence of pathogenic microorganisms in sewage sludge is one of the crucial factors affecting their use in agriculture and in nature. An appropriate method of sludge hygienization can contribute to the reduction of the presence of pathogenic microbes in the sludge or to their complete elimination. This study presents the possibility of using dry ice in the hygienization of surplus activated sludge. The scope of survey covered microbiological as well as physiochemical analyses of the sludge. The microbiological analyses conducted show the hygienization effect of dry ice on surplus activated sludge such as the reduction of the total number of bacteria as well as of pathogenic bacteria. In the case of sludge to dry ice 1:1 voluminal ratio, the total number of bacteria has been reduced by 76%, the number of Salmonella sp. rods by 90%, and Clostridium perfringens by 85%. The results of physiochemical analyses confirmed the destructive effect that dry ice has over microorganisms. The disintegration of microbes by means of dry ice contributed to the increase of supernatant liquid turbidity and to the release of organic matter. For the sludge to dry ice 1:1 voluminal ratio, an increase in turbidity of supernatant liquid by 320 mg SiO₂ dm^-3 has been proven, as well as an increase in the value of COD_Cr by 549 mg O₂ dm^-3, which indicates the release of organic matter into the liquid phase.