Removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and organic fluorine from sewage sludge and sea sand by pyrolysis

Matěj Hušek; Jaroslav Semerád; Siarhei Skoblia; Jaroslav Moško; Jaroslav Kukla; Zdeněk Beňo; Michal Jeremiáš; Tomáš Cajthaml; Michael Komárek; Michael Pohořelý

doi:10.1007/s42773-024-00322-5

Removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and organic fluorine from sewage sludge and sea sand by pyrolysis

Matěj Hušek, Jaroslav Semerád, Siarhei Skoblia, Jaroslav Moško, Jaroslav Kukla, Zdeněk Beňo, Michal Jeremiáš, Tomáš Cajthaml, Michael Komárek, Michael Pohořelý^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Not published at VTT

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Pyrolysis is one method for treating sewage sludge, particularly in remote areas or decentralised systems. The end product of pyrolysis, sludge-char, can serve as a soil improver. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the organic pollutants’ behaviour in sludge-char. In our work, we focused on the behaviour of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Sludge was pyrolyzed at 200–700 °C to determine the minimum safe temperature for effective PFASs removal. It is important to note that PFASs may not only be mineralized but also cleaved to unanalyzed PFASs and other organofluorinated substances. To address this issue, we incorporated additional measurements of organic fluorine in the experiment using combustion ion chromatography (CIC). Due to the inherent heterogeneity of sludge, containing a variety of pollutants and their precursors, we conducted pyrolysis on artificially contaminated sand. This allowed us to assess and compare the behaviour of PFASs in a homogeneous matrix. Based on our analyses, we determined that a temperature greater than 400 °C is imperative for effective PFASs and organic fluorine removal. The results were verified by analyzing samples from a commercial sludge pyrolysis unit at the Bohuslavice-Trutnov WWTP, which confirmed our measurements. In light of these results, it becomes evident that sludge pyrolysis below 400 °C is unsuitable for PFAS removal from sewage sludge. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)

Original language	English
Article number	31
Journal	Biochar
Volume	6
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00322-5
Publication status	Published - Dec 2024
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

We would like to thank the supporting institutions. Grants from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (QK21020022); Czech Academy of Sciences (AV 21 – Sustainable energy); Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (project No. SS02030008); and University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (No. A1_FTOP_2024_001 and A2_FTOP_2023_015). Direct funding from the Faculty of Environmental Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague; Faculty of Science, Charles University; Institute of Microbiology and Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Czech Academy of Sciences; and Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. This work was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic – project QK21020022, Czech Academy of Sciences AV 21 – Sustainable energy, and Specific university research grant No. A1_FTOP_2024_001 and A2_FTOP_2023_015. The work was also supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (project No. SS02030008, program: Prostředí pro život).

Keywords

Carbonization
Organic fluorine
PFAS
Pyrolysis
Sewage sludge
Sludge-char

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/s42773-024-00322-5

Cite this

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title = "Removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and organic fluorine from sewage sludge and sea sand by pyrolysis",

abstract = "Pyrolysis is one method for treating sewage sludge, particularly in remote areas or decentralised systems. The end product of pyrolysis, sludge-char, can serve as a soil improver. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the organic pollutants{\textquoteright} behaviour in sludge-char. In our work, we focused on the behaviour of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Sludge was pyrolyzed at 200–700 °C to determine the minimum safe temperature for effective PFASs removal. It is important to note that PFASs may not only be mineralized but also cleaved to unanalyzed PFASs and other organofluorinated substances. To address this issue, we incorporated additional measurements of organic fluorine in the experiment using combustion ion chromatography (CIC). Due to the inherent heterogeneity of sludge, containing a variety of pollutants and their precursors, we conducted pyrolysis on artificially contaminated sand. This allowed us to assess and compare the behaviour of PFASs in a homogeneous matrix. Based on our analyses, we determined that a temperature greater than 400 °C is imperative for effective PFASs and organic fluorine removal. The results were verified by analyzing samples from a commercial sludge pyrolysis unit at the Bohuslavice-Trutnov WWTP, which confirmed our measurements. In light of these results, it becomes evident that sludge pyrolysis below 400 °C is unsuitable for PFAS removal from sewage sludge. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)",

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T1 - Removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and organic fluorine from sewage sludge and sea sand by pyrolysis

AU - Hušek, Matěj

AU - Semerád, Jaroslav

AU - Skoblia, Siarhei

AU - Moško, Jaroslav

AU - Kukla, Jaroslav

AU - Beňo, Zdeněk

AU - Jeremiáš, Michal

AU - Cajthaml, Tomáš

AU - Komárek, Michael

AU - Pohořelý, Michael

PY - 2024/12

Y1 - 2024/12

N2 - Pyrolysis is one method for treating sewage sludge, particularly in remote areas or decentralised systems. The end product of pyrolysis, sludge-char, can serve as a soil improver. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the organic pollutants’ behaviour in sludge-char. In our work, we focused on the behaviour of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Sludge was pyrolyzed at 200–700 °C to determine the minimum safe temperature for effective PFASs removal. It is important to note that PFASs may not only be mineralized but also cleaved to unanalyzed PFASs and other organofluorinated substances. To address this issue, we incorporated additional measurements of organic fluorine in the experiment using combustion ion chromatography (CIC). Due to the inherent heterogeneity of sludge, containing a variety of pollutants and their precursors, we conducted pyrolysis on artificially contaminated sand. This allowed us to assess and compare the behaviour of PFASs in a homogeneous matrix. Based on our analyses, we determined that a temperature greater than 400 °C is imperative for effective PFASs and organic fluorine removal. The results were verified by analyzing samples from a commercial sludge pyrolysis unit at the Bohuslavice-Trutnov WWTP, which confirmed our measurements. In light of these results, it becomes evident that sludge pyrolysis below 400 °C is unsuitable for PFAS removal from sewage sludge. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)

AB - Pyrolysis is one method for treating sewage sludge, particularly in remote areas or decentralised systems. The end product of pyrolysis, sludge-char, can serve as a soil improver. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the organic pollutants’ behaviour in sludge-char. In our work, we focused on the behaviour of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Sludge was pyrolyzed at 200–700 °C to determine the minimum safe temperature for effective PFASs removal. It is important to note that PFASs may not only be mineralized but also cleaved to unanalyzed PFASs and other organofluorinated substances. To address this issue, we incorporated additional measurements of organic fluorine in the experiment using combustion ion chromatography (CIC). Due to the inherent heterogeneity of sludge, containing a variety of pollutants and their precursors, we conducted pyrolysis on artificially contaminated sand. This allowed us to assess and compare the behaviour of PFASs in a homogeneous matrix. Based on our analyses, we determined that a temperature greater than 400 °C is imperative for effective PFASs and organic fluorine removal. The results were verified by analyzing samples from a commercial sludge pyrolysis unit at the Bohuslavice-Trutnov WWTP, which confirmed our measurements. In light of these results, it becomes evident that sludge pyrolysis below 400 °C is unsuitable for PFAS removal from sewage sludge. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)

KW - Carbonization

KW - Organic fluorine

KW - PFAS

KW - Pyrolysis

KW - Sewage sludge

KW - Sludge-char

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ER -

Removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and organic fluorine from sewage sludge and sea sand by pyrolysis

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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