ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Solubilization of Dairy Waste-Activated Sludge
by Ultrasonic Wave Irradiation
Nasser Mehrdadi1, Ali Zahedi2, Azadeh Aghajani Yasini2,
Alireza Mohamadi Aghdam2
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1Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Azin Avenue, Ghods Street, Enghelab Square, Tehran, Iran
2Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, #25, zip code: 1417853111, Azin Avenue,
Ghods Street, Enghelab Square, Tehran, Iran
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2012;21(5):1319-1325
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
As one of the new techniques in the field of sludge treatment, ultrasonic wave irradiation could be
employed to release nutrients from the solids to the soluble phase, which can subsequently be degraded by
microorganisms in biological treatment. In this paper the Tehran Pegah Dairy Complex was selected to evaluate
the effect of ultrasonic wave irradiation on soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), nitrogen content,
phosphors content, and also the causes of rising temperature of waste-activated sludge. Experimental investigation
was carried out at 60, 120, 240, and 480 s contact times, and at output powers of 100, 300, and 500 W
with 20 kHz operational frequency. Results revealed that the highest temperature was found around 12ºC at
500W output power and 480s contact time. Hydrolysis of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen
(TKN), and total phosphorus (TP) also showed increasing trends at all different contact times. At 480 s contact
time, the maximum of TP and TKN release was about 116% and 170%, which was observed at 500W and
100W. The maximum release of COD was found around 640%, which was observed at 300W output power.