What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the efficacy, nutrient dynamics, and structural mechanisms of indigenous microalgae-assisted aerobic digestion for sewage sludge stabilization without external aeration.

August 14, 2026SustainabilityOpen Access

Sewage Sludge Stabilization and Biomass Enhancement via Indigenous Microalgae: Pilot-Scale Validation, Nutrient Dynamics, EPS Evolution, and Impacts on Sludge Properties

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Authors

HHHajer Ben Hamed RSRana Saadli SPSergio Luis Parra-Angarita

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Overview

Pilot-scale study reveals microalgae-assisted digestion stabilizes sewage sludge without aeration but impairs dewatering, highlighting the need for downstream conditioning.

Key Points

To evaluate the efficacy, nutrient dynamics, and structural mechanisms of indigenous microalgae-assisted aerobic digestion for sewage sludge stabilization without external aeration.
Operated a 20 L pilot-scale photobioreactor over a 20-day period without external mechanical aeration.
Quantified volatile solids reduction, nutrient removal (total nitrogen and phosphorus), microalgal growth, settling dynamics (SVI), and dewaterability metrics (CST and SRF).
Characterized changes in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) fractions and correlated them with physical sludge properties.
The system achieved a 53% volatile solids reduction, 34% total nitrogen removal, and 75% total phosphorus removal, alongside an increase in microalgal biomass share from 1.6% to 17%.
Sludge settleability improved markedly with SVI decreasing from 154 to 54 mL/g and floc size reducing from 220 to 33 µm.
Dewaterability deteriorated significantly as capillary suction time rose from 16 to 27 s and specific resistance to filtration increased approximately 4-fold, driven by an EPS shift from tightly bound to soluble and loosely bound forms.

Cite This Study

Hamed et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7ec7bab70b84ec8b9144f1 https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168244

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August 14, 2026SustainabilityOpen Access

Sewage Sludge Stabilization and Biomass Enhancement via Indigenous Microalgae: Pilot-Scale Validation, Nutrient Dynamics, EPS Evolution, and Impacts on Sludge Properties

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

HHHajer Ben Hamed RSRana Saadli SPSergio Luis Parra-Angarita

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Pilot-scale study reveals microalgae-assisted digestion stabilizes sewage sludge without aeration but impairs dewatering, highlighting the need for downstream conditioning.

Key Points

To evaluate the efficacy, nutrient dynamics, and structural mechanisms of indigenous microalgae-assisted aerobic digestion for sewage sludge stabilization without external aeration.
Operated a 20 L pilot-scale photobioreactor over a 20-day period without external mechanical aeration.
Quantified volatile solids reduction, nutrient removal (total nitrogen and phosphorus), microalgal growth, settling dynamics (SVI), and dewaterability metrics (CST and SRF).
Characterized changes in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) fractions and correlated them with physical sludge properties.
The system achieved a 53% volatile solids reduction, 34% total nitrogen removal, and 75% total phosphorus removal, alongside an increase in microalgal biomass share from 1.6% to 17%.
Sludge settleability improved markedly with SVI decreasing from 154 to 54 mL/g and floc size reducing from 220 to 33 µm.
Dewaterability deteriorated significantly as capillary suction time rose from 16 to 27 s and specific resistance to filtration increased approximately 4-fold, driven by an EPS shift from tightly bound to soluble and loosely bound forms.

Cite This Study

Hamed et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7ec7bab70b84ec8b9144f1 https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168244

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