Effects of microwave and alkali induced pretreatment on sludge solubilization and subsequent aerobic digestion

Abstract Individual and combined effects of microwave (MW) and alkali pretreatments on sludge disintegration and subsequent aerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) were studied. Pretreatments with MW (600 W–85 °C–2 min), conventional heating (520 W–80 °C–12 min) and alkali (1.5 g NaOH/L – pH 12–30 min) achieved 8.5%, 7% and 18% COD solubilization, respectively. However, combined MW–alkali pretreatment synergistically enhanced sludge solubilization and achieved 46% COD solubilization, 20% greater than the additive value of MW alone and alkali alone (8.5 + 18% = 26.5%). Moreover, the results of the batch aerobic digestion study on MW–alkali pretreated sludge showed 93% and 63% reductions in SCOD and VSS concentrations, respectively, at 16 days of SRT. The VSS reduction was 20% higher than that of WAS without pretreatment.