Work

Enhanced recovery of waste-born nutrients from sewage sludge ash and fish meal through fungal treatment: Mechanistic insights and impact of heavy metals

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the potential of Talaromyces adpressus TCPF to enhance phosphate recovery and nutrient bioavailability from sewage sludge ash (SSA) and fish meal (FM) through co-fermentation. The fungal treatment was found to significantly increase phosphate recovery, achieving up to 16 % efficiency, especially at a 10 g/L waste concentration. The key mechanism behind this enhancement is the production of low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs), which played a crucial role in solubilizing nutrients while also mitigating the negative effects of heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed substantial acid-based leaching and biomineralization processes, with over 70 % of phosphorus successfully bioleached from metal-treated waste. These findings underscore the effectiveness of fungal treatments in transforming waste substrates into valuable bio-organic fertilizers. Fungal treatment boosts phosphate recovery, even in the presence of heavy metals, by employing processes such as bioweathering, bioprecipitation, biocorrosion, and bioleaching.

Source: Bioresource Technology

DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131389