Loading...
6 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
- A novel approach for nutrients recovery from municipal waste as biofertilizers by combining electrodialytic and gas permeable membrane technologiesPublication . Oliveira, Verónica; Ferreira, Célia; González-García, Isabel; Labrincha, João; Horta, Carmo; García-González, María CruzThe recovery of valuable materials from waste fits the principle of circular economy and sustainable use of resources, but contaminants in the waste are still a major obstacle. This works proposes a novel approach to recover high-purity phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) from digestate of municipal solid waste based on the combination of two independent membrane processes: electrodialytic (ED) process to extract P, and gas permeable membranes (GPM) for N extraction. A laboratory ED cell was adapted to accommodate a GPM. The length of waste compartment (10 cm; 15 cm), current intensity (50 mA; 75 mA) and operation time (9 days; 12 days) were the variables tested. 81% of P in the waste was successfully extracted to the anolyte when an electric current of 75 mA was applied for 9 days, and 74% of NH4 + was extracted into an acid-trapping solution. The two purified nutrient solutions were subsequently used in the synthesis of a biofertilizer (secondary struvite) through precipitation, achieving an efficiency of 99.5%. The properties of the secondary struvite synthesized using N and P recovered from the waste were similar to secondary struvite formed using synthetic chemicals but the costs were higher due to the need to neutralize the acid-trapping solution, highlighting the need to further tune the process and make it economically more competitive. The high recycling rates of P and N achieved are encouraging and widen the possibility of replacing synthetic fertilizers, manufactured from finite sources, by secondary biofertilizers produced using nutrients extracted from wastes.
- Improving the energy efficiency of an electrodialytic process to extract phosphorus from municipal solid waste digestate through different strategiesPublication . Oliveira, Verónica; Kirklund, G.; Horta, Carmo; Labrincha, João; Ferreira, Célia; Kirkelund, Gunvor M.This work assesses the possibility of energy optimisation during the electrodialytic extraction of phosphorus from the municipal solid waste digestate. Strategies tested for energy optimisation consisted in (i) using a dualstage extraction approach; (ii) replacement of continuous stirring by pulse stirring and; (iii) utilisation of pulse electric current as an alternative to a constant current. Experiments were carried out using different stirring profiles (continuous stirring, pulsed stirring, manual stirring and no stirring) and different profiles for generating the electric field (continuous current and pulsed current). Dual-stage approach decreased the energy consumption by 30%. Energy was mainly used in the stirring operation (80%). Applying this strategy caused a faster acidification of the waste suspension and reduced the time required for the extraction. As for the second strategy, use of pulse stirring, it is possible to save energy by operating the stirrer 25% of the time, without compromising the phosphorus extraction values, which are close to 90%. Corresponding energy savings reached 70%. The third strategy tested, use of pulse current, had as side-effect a significant decrease of the phosphorus extracted, so the implementation of pulse current is not recommended. Overall, the energy efficiency of the electrodialytic extraction of phosphorus can be improved by 80% through the use of the dual-stage approach and the use of stirring for 25% of the time. There is also a potential in further reducing the energy use by further improving the stirring system.
- Synthesis of PPy-ZnO composite used as photocatalyst for the degradation of diclofenac under simulated solar irradiationPublication . Silvestri, Siara; Ferreira, Célia; Oliveira, Verónica; Varejão, Jorge M. T. B.; Labrincha, João; Tobaldi, David Maria
- Electrodialytic process combined with gas permeable membrane for phosphorus and nitrogem recovery from municipal waste as biofertilizerPublication . Oliveira, Veóonica; Ferreira, Célia; González-Garcia, Isabel; Labrincha, João; Horta, Carmo; Garcia-González, María Cruz
- Polypyrrole-TiO2 composite for removal of 4-chlorophenol and diclofenacPublication . Silvestri, Siara; Burgo, Thiago Augusto Lima; Ferreira, Célia; Labrincha, João; Tobaldi, DavidIn this work, we successfully synthesized TiO2-polypyrrole (PPy) composite material via polymerization method using the sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as an oxidizing agent. Different characterization techniques, including electrostatic force microscopy, confirmed that TiO2 was intimately attached on PPy. The photocatalytic activity of PPyTiO2 composite was studied experimentally for the conversion of diclofenac (DCF)– one of the most frequently detected pharmaceutical compounds in the aquatic environment – and 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) - largely used in the bleaching of cellulose pulp in the paper industry, as herbicide and pesticide - under simulated solar light irradiation at environmental conditions. This is the first time that a composite PPy-TiO2 was used as photocatalyst for the conversion of 4-CP. Results showed that the PPy-TiO2 was able to convert more than 90% of DCF and 40% of 4-CP in just 60 min, showing stability and efficiency over five consecutive cycles of reuse for both pollutants. The produced PPy-TiO2 showed higher photocatalytic efficiency compared to that of TiO2, thus proving itself to be a promising photocatalyst.
- Testing new strategies to improve the recovery of phosphorus from anaerobically digested organic fraction of municipal solid wastePublication . Oliveira, Verónica; Ferreira, Célia; Labrincha, João; Rocha, Joana; Kirkelund, Gunvor M.BACKGROUND: This work is focused on phosphorus (P) recovery from the anaerobically digested organic fraction of municipal solid waste (referred to as ‘digestate’) as a fertilizer. The main purpose was to propose and test modifications to the electrodialytic process that increase P extraction, improve the quality of the fertilizer by removing contaminants, and reduce hydraulic retention time to allow for smaller system footprints. Strategies tested were: (i) lowering the pH of the digestate suspension to <4.5 using the electrochemical reactions and enhance P solubilization from the waste; (ii) changing the configuration of the electrodialytic cell from three to two chambers; and (iii) stirring the sample to shorten the duration of the extraction. RESULTS: Results show that the acidification of digestate by the electrochemical reactions was effective to enhance P extraction yield. Three-chamber electrodialytic experiments enabled the removal of heavy metals from the digestate, producing P-rich solutions with low metal concentrations. This resulted in the production of high-quality fertilizer which can be used for agricultural applications. The modification of the electrodialytic cell set-up from three- to two-chamber neither resulted in an increase of the P extraction yields, nor contributed to the removal of metals from the liquid phase of digestate. Reduction of the hydraulic retention time of electrodialytic extraction of P from 16 days to 9 days was attained by the use of stirring and by electrodialytic acidification. CONCLUSIONS: An increase of P recovery was accomplished by modification of electrodialytic extraction, resulting in 90% of Pbeing successfully extracted from the digestate and transformed into struvite.