Stabilization of activated sludge in a treatment plant using the Bokashi composting technique

Abstract

Activated sludge generated by wastewater treatment plants contains high concentrations of pathogenic microorganisms and organic matter, posing a significant environmental challenge. The objective of this research was to achieve sludge stabilization using the Bokashi technique. A completely randomized design (CRD) was employed, comprising four treatments with four replicates each. Treatment 1 (T1) consisted of 35% sludge and 65% Bokashi, Treatment 2 (T2) included 45% sludge and 55% Bokashi, Treatment 3 (T3) comprised 55% sludge and 45% Bokashi, and Treatment 4 (T4) had 65% sludge and 35% Bokashi. Statistical analyses demonstrated that T3 yielded superior results for sludge stabilization, exhibiting optimal parameters, including a moisture content of 46.35%, carbon content of 42.73%, nitrogen content of 1.55%, a pH value of 6.4, and a stabilized temperature range of 30-31 ºC. These findings suggest the potential for efficient alternatives in stabilizing sludge from wastewater treatment plants, making it suitable for agricultural applications.