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Transformation of Four Silver/Silver Chloride Nanoparticles during Anaerobic Treatment of Wastewater and Post-processing of Sewage Sludge
Citation:
Lombit, E., E. Donner, S. Taheri, E. Tavakkoli, A. Jamting, S. McClure, R. Naidu, B. Miller, K. Scheckel, AND K. Vasilev. Transformation of Four Silver/Silver Chloride Nanoparticles during Anaerobic Treatment of Wastewater and Post-processing of Sewage Sludge. W. J. Manning (ed.), Submitted to: ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 176:193-197, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
In this study we used Ag-NPs with different capping agents as well as AgCl-NPs and investigated their transformation during the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. In addition, we investigated the effect of sewage sludge composting/stockpiling (i.e., post-processing of sludge to form ‘biosolids’) on Ag speciation in the final biosolids product typically used in agriculture. This oxidative process is used in many countries before the sewage sludge is applied to agricultural fields. As pointed out recently by Levard et al. (2012), the stability of Ag species in sewage sludge during post-processing and land application is an aspect that should be further investigated as this will control the rate of release of Ag ions into the soil environment.
Description:
The increasing use of silver (Ag) nanoparticles [containing either elemental Ag (Ag-NPs) or AgCl (AgCl-NPs)] in commercial products such as textiles will most likely result in these materials reaching wastewater treatment plants. Previous studies indicate that a conversion of Ag-NPs to Ag2S is to be expected during wastewater transport/treatment. However, the influence of surface functionality, the nature of the core structure and the effect of post-processing on Ag speciation in sewage sludge/biosolids has not been investigated. This study aims at closing these knowledge gaps using bench scale anaerobic digesters spiked with Ag nitrate, three different types of Ag-NPs, and AgCl-NPs at environmentally realistic concentrations. The results indicate that neither surface functionality nor the different compositions of the NP prevented the formation of Ag2S. Silver sulfides, unlike the sulfides of other metals present in sewage sludge, were stable over a six month period simulating composting/stockpiling.
