Abstract |
Sulfurous acid, when used with hydrolysis in the treatment of activated sludge, will increase soluble solids, improve filtration efficiencies and reduce moisture content of the resultant filter cake. Use of a 0.5% sulfurous acid and hydrolytic treatment of sludge at 140 degrees C for one hour increased the soluble solids content of the activated sludge by 20%. Concentration of the solubilized extract produced a syrup; 85% of the solids content of the syrup was organic. By TKN estimates, over 20% of these solids were proteinaceous. An amino acid analysis indicated it could be of value as an animal feed, and this was confirmed in rat feeding studies (at a 10% level in the diets) showing an efficiency of food utilization of 42 for the organic molasses as compared to 39 for cane molasses. (WRSIC abstract) |