Electrodialytic Treatment of Incinerated Sewage Sludge Ash (ISSA) for Heavy Metal Recovery: A Sustainable Approach to Resource Recovery
摘要
The treatment of incinerated sewage sludge ash (ISSA) is significant for the removal of heavy metals from the ash to protect the environment. This research aimed at recovering heavy metals from ISSA through electrodialytic treatment as a sustainable approach to resource recovery. The current intensity was ranging between 44 and 100 mA which improved the recovery of metals by increasing the flow of ions within the cell. The pH of the catholyte kept rising due to cathodic reduction hence it was adjusted to the required pH of between 1 and 2 thereby encouraging their migration from the ash. The conductivity at the catholyte was found to reach values between 11.76 and 12.55 mS after day 4, which is higher, indicating a drop in the flow of electrons. Raw ISSA sample and treated sample collected after the experiment were characterized to show the physicochemical changes in both samples. Key elements such as Fe3+, Zn2+, Cr3+, Al3+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ are expected to migrate to the cathode. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) results showed that Al3+ was recovered in high amounts (at 207.33 mg) when using a nitric acid (HNO3) to adjust the pH of the electrolyte. The process of electrodialytic treatment ensures a sustainable approach to resource recovery is achieved through the recovery of valuable resources such as phosphorus and heavy metals from waste materials.