Conditioning of sewage sludge by prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus Indica) juice (2014) Ecological Engineering

Abstract

The possibility of using a plant material, prickly pear cactus, Opuntia ficus Indica, juice (OFIJ), for conditioning the Beni-messous wastewater treatment plant sludge was examined. Optimum dosage of OFIJ was found to be 0.4gkg-1 of dry matter. The residual turbidity, the dryness of filtration cake and the specific resistance of filtration were found to be 2.5 NTU, 24% and 0.13×10 12 mkg -1 respectively. The results obtained with OFIJ were compared to those obtained with polyelectrolytes: Chimfloc C4346, a cationic polymer, Sedipur NF 102, a nonionic polymer and Sedipu AF 400, an anionic polymer, and inorganic conditioners, FeCl3 and Al2(SO4)3. The optimum dosages of those conditioners were found to be 0.4gkg-1 for OFIJ, 0.8gkg-1 for Chimfloc C4346, 80gkg-1 for FeCl3 and 60 gkg -1 for Al2(SO4)3.