Recovery and Recycling of Aluminum from Wastewater Treatment Sludge
Abstract
Disposal of wastewater treatment sludge is a pressing environmental issue that calls for
concern. Progress has been made in sewage sludge treatment, to release and recycle
the inorganic metal fraction adsorbed onto the surface of the carbonaceous component
of sewage sludge. A more specific attempt is made to isolate and release Aluminum
metal. Two specific parameters, pyrolysis temperature and pH, are manipulated to
optimize Aluminum metal release and precipitation. The effect of pyrolysis temperature
on production of sludge-based adsorbents was found optimal at 800°C, while aluminum
precipitation out of solution was found optimal at a pH of 6.