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Biochar Amendment in Vermi-Wetland for Enhancing Nitrification during Excess Sludge Recycling

Author

Listed:
  • Ting Bai

    (Gansu Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Lanzhou 730070, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Gratien Twagirayezu

    (School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
    State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Zhen Wang

    (Gansu Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Hui Xia

    (School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Chunlei Sang

    (School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Kui Huang

    (School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Hongguang Cheng

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China)

Abstract

Vermi-wetland is a sustainable technology for recycling excess sludge in small-town areas. Although biochar (BC) amendment into the vermi-wetland could considerably boost the effectiveness of treating sludge, its impact on the nitrogen transformation in vermi-wetland remains unclear. Hence, this study aimed to explore the mechanism and performance of BC amendment into the vermi-wetland for enhancing nitrogen transformation during excess sludge recycling. The semi-aquatic plant Acorus calamus and the earthworm Eisenia fetida were planted in the designed vertical vermi-reactor, with corncob BC added to the upper and lower layers of one vermi-reactor, in comparison with the vermi-reactor without BC. The vermi-reactor with BC significantly lowered ( p < 0.05) ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 + -N) and nitrite nitrogen (NO 2 − -N) in the effluent by 1.63 and 4.85-fold, respectively, and increased considerably nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 − -N) in the effluent by 1.5-fold. The numbers of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) in the vermi-reactor with BC were greatly enriched by 6 and 1.42-fold, compared with their counterparts ( p < 0.05). Moreover, nirS and nirK gene copies in the vermi-reactor with BC were considerably improved ( p < 0.05) by 2.03 and 1.82-fold, respectively. BC significantly enhanced the growth of earthworms by 6.92-fold and promoted plant growth by 1.28-fold. In addition, the AOB members like Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira and the AOA members like Crenarchaeota and Thaumarchaeota cohabited in BC. Overall, these results suggest that a vermi-reactor amended with BC could enhance the nitrification processes of excess sludge, thereby improving the treatment performance of vermi-wetland.

Suggested Citation

  • Ting Bai & Gratien Twagirayezu & Zhen Wang & Hui Xia & Chunlei Sang & Kui Huang & Hongguang Cheng, 2023. "Biochar Amendment in Vermi-Wetland for Enhancing Nitrification during Excess Sludge Recycling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:24:p:16551-:d:1294230
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nicholas Blenis & Nguyen Hue & Tai McClellan Maaz & Michael Kantar, 2023. "Biochar Production, Modification, and Its Uses in Soil Remediation: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
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