The effect of hydrothermal carbonization temperature on microplastic content in digested sewage sludge and its relation to the fuel properties of hydrochars

2025
journal article
article
dc.abstract.enMicroplastics (MPs) represent a persistent class of emerging contaminants, of which significant amounts can be found in sewage sludge. In this study, the effect of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) temperature on MPs and the properties of digested sewage sludge (DSS) was evaluated. The HTC process was carried out at temperatures of 200, 210, and 220 $^{\circ}C$ for 2 h in a batch reactor, and the solid products were subjected to (i) mass balance and fuel properties and (ii) microplastic occurrence analysis using Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. In digested sludge, 2700 ± 475 MP particles/100 g d.m. were detected, mostly fragments with ~350 ± 100 fibers. Hydrocharcontained only black and brown fragments in the following amounts: 4175 ± 575 (200 $^{\circ}C$), 4450 ± 700 (210 $^{\circ}C$), and 1450 ± 590 (220 $^{\circ}C$), respectively, after 2 h. The microplastic removal rate was 54% for the highest temperature. Polystyrene (PS) was identified in untreated sludge, while only PE was detected after HTC at 200–210 $^{\circ}C$, and no MPs were identifiable at 220 $^{\circ}C$. The surfaces of post-MPs exhibited progressive degradation with increasing HTC temperature. The results confirm that HTC lowers the content and alters the physicochemical properties of microplastics, reducing their thermal stability and degrading their structure, while simultaneously improving the fuel properties of hydrochars by increasing the calorific value and carbon content.
dc.affiliationWydział Geografii i Geologii : Instytut Nauk Geologicznych
dc.contributor.authorPrus, Zuzanna
dc.contributor.authorSzkadłubowicz, Klaudia
dc.contributor.authorMikusińska, Joanna
dc.contributor.authorDróżdż, Agnieszka
dc.contributor.authorBrunarska, Irena - 136618
dc.contributor.authorChwiej, Joanna
dc.contributor.authorStyszko, Katarzyna
dc.contributor.authorWilk, Małgorzata
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-17T10:33:34Z
dc.date.available2025-10-17T10:33:34Z
dc.date.createdat2025-10-14T15:53:15Zen
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.openaccess0
dc.description.accesstimew momencie opublikowania
dc.description.number19
dc.description.versionostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume18
dc.identifier.articleid5105
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/en18195105
dc.identifier.issn1996-1073
dc.identifier.projectDRC AI
dc.identifier.urihttps://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/563131
dc.languageeng
dc.language.containereng
dc.rightsUdzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licenceCC-BY
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.typeotwarte czasopismo
dc.subject.enmicroplastics
dc.subject.ensewage sludge
dc.subject.enhydrothermal carbonization
dc.subject.enbiosolids
dc.subject.enRaman spectroscopy
dc.subject.enscanning electron microscopy
dc.subtypeArticle
dc.titleThe effect of hydrothermal carbonization temperature on microplastic content in digested sewage sludge and its relation to the fuel properties of hydrochars
dc.title.journalEnergies
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublicationen
dc.abstract.en
Microplastics (MPs) represent a persistent class of emerging contaminants, of which significant amounts can be found in sewage sludge. In this study, the effect of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) temperature on MPs and the properties of digested sewage sludge (DSS) was evaluated. The HTC process was carried out at temperatures of 200, 210, and 220 $^{\circ}C$ for 2 h in a batch reactor, and the solid products were subjected to (i) mass balance and fuel properties and (ii) microplastic occurrence analysis using Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. In digested sludge, 2700 ± 475 MP particles/100 g d.m. were detected, mostly fragments with ~350 ± 100 fibers. Hydrocharcontained only black and brown fragments in the following amounts: 4175 ± 575 (200 $^{\circ}C$), 4450 ± 700 (210 $^{\circ}C$), and 1450 ± 590 (220 $^{\circ}C$), respectively, after 2 h. The microplastic removal rate was 54% for the highest temperature. Polystyrene (PS) was identified in untreated sludge, while only PE was detected after HTC at 200–210 $^{\circ}C$, and no MPs were identifiable at 220 $^{\circ}C$. The surfaces of post-MPs exhibited progressive degradation with increasing HTC temperature. The results confirm that HTC lowers the content and alters the physicochemical properties of microplastics, reducing their thermal stability and degrading their structure, while simultaneously improving the fuel properties of hydrochars by increasing the calorific value and carbon content.
dc.affiliation
Wydział Geografii i Geologii : Instytut Nauk Geologicznych
dc.contributor.author
Prus, Zuzanna
dc.contributor.author
Szkadłubowicz, Klaudia
dc.contributor.author
Mikusińska, Joanna
dc.contributor.author
Dróżdż, Agnieszka
dc.contributor.author
Brunarska, Irena - 136618
dc.contributor.author
Chwiej, Joanna
dc.contributor.author
Styszko, Katarzyna
dc.contributor.author
Wilk, Małgorzata
dc.date.accessioned
2025-10-17T10:33:34Z
dc.date.available
2025-10-17T10:33:34Z
dc.date.createdaten
2025-10-14T15:53:15Z
dc.date.issued
2025
dc.date.openaccess
0
dc.description.accesstime
w momencie opublikowania
dc.description.number
19
dc.description.version
ostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume
18
dc.identifier.articleid
5105
dc.identifier.doi
10.3390/en18195105
dc.identifier.issn
1996-1073
dc.identifier.project
DRC AI
dc.identifier.uri
https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/563131
dc.language
eng
dc.language.container
eng
dc.rights
Udzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licence
CC-BY
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.type
otwarte czasopismo
dc.subject.en
microplastics
dc.subject.en
sewage sludge
dc.subject.en
hydrothermal carbonization
dc.subject.en
biosolids
dc.subject.en
Raman spectroscopy
dc.subject.en
scanning electron microscopy
dc.subtype
Article
dc.title
The effect of hydrothermal carbonization temperature on microplastic content in digested sewage sludge and its relation to the fuel properties of hydrochars
dc.title.journal
Energies
dc.type
JournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeen
Publication
Affiliations

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