WASTE NEUTRALIZATION THROUGH AN ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY METHOD
The possibility of wastewater sludge treatment through an environmental biotechnology method - bio-composting, is discussed. The bio-composting techniques have been analyzed and the need of using this method at sewage treatment plants has been substantiated with the purpose of reducing the negative environmental impact of wastewater. The implementation of non-waste technologies enables to obtain compost suitable urban greening and soil reclamation. Organic fertilizers and the substances improving soil structure are produced with the use of composting technique. Composting is carried out in heaps, piles, pits, trenches with insulated bottom and in special tanks (composting period up to 3 months). Commercial-scale mechanized processing may be carried out in shafts, hangars, bioreactors and fermenters (composting period from 4 to 20 days). Composting process includes 4 stages: mesophilic, thermophilic, cool-down and maturation. At the beginning of fermentation, the development of all microorganisms which are initially present in the mix is observed; they decompose the mix with increasing activity. By the end of the process, the cellulose enzyme reaches the maximum activity resulting in the degradation of cellulose containing components of the mix; the output energy of the exothermic reactions of cellulose decomposition is required to pasteurize the mix components and destruct the pathogenic microflora. At this point the properties of the fermented mix stabilize. The wastes processed through the biotechnology method (composting) turn into homogenous loose substance which may be easily transported, packaged and applied into soil. Based on the research, the authors propose implementing the non-waste technology to the process of waste recycling at the functioning sewage treatment plants.