Monitoring and evaluation of composting on the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage sludges

• Grant number: 13/00897-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Jussara Borges Regitano
• Grantee: Altina Lacerda Nascimento
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HPAs) are organic pollutants with wide distribution resulting from incomplete combustion of organic matter, mainly by burning fuels such as oil and its derivatives. The great interest in studying the fate of these compounds is due to their toxicity and hematologic effects, mainly to its carcinogenic and genotoxic potentials. Generally, HPAs are removed from wastewater during treatment of sewage accumulating in the sludge due to its low water solubility and relative resistance to biodegradation. The monitoring of these substances in sewage sludges has been studied in several countries; however, this topic in Brazil has been largely ignored. Sewage sludge composting has been efficient in the removal of HPAs, however, depending on environmental conditions, safe concentrations for agricultural use can not be achieved which imply in risks to the environment and the humans. Thus, this study aims to monitor the concentrations of HPAs in sewage sludges from São Paulo State, and to evaluate composting effects on the concentrations of these pollutants in sewage sludges intended for agricultural use. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NASCIMENTO, ALTINA LACERDA; SOUZA, ADIJAILTON JOSE; MAIA ANDRADE, PEDRO AVELINO; ANDREOTE, FERNANDO DINI; COSCIONE, ALINE RENEE; OLIVEIRA, FERNANDO CARVALHO; REGITANO, JUSSARA BORGES. Sewage Sludge Microbial Structures and Relations to Their Sources, Treatments, and Chemical Attributes. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 9, JUL 3 2018. (13/00897-0)

NASCIMENTO, ALTINA LACERDA; DE SOUZA, ADIJAILTON JOSE; OLIVEIRA, FERNANDO CARVALHO; COSCIONE, ALINE RENEE; VIANA, DOUGLAS GOMES; REGITANO, JUSSARA BORGES. Chemical attributes of sewage sludges: Relationships to sources and treatments, and implications for sludge usage in agriculture. JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, v. 258, JUN 10 2020. (13/00897-0)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

NASCIMENTO, Altina Lacerda. Microbiological and chemical characterization and presence of organic pollutants in sewage sludge samples from São Paulo. 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) Piracicaba.