Effect of gamma-ray irradiation on the dewaterability of waste activated sludge

The effect of gamma-ray irradiation on waste activated sludge (WAS) dewaterability was investigated with irradiation doses of 0-15 kGy. Time to filter (TTF50), specific resistance of filtration (SRF) and water content of sludge cake were measured to evaluate sludge dewaterability. Soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), soluble extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) concentration and sludge particle size were determined to explain changes in sludge dewaterability. The optimal irradiation dose to obtain the maximum dewaterability characteristics was 1-4 kGy, which generated sludge with optimal disintegration (1.5-4.0%), soluble EPS concentration (590-750 mg/L) and particle size distribution (100-115 µm diameter). The combination of irradiation and cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) addition exhibited minimal synergistic effect on increasing sludge dewatering rate compared with CPAM conditioning alone.