Transformation of silver nanoparticles in fresh, aged, and incinerated biosolids

•We examined the fate of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in a wastewater treatment system.•Most (97%) of the AgNPs were trapped in the primary clarifier of the WW system.•AgNPs were transformed from elemental Ag to Ag–S species in the raw biosolids within 24 h.•Ag from AgNPs was transformed to Ag, Ag–S (as sulfate and sulfhydryl) after biosolids incineration.

The purpose of this research was to assess the chemical transformation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in aged, fresh, and incinerated biosolids in order to provide information for AgNP life cycle analyses. Silver nanoparticles were introduced to the influent of a pilot-scale wastewater (WW) treatment system consisting of a primary clarifier (PC), aeration basin, and secondary clarifier. The partitioning of the AgNPs between the aqueous and solid phases in the system was monitored. Less than 3% of the total AgNPs introduced into the PC were measured at the overflow of the PC. Biosolids were collected from the pilot-scale system for silver analyses, including Ag concentration and speciation. Additionally, biosolids were collected from a publically owned treatment works (POTW). The POTW biosolids were spiked with AgNPs, AgNO3, and Ag2S. One set of the spiked POTW biosolids was aged for one month, and another set was analyzed within 24 h via X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) in order to determine Ag chemical speciation and elemental associations. Replicates of the aged and 24-h samples were also incinerated at 850 °C for 4 h. The residual ash was analyzed by XAS and SEM-EDX. The results show that AgNPs are converted to Ag-sulfur (as sulfide and sulfhydryl) species in fresh and aged biosolids, which is in agreement with other studies on AgNPs in biosolids. Results from linear combination fitting of the XAS data for incinerated biosolids show that a significant proportion of the spiked silver (30–50%) is converted to elemental Ag in the incineration process. In addition to elemental Ag, the results suggest the presence of additional Ag–S complexes such as Ag2SO4 (up to 25%), and silver associated with sulfhydryl groups (26–50%) in the incinerated biosolids. Incinerated biosolids spiked with AgNO3 and Ag2S exhibited similar transformations. These transformations of AgNPs should be accounted for in life-cycle analyses of AgNPs and in management decisions regarding the disposal of incinerated biosolids.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (133 K)Download as PowerPoint slide