Degradation of DEHP, PAHs and LAS in Source Separated MSW and Sewage Sludge During Composting

Abstract

The efficiency of composting to remove the pollutants DEHP, PAHs and LAS from organic waste products was investigated. Source separated MSW and sewage sludge, respectively, were composted at temperatures ranging from 35 to 70°C using a laboratory-scale reactor composting system. At regular intervals, compost samples were taken from the reactors for chemical analysis. DEHP disappeared rapidly during composting of MSW; 96 to 99% of the initial content was degraded within 25 days of composting regardless of process temperature. In sewage sludge, the highest degradation of 91% was reached at a composting temperature of 65°C. LAS degradation in sewage sludge was fastest at 55°C, but at both process temperatures tested 99% of the initial content had been removed within 25 days. Degradation of PAHs was less complete. However, in all composting experiments, with MSW as well as sewage sludge, the final PAH concentration was less than in the starting material. Further experiments suggested that less than 0.1% of the pollutants had evaporated. Thus, composting proved to be a promising technique to promote degradation of organic pollutants — especially DEHP and LAS — in MSW and sewage sludge.