Activation of peroxymonosulfate by sewage sludge-derived biochar to promote short-chain fatty acid production during sludge anaerobic fermentation

This study reports on the potential use of sewage sludge-derived biochar (SBC) as an activator for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to improve the solubilization of waste activated sludge (WAS) and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) during anaerobic digestion. The SBC produced by pyrolysis of WAS has active sites consisting of metals species and C = O groups, which can effectively activate PMS. SBC-activated PMS (PMS/SBC) can destroy cellular structures in WAS and release large amounts of organic matter, increasing the rate of hydrolysis and promoting subsequent SCFA production. Compared with the control, PMS/SBC treatment increased SCFA production by 801 % at a PMS dose of 0.14 g/g VSS (volatile suspended solids) and SBC dose of 0.24 g/g VSS. Moreover, PMS/SBC could degrade refractory organic pollutants in WAS (sulfamethoxazole removal efficiency >63 %), improving SCFA quality. Mechanistic investigations revealed that SBC activates PMS to produce •SO4−, 1O2, and •OH. The contributions of these species to sludge solubilization were 1O2 > •OH > •SO4−, with surface-bound radicals on SBC playing major roles. In addition, PMS/SBC treatment enriched hydrolysis and SCFA-forming bacteria and increased the expression of key genes for SCFA production during sludge anaerobic fermentation, which also contributed to SCFA accumulation. This work provides new insights into the mechanism of SBC activation of PMS and its potential applications in WAS resource utilization.