Application of fenton method for the removal of organic matter in sewage sludge at room temperature

Cement is the most widely used construction material in the world. However, its manufacture is high energy consumption and high carbon emission owing to the high temperature calcination process. Geopolymer is an ideal alternative material for cement because it has a similar structure and performance to cement. In addition, it can be synthesized at room temperature and thus has the advantages of energy saving and carbon emission reduction. Sewage sludge (SS) can be used as raw material for geopolymer synthesis. However, the high organic matter content in SS lowers the mechanical strength of geopolymer. Although the organic matter in SS can be removed by incineration at high temperature, this consumes energy and emits carbon dioxide, which diminishes the advantages of geopolymer. In this study, the Fenton method was applied for the removal of organic matter in SS at room temperature. The parameters of the Fenton method, including the dosages of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and Fe²⁺ reagent (FeSO₄•7H₂O), reaction time, and initial pH value, were investigated. The results indicated that 83.7% of the organic matter in SS could be removed at room temperature by using 5.15 M H₂O₂ and 5.15 mM FeSO₄•7H₂O at pH 7, which suggested the possibility of sewage sludge reclamation through geopolymer synthesis as an alternative material for cement toward sustainability.