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Dr. Marc Breulmann
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ

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Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Biogeochemistry
0 Governance
0 Integrated wastewater management
0 Decentralized wastewater management
0 Reuse of treated wastewater and sewage sludge

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Journal article
Published: 26 February 2019 in Energies
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In many countries, sewage sludge is directly used for energy and agricultural purposes after dewatering or digestion and dewatering. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in additional upstream hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), which could lead to higher yields in the energetic and agricultural use. Twelve energetic and agricultural valorization concepts of sewage sludge are defined and assessed for Germany to investigate whether the integration of HTC will have a positive effect on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The study shows that the higher expenses within the HTC process cannot be compensated by additional energy production and agricultural yields. However, the optimization of the HTC process chain through integrated sewage sludge digestion and process water recirculation leads to significant reductions in GHG emissions of the HTC concepts. Subsequently, nearly the same results can be achieved when compared to the direct energetic use of sewage sludge; in the agricultural valorization, the optimized HTC concept would be even the best concept if the direct use of sewage sludge will no longer be permitted in Germany from 2029/2032. Nevertheless, the agricultural valorization concepts are not generally advantageous when compared to the energetic valorization concepts, as it is shown for two concepts.

ACS Style

Kathleen Meisel; Andreas Clemens; Christoph Fühner; Marc Breulmann; Stefan Majer; Daniela Thrän. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use. Energies 2019, 12, 786 .

AMA Style

Kathleen Meisel, Andreas Clemens, Christoph Fühner, Marc Breulmann, Stefan Majer, Daniela Thrän. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use. Energies. 2019; 12 (5):786.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kathleen Meisel; Andreas Clemens; Christoph Fühner; Marc Breulmann; Stefan Majer; Daniela Thrän. 2019. "Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use." Energies 12, no. 5: 786.

Research article
Published: 18 April 2018 in Chemie Ingenieur Technik
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Combing hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of sewage sludge with wet oxidation of the resulting process waters (PWs) is a favorable economic process leading to a wastewater that is better amenable to biological treatments. Five PWs from HTC of sewage sludge and straw were oxidized with molecular oxygen. A good removal of chemical oxygen demand and dissolved organic carbon was shown. The oxidized waters proved good substrates for a subsequent anaerobic digestion. However, the oxidized PWs were identified as more toxic in germination tests with cress (Lepidium sativum L.) compared to the untreated PWs.

ACS Style

Barbara Weiner; Marc Breulmann; Harald Wedwitschka; Christoph Fühner; Frank-Dieter Kopinke. Wet Oxidation of Process Waters from the Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge. Chemie Ingenieur Technik 2018, 90, 872 -880.

AMA Style

Barbara Weiner, Marc Breulmann, Harald Wedwitschka, Christoph Fühner, Frank-Dieter Kopinke. Wet Oxidation of Process Waters from the Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge. Chemie Ingenieur Technik. 2018; 90 (6):872-880.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Barbara Weiner; Marc Breulmann; Harald Wedwitschka; Christoph Fühner; Frank-Dieter Kopinke. 2018. "Wet Oxidation of Process Waters from the Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge." Chemie Ingenieur Technik 90, no. 6: 872-880.

Short communications
Published: 05 October 2017 in Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
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Due to higher proportions of labile carbon (C) compounds the suitability of biochar produced by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) for C sequestration is questionable. We hypothesized that pre-treatment with water would reduce the biological decay of hydrochar from sewage sludge. Unwashed and washed feedstock and hydrochar were incubated in a short-term experiment. The kinetics of the biological decomposition of the materials was calculated on the basis of a double exponential model and the C sequestration potential using the CANDY Carbon Balance (CCB) model. Biological decomposition of the carbonized materials was governed by the percentage of labile C compounds. Mean residence time of a fast (MRTfast) and slow decay pool (MRTslow) of unwashed hydrochars varied clearly (MRTfast: 0.8 – 5.0 months and the MRTslow: 5.0–18.6 months). The pre-treatment with water removed labile hydrochar C and reduced the biological accessibility. MRTfast and MRTslow was increased by intensive washings (MRTfast: 5.0–7.4 months and the MRTslow: 14.9 months). High synthesis coefficients suggest that hydrochar C was humified and transferred into stabilized SOC. The results clearly show that once adsorbed components were eliminated, and as compared to pyrolysed biochar hydrochar from sewage sludge may also be useful for soil C sequestration.

ACS Style

Marc Breulmann; Katrin Kuka; Manfred Van Afferden; François Buscot; Christoph Fühner; Roland Müller; Elke Schulz. Labile water soluble components govern the short-term microbial decay of hydrochar from sewage sludge. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 2017, 64, 873 -880.

AMA Style

Marc Breulmann, Katrin Kuka, Manfred Van Afferden, François Buscot, Christoph Fühner, Roland Müller, Elke Schulz. Labile water soluble components govern the short-term microbial decay of hydrochar from sewage sludge. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science. 2017; 64 (6):873-880.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marc Breulmann; Katrin Kuka; Manfred Van Afferden; François Buscot; Christoph Fühner; Roland Müller; Elke Schulz. 2017. "Labile water soluble components govern the short-term microbial decay of hydrochar from sewage sludge." Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 64, no. 6: 873-880.

Original articles
Published: 05 October 2017 in Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
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Large amounts of labile compounds are adsorbed to the surface of chars produced by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The aim of this study was to characterize the core and adsorbed fractions of hydrochars and to gain knowledge about the possibility to remove phytotoxic compounds by washings with water. Chars were produced by HTC of sewage sludge at different temperatures (180 – 200 °C) and over different periods of time (4 – 8 h). For comparison one pyrolysis char produced by thermocatalytic low temperature conversion (LTC) at 400 °C for 1 h was included in the study. The chars and their feedstocks were treated varying the duration (1 x 15, 1 × 30 and 1 × 60 min) and number (2 x 60 and 3 × 60 min) of washings. Physicochemical properties, including the molecular structure of the test materials, and their effects on germination and plant growth were analysed. Element concentrations and phytotoxic effects were reduced and the number of washings had a stronger effect than their length of time. Intensive washings with water reduced the hydrochars’ portion of biodegradable compounds significantly. However, also plant available nutrients were lost by washing with water, decreasing the value of hydrochars as a soil amendment.

ACS Style

Marc Breulmann; Elke Schulz; Manfred Van Afferden; Roland A. Müller; Christoph Fühner. Hydrochars derived from sewage sludge: effects of pre-treatment with water on char properties, phytotoxicity and chemical structure. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 2017, 64, 860 -872.

AMA Style

Marc Breulmann, Elke Schulz, Manfred Van Afferden, Roland A. Müller, Christoph Fühner. Hydrochars derived from sewage sludge: effects of pre-treatment with water on char properties, phytotoxicity and chemical structure. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science. 2017; 64 (6):860-872.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marc Breulmann; Elke Schulz; Manfred Van Afferden; Roland A. Müller; Christoph Fühner. 2017. "Hydrochars derived from sewage sludge: effects of pre-treatment with water on char properties, phytotoxicity and chemical structure." Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 64, no. 6: 860-872.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2014 in Science of The Total Environment
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The quality, stability and availability of organic carbon (OC) in soil organic matter (SOM) can vary widely between differently managed ecosystems. Several approaches have been developed for isolating SOM fractions to examine their ecological roles, but links between the bioavailability of the OC of size-density fractions and soil microbial communities have not been previously explored. Thus, in the presented laboratory study we investigated the potential bioavailability of OC and the structure of associated microbial communities in different particle-size and density fractions of SOM. For this we used samples from four grassland ecosystems with contrasting management intensity regimes and two soil types: a Haplic Cambisol and a typical Chernozem. A combined size-density fractionation protocol was applied to separate clay-associated SOM fractions (CF1, <1 μm; CF2, 1-2 μm) from light SOM fractions (LF1, <1.8 g cm(-3); LF2, 1.8-2.0 g cm(-3)). These fractions were used as carbon sources in a respiration experiment to determine their potential bioavailability. Measured CO2-release was used as an index of substrate accessibility and linked to the soil microbial community structure, as determined by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) analysis. Several key factors controlling decomposition processes, and thus the potential bioavailability of OC, were identified: management intensity and the plant community composition of the grasslands (both of which affect the chemical composition and turnover of OC) and specific properties of individual SOM fractions. The PLFA patterns highlighted differences in the composition of microbial communities associated with the examined grasslands, and SOM fractions, providing the first broad insights into their active microbial communities. From observed interactions between abiotic and biotic factors affecting the decomposition of SOM fractions we demonstrate that increasing management intensity could enhance the potential bioavailability of OC, not only in the active and intermediate SOM pools, but also in the passive pool.

ACS Style

Marc Breulmann; Nina Petrovna Masyutenko; Boris Maratovich Kogut; Reiner Schroll; Ulrike Dörfler; François Buscot; Elke Schulz. Short-term bioavailability of carbon in soil organic matter fractions of different particle sizes and densities in grassland ecosystems. Science of The Total Environment 2014, 497-498, 29 -37.

AMA Style

Marc Breulmann, Nina Petrovna Masyutenko, Boris Maratovich Kogut, Reiner Schroll, Ulrike Dörfler, François Buscot, Elke Schulz. Short-term bioavailability of carbon in soil organic matter fractions of different particle sizes and densities in grassland ecosystems. Science of The Total Environment. 2014; 497-498 ():29-37.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marc Breulmann; Nina Petrovna Masyutenko; Boris Maratovich Kogut; Reiner Schroll; Ulrike Dörfler; François Buscot; Elke Schulz. 2014. "Short-term bioavailability of carbon in soil organic matter fractions of different particle sizes and densities in grassland ecosystems." Science of The Total Environment 497-498, no. : 29-37.

Journal article
Published: 24 September 2011 in Plant and Soil
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The main objective was to describe the effects of plant litter on SOC and on soil microbial activity and structure in extensively managed grasslands in Central Germany that vary in biomass production and plant community composition. The decomposition of shoot and root litter was studied in an incubation experiment. Labile C and N were isolated by hot water extraction (CHWE, NHWE), while functional groups of microbes were identified by PLFA analysis and microbial activity was measured using a set of soil exo-enzymes. The plant community composition, particulary legume species affected SOC dynamics and below-ground microbial processes, especially via roots. This was reflected in about 20% lower decomposition of root litter in low productivity grassland soil. The CHWE soil pool was found to be a key driver of the below-ground food web, controlling soil microbial processes. Below-ground responses appear to be related to the presence of legume species, which affected the microbial communities, as well as the ratio between fungal and bacterial biomass and patterns of soil enzyme activity. Low productivity fungal-dominated grasslands with slow C turnover rates may play an important role in SOC accumulation. The approach used here is of particular importance, since associated biological and biochemical processes are fundamental to ecosystem functioning.

ACS Style

Marc Breulmann; Elke Schulz; Karoline Weißhuhn; François Buscot. Impact of the plant community composition on labile soil organic carbon, soil microbial activity and community structure in semi-natural grassland ecosystems of different productivity. Plant and Soil 2011, 352, 253 -265.

AMA Style

Marc Breulmann, Elke Schulz, Karoline Weißhuhn, François Buscot. Impact of the plant community composition on labile soil organic carbon, soil microbial activity and community structure in semi-natural grassland ecosystems of different productivity. Plant and Soil. 2011; 352 (1-2):253-265.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marc Breulmann; Elke Schulz; Karoline Weißhuhn; François Buscot. 2011. "Impact of the plant community composition on labile soil organic carbon, soil microbial activity and community structure in semi-natural grassland ecosystems of different productivity." Plant and Soil 352, no. 1-2: 253-265.