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The Baltic Sea is considered the marine water body most severely affected by eutrophication within Europe. Due to its limited water exchange nutrients have a particularly long residence time in the sea. While several studies have analysed the costs of reducing current nutrient emissions, the costs for remediating legacy nutrient loads of past emissions remain unknown. Although the Baltic Sea is a comparatively well-monitored region, current data and knowledge is insufficient to provide a sound quantification of legacy nutrient loads and much less their abatement costs. A first rough estimation of agricultural legacy nutrient loads yields an accumulation of 0.5–4.0 Mt N and 0.3–1.2 Mt P in the Baltic Sea and 0.4–0.5 Mt P in agricultural soils within the catchment. The costs for removing or immobilising this amount of nutrients via deep water oxygenation, mussel farming and soil gypsum amendment are in the range of few tens to over 100 billion €. These preliminary results are meant as a basis for future studies and show that while requiring serious commitment to funding and implementation, remediating agricultural legacy loads is not infeasible and may even provide economic benefits to local communities in the long run.
Julia Tanzer; Ralf Hermann; Ludwig Hermann. Remediating Agricultural Legacy Nutrient Loads in the Baltic Sea Region. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3872 .
AMA StyleJulia Tanzer, Ralf Hermann, Ludwig Hermann. Remediating Agricultural Legacy Nutrient Loads in the Baltic Sea Region. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (7):3872.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJulia Tanzer; Ralf Hermann; Ludwig Hermann. 2021. "Remediating Agricultural Legacy Nutrient Loads in the Baltic Sea Region." Sustainability 13, no. 7: 3872.
Food security and healthy freshwater ecosystems are placed at jeopardy by poor phosphorus management. Scientists are calling for transformation across food, agriculture, waste and other sectors — mobilized through intergovernmental action, which has been missing thus far.
Will J. Brownlie; Mark A. Sutton; David S. Reay; Kate V. Heal; Ludwig Hermann; Christian Kabbe; Bryan M. Spears. Global actions for a sustainable phosphorus future. Nature Food 2021, 2, 71 -74.
AMA StyleWill J. Brownlie, Mark A. Sutton, David S. Reay, Kate V. Heal, Ludwig Hermann, Christian Kabbe, Bryan M. Spears. Global actions for a sustainable phosphorus future. Nature Food. 2021; 2 (2):71-74.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWill J. Brownlie; Mark A. Sutton; David S. Reay; Kate V. Heal; Ludwig Hermann; Christian Kabbe; Bryan M. Spears. 2021. "Global actions for a sustainable phosphorus future." Nature Food 2, no. 2: 71-74.
Low-grade phosphate rock from Sra Ouertane (Tunisia) was beneficiated using a thermal treatment consisting of calcination, quenching, and disliming. Untreated phosphate rock samples (group 1), calcined phosphate rock samples (group 2), as well as calcined, quenched, and dislimed (group 3) phosphate rock samples, were investigated using inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Besides, the particle size distribution of the aforementioned three groups was determined. The proposed thermal treatment successfully increased the P2O5 content of the untreated phosphate rock from 20.01 wt% (group 1) to 24.24 wt% (group 2) after calcination and, finally, 27.24 wt% (group 3) after calcination, quenching, and disliming. It was further found that the concentration of relevant accompanying rare earth elements (Ce, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, and Y) was increased and that the concentration of Cd could be significantly reduced from 30 mg/kg to 14 mg/kg with the proposed treatment. The resulting phosphate concentrate showed relatively high concentrations in metal oxides: Ʃ MgO, Fe2O3, Al2O3 = 3.63 wt% and silica (9.81 wt%) so that it did not meet the merchant grade specifications of a minimum P2O5 content of 30 wt% yet. Removal of these elements could be achieved using additional appropriate separation techniques.
Noureddine Abbes; Essaid Bilal; Ludwig Hermann; Gerald Steiner; Nils Haneklaus. Thermal Beneficiation of Sra Ouertane (Tunisia) Low-Grade Phosphate Rock. Minerals 2020, 10, 937 .
AMA StyleNoureddine Abbes, Essaid Bilal, Ludwig Hermann, Gerald Steiner, Nils Haneklaus. Thermal Beneficiation of Sra Ouertane (Tunisia) Low-Grade Phosphate Rock. Minerals. 2020; 10 (11):937.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNoureddine Abbes; Essaid Bilal; Ludwig Hermann; Gerald Steiner; Nils Haneklaus. 2020. "Thermal Beneficiation of Sra Ouertane (Tunisia) Low-Grade Phosphate Rock." Minerals 10, no. 11: 937.
Despite the significant reduction of phosphorus (P) discharge in the Baltic Sea in the last decades, obtained through the implementation of some approaches within the Helsinki Convention, eutrophication is still considered the biggest problem for the Baltic Sea environment. Consequently, the reduction of P load is an urgent need to solve, but the complexity of both the environmental and legislative context of the area makes this process difficult (more than in the past). Eutrophication is an intricate issue requiring a proper framework of governance that is not easy to determine in the Baltic Sea Region where the needs of several different countries converge. To identify the most suitable strategy to reduce the eutrophication in the Baltic Sea, the InPhos project (no. 17022, 2018–2019, funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Raw Materials) adopted a holistic approach considering technical, political, economic, environmental and social aspects of P management. With the aims to raise awareness about the P challenge, foster the dialogue among all the stakeholders, and find solutions already developed in other countries (such as Germany and Switzerland) to be transferred in the Baltic Sea Region, the InPhos project consortium applied the methodology proposed in this paper, consisting of three main phases: (i) analysis of the available technologies to remove P from waste streams that contribute to eutrophication; (ii) analysis of the main streams involving P in Baltic Sea countries to highlight the potential of more sustainable and circular P management; (iii) study of the current context (e.g., already-existing initiatives and issues). This approach allowed us to identify four categories of recommendations and practical actions proposed to improve P management in the Baltic Sea region. During the project, the consortium mainly addressed social aspects. Following steps beyond the project will be more quantitative to determine the techno-economic feasibility of circular P management in selected demo cases in the region.
Marzena Smol; Michał Preisner; Augusto Bianchini; Jessica Rossi; Ludwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf; Jolita Kruopienė; Kastytis Pamakštys; Maris Klavins; Ruta Ozola-Davidane; Daina Kalnina; Elina Strade; Viktoria Voronova; Karin Pachel; Xiaosheng Yang; Britt-Marie Steenari; Magdalena Svanström. Strategies for Sustainable and Circular Management of Phosphorus in the Baltic Sea Region: The Holistic Approach of the InPhos Project. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2567 .
AMA StyleMarzena Smol, Michał Preisner, Augusto Bianchini, Jessica Rossi, Ludwig Hermann, Tanja Schaaf, Jolita Kruopienė, Kastytis Pamakštys, Maris Klavins, Ruta Ozola-Davidane, Daina Kalnina, Elina Strade, Viktoria Voronova, Karin Pachel, Xiaosheng Yang, Britt-Marie Steenari, Magdalena Svanström. Strategies for Sustainable and Circular Management of Phosphorus in the Baltic Sea Region: The Holistic Approach of the InPhos Project. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (6):2567.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarzena Smol; Michał Preisner; Augusto Bianchini; Jessica Rossi; Ludwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf; Jolita Kruopienė; Kastytis Pamakštys; Maris Klavins; Ruta Ozola-Davidane; Daina Kalnina; Elina Strade; Viktoria Voronova; Karin Pachel; Xiaosheng Yang; Britt-Marie Steenari; Magdalena Svanström. 2020. "Strategies for Sustainable and Circular Management of Phosphorus in the Baltic Sea Region: The Holistic Approach of the InPhos Project." Sustainability 12, no. 6: 2567.
As an element, phosphorus (P) is one of a kind. While it is essential for all life on Earth, phosphorus is neither substitutable nor infinite especially in terms of highly concentrated phosphate rock deposits. Society as a whole—and key stakeholders in particular—must build on and extend the idea of a linear system that begins with exploration, continues with extraction and processing, and ends with the application of fertilizers, by applying mechanisms of circularity. The efficient and sustainable utilization of P including intra-generational and intergenerational fairness requires the recognition of its dissipative structure as an important first step. With its Manifesto for a Resource-Efficient Europe, the European Commission acknowledged the inevitability of the transition toward a regenerative Circular Economy (CE). The concept of a CE evolves around the avoidance of losses, which can be found all along the P supply chain in varying degrees of magnitude and leads to total nutrient-use efficiencies as low as 5% to 10%. This makes P a prime target for moving toward a circular economy. While common state-of-the-art work addresses mostly the loop (i.e., production, use, collection, and recycling) itself, we are discussing the current role of raw materials “feeding” the loop with respect to the mining phase. From a resilience perspective, the aim must be to keep every P atom flowing and circulating within our economy for as long as possible. Hereby, every measure needs to be considered under the principle of proportionality in terms of sustainable development. Therefore, changes to the current approach in the form of multidimensional innovation (e.g., products, processes, and structures) must be considered from various perspectives including technological, geological, and economic aspects. The economic framework conditions, in particular, determine the cut-off between valuable product and “waste”. We build our arguments on the “Phosphate Rock Mining–Innovation Nexus” and illustrate potential best-practice examples.
Bernhard Geissler; Ludwig Hermann; Michael C. Mew; Gerald Steiner. Striving Toward a Circular Economy for Phosphorus: The Role of Phosphate Rock Mining. Minerals 2018, 8, 395 .
AMA StyleBernhard Geissler, Ludwig Hermann, Michael C. Mew, Gerald Steiner. Striving Toward a Circular Economy for Phosphorus: The Role of Phosphate Rock Mining. Minerals. 2018; 8 (9):395.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBernhard Geissler; Ludwig Hermann; Michael C. Mew; Gerald Steiner. 2018. "Striving Toward a Circular Economy for Phosphorus: The Role of Phosphate Rock Mining." Minerals 8, no. 9: 395.
Ludwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. The AshDec® process – evolution from its earlier stages to current practice. Phosphorus: Polluter and Resource of the Future – Removal and Recovery from Wastewater 2018, 425 -434.
AMA StyleLudwig Hermann, Tanja Schaaf. The AshDec® process – evolution from its earlier stages to current practice. Phosphorus: Polluter and Resource of the Future – Removal and Recovery from Wastewater. 2018; ():425-434.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLudwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. 2018. "The AshDec® process – evolution from its earlier stages to current practice." Phosphorus: Polluter and Resource of the Future – Removal and Recovery from Wastewater , no. : 425-434.
Ludwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. New research ideas for phosphorus recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge ash. Phosphorus: Polluter and Resource of the Future – Removal and Recovery from Wastewater 2018, 305 -332.
AMA StyleLudwig Hermann, Tanja Schaaf. New research ideas for phosphorus recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge ash. Phosphorus: Polluter and Resource of the Future – Removal and Recovery from Wastewater. 2018; ():305-332.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLudwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. 2018. "New research ideas for phosphorus recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge ash." Phosphorus: Polluter and Resource of the Future – Removal and Recovery from Wastewater , no. : 305-332.
Relevant waste flows like sewage sludge, farmyard manure, digestion residues, and humid residues from food and feed production are known for food safety issues and for environmental and waste management problems. If used as a resource for crop nutrients and soil fertility, distribution is the main issue: urbanization and intensive livestock farming produce mass flows requiring extended cropland typically not available in the densely populated regions of our planet. Thermal conversion is an acknowledged option for concentration and recycling of mineral residues including phosphates, but the typical moisture content of >70 wt% makes it difficult to yield relevant surplus energy flows. This challenge is approached by increasing the efficiency of drying and replacing combustion by gasification, in essence by making effective use of the hydrogen (H2) molecules of water in the process chain. Outotec’s technology approach aims at keeping H2 molecules in the loop and eventually using them in the form of a hydrogen-rich gas in a variety of energy and biochemical applications. The approach is intrinsically circular, and the related processes – closed-loop steam drying and steam gasification – are well known but have not been applied to the waste flows and in the configuration as outlined in this book. If successfully implemented, waste flows in the order of 1–1.5 billion cubic meters in the EU28 may be recycled to a relevant building block of a future hydrogen economy with a vast array of applications in the energy and biochemistry sector.
Ludwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. Outotec Manure, Slurry, and Sludge Processing Technology. Phosphorus Recovery and Recycling 2018, 403 -417.
AMA StyleLudwig Hermann, Tanja Schaaf. Outotec Manure, Slurry, and Sludge Processing Technology. Phosphorus Recovery and Recycling. 2018; ():403-417.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLudwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. 2018. "Outotec Manure, Slurry, and Sludge Processing Technology." Phosphorus Recovery and Recycling , no. : 403-417.
Outotec offers the AshDec® process by which inorganic calcined phosphates (thermophosphates) are produced from phosphate-rich ashes remaining from incineration or gasification of sewage sludge, animal by-products, poultry litter, and other nutrient-rich organic waste. In the thermochemical process, solid, potassium and/or sodium-based, alkaline compounds admixed to the ash decompose at a temperature of >900 °C and react with the ash-borne phosphates to form bioavailable (ammonium citrate-soluble) alkaline phosphate compounds. Simultaneously, the toxic arsenic, cadmium, and lead compounds become gaseous and evaporate from the reactor bed. As soon as the process gas is being cooled, the particles condensate and are captured and removed in an electrostatic precipitator as metal concentrate. The process produces a P or PK fertilizer with relevant mass fractions of silicates, sodium, and trace elements. Phosphates are released and taken up by crops when root exudates decompose the Ca-K/Na-PO4 compounds preventing losses of P in solution if water-soluble P fertilizers are used. The recently explored, partial replacement of sodium sulfates by potassium phosphates avoids high sodium concentrations and leads to a PK 16-7 + 4S fertilizer with >25% total macro nutrient content and >10% sodium/potassium silicates that may enhance crop resilience. In a recent (published 2016) report, the Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production (EGTOP) came to the conclusion to recommend calcined phosphates and struvite for organic production.
Ludwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. Outotec (AshDec®) Process for P Fertilizers from Sludge Ash. Phosphorus Recovery and Recycling 2018, 221 -233.
AMA StyleLudwig Hermann, Tanja Schaaf. Outotec (AshDec®) Process for P Fertilizers from Sludge Ash. Phosphorus Recovery and Recycling. 2018; ():221-233.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLudwig Hermann; Tanja Schaaf. 2018. "Outotec (AshDec®) Process for P Fertilizers from Sludge Ash." Phosphorus Recovery and Recycling , no. : 221-233.
In the aftermath of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement (COP21) by virtually all United Nations, producing more with less is imperative. In this context, phosphorus processing, despite its high efficiency compared to other steps in the value chain, needs to be revisited by science and industry. During processing, phosphorus is lost to phosphogypsum, disposed of in stacks globally piling up to 3–4 billion tons and growing by about 200 million tons per year, or directly discharged to the sea. Eutrophication, acidification, and long-term pollution are the environmental impacts of both practices. Economic and regulatory framework conditions determine whether the industry continues wasting phosphorus, pursues efficiency improvements or stops operations altogether. While reviewing current industrial practice and potentials for increasing processing efficiency with lower impact, the article addresses potentially conflicting goals of low energy and material use as well as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for evaluating the relative impacts of improvement strategies. Finally, options by which corporations could pro-actively and credibly demonstrate phosphorus stewardship as well as options by which policy makers could enforce improvement without impairing business locations are discussed.
Ludwig Hermann; Fabian Kraus; Ralf Hermann. Phosphorus Processing—Potentials for Higher Efficiency. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1482 .
AMA StyleLudwig Hermann, Fabian Kraus, Ralf Hermann. Phosphorus Processing—Potentials for Higher Efficiency. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (5):1482.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLudwig Hermann; Fabian Kraus; Ralf Hermann. 2018. "Phosphorus Processing—Potentials for Higher Efficiency." Sustainability 10, no. 5: 1482.
Organic nutrient sources such as farmyard manure, sewage sludge, their biogas digestates or other animal by-products can be valuable fertilizers delivering organic matter to the soil. Currently, especially phosphorus (P) is in the focus of research since it is an essential plant nutrient with finite resources, estimated to last only for some more decades. Efficient utilization of organic P sources in agriculture will help to preserve P resources and thereby has the potential to close nutrient cycles and prevent unwanted P-losses to the environment, one of the major causes for eutrophication of water bodies. Unfortunately, organic P sources usually contain also various detrimental substances, such as potentially toxic elements or organic contaminants like pharmaceuticals as well as pathogenic microorganisms. Additionally, the utilization of some of these substrates such as sewage sludge or animal by-products is legally limited in agriculture because of the potential risk to contaminate sites with potentially toxic elements and organic contaminants. Thus, to close nutrient cycles it is important to develop solutions for the responsible use of organic nutrient sources. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the contamination of the most important organic nutrient sources with potentially toxic elements, antibiotics (as one important organic contaminant) and pathogenic microorganisms. Changes in manure and sewage sludge management as well as the increasing trend to use such substrates in biogas plants will be discussed with respect to potential risks posed to soils and water bodies. Some examples for abatement options by which contamination can be reduced to produce P fertilizers with high amounts of plant available P forms are presented.
E. Bloem; A. Albihn; J. Elving; Ludwig Hermann; L. Lehmann; M. Sarvi; T. Schaaf; J. Schick; E. Turtola; K. Ylivainio. Contamination of organic nutrient sources with potentially toxic elements, antibiotics and pathogen microorganisms in relation to P fertilizer potential and treatment options for the production of sustainable fertilizers: A review. Science of The Total Environment 2017, 607-608, 225 -242.
AMA StyleE. Bloem, A. Albihn, J. Elving, Ludwig Hermann, L. Lehmann, M. Sarvi, T. Schaaf, J. Schick, E. Turtola, K. Ylivainio. Contamination of organic nutrient sources with potentially toxic elements, antibiotics and pathogen microorganisms in relation to P fertilizer potential and treatment options for the production of sustainable fertilizers: A review. Science of The Total Environment. 2017; 607-608 ():225-242.
Chicago/Turabian StyleE. Bloem; A. Albihn; J. Elving; Ludwig Hermann; L. Lehmann; M. Sarvi; T. Schaaf; J. Schick; E. Turtola; K. Ylivainio. 2017. "Contamination of organic nutrient sources with potentially toxic elements, antibiotics and pathogen microorganisms in relation to P fertilizer potential and treatment options for the production of sustainable fertilizers: A review." Science of The Total Environment 607-608, no. : 225-242.
All life forms require phosphorus (P), which has no substitute in food production. The risk of phosphorus loss from soil and limited P rock reserves has led to the development of recycling P from industrial residues. This study investigates the potential of phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and manure ash by thermochemical treatment (ASH DEC) in Finland. An ASH DEC plant could receive 46–76 kt/a of sewage sludge ash to produce 51–85 kt/a of a P-rich product with a P2O5 content of 13–18%, while 320–750 kt/a of manure ash could be supplied to produce 350–830 kt/a of a P-rich product with a P content of 4–5%. The P2O5 potential in the total P-rich product from the ASH DEC process using sewage sludge and manure ash is estimated to be 25–47 kt/a, which is significantly more than the P fertilizer demand in Finland’s agricultural industries. The energy efficiency of integrated incineration and the ASH DEC process is more dependent on the total solid content and the subsequent need for mechanical dewatering and thermal drying than on the energy required by the ASH DEC process. According to the results of this study, the treated sewage sludge and manure ash using the ASH DEC process represent significant potential phosphorus sources for P fertilizer production.
Jouni Havukainen; Mai Thanh Nguyen; Ludwig Hermann; Mika Horttanainen; Mirja Mikkilä; Ivan Deviatkin; Lassi Linnanen. Potential of phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and manure ash by thermochemical treatment. Waste Management 2016, 49, 221 -229.
AMA StyleJouni Havukainen, Mai Thanh Nguyen, Ludwig Hermann, Mika Horttanainen, Mirja Mikkilä, Ivan Deviatkin, Lassi Linnanen. Potential of phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and manure ash by thermochemical treatment. Waste Management. 2016; 49 ():221-229.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJouni Havukainen; Mai Thanh Nguyen; Ludwig Hermann; Mika Horttanainen; Mirja Mikkilä; Ivan Deviatkin; Lassi Linnanen. 2016. "Potential of phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and manure ash by thermochemical treatment." Waste Management 49, no. : 221-229.
The present paper is based on an analysis of the EU legislation regulating phosphorus recovery and recycling from wastewater stream, in particular as fertiliser. To recover phosphorus, operators need to deal with market regulations, health and environment protection laws. Often, several permits and lengthy authorisation processes for both installation (e.g. environmental impact assessment) and the recovered phosphorus (e.g. End-of-Waste, REACH) are required. Exemptions to certain registration processes for recoverers are in place but rarely applied. National solutions are often needed. Emerging recovery and recycling sectors are affected by legislation in different ways: Wastewater treatment plants are obliged to remove phosphorus but may also recover it in low quantities for operational reasons. Permit processes allowing recovery and recycling operations next to water purification should thus be rationalised. In contrast, the fertiliser industry relies on legal quality requirements, ensuring their market reputation. For start-ups, raw-material sourcing and related legislation will be the key. Phosphorus recycling is governed by fragmented decision-making in regional administrations. Active regulatory support, such as recycling obligation or subsidies, is lacking. Legislation harmonisation, inclusion of recycled phosphorus in existing fertiliser regulations and support of new operators would speed up market penetration of novel technologies, reduce phosphorus losses and safeguard European quality standards.
Sirja Hukari; Ludwig Hermann; Anders Nättorp. From wastewater to fertilisers — Technical overview and critical review of European legislation governing phosphorus recycling. Science of The Total Environment 2016, 542, 1127 -1135.
AMA StyleSirja Hukari, Ludwig Hermann, Anders Nättorp. From wastewater to fertilisers — Technical overview and critical review of European legislation governing phosphorus recycling. Science of The Total Environment. 2016; 542 ():1127-1135.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSirja Hukari; Ludwig Hermann; Anders Nättorp. 2016. "From wastewater to fertilisers — Technical overview and critical review of European legislation governing phosphorus recycling." Science of The Total Environment 542, no. : 1127-1135.
Sewage sludge incineration is extensively practiced in some European countries such as the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. A survey of German sewage sludge ash showed that the recovery potential is high, approx. 19,000 t of phosphorus per year. However, the survey also discovered that the bioavailability of phosphorus in the sewage sludge ash is poor and that more than half of the ashes cannot be used as fertilizers due to high heavy metal content. A new thermochemical process for sewage sludge ash treatment was developed that transforms the ash into marketable fertilizer products. Sewage sludge ash was thermochemically treated with sodium and potassium additives under reducing conditions, whereby the phosphate-bearing mineral phases were transformed into plant available phosphates. High P-bioavailability was achieved with a molar Na/P ratio >1.75 in the starting materials. Sodium sulfate, carbonate and hydroxide performed comparably as additives for this calcination process. Potassium carbonate and -hydroxide have to be added in a molar K/P ratio >2.5 to achieve comparable P-solubility. The findings of the laboratory scale investigations were confirmed by an industrial demonstration trial for an ash treatment with sodium sulfate. Simultaneously, the volatile transition metal arsenic (61% removal) as well as volatile heavy metals such as cadmium (80%), mercury (68%), lead (39%) and zinc (9%) were removed via the off-gas treatment system. The product of the demonstration trial is characterized by high bioavailability and a toxic trace element mass fraction below the limit values of the German fertilizer ordinance, thus fulfilling the quality parameters for a P-fertilizer.
Hannes Herzel; Oliver Krüger; Ludwig Hermann; Christian Adam. Sewage sludge ash — A promising secondary phosphorus source for fertilizer production. Science of The Total Environment 2016, 542, 1136 -1143.
AMA StyleHannes Herzel, Oliver Krüger, Ludwig Hermann, Christian Adam. Sewage sludge ash — A promising secondary phosphorus source for fertilizer production. Science of The Total Environment. 2016; 542 ():1136-1143.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHannes Herzel; Oliver Krüger; Ludwig Hermann; Christian Adam. 2016. "Sewage sludge ash — A promising secondary phosphorus source for fertilizer production." Science of The Total Environment 542, no. : 1136-1143.
This chapter describes the current activities of a multi-stakeholder project known as the “Processing Node of Global TraPs” which focuses on the sustainable management of the global phosphorus cycle. The node team will outline the current state on phosphorus processing (rock phosphate concentrate and phosphorus-rich secondary materials to fertilizers, feed phosphates, and non-agricultural products), identify knowledge gaps as well as critical questions and sketch areas for potential transdisciplinary case studies. The node’s critical questions refer to efficiencies, losses, and the environmental footprint of the various manufacturing processes as well as the effects of applying products in terms of fertilizing value, spreading/accumulation of pollutants, and eutrophication as a result of excessive application. Further issues involve the future of local, not fully integrated processing and identification of potential knowledge gaps. The guiding question is, How to improve the energy, water and material flow balances during the production of fertilizers and other P-based products? Currently, phosphate processing primarily concerns chemical processing (91 % of concentrates) with acids. Only 5 % of rocks are thermally processed to elemental phosphorus. If the latest technologies are employed, P losses during chemical processing generally do not exceed 5 %. The widely used phosphoric acid route (72–78 % of concentrates) transfers impurities to the product or to phosphogypsum, a massive by-product/waste flow amounting to five tonnes per tonne of P2O5 in phosphoric acid. About 82 % of rock phosphates are processed to fertilizers, 6–8 % to feed phosphates and the rest to non-agricultural products for a wide variety of applications. Rock processing is usually located near a phosphate mine in highly integrated manufacturing plants designed to process low-impurity rocks to water-soluble phosphate fertilizers with high nutrient concentrations. However, changing natural, societal, and environmental framework conditions challenge the prevailing paradigms. Benefits and drawbacks of high nutrient concentrations and water solubility will be investigated in transdisciplinary case studies, preferably in cooperation with an integrated global phosphate industry. Even though 82 % of rock phosphates are eventually used as fertilizers, they represent only 36 % of P inputs to European soils, by far outnumbered by the P inputs from secondary resources, such as manure, which account for 63 %. Excessive P application in regions with high livestock density and nutrient mining in regions with neither relevant animal husbandry nor access to mineral fertilizers represent a global environmental and food security problem.
Ludwig Hermann; Willem Schipper; Kees Langeveld; Armin Reller. Processing: What Improvements for What Products? Sustainable Phosphorus Management 2014, 183 -206.
AMA StyleLudwig Hermann, Willem Schipper, Kees Langeveld, Armin Reller. Processing: What Improvements for What Products? Sustainable Phosphorus Management. 2014; ():183-206.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLudwig Hermann; Willem Schipper; Kees Langeveld; Armin Reller. 2014. "Processing: What Improvements for What Products?" Sustainable Phosphorus Management , no. : 183-206.
Phosphorus resources have to be managed sustainably and therefore the recycling of P from waste streams is essential. A thermo-chemical recycling process has been developed to produce a P fertilizer from sewage sludge ash (SSA) but its plant availability is unknown. Two SSA products prepared with either CaCl2 (SSACa) or MgCl2 (SSAMg) as chemical reactant during the thermal treatment were mixed with three soils previously labeled with 33P. Reference treatments with water-soluble P added at equal amounts of total P were included. The transfer of P from SSACa and SSAMg to Lolium multiflorum or P pools of sequentially extracted soil-fertilizer incubations were quantified. The shoot P uptake from SSAMg was higher than from SSACa. For SSAMg the relative effectiveness compared to a water-soluble P fertilizer was 88 % on an acidic and 71 % on a neutral soil but only 4 % on an alkaline soil. The proportion of P derived from the fertilizer in the plant and in the first two extraction pools of soil-fertilizer incubations were strongly correlated, suggesting that it is sufficient to conduct an incubation study to obtain robust information on plant P availability. We conclude that under acidic to neutral conditions SSAMg presents an appropriate alternative to conventional P fertilizers and the dissolution of P from SSAMg seems to be governed by protons and cations in the soil solution.
Simone Nanzer; Astrid Oberson; Leslie Berger; Estelle Berset; Ludwig Hermann; Emmanuel Frossard. The plant availability of phosphorus from thermo-chemically treated sewage sludge ashes as studied by 33P labeling techniques. Plant and Soil 2014, 377, 439 -456.
AMA StyleSimone Nanzer, Astrid Oberson, Leslie Berger, Estelle Berset, Ludwig Hermann, Emmanuel Frossard. The plant availability of phosphorus from thermo-chemically treated sewage sludge ashes as studied by 33P labeling techniques. Plant and Soil. 2014; 377 (1-2):439-456.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimone Nanzer; Astrid Oberson; Leslie Berger; Estelle Berset; Ludwig Hermann; Emmanuel Frossard. 2014. "The plant availability of phosphorus from thermo-chemically treated sewage sludge ashes as studied by 33P labeling techniques." Plant and Soil 377, no. 1-2: 439-456.
Human and animal excrements, in particular manure, stand for a significant and undisputable source of plant nutrients and renewable energy. In Europe, only 36% of P-inputs to soils originate from primary resources (rock phosphate) whereas 63% come from animal and human excretions applied to cropland as manure, digestion residues and sewage sludge. Simultaneously these waste flows represent a potential hazard to human health and aquatic bodies because of pathogens and eutrophication. Management of these waste flows is far from being sustainable, in part due to the lack of efficient processing technologies. A cooperative InnoEnergy—EIT financed KIC Knowledge and Innovation Community—research project pursues development and demonstration of highly efficient technologies to overcome the constraints and to yield renewable phosphate fertilizers and energy from waste flows that may have a combined technical energy potential of 3,600 PJ/year and an annual phosphate recovery potential of 4.5–5.5 million tonnes (as P2O5) in Europe.
Hermann Ludwig. Phosphorus and Energy Recovery from Manure and Digestion Residues. Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements 2013, 188, 176 -178.
AMA StyleHermann Ludwig. Phosphorus and Energy Recovery from Manure and Digestion Residues. Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements. 2013; 188 (1-3):176-178.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHermann Ludwig. 2013. "Phosphorus and Energy Recovery from Manure and Digestion Residues." Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements 188, no. 1-3: 176-178.
Ashes from monoincineration of sewage sludge suggest themselves as an ideal base for inorganic fertiliser production due to their relatively high phosphorus (P)-content. However, previously they need to be detoxified by reducing their heavy metal content. The core process considered in this paper consists of three steps: mixing of the ashes with suitable chlorine-containing additives, granulation of the mixture and thermochemical treatment in a rotary kiln. Here relevant heavy metal compounds are first transformed into volatile species with the help of the additives and then evaporated from the granules. In this study two chemically different ashes and their mixture were agglomerated to two different granulate types, briquettes and rolled pellets. The resulting six different materials were subjected to thermal treatment at different temperatures. The heavy metals examined were Cu and Zn due to their strong dependence on treatment conditions and their relevance concerning thermal treatment of sewage sludge ashes. Besides, the behaviour of Cl and K was monitored and evaluated. The experiments showed that ash type and temperature are more influential on Cl and heavy metal chemistry than granulate type. Temperature is a primary variable for controlling removal in both cases. Cu removal was less dependent on both ash and granulate type than Zn. The Cl utilization was more effective for Cu than for Zn. Depending on the treatment conditions some K could be retained, whereas always all P remained in the treated material. This satisfies the requirement for complete P recycling.
H. Mattenberger; G. Fraissler; M. Jöller; T. Brunner; I. Obernberger; P. Herk; L. Hermann. Sewage sludge ash to phosphorus fertiliser (II): Influences of ash and granulate type on heavy metal removal. Waste Management 2010, 30, 1622 -1633.
AMA StyleH. Mattenberger, G. Fraissler, M. Jöller, T. Brunner, I. Obernberger, P. Herk, L. Hermann. Sewage sludge ash to phosphorus fertiliser (II): Influences of ash and granulate type on heavy metal removal. Waste Management. 2010; 30 (8-9):1622-1633.
Chicago/Turabian StyleH. Mattenberger; G. Fraissler; M. Jöller; T. Brunner; I. Obernberger; P. Herk; L. Hermann. 2010. "Sewage sludge ash to phosphorus fertiliser (II): Influences of ash and granulate type on heavy metal removal." Waste Management 30, no. 8-9: 1622-1633.
Municipal solid waste (MSW) fly ash is classified as a hazardous material because it contains high amounts of heavy metals. For decontamination, MSW fly ash is first mixed with alkali or alkaline earth metal chlorides (e.g. calcium chloride) and water, and then the mixture is pelletized and treated in a rotary reactor at about 1000°C. Volatile heavy metal compounds are formed and evaporate. In this paper, the effect of calcium chloride addition, gas velocity, temperature and residence time on the separation of heavy metals are studied. The fly ash was sampled at the waste-to-energy plant Fernwärme Wien/Spittelau (Vienna, Austria). The results were obtained from batch tests performed in an indirectly heated laboratory-scale rotary reactor. More than 90% of Cd and Pb and about 60% of Cu and 80% of Zn could be removed in the experiments.
B. Nowak; A. Pessl; P. Aschenbrenner; P. Szentannai; H. Mattenberger; Helmut Rechberger; Ludwig Hermann; F. Winter. Heavy metal removal from municipal solid waste fly ash by chlorination and thermal treatment. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2010, 179, 323 -331.
AMA StyleB. Nowak, A. Pessl, P. Aschenbrenner, P. Szentannai, H. Mattenberger, Helmut Rechberger, Ludwig Hermann, F. Winter. Heavy metal removal from municipal solid waste fly ash by chlorination and thermal treatment. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2010; 179 (1-3):323-331.
Chicago/Turabian StyleB. Nowak; A. Pessl; P. Aschenbrenner; P. Szentannai; H. Mattenberger; Helmut Rechberger; Ludwig Hermann; F. Winter. 2010. "Heavy metal removal from municipal solid waste fly ash by chlorination and thermal treatment." Journal of Hazardous Materials 179, no. 1-3: 323-331.
The aim of this study was to improve the removal of heavy metals from sewage sludge ash by a thermochemical process. The resulting detoxified ash was intended for use as a raw material rich in phosphorus (P) for inorganic fertiliser production. The thermochemical treatment was performed in a rotary kiln where the evaporation of relevant heavy metals was enhanced by additives. The four variables investigated for process optimisation were treatment temperature, type of additive (KCl, MgCl2) and its amount, as well as type of reactor (directly or indirectly heated rotary kiln). The removal rates of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and of Ca, P and Cl were investigated. The best overall removal efficiency for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn could be found for the indirectly heated system. The type of additive was critical, since MgCl2 favours Zn- over Cu-removal, while KCl acts conversely. The use of MgCl2 caused less particle abrasion from the pellets in the kiln than KCl. In the case of the additive KCl, liquid KCl – temporarily formed in the pellets – acted as a barrier to heavy metal evaporation as long as treatment temperatures were not sufficiently high to enhance its reaction or evaporation.
H. Mattenberger; G. Fraissler; T. Brunner; P. Herk; L. Hermann; I. Obernberger. Sewage sludge ash to phosphorus fertiliser: Variables influencing heavy metal removal during thermochemical treatment. Waste Management 2008, 28, 2709 -2722.
AMA StyleH. Mattenberger, G. Fraissler, T. Brunner, P. Herk, L. Hermann, I. Obernberger. Sewage sludge ash to phosphorus fertiliser: Variables influencing heavy metal removal during thermochemical treatment. Waste Management. 2008; 28 (12):2709-2722.
Chicago/Turabian StyleH. Mattenberger; G. Fraissler; T. Brunner; P. Herk; L. Hermann; I. Obernberger. 2008. "Sewage sludge ash to phosphorus fertiliser: Variables influencing heavy metal removal during thermochemical treatment." Waste Management 28, no. 12: 2709-2722.