Ultrasound-enhanced peracetic acid oxidation improves short-chain fatty acids production from waste activated sludge

This study proposed a new technology, i.e., ultrasound (US)-enhanced peracetic acid (PAA) pretreatment, to enhance resource recovery from anaerobic sludge fermentation. Results show that the optimum operation condition was achieved with US-enhanced 10 mg PAA/g TSS (total suspended solids), leading to a remarkable 31.72-fold increase in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production compared to the control group (with PAA contribution in SCFAs deducted). Mechanism explorations prove that US-enhanced PAA pretreatment significantly promoted sludge disruption and organic matter release, creating a substantial amount of soluble substances (i.e., tyrosine-like and tryptophan-like substances) for subsequent fermentation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis indicates that US-enhanced PAA pretreatment induced alterations in the protein secondary structure and facilitated its transformation. Quenching experiments imply that the contribution of reactive species during sludge oxidation followed the order: O-1(2) > OH > CH3C(O)O/CH3C(O)OO. These reactive species played essential roles in the inherent mechanisms responsible for sludge disintegration and organic conversion. On the other hand, the analysis of key enzyme activities reveals a severe inhibition of the enzymes associated with SCFAs consumption. Further microbial community investigation confirms the enrichment of acidogenic microorganisms, such as Clostridium_sensu_stricto_10 sp., norank_f__norank_o__Bacteroidales sp., etc. Overall, US-enhanced PAA pretreatment can facilitate energy recovery and enhance the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation, offering significant benefits in sustainable sludge management.