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Forms of Sulfur in Sewage Sludge
Author(s) -
Sommers L. E.,
Tabatabai M. A.,
Nelson D. W.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1977.00472425000600010011x
Subject(s) - sulfate , sewage sludge , sulfur , chemistry , sulfide , environmental chemistry , total organic carbon , sewage , environmental engineering , environmental science , organic chemistry
Most studies concerning the composition of sewage sludge have placed emphasis on total elemental analysis, including sulfur. This study was conducted to determine the forms of S and their relationships to other components in sludge. Analyses of the forms and amounts of S in sewage sludge produced by 11 Indiana cities showed that total S concentrations ranged from 0.7 to 2.1% and that from 1 to 27% of the total sludge S was inorganic S extractable with 0.1 M LiCl. Expressed as a percentage of total S, the sludge samples contained from < 1 to 35% sulfide S, from 18 to 53% inorganic nonsulfate S, from 18 to 56% carbon‐bonded S, from 0 to 35% ester sulfate S and inorganic sulfate S, and from 0 to 42% unidentified organic S. Analyses of seven sludge samples obtained over a 2‐year period from the same treatment plant indicated that the forms of S in sludge vary with time. No consistent relationships were found between the amounts of organic C, N, S, and P in sludges. Statistical analyses of the sludge components indicated that Pb and Zn were significantly correlated with sulfide S and that Cd was significantly correlated with organic S, ester sulfate S, and with 0.1 M LiCL extractable S. No significant relationships were found for other metals and the various S fractions.