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taining a slurry of thermophilic bacteria, which break down the organics at an operating temperature of 4466C. The process produces no sludge waste from excess biomass. This is achieved by continuously moving part of the slurry to a parallel chemical treatment tank, where the biomass is broken down to make it more amenable to biological treatment. It is then recycled to the biological tank. Source: Chemical Engineering, February 1996, p. 25. NOx-removal from cement kilns Emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from a coal-fired portland cement kiln have been reduced 45% by injecting sewage sludge into the kiln in a process being developed by the Cement Industry Environmental Consortium (Riverside, Calf.). In tests, 20 tons/h of sludge containing 20 wt.-% solids were injected into a 5000ton/d kiln operated by Mitsubishi Cement Corp. at Lucerne Valley, California. The heat in the kiln converts nitrogen compounds in the sludge to ammonia, which reduces NOx to elemental nitrogen and water. Sludge is injected between the preheater-calciner and the kiln, where the temperature is around 1000C. A sludge dewatering system to reduce the sludge volume, to save energy and shipping costs, is being developed. Source: Chemical Engineering, February 1996, p. 25. Peat based adsorbent Specially processed peat is the basis of a new wastewater treatment process that will be commercialized by Peat Technologies Corp. (PTC) under license from the University of Minnesota. The material can applied catalysis B: environmental

simultaneously remove metals and organics from wastewater. PTC will manufacture and market the peat product, a granular blend of peat materials called MultiSorb 100. Peats of various botanical origins are selected to match the desired application. A series of thermal activation steps gives the peat a surface area of 200-300 m /g. Multisorb is used in columns, with one column adsorbing while a second is being stripped and a third eluted. In tests, it has achieved 90-99.9% removal of copper, nickel, zinc, lead, barium and chromium and similar results for BTX compounds. The material sells for $0.60-$1.20/lb. Source: Chemical Engineering, February 1996, p. 27 Water bodies About 40% of U.S. water bodies are too polluted for fishing, swimming and other uses, according to the EPA latest Nas tional Water Quality Inventory. The report, published every two years, is a summary of information submitted by states, tribes and other jurisdictions for the year 1994. There was little change from the previous report in 1992. The report classifies 36% of rivers as polluted, compared to 39% in 1992; 37% of lakes (the same as 1992) and 37% of estuaries, a number that has remained constant for 10 years. The leading sources of freshwater pollution are agricultural pesticides and municipal sewage treatment plants, while the sources for estuaries are urban runoff and storm sewers, sewage plants, agriculture, industrial point sources and petroleum activities. Source: Chemical Engineering, February 1996, p. 29

Volume 8 No. 2 -

11 April 1996