Sludge transportation costs can represent a large fraction of the expenses associated with municipal and faecal sludge management. These costs can be mitigated through the use of thermal drying approaches to reduce the sludge volume. This thesis described the application of a novel microwave-based pilot-scale unit as an alternative technology for the sanitisation and drying of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants and on-site sanitation facilities. The potential economic benefits of volumetric heating, moisture levelling, and increased liquid and vapour migration from the interior to the surface of the product underpins the increasing interest in the use of microwave technology during sludge treatment processes. According to the findings of this study, these factors lead to faster processing times, improved drying rates, and a reduced physical footprint. Furthermore, microwave technology operates as a standalone treatment unit. When coupled with mechanical dewatering techniques and membrane separation technology, it can increase the reliability of the technology employed in the treatment of sludge while recovering valuable resources through an agricultural or thermochemical application such as (co-) combustion. The results of this work demonstrate the strong feasibility of applying microwave-based technology within initiatives designed to protect the environment and safeguard public health.

Sludge Management provides up-to-date information on sludge treatment, reuse and disposal. A comprehensive coverage of all issues related to sludge management is included with local through global coverage of all sludge management practices. Conventional to advanced technologies for sludge management with available case studies from both developing and developed countries are covered in this book. Given the responsibility of engineers to develop the technological tools to meet the increasingly stricter standards for sludge treatment and disposal, the main attraction of the book principally relies on its technical content that reviews all the points to be considered in sludge management from engineering and technological perspectives. Sludge Management can be used for planning, designing, and implementing waste sludge management projects. Moreover, this book can be used as a standard textbook in Universities for Master and Doctoral students. Also, academics, researchers, scientists, and practicing engineers working in the field of sludge management would find the book very informative and a source of interesting case studies.

This is the first of two volumes that together provide a comprehensive overview of the current sustainable and low-cost wastewater treatment technologies applied in communities that lack the financial and technical resources needed for an environmental, disease prevention and health nexus.This book reviews natural wastewater treatment technologies and traces the current challenges in wastewater management and sustainability. Divided into 4 themed parts, the chapters from expert contributors cover topics such as simplified and low-energy natural treatment facilities, bioremediation and biotechnology for green future, environmental impact assessment of wastewater reuse, wastewater management and sustainability for irrigation, high-performance and cost-effective biosorbents for heavy metals removal, and eco-friendly nanomaterials for wastewater environmental management. The readers will discover essential recommendations for improving natural treatment systems to withstand emerging contaminants, namely, endocrine disruption chemicals, surfactants, personal care products, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. Readers will also find valuable guidelines to ensure sustainable and innovative solutions for wastewater treatment in the light of climate change, resource, demand, and funding challenges.Given the breadth and depth of its coverage, the book offers an invaluable source of information for researchers, students and environmental managers alike.

Environmental Materials and Waste: Resource Recovery and Pollution Prevention contains the latest information on environmental sustainability as a wide variety of natural resources are increasingly being exploited to meet the demands of a worldwide growing population and economy. These raw materials cannot, or can only partially, be substituted by renewable resources within the next few decades. As such, the efficient recovery and processing of mineral and energy resources, as well as recycling such resources, is now of significant importance. The book takes a multidisciplinary approach to fully realize the number of by-products which can be remanufactured, providing the foundation needed across disciplines to tackle this issue. As awareness and opportunities to recover valuable resources from process and bleed streams is gaining interest, sustainable recovery of environmental materials, including wastewater, offers tremendous opportunity to combine profitable and sustainable production. - Presents a state-of-the-art guide to environmental sustainability - Provides an overview of the field highlighting recent and emerging issues in environmental resource recovery that cover a wide array of by-products for remanufacture potential - Details a multidisciplinary approach to fully realize the number of by-products which can be remanufactured, providing the foundation needed across disciplines to tackle these global issues

This multi-disciplinary volume presents information on the state-of-the-art in sustainable energy technologies key to tackling the world’s energy challenges and achieving environmentally benign solutions. Its unique amalgamation of the latest technical information, research findings and examples of successfully applied new developments in the area of sustainable energy will be of keen interest to engineers, students, practitioners, scientists and researchers working with sustainable energy technologies. Problem statements, projections, new concepts, models, experiments, measurements and simulations from not only engineering and science, but disciplines as diverse as ecology, education, economics and information technology are included, in order to create a truly holistic vision of the sustainable energy field. The contributions feature coverage of topics including solar and wind energy, biomass and biofuels, waste-to-energy, renewable fuels, geothermal and hydrogen power, efficiency gains in fossil fuels and energy storage technologies including batteries and fuel cells.