An argument for developing waste-to-energy technologies in Saudi Arabia

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management is a chronic environmental problem in most of the developing countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The concept of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) is known as one of the several technologies capable of benefiting a society, which desires to reduce fossil-fuel addiction. Currently, there is no WTE facility existing in the KSA. The MSW is collected and disposed in landfills untreated. A substantial increase in the population by 3.4 %/y over the last 35 y coupled with urbanization and raised living standards have resulted in high generation rate of MSW. In 2014, about 15.3 Mt of MSW was generated in KSA. The food and plastic waste are the two main waste streams, which covers 70 % of the total MSW. The waste is highly organic (up to 72 %) in nature and food waste covers 50.6 % of it. An estimated electricity potential of 2.99 TWh can be generated annually, if all of the food waste is utilized in anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities. Similarly, 1.03 and 1.55 TWh electricity can be produced annually if all of the plastics and other mixed waste are processed in the pyrolysis and refuse derived fuel (RDF) technologies respectively. The aim of this paper is to review the prospective WTE technologies in Saudi Arabia. However, the real selection of the conversion technologies will be done in conjunction with the fieldwork on waste characterization and laboratory examination of selected technologies and further socio-economic and environmental evaluations

Optimized sampling strategy for the measurement of biomass properties during full scale composting

Biomass to be composted is often very heterogeneous and collection of representative samples for determination of compost properties is therefore difficult, especially under full-scale conditions. During full-scale composting different biomasses in the amount of 10–100 tons are mixed, yielding a very heterogeneous mixture. Final sample size for compost property determination is usually a few grams compared with compost pile masses of hundreds of tons. Desired sample particle size is about 1 mm, while compost particle size ranges from 5 to 50 cm. This study focuses on the development of a strategy for sampling under full-scale conditions for minimum measurement uncertainty based on selected material properties. Optimization was conducted considering multiple parameters, such as number of pile turnings before sampling, number of samples collected, sample mass, sample homogenization, particle size reduction and number of replicate measurements. Measurement uncertainty was evaluated using water content, inorganic matter content and nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus) content. For each parameter measurement variability was determined as a function of sampling strategy and used to identify optimal sampling strategy. </jats:p

Quantifying measurement uncertainty in full-scale compost piles using organic micro-pollutant concentrations

Reductions in measurement uncertainty for organic micro-pollutant concentrations in full scale compost piles using comprehensive sampling and allowing equilibration time before sampling were quantified. Results showed that both application of a comprehensive sampling procedure (involving sample crushing) and allowing one week of equilibration time before sampling reduces measurement uncertainty by about 50%. Results further showed that for measurements carried out on samples collected using a comprehensive procedure, measurement uncertainty was associated exclusively with the analytic methods applied. Application of statistical analyses confirmed that these results were significant at the 95% confidence level. Overall implications of these results are (1) that it is possible to eliminate uncertainty associated with material inhomogeneity and (2) that in order to reduce uncertainty, sampling procedure is very important early in the composting process but less so later in the process. </jats:p

A new approach for the removal of unfixed dyes from reactive dyed cotton by Fenton oxidation

The use of fresh water in the textile wash-off process is becoming more expensive day by day due to declining water levels in the region. In this study, the potential of using Fenton oxidation in wash-off cotton reactive dyeing was investigated. The spent wash-off wastewater from one dyeing was first treated with Fenton oxidation, and then reused in several washing-offs employing widely used reactive dyes, C.I. Reactive Yellow 145, C.I. Reactive Blue 21, and C.I. Reactive Red 195. Experimental results showed that at acidic pH (3) using optimized quantities of FeSO4 and H2O2, Fenton process yielded a significant reduction (90–95%) of color in 30 minutes of treatment time. New washing-offs were then carried out in Fenton decolorized wash-off wastewater, and dyed cotton fabric samples were subjected to quality evaluations in terms of color difference properties (ΔL*, Δc*,Δb*, Δa*, ΔE*cmc) and wash fastness properties. This study concluded that after Fenton oxidation, treated liquor can be effectively reused subsequent washing-offs without compromising fabric quality parameters as ΔE*cmc was less than 1, and washing and crocking was also in the range of 4.5–5 which is commercially acceptable. Moreover, the difference in color strength in terms of k/s was also negligible

Uncertainity in degradation rates for organic micro pollutants during full - scale sewage sludge composting

Composting can potentially remove organic pollutants in sewage sludge. When estimating pollutant removal efficiency, knowledge of estimate uncertainty is important for understanding estimate reliability. In this study the uncertainty (coefficient of variation, CV) in pollutant degradation rate (K1) and relative concentration at 35 days of composting (C35/C0) was evaluated. This was done based on recently presented pollutant concentration data, measured under full-scale composting conditions using two different sampling methods for a range of organic pollutants commonly found in sewage sludge. Non-parametric statistical procedures were used to estimate CV values for K1 and C35/C0 for individual pollutants. These were then used to compare the two sampling methods with respect to CV and to determine confidence intervals for average CV. Results showed that sampling method is crucial for reducing uncertainty. The results further indicated that it is possible to achieve CV values for both K1 and C35/C0 of about 15%