Enzyme-assisted clarification and dewatering of wastewater
A method of clarifying and dewatering wastewater comprising adding an effective clarifying and dewatering amount of one or more cellulolytic enzymes and one or more flocculants to the sludge to form a mixture of water and coagulated and flocculated solids and separating the coagulated and flocculated solids from the water.
1 . A method of clarifying and dewatering an industrial wastewater comprising sequentially
i) adding an effective amount of one or more cellulolytic enzymes to the wastewater;
ii) adding an effective amount of one or more flocculants to the wastewater to form a mixture of water and coagulated and flocculated solids; and
iii) separating the coagulated and flocculated solids from the water.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein wastewater is an industrial sludge.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the industrial sludge is an activated sludge.
4 . A method of dewatering an autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion sludge comprising
i) adding an effective amount of one or more cellulolytic enzymes to the sludge:
ii) adding an effective amount of one or more flocculants to the sludge to form a mixture of water and coagulated and flocculated solids; and
iii) separating the coagulated and flocculated solids from the water.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cellulolytic enzymes comprise a mixture of endo-1,4-β-glucanase, exo-1,4-β-glucanase and 1,4-β-glucosidase.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a mono-component enzyme preparation having only endoglucanase activity.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the mono-component enzyme preparation comprises endo-1,4-β-glucanase.
8 . The method of claim 4 wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a mono-component enzyme preparation having only endoglucanase activity.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the mono-component enzyme preparation comprises endo-1,4-β-glucanase.
10 . The method of claim 2 wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a mono-component enzyme preparation having only endoglucanase activity.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the mono-component enzyme preparation comprises endo-1,4-β-glucanase.
12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding one or more coagulants to the wastewater.
13 . The method of claim 9 further comprising adding one or more coagulants to the wastewater.
14 . A method of clarifying and dewatering wastewater comprising sequentially
i) adding an effective amount of a mono-component enzyme preparation having only endoglucanase activity to the wastewater;
ii) adding an effective amount of one or more flocculants to the wastewater to form a mixture of water and coagulated and flocculated solids; and
iii) separating the coagulated and flocculated solids from the water.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the wastewater us selected from the group consisting of municipal sludge and industrial sludge.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the sludge is an activated sludge.
17 . The method of claim 14 wherein the mono-component enzyme preparation comprises endo-1,4-β-glucanase.
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the sludge is an autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion sludge.
19 . The method of claim 14 further comprising adding one or more coagulants to the wastewater.
20 . The method of claim 18 further comprising adding one or more coagulants to the sludge.