Spectroscopic studies of the progress of humification processes in humic acid extracted from sewage sludge

The humic acids extracted from sludge collected from the digestion chamber and the sludge drying beds were studied. The sludge samples were collected, dried and humic acids were extracted. The progress of the humification processes was studied with EPR, IR and NMR spectroscopic methods. For extracted humic acids, concentration of free radicals and g factor was determined with EPR. The presence of characteristic functional groups was confirmed with IR and NMR spectroscopy. To study the changes in content of the elements, the elemental analysis was performed to determine the percentage of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen. Taking all the obtained results into account it was found that on the sewage drying beds, humification processes take place in the sludge. In the first two weeks when the sludge on the drying beds an intensive enrichment of humic acids in free radicals takes place. This is the result of the intensive humification process course after the stage in the fermentation chamber where the mesophilic fermentation takes place. Moreover, the humidity of sludge influences the intensive development of free radical concentration at the beginning of the storing period, whereas the humification processes still continue.