This article investigates the influence of sewage sludge treatment processes and stabilization methods on metal-binding capacity and susceptibility to metal remobilization from sewage sludge. The materials (stabilized sewage sludge) were collected from two mechanical-biological sewage treatment plants located in an industrial area in southern Poland (Silesian Province): 1) one with nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) and anaerobic sludge digestion (WWTPIII), and 2) a facility without nutrient removal and with aerobic sludge stabilization (WWTP-II). Concentrations of PTEs in sewage sludge samples were measured using the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Sewage sludge from WWTP-III showed a significantly higher sorption capacity for Cu ions (20–50%) and Ni ions (50% to 2.5-fold) as compared to sewage sludge from WWTP-II. However, sewage sludge from WWTP-II exhibited a higher sorption capacity for Cd ions. The studied potentially toxic elements (PTEs), irrespective of anion type, formed unstable bonds with sewage sludge, which may lead to their desorption into the environment. The high mobility of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn ions in chloride and sulphate system, as well as the low susceptibility to Cr ion release, should be considered in various applications of the tested sewage sludge.
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