Agronomy and Horticulture Department
Date of this Version
Spring 5-9-2021
Abstract
Wastewater sludge is an overlooked source of fat, oil, and grease (FOG) that could be converted into biodiesel. The United States produces about 8 million tons of sludge per year. The disposal cost for this amount of sludge is about 2 billion dollars. The widespread availability and low cost of sludge compared to other biodiesel raw materials make it an economical choice for a renewable fuel. Using sludge as a raw material can produce 25 to 30 mg per gram of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME); the main component of biodiesel. Sludge biodiesel has the potential of transforming a portion of the waste that is normally landfilled, incinerated or anaerobically digested into a high energy liquid fuel.
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Agricultural Science Commons, Agriculture Commons, Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons, Biology and Biomimetic Materials Commons, Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons, Construction Engineering and Management Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons, Other Chemical Engineering Commons, Other Materials Science and Engineering Commons, Transport Phenomena Commons