Abstract:
The pulp and paper industry stands out as an example of a technology based on a renewable
resource, cellulose. The sludge, however, poses major environmental and public health problems.
To effectively manage the sludge wastes, it is critical to fully evaluate its composition, possible
environmental impacts, and the total amount of exploitable renewable resources. The study established the pH of the sludge to be 7.32 ± 0.98, an electrical conductivity (1.84 mS/cm), nitrogen concentration (2.65 ± 0.21%), and total organic matter (41.23 ± 3.11%). The cellulosic content was
established to be 74.07 ± 2.71% which contributes to 53.07 ± 1.23% water holding capacity (WHC).
The most abundant elements were C and O, followed by Cl, Si, Al, and Mg, with lower concentrations of S, Si, K, and iron. The polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) levels ranged from 0.29 to
322.56 ng.g-1 with 1-methyl pyrene posting the highest concentration (322.56 ng.g-1. XRD peaks
at 17.10�, 23.86�, 30.14�, and 36.57�, which imply the existence of CaCO3. SEM indicated that the
sludge was majorly comprised of fibers materials with average particle sizes of 280 micrometers.
TGA/DTG analysis showed that the sludge had the greatest cellulose and hemicellulose
(64.7 wt. %).
