In recent years,sewage treatment has become a common concern of cities,and proper sewage treatment will directly benefit cities by facilitating their healthy and fast development. In this study,the principles of sludg...In recent years,sewage treatment has become a common concern of cities,and proper sewage treatment will directly benefit cities by facilitating their healthy and fast development. In this study,the principles of sludge treatment and disposal such as reduction,stabilization,harmlessness,resource utilization,and low carbonization were introduced. Afterwards,the advantages and disadvantages of ways to dispose sewage were analyzed,and some new techniques were also introduced. In a word,it was advisable to treat sewage properly based on actual conditions.展开更多
The rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has promoted concern over human pathogens and their significant threats to public health security.The monitoring and control of human pathogens in public sa...The rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has promoted concern over human pathogens and their significant threats to public health security.The monitoring and control of human pathogens in public sanitation and health facilities are of great importance.Excessive sludge is an inevitable byproduct of sewage that contains human and animal feces in wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs).It is an important sink of different pollutants and pathogens,and the proper treatment and disposal of sludge are important to minimize potential risks to the environment and public health.However,there is a lack of comprehensive analysis of the diversity,exposure risks,assessment methods and inactivation techniques of pathogenic microorganisms in sludge.Based on this consideration,this review summarizes the control performance of pathogenic microorganisms such as enterovirus,Salmonella spp.,and Escherichia coli by different sludge treatment technologies,including composting,anaerobic digestion,aerobic digestion,and microwave irradiation,and the mechanisms of pathogenic microorganism inactivation in sludge treatment processes are discussed.Additionally,this study reviews the diversity,detection methods,and exposure risks of pathogenic microorganisms in sludge.This review advances the quantitative assessment of pathogenic microorganism risks involved in sludge reuse and is practically valuable to optimize the treatment and disposal of sludge for pathogenic microorganism control.展开更多
Municipal sludge is a sedimentation waste produced during the wastewater process in sewage treatment plants.Among recent studies,pilot and field tests showed that chemical conditioning combined with vacuum preloading ...Municipal sludge is a sedimentation waste produced during the wastewater process in sewage treatment plants.Among recent studies,pilot and field tests showed that chemical conditioning combined with vacuum preloading can effectively treat municipal sludge.To further understand the drainage and consolidation characteristics of the conditioning sludge during vacuum preloading,a large deformation nonlinear numerical simulation model based on the equal strain condition was developed to simulate and analyze the pilot and field tests,whereas the simulation results were not satisfactory.The results of the numerical analysis of the pilot test showed that the predicted consolidation degree was greater than that measured by the field tests,which is attributed to the relatively low permeability layer formed during the preloading process of the prefabricated vertical drain.To better reflect the consolidation process of the conditioned sludge,a simplified analysis method considering the low permeability layer around the prefabricated vertical drain was proposed.The initial permeability coefficient of the low permeability layer is determined via numerical simulations using finite difference method.The predicted settlement curve was in good agreement with the measured results,which indicated that the numerical simulation based on the equal strain condition considering the relatively low permeability layer can better analyze the consolidation process of ferric chloride-conditioning sludge with vacuum preloading.展开更多
Microplastics, plastic pieces of ≤5 mm in size, are ubiquitous in ther environment and can be found in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This manuscript reviews the literature on the fate of microplastics in w...Microplastics, plastic pieces of ≤5 mm in size, are ubiquitous in ther environment and can be found in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This manuscript reviews the literature on the fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment and briefly highlights novel developments in the removal of microplastics from aqueous systems.展开更多
Wastewater sludge creates a difficult environmental problem for many large cities.This study developed a three-phase innovative strategy for sludge treatment and reduction,including thermal hydrolysis,fungal fermentat...Wastewater sludge creates a difficult environmental problem for many large cities.This study developed a three-phase innovative strategy for sludge treatment and reduction,including thermal hydrolysis,fungal fermentation,and anaerobic digestion.Increasing the temperature during the treatment from 140 to 180℃ significantly improved the sludge reduction and organic release efficiencies(p<0.05,one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)for the triplicate experiments at each temperature).After two cycles of thermal hydrolysis,the overall volatile solid reduction ratios of the sludge were 36.6%,47.7%,and 58.5%for treatment at 140,160,and 180℃,respectively,and the total organic carbon(TOC)conversion efficiency reached 28.0%,38.0%,and 45.1%,respectively.The highest concentrations of carbohydrates and proteins were obtained at 160℃ in sludge liquor,whereas the amount of humic substances significantly increased for the treatment at 180℃(p<0.05,one-way ANOVA for the triplicate experiments at each temperature)due to the Maillard reaction.Fungal fermentation of the hydrolyzed sludge liquor with Aspergillus niger converted the waste organics to valuable fiber materials.The biomass concentration of fungal hyphae reached 1.30 and 1.27 g·L^(-1) in the liquor of sludge treated at 140 and 160C,corresponding to organic conversion ratios of 24.6%and 24.0%,respectively.The fungal hyphae produced from the sludge liquor can be readily used for making papers or similar value-added fibrous products.The paper sheets made of hyphae fibers had a dense structure and strong strength with a tensile strength of 10.75 N·m·g^(-1).Combining fungal fermentation and anaerobic digestion,the overall organic utilization efficiency can exceed 75%for the liquor of sludge treated at 160℃.展开更多
Millions of tons of waste activated sludge(WAS) produced from biological wastewater treatment processes cause severe adverse environmental consequences. A better understanding of WAS composition is thus very critica...Millions of tons of waste activated sludge(WAS) produced from biological wastewater treatment processes cause severe adverse environmental consequences. A better understanding of WAS composition is thus very critical for sustainable sludge management. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of several fundamental sludge constituents were explored in WAS samples from nine full-scale wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs) of Beijing, China. Among all the components investigated, active heterotrophic biomass was dominant in the samples(up to 9478 mg/L), followed by endogenous residues(6736 mg/L),extracellular polymeric substances(2088 mg/L), and intracellular storage products(464 mg/L)among others. Moreover, significant differences(p 〈 0.05) were observed in composition profiles of sludge samples among the studied WWTPs. To identify the potential parameters affecting the variable fractions of sludge components, wastewater source as well as design and operational parameters of WWTPs were studied using statistical methods. The findings indicated that the component fraction of sewage sludge depends more on wastewater treatment alternatives than on wastewater characteristics among other parameters. A principal component analysis was conducted, which further indicated that there was a greater proportion of residual inert biomass in the sludge produced by the combined system of the conventional anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process and a membrane bioreactor. Additionally, a much longer solids retention time was also found to influence the sludge composition and induce an increase in both endogenous inert residues and extracellular polymeric substances in the sludge.展开更多
High-solid anaerobic digestion(HS-AD)has been applied extensively during the last few decades for treating various organic wastes,such as agricultural wastes,organic fractions of municipal solid wastes,and kitchen was...High-solid anaerobic digestion(HS-AD)has been applied extensively during the last few decades for treating various organic wastes,such as agricultural wastes,organic fractions of municipal solid wastes,and kitchen wastes.However,the application of HS-AD to the processing of sewage sludge(SS)remains limited,which is largely attributable to its poor process stability and performance.Extensive research has been conducted to attempt to surmount these limitations.In this review,the main factors affecting process stability and performance in the HS-AD of SS are comprehensively reviewed,and the improved methods in current use,such as HS sludge pre-treatment and anaerobic co-digestion with other organic wastes,are summarised.Besides,this paper also discusses the characteristics of substance transformation in the HS-AD of SS with and without thermal pre-treatment.Research has shown that the HS effect is due to the presence of high concentrations of substances that may inhibit the function of anaerobic microorganisms,and that it also results in poor mass transfer,a low diffusion coefficient,and high viscosity.Finally,knowledge gaps in the current research on HS-AD of SS are identified.Based on these,it proposes that future efforts should be devoted to standardising the definition of HS sludge,revealing the law of migration and transformation of pollutants,describing the metabolic pathways by which specific substances are degraded,and establishing accurate mathematical models.Moreover,developing green sludge dewatering agents,obtaining high value-added products,and revealing effects of the above two on HS-AD of SS can also be considered in future.展开更多
The indicator values of microfauna functional groups and species for treatment performancewere systematically evaluated based on the continuous monitoring of the entire microfauna communities including both protozoa a...The indicator values of microfauna functional groups and species for treatment performancewere systematically evaluated based on the continuous monitoring of the entire microfauna communities including both protozoa and metazoa over a period of 14 months, in two parallel full-scale municipalwastewater treatment systems in a plant in Beijing, China. A total of 57 species of ciliates, 14 species (units) of amoebae, 14 species (units) of flagellates and4 classes of small metazoawere identified,with Arcella hemisphaerica, Vorticella striata, Vorticella convallaria, Epistylis plicatilis and small flagellates (e.g. Bodo spp.) as thedominant protozoa, and rotifers as thedominant metazoa. The abundance of the sessile ciliateswas correlatedwith the removals of BOD 5 (Pearson's r = 0.410, p 〈 0.05) and COD Cr (r = 0.397, p 〈 0.05)while the testate amoebaewas significantly positively related to nitrification (r = 0.523, p 〈 0.01). At the same time, some other associationswere also identified: the abundances of the large flagellates (r = 0.447, p 〈 0.01), the metazoa (r = 0.718, p 〈 0.01) and species Aspidisca sulcata (r = 0.337, p 〈 0.05)were positively related to nitrification; the abundance of Aspidisca costatawas correlated to the TN (total nitrogen) removal (r = -0.374, p 〈 0.05 ); the abundances of the sessile species Carchesium polypinum (r = 0.458, p 〈 0.01) and E. plicatilis (r = 0.377, p 〈 0.05)were correlatedwith the removal of suspended solids.展开更多
Swine wastewater is an important pollution source of antibiotics entering the aquatic environment. In this work,the adsorption behavior of sulfamethazine(SMN),a commonlyused sulfonamide antibiotic,on activated sludg...Swine wastewater is an important pollution source of antibiotics entering the aquatic environment. In this work,the adsorption behavior of sulfamethazine(SMN),a commonlyused sulfonamide antibiotic,on activated sludge from a sequencing batch reactor treating swine wastewater was investigated. The results show that the adsorption of SMN on activated sludge was an initially rapid process and reached equilibrium after 6 hr. The removal efficiency of SMN from the water phase increased with an increasing concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids,while the adsorbed concentration of SMN decreased. Solution pH influenced both the speciation of SMN and the surface properties of activated sludge,thus significantly impacting the adsorption process. A linear partition model could give a good fit for the equilibrium concentrations of SMN at the test temperatures(i.e.,10,20 and 30°C). The partition coefficient(Kd) was determined to be 100.5 L/kg at 20°C,indicating a quite high adsorption capacity for SMN. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that SMN adsorption on activated sludge was an exothermic process. This study could help to clarify the fate and behavior of sulfonamide antibiotics in the activated sludge process and assess consequent environmental risks arising from sludge disposal as well.展开更多
The presence of an emerging brominated flame retardant, decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), has been confirmed in Spanish sewage sludge. Thirty one samples from different urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) wer...The presence of an emerging brominated flame retardant, decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), has been confirmed in Spanish sewage sludge. Thirty one samples from different urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were analyzed for this brominated flame retardant. DBDPE was positively identified and quantified in all samples at lower concentrations (47.0 ± 29.7 ng/g dry weight (dw); mean ± SD) than those obtained for decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) (290 ± 236 ng/g dw; mean ± SD) in a previous study. Influence of the WWTP characteristics in the pollutant levels was evaluated. No significant correlations were obtained between DBDPE concentrations and the population or sewage sludge production rate associated with the plants, neither wastewater treatment method. Sources of DBDPE in the sludge were also evaluated. Data indicate a common origin for DBDPE and BDE-209, which may be related to leaching processes during the use and disposal of consumer products containing these chemicals. Nevertheless, DBDPE contents are not influenced by industrial activities, which suggests that the infusion of DBDPE commercial mixture is not a source of this chemical into the environment, and indicates that the use of DBDPE in the Spanish industry is still low compared to deca-BDE.展开更多
基金Supported by Science and Technology Planning Project of Chongqing City,China(cstc2011pt-gc80019)Science and Technology Research and Development Base Construction Plan of Chongqing City,China(cstc2014gjhz20001)+1 种基金International Science&Technology Cooperation Program of China(2015DFR70390)National Special Science and Technology Project for Water Pollution Control and Management(2017ZX07403002)
文摘In recent years,sewage treatment has become a common concern of cities,and proper sewage treatment will directly benefit cities by facilitating their healthy and fast development. In this study,the principles of sludge treatment and disposal such as reduction,stabilization,harmlessness,resource utilization,and low carbonization were introduced. Afterwards,the advantages and disadvantages of ways to dispose sewage were analyzed,and some new techniques were also introduced. In a word,it was advisable to treat sewage properly based on actual conditions.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51925807,52091542)the Excellent Innovation Project of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences(CAS RCEES-EEI-2019-02).
文摘The rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has promoted concern over human pathogens and their significant threats to public health security.The monitoring and control of human pathogens in public sanitation and health facilities are of great importance.Excessive sludge is an inevitable byproduct of sewage that contains human and animal feces in wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs).It is an important sink of different pollutants and pathogens,and the proper treatment and disposal of sludge are important to minimize potential risks to the environment and public health.However,there is a lack of comprehensive analysis of the diversity,exposure risks,assessment methods and inactivation techniques of pathogenic microorganisms in sludge.Based on this consideration,this review summarizes the control performance of pathogenic microorganisms such as enterovirus,Salmonella spp.,and Escherichia coli by different sludge treatment technologies,including composting,anaerobic digestion,aerobic digestion,and microwave irradiation,and the mechanisms of pathogenic microorganism inactivation in sludge treatment processes are discussed.Additionally,this study reviews the diversity,detection methods,and exposure risks of pathogenic microorganisms in sludge.This review advances the quantitative assessment of pathogenic microorganism risks involved in sludge reuse and is practically valuable to optimize the treatment and disposal of sludge for pathogenic microorganism control.
基金acknowledge the financial support from The National Natural Science Foundation No.Gk321002Foundation of Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute No.Y320012.
文摘Municipal sludge is a sedimentation waste produced during the wastewater process in sewage treatment plants.Among recent studies,pilot and field tests showed that chemical conditioning combined with vacuum preloading can effectively treat municipal sludge.To further understand the drainage and consolidation characteristics of the conditioning sludge during vacuum preloading,a large deformation nonlinear numerical simulation model based on the equal strain condition was developed to simulate and analyze the pilot and field tests,whereas the simulation results were not satisfactory.The results of the numerical analysis of the pilot test showed that the predicted consolidation degree was greater than that measured by the field tests,which is attributed to the relatively low permeability layer formed during the preloading process of the prefabricated vertical drain.To better reflect the consolidation process of the conditioned sludge,a simplified analysis method considering the low permeability layer around the prefabricated vertical drain was proposed.The initial permeability coefficient of the low permeability layer is determined via numerical simulations using finite difference method.The predicted settlement curve was in good agreement with the measured results,which indicated that the numerical simulation based on the equal strain condition considering the relatively low permeability layer can better analyze the consolidation process of ferric chloride-conditioning sludge with vacuum preloading.
文摘Microplastics, plastic pieces of ≤5 mm in size, are ubiquitous in ther environment and can be found in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This manuscript reviews the literature on the fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment and briefly highlights novel developments in the removal of microplastics from aqueous systems.
基金This work was supported by the Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Council of the Shenzhen Government(JCYJ20170307153821435 and JCYJ20180508152004176)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51678333)+1 种基金the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Government(17261916,T21-711/16R)the Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality(Urban Water Recycling and Environment Safety Program).
文摘Wastewater sludge creates a difficult environmental problem for many large cities.This study developed a three-phase innovative strategy for sludge treatment and reduction,including thermal hydrolysis,fungal fermentation,and anaerobic digestion.Increasing the temperature during the treatment from 140 to 180℃ significantly improved the sludge reduction and organic release efficiencies(p<0.05,one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)for the triplicate experiments at each temperature).After two cycles of thermal hydrolysis,the overall volatile solid reduction ratios of the sludge were 36.6%,47.7%,and 58.5%for treatment at 140,160,and 180℃,respectively,and the total organic carbon(TOC)conversion efficiency reached 28.0%,38.0%,and 45.1%,respectively.The highest concentrations of carbohydrates and proteins were obtained at 160℃ in sludge liquor,whereas the amount of humic substances significantly increased for the treatment at 180℃(p<0.05,one-way ANOVA for the triplicate experiments at each temperature)due to the Maillard reaction.Fungal fermentation of the hydrolyzed sludge liquor with Aspergillus niger converted the waste organics to valuable fiber materials.The biomass concentration of fungal hyphae reached 1.30 and 1.27 g·L^(-1) in the liquor of sludge treated at 140 and 160C,corresponding to organic conversion ratios of 24.6%and 24.0%,respectively.The fungal hyphae produced from the sludge liquor can be readily used for making papers or similar value-added fibrous products.The paper sheets made of hyphae fibers had a dense structure and strong strength with a tensile strength of 10.75 N·m·g^(-1).Combining fungal fermentation and anaerobic digestion,the overall organic utilization efficiency can exceed 75%for the liquor of sludge treated at 160℃.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51408589 and 51138009)State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control of China(Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences,No.14Z03ESPCR)Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘Millions of tons of waste activated sludge(WAS) produced from biological wastewater treatment processes cause severe adverse environmental consequences. A better understanding of WAS composition is thus very critical for sustainable sludge management. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of several fundamental sludge constituents were explored in WAS samples from nine full-scale wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs) of Beijing, China. Among all the components investigated, active heterotrophic biomass was dominant in the samples(up to 9478 mg/L), followed by endogenous residues(6736 mg/L),extracellular polymeric substances(2088 mg/L), and intracellular storage products(464 mg/L)among others. Moreover, significant differences(p 〈 0.05) were observed in composition profiles of sludge samples among the studied WWTPs. To identify the potential parameters affecting the variable fractions of sludge components, wastewater source as well as design and operational parameters of WWTPs were studied using statistical methods. The findings indicated that the component fraction of sewage sludge depends more on wastewater treatment alternatives than on wastewater characteristics among other parameters. A principal component analysis was conducted, which further indicated that there was a greater proportion of residual inert biomass in the sludge produced by the combined system of the conventional anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process and a membrane bioreactor. Additionally, a much longer solids retention time was also found to influence the sludge composition and induce an increase in both endogenous inert residues and extracellular polymeric substances in the sludge.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant Nos.51978498 and 51538008)the Support Program of Postdoctoral Innovative Talents(BX20190239)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020M671227)the National Key R&D Program of China(2019YFC1906301).
文摘High-solid anaerobic digestion(HS-AD)has been applied extensively during the last few decades for treating various organic wastes,such as agricultural wastes,organic fractions of municipal solid wastes,and kitchen wastes.However,the application of HS-AD to the processing of sewage sludge(SS)remains limited,which is largely attributable to its poor process stability and performance.Extensive research has been conducted to attempt to surmount these limitations.In this review,the main factors affecting process stability and performance in the HS-AD of SS are comprehensively reviewed,and the improved methods in current use,such as HS sludge pre-treatment and anaerobic co-digestion with other organic wastes,are summarised.Besides,this paper also discusses the characteristics of substance transformation in the HS-AD of SS with and without thermal pre-treatment.Research has shown that the HS effect is due to the presence of high concentrations of substances that may inhibit the function of anaerobic microorganisms,and that it also results in poor mass transfer,a low diffusion coefficient,and high viscosity.Finally,knowledge gaps in the current research on HS-AD of SS are identified.Based on these,it proposes that future efforts should be devoted to standardising the definition of HS sludge,revealing the law of migration and transformation of pollutants,describing the metabolic pathways by which specific substances are degraded,and establishing accurate mathematical models.Moreover,developing green sludge dewatering agents,obtaining high value-added products,and revealing effects of the above two on HS-AD of SS can also be considered in future.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KZCX2-YW-JC407)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.20921140094)
文摘The indicator values of microfauna functional groups and species for treatment performancewere systematically evaluated based on the continuous monitoring of the entire microfauna communities including both protozoa and metazoa over a period of 14 months, in two parallel full-scale municipalwastewater treatment systems in a plant in Beijing, China. A total of 57 species of ciliates, 14 species (units) of amoebae, 14 species (units) of flagellates and4 classes of small metazoawere identified,with Arcella hemisphaerica, Vorticella striata, Vorticella convallaria, Epistylis plicatilis and small flagellates (e.g. Bodo spp.) as thedominant protozoa, and rotifers as thedominant metazoa. The abundance of the sessile ciliateswas correlatedwith the removals of BOD 5 (Pearson's r = 0.410, p 〈 0.05) and COD Cr (r = 0.397, p 〈 0.05)while the testate amoebaewas significantly positively related to nitrification (r = 0.523, p 〈 0.01). At the same time, some other associationswere also identified: the abundances of the large flagellates (r = 0.447, p 〈 0.01), the metazoa (r = 0.718, p 〈 0.01) and species Aspidisca sulcata (r = 0.337, p 〈 0.05)were positively related to nitrification; the abundance of Aspidisca costatawas correlated to the TN (total nitrogen) removal (r = -0.374, p 〈 0.05 ); the abundances of the sessile species Carchesium polypinum (r = 0.458, p 〈 0.01) and E. plicatilis (r = 0.377, p 〈 0.05)were correlatedwith the removal of suspended solids.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.21107127 and 51221892)the Ministry of Housing and Urban–rural Development of China (No.2012ZX07313-001-07)the State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry (No.10Y06ESPCR)
文摘Swine wastewater is an important pollution source of antibiotics entering the aquatic environment. In this work,the adsorption behavior of sulfamethazine(SMN),a commonlyused sulfonamide antibiotic,on activated sludge from a sequencing batch reactor treating swine wastewater was investigated. The results show that the adsorption of SMN on activated sludge was an initially rapid process and reached equilibrium after 6 hr. The removal efficiency of SMN from the water phase increased with an increasing concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids,while the adsorbed concentration of SMN decreased. Solution pH influenced both the speciation of SMN and the surface properties of activated sludge,thus significantly impacting the adsorption process. A linear partition model could give a good fit for the equilibrium concentrations of SMN at the test temperatures(i.e.,10,20 and 30°C). The partition coefficient(Kd) was determined to be 100.5 L/kg at 20°C,indicating a quite high adsorption capacity for SMN. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that SMN adsorption on activated sludge was an exothermic process. This study could help to clarify the fate and behavior of sulfonamide antibiotics in the activated sludge process and assess consequent environmental risks arising from sludge disposal as well.
基金supported by the Spanish Minister of Science and Innovation through the Unit of Characterization of the Atmospheric Pollution and Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environment Department, CIEMAT, Spain, the Center of Civil Engineering Research (CEDEX)through the 44-403-1-096 project (Research on sludgefrom wastewater treatment. Directive 86/278/CEE) signedwith the Ministry of Environment, Spain
文摘The presence of an emerging brominated flame retardant, decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), has been confirmed in Spanish sewage sludge. Thirty one samples from different urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were analyzed for this brominated flame retardant. DBDPE was positively identified and quantified in all samples at lower concentrations (47.0 ± 29.7 ng/g dry weight (dw); mean ± SD) than those obtained for decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) (290 ± 236 ng/g dw; mean ± SD) in a previous study. Influence of the WWTP characteristics in the pollutant levels was evaluated. No significant correlations were obtained between DBDPE concentrations and the population or sewage sludge production rate associated with the plants, neither wastewater treatment method. Sources of DBDPE in the sludge were also evaluated. Data indicate a common origin for DBDPE and BDE-209, which may be related to leaching processes during the use and disposal of consumer products containing these chemicals. Nevertheless, DBDPE contents are not influenced by industrial activities, which suggests that the infusion of DBDPE commercial mixture is not a source of this chemical into the environment, and indicates that the use of DBDPE in the Spanish industry is still low compared to deca-BDE.