ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS: INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF MUNICIPAL SEWAGE SLUDGE ON THE PRODUCTIVITY AND ENERGY QUALITY OF MISCANTHUS

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to evaluate how fertilisation with different amounts of municipal sewage sludge, a by-product of wastewater treatment, affects the yield and energetic properties of Miscanthus biomass. The influence of municipal sewage sludge on the energy properties of Miscanthus was analysed in four dosages, namely: 0 t/ha DM, 1.66 t/ha DM, 3.32 t/ha DM and 6.64 t/ha DM. The study showed that the highest amount of municipal sewage sludge did not negatively affect the analysed energy properties of Miscanthus in any way. The yields were almost the same at all dosage of municipal sewage sludge application at around 32 t/ha, the higher calorific value was 18.90 MJ/kg at all dosage of municipal sewage sludge application, coke and carbon, as one of the more important parameters for direct combustion, also remained statistically unchanged. The composition of lignocellulose also showed no significant differences in relation to fertilization.