In this study, we evaluated the effect of the type of sewage sludge (digested, non digested) on drying efficiency according to the polymer injection rate. The drying characteristics were shown using a near-infrared ray (NIR) and a microwave. As a result of the drying characteristics with NIR at a polymer dose ratio of 8%, the heating up period is up to 6 minutes after the start of the drying experiment. Afterwards, the constant rate drying period of the digested sludge (A, C and G sites) was 6 minute → 18 minute, showing a rapid decrease in moisture. On the other hand, non digested sludge (B, D, E, F, H, I, J and K sites) showed gradual drying characteristics compared to digested sludge until complete drying (10%). As the polymer dose ratio of 10% and 12%, the heating up period for digested sludge is up to 6 minute after the start of the experiment. Afterwards, the constant rate drying period of the digested sludge was 6 minute → 20 minute, showing a rapid decrease in moisture. On the other hand, the heating up period of non digested sludge was up to 10 minute after the start of the experiment, and the constant rate drying period was 10 minute → 22 minute, which was shorter than digested sludge. As a result of the drying characteristics with microwave at a polymer dose ratio of 8%, 10% and 12%, the constant rate drying period the digested sludge was 4 minute → 20~22 minute, showing a rapid decrease in moisture. On the other hand, non digested sludge of the constant rate drying period was 4 minute → 22~30 minute, which was longer than digested sludge.

The 16 priority PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) designated by US Environmental Protection Agency were analyzed for some digested sludges from wastewater treatment plants in Korea. PAHs are an important group of organic contaminants present in sewage sludge due to their persistence and toxic potential. PAHs were extracted from freeze-dried sludges using a methylene chloride-methanol (2:1) mixture in a soxhlet extractor. The extracts were cleaned-up by silica gel/alumina combination column and subsequently fed into gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) for determining PAH contents. The sum of the 16 PAHs in the sewage sludge varied from 534.8 to 5754.5 ㎍/kg, dry wt.. In the sewage sludge, phenanthrene appears as the most abundant PAHs, followed by naphthalene, pyrene, fluoranthene. Source of the investigated sewage sludges relatively predominated pyrogenic. PAHs levels of sewage sludges in Korea appeared to be lower than those in other countries.