Sludge Characterization of a Petrochemical Wastewater Treatment Plant, Iran

(iwwtps) is a serious issue because it can affect human and animals’ health, and also environmental quality. in this study, sludge from a petrochemical wastewater treatment plant was analyzed regarding its physicochemical characteristics and disposal options. materials and methods: grab sampling was used to collect 12 sludge samples biweekly (may-october 2012). one sample t-test was applied to analyze the obtained data. canadian soil quality guidelines (csqg) and new jersey department of environmental protection soil cleanup criteria (njdepscc) were used to discuss the disposal fate of the generated sludge.results: the results showed that the order of the studied metals in the sludge was as: fe > al > zn > cr > pb > ni > cd > co > cu > mn > as > hg. it was found that generated sludge compared with csqg is not suitable for residential/parkland, agricultural, commercial and industrial applications. but compared with njdepscc, studied sludge was suitable for residential and non-residential applications. conclusion: according to njdepscc the studied sludge has potential to be used for residential and non-residential purposes