I have a dried sewage sample that was mixed with distilled water. After shaking for 24 hours, the solids were filtered out and the liquid retained.
I tested the liquid for ortho-phosphates. But in order to do this, I had to add a drop of sulfuric acid as a preservative. When I was done with the phosphate determination, I had a lot of sample left over and decided to evaporate off the liquid to measure the Total Dissolved Solids.
Here is the fun bit...
I added a drop of acid to the filtrate, and then placed the sample in an oven where the water to evaporated off. The remaining solids had a distinct greasy texture. It appeared that the solids had curdled and trapped droplets of water inside.
but...
If I did not add the drop of acid and placed the sample in the oven, the resulting solid was dry and powdery.
An IR analysis of the solids suggests that I have some sort of polysaccharide. So is this behavior consistent with polysaccharides? Proteins might also be present and they certainly would behave in that fashion.
I do have a GC/MS and several LC/MS instruments, but my colleagues would not appreciate me running this solution on our departmental shared instruments without first knowing what is in it. (Don't ask me how I know this.)
Once I have a good idea of what might be in the solution I can do the LC/MS analysis.
Thank you.
Kevin
Did not say if it was dried raw sewage sludge or dried waste activated sludge ( any polymers or floccing chemical used) mixed with sulphuric acid? Starting with a 1921 book, see some books, paper and patents below:
https://books.google.com/books?id=Ro05AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=sulfuric+acid+and+dried+sludge&source=bl&ots=yT1iETsD0T&sig=pJfFpZP0l2v1LqyV76J-kdC-6NA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiXicS7huTNAhVJGx4KHbzaCVoQ6AEIVzAJ#v=onepage&q=sulfuric%20acid%20and%20dried%20sludge&f=false
http://www.davidpublisher.org/Public/uploads/Contribute/571dc169bf3c1.pdf
http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:726495/FULLTEXT01.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjce/v26n1/v26n1a12
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-66322009000100012
http://www.nature.com/articles/srep07516
http://www.google.ch/patents/US3998756
http://www.google.com/patents/US4038180
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiJ-_aNieTNAhVLWh4KHWcPBXIQFgg3MAY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpatentimages.storage.googleapis.com%2Fpdfs%2FUS3998756.pdf&usg=AFQjCNFIQsOYQuVLG70obV0Z6n9kqAMMxw&bvm=bv.126130881,d.dmo
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0273122396004787
http://www.google.com.na/patents/CA2226024A1?cl=en
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0156492
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwirvKGBjeTNAhWKmh4KHXHQDiAQFggmMAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcfpub.epa.gov%2Fsi%2Fsi_public_file_download.cfm%3Fp_download_id%3D459214&usg=AFQjCNHb_BgbbhUJMlJpaOsVd-ZQkcyzXQ&bvm=bv.126130881,d.dmo
http://www.academia.edu/11482247/The_biodrying_concept_An_innovative_technology_creating_energy_from_sewage_sludge
http://www.patentsencyclopedia.com/class/000421659
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