Investigation of the technology for treating excess activated sludge from pathogenic contamination

This article investigates the technological approaches used for the treatment of excess activated sludge in order to reduce its pathogenic contamination. Excess activated sludge is one of the main by-products of wastewater treatment plants and may contain pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa and helminth eggs. If such sludge is not properly treated, it can become a serious source of sanitary, environmental and epidemiological risk. Therefore, the development and improvement of sludge treatment technologies is an important task for modern wastewater management. The article analyzes the main methods of reducing pathogenic contamination in excess activated sludge, including anaerobic digestion, aerobic stabilization, lime treatment, thermal processing, composting and advanced disinfection methods. Special attention is given to the effectiveness, practical applicability and environmental safety of these technologies. The results show that the most effective approach is the combination of stabilization, disinfection and dewatering processes, which allows the sludge to be safely disposed of or reused in agriculture and land reclamation.