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Infrared Spectra of Sewage Sludge Fractions: Evidence for an Amide Metal Binding Site¹

ABSTRACT

Infrared studies were conducted to qualitatively characterize sewage sludge light (organic) and heavy (inorganic) fractions obtained using a heavy liquid separation technique. Infrared spectra of sludge organic fractions revealed the presence of proteinaceous and polysaccharide-like materials. Infrared absorptions characteristic of carboxyl groups and aromatic compounds were not observed in the spectra of sludge light fractions. The position of the amide-I band in the infrared spectra of the sludge light fractions was used to obtain direct evidence of metal binding sites involving amide N and possibly amide O. A discrete shift in the position of the amide-I band was initiated by extracting indigenous metal cations from the sludge organic fraction. This shift was reversed by saturating the extracted sludge organic fraction with Cu²⁺. Absorption bands of quartz and calcite dominated the infrared spectra of sludge inorganic fractions.

¹ Contribution of the Purdue Univ. Agric. Expt. Stn., Journal Paper no. 7477. Research was supported in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Grant R804547-02-1).

² Graduate Research Assistant, Associate Professor, and Professor, respectively, Dept. of Agronomy, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN 47907.

Received for publication January 11, 1979. Accepted for publication May 1, 1979.