ALTERNATIVAS PARA LA ESTABILIZACIÓN DE LODOS GENERADOS EN ESTACIONES DEPURADORAS DE AGUAS RESIDUALES DESDE UN ENFOQUE SISTÉMICO: UNA REVISIÓN.

Contextualization: Population growth and environmental problems at the local, national and international levels related to pollution from untreated sludge, due to the increasing volumes of such waste generated by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), increase environmental degradation. Knowledge gap: There are deficiencies in the management of sewage sludge, attributable to a lack of knowledge of conventional and sustainable stabilization alternatives, which means that the sludge is not used, because of its characteristics, and is placed at final disposal points, which can generate severe contamination problems. Purpose: Evaluate the scientific literature on the alternatives implemented in the stabilization of sewage sludge generated in WWTPs, through a documentary review and a bibliometric analysis based on the construction of strategic diagrams and a cooccurrence map, to identify research trends in the subject. Methodology: Searching of scientific literature was carried out using a searching algorithm with Boolean connectors, in the specialized database Scopus®. Then, it was analysed making use of bibliometric networks and strategic diagrams. Later, a data base with the relevant information for the conceptual analysis of the subject was organized. Results and conclusions: A total of 1,693 documents about biosolids stabilization alternatives from WWTPs were found, pointing out that countries such as the United States, China, Brazil, and Spain, have the highest scientific production on the subject. The generation of biosolids is a problem that has originated researches about the proper management of this waste to avoid pollution problems, since the most used alternatives are anaerobic digestion, thickening, dehydration and incineration, which are efficient in management, but do not take advantage of the potential exploitation of these wastes. Alternatives such as composting and vermiculture generate byproducts that could be used to achieve an adequate final disposal, reducing operational costs and obtaining economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]