Conditioning of sewage sludge by prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus Indica) juice

•Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) juice (OFIJ) was extracted from washing cladodes.•OFIJ was characterized using FTIR, photometric methods.•The feasibility of using OFIJ for conditioning sewage sludge was evaluated by residual turbidity, dryness and SRF and was compared to the effectiveness of polyelectrolytes and inorganic conditioners, FeCl3 and Al2(SO4)3.•The optimum dosage of OFIJ was found to be 0.4gkg−1 of dry matter. The possibility of using a plant material, prickly pear cactus, Opuntia ficus Indica, juice (OFIJ), for conditioning the Beni-messous wastewater treatment plant sludge was examined. Optimum dosage of OFIJ was found to be 0.4gkg−1 of dry matter. The residual turbidity, the dryness of filtration cake and the specific resistance of filtration were found to be 2.5NTU, 24% and 0.13×1012mkg−1 respectively. The results obtained with OFIJ were compared to those obtained with polyelectrolytes: Chimfloc C4346, a cationic polymer, Sedipur NF 102, a non-ionic polymer and Sedipu AF 400, an anionic polymer, and inorganic conditioners, FeCl3 and Al2(SO4)3. The optimum dosages of those conditioners were found to be 0.4gkg−1 for OFIJ, 0.8gkg−1 for Chimfloc C4346, 80gkg−1 for FeCl3 and 60gkg−1 for Al2(SO4)3.