Article
Environmental Sciences
Sahar S. Dalahmeh, Gunnar Thorsen, Hakan Jonsson
Summary: During a 12-month study in Sweden, it was found that open-air storage without composting showed effective removal of hormones and antibiotics, but lower removal of pharmaceutically active substances. Composting resulted in degradation of hormones and a noticeable difference in concentrations of pharmaceuticals between the top and deeper layers of sludge piles.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jeanne Dollinger, Marjolaine Bourdat-Deschamps, Valerie Pot, Valentin Serre, Nathalie Bernet, Ghislaine Deslarue, Melanie Montes, Line Capowiez, Eric Michel
Summary: This study evaluated the influence of three common organic waste amendments on the fate of the herbicide S-Metolachlor in soil. Despite an increase in soil organic carbon, organic waste amendments did not significantly impact the leaching and transformation rate of S-Metolachlor. However, they did affect the degradation pathways of the herbicide.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunbei Li, Junli Song, Tingting Liu, Jinghua Lv, Jishao Jiang
Summary: The study found that using RPP as a bulking agent can increase moisture content over 70%, leading to poorer porosity and less efficient O(2) utilization, which suppresses organic matter degradation. When the mixing ratio of sawdust and RPP was 1:1, improvements were seen in temperature, oxygen supply, and dissolved organic carbon degradation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Cemile Dede, Hasan Ozer, Omer Hulusi Dede, Ahmet Celebi, Saim Ozdemir
Summary: Using waste products as alternatives to peat and nutrient-rich materials is important for the ornamental plant industry. Porous inorganic materials, such as pumice and expanded perlite, can be used as bulking agents for sewage sludge, resulting in higher porosity and nutrient availability. Composting with pumice and expanded perlite improves nutrient release and provides a good profile for potting soil or garden soil amendments.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Wiktor Bojarski, Wojciech Czekala, Mateusz Nowak, Jacek Dach
Summary: The study explored the potential of using logging residue for compost production and the resulting fertilizer for forest nurseries. Pine chips and sewage sludge were used in the study. The compost and leachate obtained during composting had high NPK content, but the high pH of the resulting fertilizer limited its usefulness in forest nurseries.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liqiang Meng, Weiguang Li, Shumei Zhang, Xiancheng Zhang, Yi Zhao, Li Chen
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of carbon sources on compost process and quality in lab-scale sewage sludge composting. Results showed that adding readily degradable carbon sources could promote organic matter degradation, improve nitrogen conversion, and accelerate compost maturation. Glucose and sucrose addition resulted in increased dissolved organic carbon, CO2 emission, dehydrogenase activity, nitrification, and germination index during composting.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Xinwei Sun, A. N. Anoopkumar, Aravind Madhavan, Parameswaran Binod, Ashok Pandey, Raveendran Sindhu, Mukesh Kumar Awasthi
Summary: Microplastics, as emerging contaminants, are widely present in various mediums, including sewage sludge. During the sewage treatment process, a large number of microplastics are deposited in the sludge and can migrate to other environmental media, posing a threat to human health. Therefore, the removal of microplastics from sewage sludge is necessary. Among various restoration methods, aerobic composting is emerging as a green method for microplastic removal. However, there are few studies on the degradation mechanism of microplastics in aerobic composting, hindering the innovation of composting methods. This paper discusses the degradation mechanism of microplastics in sewage sludge based on environmental factors and explores their potential hazards and future studies.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Phoebe-Zoe Morsink-Georgali, Angeliki Kylili, Paris A. Fokaides, Agis M. Papadopoulos
Summary: This paper assesses and compares the environmental impact of using sewage sludge for compost production versus biogas production. The study finds that utilizing sludge for biogas production can save energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions compared to compost production. Life Cycle Assessment shows that the anaerobic digestion process has a lower environmental impact than the composting process. Therefore, exploiting waste materials to produce useful products adds environmental value to the final product.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paraskevi Velli, Ioanna Manolikaki, Evan Diamadopoulos
Summary: The addition of sewage sludge biochar significantly improved soil characteristics, plant growth and nutrient content. The concentration of heavy metals in tomato tissues was low, with traces of some metals found in roots only. The addition of biochar also led to a decrease in the concentration of arsenic and lead in tomato fruits.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Carmen Mejias, Juan Luis Santos, Julia Martin, Irene Aparicio, Esteban Alonso
Summary: In this paper, a method for the determination of antibiotics and their metabolites in sewage sludge and agricultural soil was proposed. The method utilizes ultrasound-assisted extraction, dispersive solid-phase extraction clean-up, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method was validated and showed good accuracy and precision. The results revealed that macrolides and fluoroquinolones were the antibiotic classes found at the highest concentrations in all types of samples.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jelena Ankuda, Eugenija Baksiene, Almantas Razukas, Othmane Merah
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of fertilizing Bromopsis inermis and Phalaroides arundinacea plants with sewage sludge compost (SSC) on biomass yield and quality. The results showed that using SSC as a fertilizer had poor performance. Although fertilizing with SSC significantly increased the biomass yield of Ph. arundinacea, it also increased the concentration of heavy metals in the soil.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jacek Piekarski, Katarzyna Ignatowicz, Tomasz Dabrowski
Summary: The article presents research on using the adsorption process to treat aldrin and finds that compost can be a cost-effective alternative for building barriers to protect the environment.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Yi Zhao, Weiguang Li, Li Chen, Yujie Zhou, Liqiang Meng, Shumei Zhang
Summary: A thermotolerant strain identified as Gordonia paraffinivorans N52 was found to have heterotrophic nitrification capability. It demonstrated the ability to utilize ammonium nitrogen at high temperatures, while converting a significant portion into nitrification intermediates and intracellular nitrogen. The strain effectively controlled ammonia emissions and reduced nitrogen loss in composting, making it a promising inoculant.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nikola Major, Jasper Schierstaedt, Adam Schikora, Igor Palcic, Marko Cerne, Smiljana Goreta Ban, Igor Paskovic, Josipa Perkovic, Zoran Uzila, Dean Ban
Summary: The addition of compost or biochar to soils is an effective strategy to increase soil organic matter. Turning sewage sludge into compost or biochar can help mitigate its negative effects on soil and provide a viable solution for sewage sludge management.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Han Cui, Jing Wang, Xiaoyu Cai, Kun Feng, Guo-Jun Xie, Bing-Feng Liu, Defeng Xing
Summary: The decomposition and inactivation of pathogens in fecal sludge (FS) play a crucial role in ensuring sanitation and protecting public and environmental health. Different treatment technologies were found to have an impact on viral diversity, pathogen abundance, and metabolic function of the core microbiome, offering potential alternatives for FS management in pandemic emergencies.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rong-Gui Zhu, Chang-Gui Pan, Feng-Jiao Peng, Chao-Yang Zhou, Jun-Jie Hu, Kefu Yu
Summary: This comprehensive survey investigated the occurrence, bioaccumulation, and trophic magnification of parabens and their metabolite 4-HB in a marine food web. Results showed that parabens were the predominant pollutants in marine organisms, with significant bioaccumulation from sediments. The estimated trophic magnification factor indicated biomagnification for MeP and trophic dilution for 4-HB. Overall, the risks for humans consuming marine organisms were found to be low.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andres F. Torres-Franco, Deborah Leroy-Freitas, Cristina Martinez-Fraile, Elisa Rodriguez, Pedro A. Garcia-Encina, Raul Munoz
Summary: Anaerobic and microalgae-based technologies have emerged as sustainable alternatives for municipal wastewater treatment. However, the presence of viruses in the treated wastewater is a major concern for reuse applications. This study assessed the ability of these technologies to reduce viruses during secondary wastewater treatment. The results showed that all technologies were effective in reducing the concentration of viruses, with microalgae-based treatment exhibiting the highest potential for reducing the disinfection requirements of treated wastewater.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Young Gwang Kim, Sae Yun Kwon, Spencer J. Washburn, Scott C. Brooks, Ji Won Yoon, Lucien Besnard
Summary: The study uses Hg isotope ratios to identify the sources and exposure pathways of mercury in bivalves, finding that dissolved Hg phases in the water column are the primary source and exposure pathway to bivalves. This provides new insights into using bivalves as bioindicators for sediment quality monitoring.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hui Geng, Ying Xu, Rui Liu, Dianhai Yang, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: This study investigates the effect of cation exchange resin (CER) on the sequential recovery of hydrogen and methane from anaerobic digestion (AD) and the corresponding mechanisms. The results show that CER can simultaneously enhance the production of hydrogen and methane by promoting the solubilisation, hydrolysis, and acidification of organic matter. Additionally, CER facilitates effective contact between bacteria and organic particulates and reduces the energy barrier for mass transfer during methane production. The study also reveals changes in the microbial community structure and metagenomics during the AD process.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaojing Lin, Zhan Jin, Shunfeng Jiang, Zhiquan Wang, Suqing Wu, Ke Bei, Min Zhao, Xiangyong Zheng
Summary: Dehumidification combined with addition of absorbent resin supplement (ARS) was used to achieve rapid evaporation of non-pretreated urine, resulting in high water evaporation efficiency and nutrient recovery.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yangli Che, Chaoran Lin, Shen Li, Jiao Liu, Longhai Zhu, Shilei Yu, Nan Wang, Haoshuai Li, Mutai Bao, Yang Zhou, Tonghao Si, Rui Bao
Summary: Hydrodynamic processes play a crucial role in the transmission of sediments, microbial assembly, and organic carbon redistribution in the ocean. Through experiments and analysis, we found that hydrodynamics shape the assembly of microbial communities and control the redistribution of different sourced organic carbon, thereby influencing microbial-mediated biogeochemical transformation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chao Chen, Yu Yang, Nigel J. D. Graham, Zhenyu Li, Xingtao Yang, Zhining Wang, Nadia Farhat, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Li -an Hou
Summary: The fouling of seawater reverse osmosis membranes is a persistent challenge in desalination. This study monitored the operational performance of a desalination plant for 7 years and the fouling development in different areas of membrane modules. The findings showed that operational performance declined over time and fouling mainly occurred at the feed side of the modules, with the highest microbial diversity. Keystone species like Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes played an important role in maintaining community structure and biofilm maturation. Polysaccharides, soluble microbial products, marine humic acid-like substances, and inorganic substances contributed to fouling. Overall, biofouling had a significant impact on membrane fouling after 7 years of operation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dan Li, Jieyi Sun, Yibo Fu, Wentao Hong, Heli Wang, Qian Yang, Junhong Wu, Sen Yang, Jianhui Xu, Yunfei Zhang, Yirong Deng, Yin Zhong, Ping'an Peng
Summary: Sulfidation-oxidation treatment of magnetite (Fe3O4) enhances the production of dark center dot OH, which can efficiently degrade dissolved organic matter (DOM) and accelerate carbon cycling.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Cheng Yu, Kaijun Wang, Kaiyuan Zhang, Ruiyang Liu, Pingping Zheng
Summary: This study implemented a microaerobic-aerobic configuration in a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility and investigated the effects on sludge characteristics, pollutant removal, microbial community, and granulation mechanisms. The results showed successful transition from flocculent-activated sludge to well-defined AGS after two months of operation. The primary pathways for pollutant removal were simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal. Moreover, the incorporation of internal separators induced shifts in the flow pattern, which promoted granulation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhe Zhang, Shaoyang Hu, Guangrong Sun, Wei Wang
Summary: Halogenated aromatic disinfection byproducts (DBPs), such as halogenated phenols, have garnered widespread attention due to their high toxicity and prevalence. This study reports on the analysis, occurrence, and cytotoxicity of a group of emerging halogenated aromatic DBPs, known as halogenated polyhydroxyphenols (HPPs), in drinking water.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shengyue Chen, Jinliang Huang, Peng Wang, Xi Tang, Zhenyu Zhang
Summary: Accurate prediction of river water quality is crucial for sustainable water management. This study introduces wavelet analysis and transfer learning techniques to assist LSTM modeling, proposing a newly coupled modeling approach that improves short-term prediction of river water quality.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bang Du, Xinmin Zhan, Piet N. L. Lens, Yifeng Zhang, Guangxue Wu
Summary: Efficient anaerobic digestion relies on the cooperation of different microorganisms with different metabolic pathways. This study investigated the effects of different operational modes and the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) on ethanol metabolic pathways. The results showed that the SBR mode and the presence of CO2 facilitated ethanol metabolism towards propionate production, while the CFR mode with extended solids retention time enriched Geobacter. Adjusting operational modes and PAC addition can modulate anaerobic ethanol metabolism and enrich Geobacter.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wanfa Wang, Si-Liang Li, Jun Zhong, Yuanbi Yi, Fujun Yue, Zenglei Han, Qixin Wu, Ding He, Cong-Qiang Liu
Summary: This study compares the carbon biogeochemical processes in karst and non-karst regions within large thermal stratified river-reservoir systems. The results demonstrate that karst reservoirs have a reduced potential for carbon emissions and highlight the importance of considering geologic settings to improve accuracy in regional and global CO2 emission estimates.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chunxia Jiang, Zelong Zhao, Dong Zhu, Xiong Pan, Yuyi Yang
Summary: This study analyzed the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in different environmental media of the Yangtze River using metagenomics. Core resistome dominated by multidrug resistance genes was found in all samples, while rare resistome dominated by various resistance genes was more prevalent in plasmids. Specific bacteria were identified as hosts for both core and rare resistomes, with high clinical concern ARGs found in the rare resistome. Particle-associated environment provided the most ideal conditions for resistome hosts. This study provided insights into the genetic locations of ARGs and the community assembly mechanisms of ARG hosts in freshwater environments.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yu Zhang, Yongtao He, Linchun Jia, Lei Xu, Zheng Wang, Yueling He, Ling Xiong, Xumeng Lin, Hong Chen, Gang Xue
Summary: By synergizing organic carbon source, thiosulfate, and zero-valent iron, efficient mixotrophic denitrification of oligotrophic secondary effluent can be achieved. Thiosulfate plays a vital role in promoting TN removal efficiency, while corrosion of Fe0 releases OH- to neutralize H+ from thiosulfate-driven denitrification, creating a suitable environment for denitrification. The coordination of thiosulfate and Fe0 maintains the dominance of Thiobacillus for denitrification.