Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jibao Liu, Yufeng Xu, Yuansong Wei
Summary: This study investigated the role of sludge rheology in anaerobic digestion (AD) and found that rheological properties increased with the increase of solid content, resulting in a negative effect on methane production. An extended ADM1 model revealed that enhanced sludge rheological properties increased mass diffusion resistance and reduced uptake rate of acetate.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Khuthadzo E. Mudzanani, Terence T. Phadi, Sunny E. Iyuke, Michael O. Daramola
Summary: This study adjusts the International Water Association's anaerobic digestion model to construct an evaluation method for co-digestion and to predict the performance of the digestion process. Additional equations and simulations are added to the model to evaluate the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Dominik Andreides, Dana Pokorna, Jana Zabranska
Summary: This study assessed the effects of different syngas loading rates and mechanical stirring on the biomethanation of syngas in a lab-scale continuous anaerobic digester processing sewage sludge. The results showed that mechanical stirring improved the conversion rate of CO and H2, while increased pH resulted in acetic acid accumulation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xuran Liu, Qian Deng, Mingting Du, Qi Lu, Wenneng Zhou, Dongbo Wang
Summary: The presence of PVC microplastics at environmentally relevant levels does not affect methane production but reduces the toxicity of cadmium. When the concentration of PVC microplastics reaches 30 particles/g TS, methane production recovers to 89.7% in the presence of 5 mg Cd/g TS compared to the control. The adsorption of Cd by PVC microplastics is higher than that of sludge-substrate, reducing the bioavailability of Cd during anaerobic digestion.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arianna Catenacci, Matteo Grana, Francesca Malpei, Elena Ficara
Summary: A new method using batch Biochemical Methane Potential tests and analytical determinations was proposed to evaluate parameters in waste digestion process, and the results showed that this iterative process significantly improved the fitting of the model for multiple parameters.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jibao Liu, Xianglin He, Hui Zhong, Pei Lei, Junya Zhang, Yufeng Xu, Yuansong Wei
Summary: Thermal hydrolysis reduces the content of methylmercury in sewage sludge, with high temperature promoting both mercury methylation and methylmercury demethylation. Ruminococcaceae, Peptococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae are potential methylators during hydrolysis and acidogenesis stage, while methylmercury demethylation dominates in the late period of anaerobic digestion.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Eskandar Poorasgari, Banu Ormeci
Summary: Experimental and computational approaches were used to model the kinetics of volatile solids destruction during wastewater sludge digestion, taking into account the effects of water evaporation. New kinetic models were developed to predict volatile solids concentrations in different conditions. The study found that water evaporation is an important factor to consider for accurate determination of kinetic rate constants and solids reduction.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jibao Liu, Xianglin He, Yufeng Xu, Zhuang Zuo, Pei Lei, Junya Zhang, Yongguang Yin, Yuansong Wei
Summary: The fate of mercury and MeHg during full-scale anaerobic digestion was investigated, showing that demethylation of MeHg was dominant and likely due to physico-chemical impacts. Microbial methylation or demethylation seemed negligible in terms of MeHg transformation during the anaerobic digestion process.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Seyed Mohammad Mirsoleimani Azizi, Faisal I. Hai, Wenjing Lu, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Bipro Ranjan Dhar
Summary: This review comprehensively examines the mechanisms underlying the impacts of (nano)microplastics on anaerobic digestion, including their inhibition/enhancement effects on the process and potential impacts on biochemical pathways, key enzymes, functional genes, and microbial communities. It also highlights the potential environmental risks of biosolids contaminated with (nano)microplastics and outlines knowledge gaps and future research needs for more standardized studies.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuki Hoshiko, Ryutaro Hirano, Nurul Asyifah Mustapha, Phuong Dong Thi Nguyen, Shuto Fujie, Viviana Sanchez-Torres, Toshinari Maeda
Summary: The role of bacterial interaction is essential in controlling bacterial functions, but its understanding in microbial consortia remains incomplete. This study found that the anticancer agent fluorouracil (FU) inhibited methane production from sewage sludge under anaerobic conditions. The inhibitory effect of FU was observed on acetoclastic methanogens rather than hydrogenotrophic ones, and it was also found to influence the composition of bacterial populations.
Review
Energy & Fuels
V Khanh Nguyen, Dhiraj Kumar Chaudhary, Ram Hari Dahal, N. Hoang Trinh, Jaisoo Kim, S. Woong Chang, Yongseok Hong, Duong Duc La, X. Cuong Nguyen, H. Hao Ngo, W. Jin Chung, D. Duc Nguyen
Summary: Anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge is an efficient remediation technique, but the presence of complex floc structures and high organic matter content hinder hydrolysis. Pretreatment techniques such as mechanical, chemical, thermal, and biological processes can accelerate hydrolysis and improve AD efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Lei Zhang, Pu Yang, Kongyun Zhu, Xinran Ji, Jiao Ma, Lan Mu, Fahim Ullah, Wenxiang Ouyang, Aimin Li
Summary: This study investigates the impact of co-treatment of food waste and sewage sludge on the performance of the integrated system. The results show that there is a synergistic enhancement at the optimal ratio, leading to increased methane production and improved combustion characteristics. Additionally, the co-treatment increases the daily energy output and specific energy output of the full-scale plant.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Justyna Gorka, Malgorzata Cimochowicz-Rybicka, Dominika Poproch
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing water sludge from a water treatment plant in anaerobic co-digestion with sewage sludge. The experiments confirm that anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge together with water sludge significantly improves biogas production, particularly when water sludge constitutes 30% of the mass of sewage sludge.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Senar Aydin, Arzu Ulvi, Fatma Beduk, Mehmet Emin Aydin
Summary: The occurrences, temporal variations and ecotoxicological risks of 38 selected pharmaceuticals from 7 therapeutic classes have been observed in the anaerobically treated sludge of the urban wastewater treatment plant in Konya, Turkey. The total concentrations of all pharmaceutical compounds ranged from 280 to 4898 μg/kg of dry matter. The dominant therapeutic class was analgesics and anti-inflammatories, and the use of treated sludge as fertilizer in agricultural lands causes continuous contamination of the terrestrial environment by pharmaceuticals.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
C. Aragon-Briceno, A. B. Ross, M. A. Camargo-Valero
Summary: The study evaluated the potential of coupling hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) with anaerobic digestion (AD) for sewage sludge treatment, finding that total solid and COD reduction could reach up to 68% and 66% respectively. The inclusion of hydrochar as a fuel source increased net energy production 10 times, with scenarios using 250 degrees C thermal treatment temperature providing better economic benefits.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jose Manuel Alejandro Cerdan, Yaiza Tejido-Nunez, Enrique Aymerich, Jaime Gonzalez-Mtnez de GoniGoni, Jon Garcia-Aguirre
Summary: This study systematically compared the methanogenic and acidogenic potential of five waste streams from urban and agro-industrial sources, revealing the significant potential of organic waste to enrich the carboxylic platform, which has higher industrial applicability and economic potential than methane.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Sergi Vinardell, Joan Dosta, Joan Mata-Alvarez, Sergi Astals
Summary: This research evaluated the economic feasibility of using AnMBR technology as a mainstream technology for municipal sewage treatment, showing its potential to be an economically competitive option for full-scale implementation and achieving energy self-sufficiency in high strength municipal sewage treatment.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Miriam Peces, Sergi Astals, Paul D. Jensen, William P. Clarke
Summary: The study found that adjusting hydraulic retention time (HRT) alone is not sufficient to washout methanogens in anaerobic digestion, requiring a combination of other operational parameters. Changes in metabolic rates and microbial communities under different HRTs led to variations in process performance.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Elisabeth Viles, Javier Santos, Andres Munoz-Villamizar, Paloma Grau, Tamara Fernandez-Arevalo
Summary: This paper demonstrates the importance of having detailed knowledge on water consumption in industries through a multi-case study in the agri-food industry, where monitoring water consumption and applying lean-green practices lead to a zero-waste strategy for this critical resource.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lina Maria Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Sergi Astals, Steven Pratt, Paul D. Jensen, Peer M. Schenk
Summary: An integrated system for biodiesel and biogas production from Chaetoceros muelleri was evaluated, showing that osmotic shock pre-treatment of wet microalgae biomass released up to 72% lipid content and improved methane production significantly.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Sergi Vinardell, Sergi Astals, Konrad Koch, Joan Mata-Alvarez, Joan Dosta
Summary: The study evaluated the economic implications of co-digesting sewage sludge and food waste in anaerobic membrane bioreactors. It found that higher electricity revenue from co-digesting food waste could offset additional costs, but not when treating nutrients backload in sidestream digesters. Biosolids disposal was identified as the most significant cost in all scenarios, and sensitivity analysis showed that food waste gate fee influenced co-digestion economic feasibility.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Luisa Ornelas Ferreira, Sergi Astals, Fabiana Passos
Summary: The study found that mono-digestion of food waste had low methane yield, but anaerobic co-digestion with microalgae can increase methane production with optimal synergy. In real scenarios, a higher proportion of food waste is preferred, but a minimum amount of microalgae is necessary for process stability.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Gabriel Capson-Tojo, Sergi Astals, Angel Robles
Summary: This study updated the ADM1 model to improve accurate estimation of free ammonia concentrations and inhibition thresholds, while simulating acetate syntrophic oxidation as an acetate-consuming pathway. The modified ADM1 showed better predictions of methane production, VFA profiles, and microbial clades than the default ADM1, demonstrating improved accuracy in modeling anaerobic digestion processes.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Angelica Guerrero Calderon, Haoran Duan, Kai Yee Seo, Catherine Macintosh, Sergi Astals, Kaili Li, Jingjing Wan, Huijuan Li, Nova Maulani, Zhuan Khai Lim, Zhiguo Yuan, Shihu Hu
Summary: Anaerobic digestion is a common method for stabilizing primary sludge and waste activated sludge, with FNA pre-treatment being effective for enhancing the degradability of waste activated sludge. The characteristics of waste activated sludge are impacted by the configuration of wastewater treatment plants, especially in terms of primary treatment. FNA pre-treatment targets the destruction of polymetric substances and cells, leading to varying improvements in methane yield depending on the proportion of cells in the sludge.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sergi Vinardell, Lucie Sanchez, Sergi Astals, Joan Mata-Alvarez, Joan Dosta, Marc Heran, Geoffroy Lesage
Summary: This research investigates the impact of permeate flux and gas sparging rate on membrane permeability, organic matter rejection, and process economics of granular anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs). The results showed that flux and sparging rate had a direct impact on membrane fouling, but did not affect the rejection of organic matter. The analysis suggests that protein-like fluorophores could be important foulants for these systems. The economic analysis highlights the importance of reducing sparging rate requirements and improving membrane permeability to reduce costs.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sergi Astals, Juan Jose Chavez-Fuentes, Gabriel Capson-Tojo, Miroslav Hutnan, Paul D. Jensen
Summary: Studies have shown that LCFA can alleviate the inhibition of ammoniacal nitrogen to a certain extent, possibly due to the formation of a protective layer by LCFA that limits the diffusion of free ammonia into the cell, or provides a localized lower pH around the microbial cell. However, the inhibition of ammoniacal nitrogen and LCFA also involve other inhibitors, and the specific mechanisms are not fully understood.
Review
Environmental Sciences
N. Perez-Esteban, S. Vinardell, C. Vidal-Antich, S. Pena-Picola, J. M. Chimenos, M. Peces, J. Dosta, S. Astals
Summary: Fermentation is an emerging biotechnology for transforming waste into easily assimilable organic compounds. Co-fermentation of multiple waste streams in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can increase the yields of sludge fermentation. The most studied variables in co-fermentation include mixing ratio, pH, and temperature. Continuous co-fermentation can be optimized by controlling temperature, pH, hydraulic retention time, and organic load. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of co-fermentation research and lays the foundation for future studies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
A. Serra-Toro, S. Vinardell, S. Astals, S. Madurga, J. Llorens, J. Mata-Alvarez, F. Mas, J. Dosta
Summary: A gas-permeable membrane (GPM) contactor is a suitable technology to efficiently separate ammoniacal nitrogen and volatile fatty acids (VFA) from fermentation broths under different pH and temperature conditions.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sergi Vinardell, Gaetan Blandin, Federico Ferrari, Geoffroy Lesage, Joan Mata-Alvarez, Joan Dosta, Sergi Astals
Summary: This research investigates the impact of draw solute and membrane material on the economic balance of a forward osmosis system pre-concentrating municipal sewage prior to an anaerobic membrane bioreactor. The study finds that the material of the FO membrane has a significant economic impact, with TFC membrane having substantially lower net costs compared to CTA membrane. The draw solute has a moderate impact on the economic balance, with sodium acetate, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride being the most economically favorable draw solutes for the CTA and TFC membranes, respectively.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. Da Silva, M. Peces, M. Faundez, H. Hansen, J. L. Campos, J. Dosta, S. Astals
Summary: The Gamma model is a novel approach to characterise complex degradation dynamics in anaerobic digestion. It combines the first-order kinetic model with the Gamma distribution function to analyse the variability of the kinetic constant. The model successfully approximates different probability density functions and demonstrates its potential and consistency in characterising waste degradation processes.
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.
