Article
Engineering, Chemical
Muluwork Maru, Feleke Zewge, Demeke Kifle, Endalkachew Sahle-Demessie
Summary: This study used native Scenedesmus sp. isolated from a brackish Rift Valley lake for simultaneous brackish water desalination and lipid production. The highest lipid content of 26% was observed in the culture treated with 10 g/L NaCl, which is 27% higher than the control. The sample treated with 5 g/L NaCl appears to be suitable for the integrated desalination and lipid production system, achieving a desalination efficiency of 17% with lipid production of 109 mg/L.
DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jayati Trivedi, Deepti Agrawal, Neeraj Atray, Anjan Ray
Summary: The present study optimized nitrate concentration in a flat panel photobioreactor to achieve high lipid accumulation of Scenedesmus obliquus CCAP 276/3A and a FAME profile suitable for biodiesel production. The results showed that Scenedesmus obliquus CCAP 276/3A is a suitable feedstock for biodiesel production, and provided important insights into enhancing lipid production in algae.
Article
Biology
Sara Calhoun, Tisza Ann Szeremy Bell, Lukas R. Dahlin, Yuliya Kunde, Kurt LaButti, Katherine B. Louie, Andrea Kuftin, Daniel Treen, David Dilworth, Sirma Mihaltcheva, Christopher Daum, Benjamin P. Bowen, Trent R. Northen, Michael T. Guarnieri, Shawn R. Starkenburg, Igor V. Grigoriev
Summary: Researchers characterized the growth and biomass accumulation of a halotolerant microalga Scenedesmus sp. NREL 46B-D3 using functional genomics, showing peak growth at 25 degrees C with high biomass accumulation capacity. Functional genomics analysis revealed changes in lipid metabolism and amino acid synthesis under temperature stress, providing insight into the genes involved in the metabolic and regulatory response to temperature stress.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sivagnanam Silambarasan, Peter Logeswari, Ramachandran Sivaramakrishnan, Aran Incharoensakdi, Balu Kamaraj, Pablo Cornejo
Summary: An efficient microalgal strain SD07 was isolated from pond wastewater and identified as Scene-desmus sp. The strain SD07 grown in 75% diluted wastewater produced a higher amount of biomass and removed a significant amount of COD, ammonium, total nitrogen, and total phosphate. The harvested strain SD07 biomass had protein, carbohydrate, and lipid contents, with palmitic acid being the main component. Additionally, strain SD07 cultured in 75% diluted wastewater produced exopolysaccharides (EPS) that were used as a biostimulant in the cultivation of Solanum lycopersicum under salinity stress.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Yanan Yang, Shuhan Ge, Yitong Pan, Weiyi Qian, Shengnan Wang, Jian Zhang, Lin -Lan Zhuang
Summary: Microalgae is considered as an alternative source for biodiesel production, providing renewable, sustainable, and carbon-neutral energy. This review proposes a multi-criteria approach for screening superior oil-producing microalgae species, and three species (Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquus, and Mychonastes afer) with high bio-lipid producing potential are identified through big data analysis. Different strategies for algal-lipid stimulation are compared, and nutrient restriction, temperature control, heterotrophy, and chemical addition are found to be promising for enhancing lipid accumulation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Maryam Asadi Ghalharia, Roya Mafigholamia, Afshin Takdastanb, Behnoosh Khoshmaneshzadeha
Summary: This study examined the direct applicability of Spirulina maxima for removing total dissolved solids (TDS) from artificial industrial wastewater. Results showed that increasing TDS levels reduced microalgal growth and TDS removal efficiency. Optimal conditions were determined using the response surface method and Box-Behnken Design.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Maryam Asadi Ghalharia, Roya Mafigholamia, Afshin Takdastanb, Behnoosh Khoshmaneshzadeha
Summary: This study demonstrated that Spirulina maxima can effectively remove TDS from artificial industrial wastewater, but with increasing TDS levels, microalgal growth and TDS removal efficiency decrease.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jeong-Mi Do, Seung-Woo Jo, Hee-Tae Yeo, Dong Hoon Shin, Hannah Oh, Ji Won Hong, Ho-Sung Yoon
Summary: The reverse osmosis system can convert wastewater into drinking and industrial water, but it produces reject stream containing concentrated nutrients. In this study, microalga Chlorella sorokiniana KNUA071 showed high removal capacity of nutrients and metals from reverse osmosis concentrate. The findings suggest that microalgal cultivation could effectively remove nutrients and metals from ROC and produce biofuel from algal biomass.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Madan Kumar Mandal, Neha Chaurasia
Summary: This study demonstrates that the addition of glucose and salt significantly improves biomass growth, lipid productivity, and FAME profiles in Graesiella emersonii NC-M1. Transcriptome analysis revealed up-regulation of genes responsible for cell proliferation and NADPH production, as well as down-regulation of starch synthase, indicating a shift in carbon flux towards lipid biosynthesis. These findings provide new genetic targets for strain improvement in biodiesel-producing microalgae.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ahmet Cosgun, M. Erdem Gunay, Ramazan Yildirim
Summary: This work reviews the applications of machine learning (ML) in microalgal biofuel production. It summarizes the basic steps of algal biofuel production, demonstrates the major research trends in the field through a bibliometric analysis, and identifies the major challenges in commercializing the technology. It systematically reviews and analyzes ML applications for various steps in the value chain. The analysis suggests that ML applications should focus on strain selection and optimization of cultivation conditions, and collaboration is needed to build a comprehensive microalgal strain database and standardized testing methodologies.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hu Zhang, Liang Zhao, Yi Chen, Mianmian Zhu, Quan Xu, Mingcan Wu, Danxiang Han, Qiang Hu
Summary: Heterotrophically grown algal cells responded well to high light and nitrogen-limited conditions for lipid production, showing enhanced biomass and lipid productivity compared to photoautotrophically grown cells. Chlorophyll a fluorometry analysis revealed higher photosynthetic efficiency in heterotrophically grown cells, while transcriptomic analysis indicated regulation of genes related to photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaojie Tu, Pingping Xu, Yuxuan Zhu, Wujuan Mi, Yonghong Bi
Summary: This study examined the binding mechanism between cadmium ions and algal organic matter (AOM). It was found that the accumulation rate of Cd2+ reached 40% at low concentrations while it was only about 10% at high concentrations. The AOM contained different protein and peptide components, and their changes during Cd2+ binding were observed. These findings provide deep insights into the interaction mechanism between AOM and Cd2+ in aquatic environments.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sayani Giri, Abisha Christy Christudoss, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Willie J. G. M. Peijnenburg, Amitava Mukherjee
Summary: Both BPA and PSNPs are commonly found in consumer products and pose serious threats to the environment and aquatic life. This study examined the toxic effects of PS-NPs and BPA on the microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus, as well as the impact of algal EPS on their interaction. The results showed that EPS-containing mixtures reduced toxicity by decreasing reactive oxygen species levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, and cell membrane damage, leading to improved photosynthetic pigment content in the cells.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chao Zhang, Dao-Ji Wu, Chuan-Qing Zhong
Summary: The combination of lactic acid production wastewater and oil-producing microalgal culture not only achieves harmless treatment of wastewater, but also provides nutrients and water for microalgal culture. By optimizing the wastewater medium with added nutrients, the lipid yield of microalgae was significantly increased, demonstrating strong absorption capacity for nitrogen and phosphorus and efficient wastewater purification.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lenan Zhang, Xiangyu Li, Yang Zhong, Arny Leroy, Zhenyuan Xu, Lin Zhao, Evelyn N. Wang
Summary: Recent advances in thermally localized solar evaporation have shown great potential in vapor generation, seawater desalination, wastewater treatment, and medical sterilization. This study demonstrates highly efficient and salt rejecting solar evaporation by manipulating fluidic flow in a wick-free confined water layer. The research elucidates the fundamentals of salt transport and offers a low-cost strategy for high-performance solar evaporation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qiang Peng, Miaomiao Zhao, Guangzhu Shen, Xinyu Gan, Ming Li
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinyu Gan, Jung-Chen Huang, Chuanqi Zhou, Shengbing He, Weili Zhou
Article
Environmental Sciences
Azhar-u-ddin, Jung-Chen Huang, Xinyu Gan, Shengbing He, Weili Zhou
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xinyu Gan, Jung-Chen Huang, Manping Zhang, Chuanqi Zhou, Shengbing He, Weili Zhou
Summary: The study found that earthworms exposed to selenium-polluted soils reacted differently to selenium accumulation and toxicity, with selenite treatments having lesser impact. Additionally, selenium increased bacterial diversity in earthworm casts.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chuanqi Zhou, Jung-Chen Huang, Xinyu Gan, Shengbing He, Weili Zhou
Summary: Selenium (Se) is a substance with a fine balance between beneficial and toxic effects that is increasingly present in aquatic environments, and its accumulation and transformation by the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa are significantly influenced by nutrients, particularly sulfate. The study suggests that Microcystis aeruginosa may efficiently reduce Se oxyanions to more bioavailable forms, thus potentially reducing Se biomagnification in aquatic food chains. Transmission electron microscopy revealed structural damage in the cell wall of M. aeruginosa exposed to selenite, while X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis indicated the transformation of selenite and selenate to organo-Se.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chuanqi Zhou, Zi-Jing Wang, Jung-Chen Huang, Lixin Zheng, Xinyu Gan, Manping Zhang, Shengbing He, Weili Zhou
Summary: The rising levels of selenium pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems due to the narrow margin between deficiency and toxicity. Microorganisms play a significant role in selenium bioremediation, with temperature and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) affecting removal efficiency. The study suggests that manipulating these factors could enhance selenium removal efficiency in aquatic ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xu Zhang, Xin Shu, Xiaolin Zhou, Cheng Zhou, Pu Yang, Muhe Diao, Haiyang Hu, Xinyu Gan, Chen Zhao, Chunzhen Fan
Summary: ZnFe2O4/biochar showed good adsorption performance for phenol and Cu2+ in wastewater. The adsorption processes were influenced by factors such as time, pH, temperature, and initial solution concentration. Adsorption kinetic and isotherm models were used to describe the adsorption processes and showed good fitting results.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xinyu Gan, Holger Klose, Diana Reinecke
Summary: This study investigates and optimizes the nutrient remediation efficiency of an inexpensive algal biofilm reactor (ATS) for wastewater treatment. The results show that under specific growth conditions, the ATS can effectively remove total phosphorous and total nitrogen from wastewater while significantly improving biomass productivity.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jinshan Zhao, Pu Yang, Yuye Lin, Xiaoyao Zhu, Jiaxin Wang, Xinyu Gan, Xiangyong Zheng, Min Zhao, Chunzhen Fan, Linna Du, Huanyi Miu
Summary: Submerged plants are used in the ecological restoration of polluted water for their good water purifying effect. This study investigated the effects of supplemental artificial light on submerged plants in purifying water nutrients. The location of the light source was found to be more important than the light intensity. Supplemental underwater light enhanced the photosynthesis of submerged plants and improved water quality.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Dongsheng Wang, Xinyu Gan, Zhiquan Wang, Shunfeng Jiang, Xiangyong Zheng, Min Zhao, Yonghua Zhang, Chunzhen Fan, Suqing Wu, Linna Du
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive review of research status on the remediation of eutrophic water by submerged macrophytes, with emphasis on the main affecting factors for their growth, including nutrients, light, water depth, sediment, temperature, biochar, transparency, and water flow. The optimum growth conditions of submerged macrophytes are further analyzed to provide guidance for further studies and the application of submerged macrophytes in the remediation of eutrophic water.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xinyu Gan, Holger Klose, Diana Reinecke
Summary: Three technical-scale Algal Turf Scrubber (ATS) systems were operated for one year to evaluate nutrient removal and recovery. The effects of water temperature and light intensity on dependent variables were identified. The average nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates were 30.93 and 8.95 mg/L, with removal efficiencies of 51.2% and 89.5%, respectively. The quadratic models were used for data analysis. Light intensity was found to be the dominant variable for ATS performance. Positive correlations were found between nutrient removal and recovery and biomass productivity. The annual production costs for dried algal biomass, N, and P were 2.27, 40, and 156 euro kg-1, respectively. The study showed that ATS technology is efficient and cost-effective for nutrient removal and recovery from wastewaters.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Arvin Sohrabi, Mousa Meratizaman, Shuli Liu
Summary: This paper simulates and discusses possible solutions to improve the economic and technical performances of a battery-less renewable energy-powered BWRO system under real climate conditions. The study finds that the photovoltaic-based system performs better in terms of specific energy consumption and unused energy ratio.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chunlan Pan, Xiaoyin Hu, Vishal Goyal, Theyab R. Alsenani, Salem Alkhalaf, Tamim Alkhalifah, Fahad Alturise, Hamad Almujibah, H. Elhosiny Ali
Summary: This paper introduces a novel waste heat recovery method using the hot flue gas from a ship's engine to produce liquefied hydrogen while meeting the ship's air-conditioning requirement. A comprehensive feasibility assessment is conducted and an artificial neural network with a multiobjective grey wolf optimization method is used for optimization. The findings indicate the highest mean sensitivity index of the flash temperature and the best optimization scenario for exergy efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, and liquefied hydrogen cost.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Daniele Chinello, Jan Post, Louis C. P. M. de Smet
Summary: In this study, PVDF-based anion-exchange membranes were designed to selectively separate nitrate from chloride. Experimental data showed that increasing the concentration of PVDF enhanced nitrate transport but also increased the membrane electrical resistance. The selectivity of nitrate was found to be independent of the membrane thickness and mainly driven by the increased affinity between the anion and the membrane.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Umar Noor, Muhammad Fayyaz Farid, Ammara Sharif, Amna Saleem, Zubair Nabi, Muhammad Furqan Mughal, Kiran Abbas, Toheed Ahmed
Summary: Global water scarcity is increasing, and water desalination is an important solution. Multifunctional advanced materials, such as membrane materials and solar-driven desalination, play a crucial role in water desalination. Additionally, these materials can be used for water purification, wastewater treatment, and pollutant elimination.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Emrah Gumus
Summary: With growing global concerns about climate change and environmental impacts, the use of nuclear energy in naval vessels offers a cleaner and more efficient solution to reduce emissions and address water and energy supply challenges. This study explores a novel system that combines a nuclear-driven supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle with reverse osmosis cogeneration to meet the water and electricity demands in maritime operations, enhancing the sustainability, efficiency, and self-sufficiency of naval vessels. The results indicate that the system has the potential to be a viable and effective solution for naval operations.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dao Thi Thanh Huyen, Saikat Sinha Ray, Young -Nam Kwon
Summary: This study focuses on the modification of a commercially available polyamide thin-film composite membrane with a zwitterionic material to enhance its fouling resistance. The modified membrane shows improved salt rejection and reduced permeability compared to the pristine membrane. Fouling tests demonstrate that the modified membrane has a lower fouling ratio and higher recovery ratio. The enhanced antifouling characteristics are attributed to the improved hydrophilicity resulting from the zwitterionic brushes and the salting-in effect.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Niklas Koeller, Lukas Mankertz, Selina Finger, Christian J. Linnartz, Matthias Wessling
Summary: This study presents a methodology to scale up Flow-electrode Capacitive Deionization (FCDI) technology from lab-scale to pilot-scale systems. By increasing membrane area and using a stacking approach, the FCDI modules were successfully scaled up and achieved a salt transfer rate comparable to lab-scale systems. This provides a foundation for future assessments of energy demand and economics.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mona Gulied, Sifani Zavahir, Tasneem Elmakki, Hyunwoong Park, Guillermo Hijos Gago, Ho Kyong Shon, Dong Suk Han
Summary: This study introduces a novel hybrid system that combines direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and electrically switched ion exchange (ESIX) to facilitate seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) brine enrichment and selective lithium recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhiqiang Zhang, Ruifeng Deng, Jiao Zhang, Lu She, Guangfeng Wei, Renyong Jia, Pengyu Xiang, Siqing Xia
Summary: A transmembrane electro-chemisorption system with authigenic acid and base was developed for enhancing ammonia recovery from strong ammonia wastewater. The system efficiently transformed ammonium into free ammonia, which was then adsorbed and recovered through transmembrane chemisorption. This system yielded pure (NH4)2SO4 product and produced valuable byproducts of pure hydrogen and oxygen. Higher applied voltage resulted in better ammonia recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alena Popova, Sandrine Boivin, Takuji Shintani, Takahiro Fujioka
Summary: This study aimed to produce a high-integrity RO membrane by forming a polyamide skin layer on a TE support layer, in order to enhance the integrity of the membrane and improve the microbiological safety of potable water reuse.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sanjana Yagnambhatt, Saber Khanmohammadi, Jonathan Maisonneuve
Summary: This study investigates the concept of using heat to enhance reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. The effect of temperature on water permeate flux, specific energy, permeate quality, and applied operating pressures is evaluated using an analytical model. The results suggest that under specific conditions, the tradeoff between savings in mechanical pump work and thermal energy input in thermally-enhanced RO can be favorable, leading to overall energy savings.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiangju Si, Chenrui Xue, Shun Li, Linchao Yang, Weiwei Li, Jie Yang, Jihong Lan, Ningbo Sun
Summary: To meet the huge demand for lithium resources, there is an urgent need to develop a new efficient technology for lithium recovery from salt-lake brines. In this study, a selective membrane capacitive deionization system is reported, which achieves high lithium recovery capacity and rate through the use of materials with efficient intercalated pseudo-capacitance and a high specific area porous carbon. The use of a modified thin-coated membrane allows for selective Li+ recovery, and adjusting the concentrations of Li+ and Mg2+ in the feed solution enables higher Li+/Mg2+ selectivity.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mohamed R. Salem, R. Y. Sakr, Ghazy M. R. Assassa, Omar A. Aly
Summary: This research proposes a new method of using wasted thermal energies as an additional heating source for solar still distillation units (SSDUs) to increase productivity and reduce pollution and global warming. By testing two SSDUs, the study shows that heating airflow can raise temperatures, enhance freshwater production, and improve system thermal efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qimeng Sun, Miao Sun, Linyan Yang, Yuan Gao, Xinghai Zhou, Lihua Lyu, Chunyan Wei
Summary: This study presents an innovative design and fabrication of a fabric-based conical roll (FCR) evaporator, which enables low-temperature evaporation and achieves high evaporation efficiency with excellent thermal management ability. The evaporator has demonstrated advanced light-harvesting capability and can produce freshwater that meets drinking water standards, showing great potential for applications in desalination and sewage treatment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Meiyan Wu, Chao Liu, Guang Yu, Qiu Cui, Pedram Fatehi, Chunlin Xu, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, a novel polydopamine-functionalized lignin-containing pulp foam evaporator with high-efficiency desalination and multi-contaminant adsorption capabilities was designed. The foam evaporator showed excellent light absorption, water absorption, thermal conductivity, and chelation abilities, allowing for solar evaporation and contaminant adsorption synergistically. It also exhibited potential applications in metal ion concentration and contaminated seawater treatments, and demonstrated superior biodegradability compared to poly-styrene foam. This foam material holds promise for developing multifunctional photo-thermal systems for solar-driven water purification.
