Article
Engineering, Environmental
Katekanya Tadsuwan, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study evaluates the abundance and removal efficiency of microplastics in a conventional wastewater treatment plant, finding an overall removal efficiency of 86.14%. Additionally, the use of a pilot-scale ultrafiltration system increases the removal efficiency to 96.97%.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lara Dronjak, Nora Exposito, Jordi Sierra, Marta Schuhmacher, Karin Florencio, Beatriz Corzo, Joaquim Rovira
Summary: Microplastic (MP) pollution is a global problem, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a major pathway for MPs to enter the natural environment. This study investigated the concentration, morphology, and composition of MPs in different treatment units of a WWTP. The results showed that WWTP can effectively remove MPs, with a removal efficiency exceeding 96%. The most common morphology of MPs is fibers, followed by fragments and films. Various types of plastics were detected in different units of the WWTP. The estimated number of MPs avoided from being released into the environment through direct water discharge was 9.1 x 1012 MP/year.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katekanya Tadsuwan, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study compares the efficiency of microplastic removal in two wastewater treatment plants in Bangkok and finds that wastewater treatment plants equipped with ultrafiltration have higher removal efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mohammed S. M. Al-Azzawi, Matin Funck, Marco Kunaschk, Elisabeth Von der Esch, Oliver Jacob, Korbinian P. Freier, Torsten C. Schmidt, Martin Elsner, Natalia P. Ivleva, Jochen Tuerk, Oliver Knoop, Joerg E. Drewes
Summary: This study discusses the best practices for microplastic sampling campaigns in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and explores the potential synergies between thermoanalytical and spectroscopic analysis. The results show that polyethylene (PE) is consistently the most prominent polymer in WWTP effluents and can serve as a surrogate polymer to assess the total polymer removal efficiency of tertiary sand filters.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuanling Luo, Huaming Xie, Haiyin Xu, Changsheng Zhou, Ping Wang, Zhiming Liu, Yi Yang, Jing Huang, Chuan Wang, Xiaojing Zhao
Summary: This study conducted a long-term investigation in a combined sewers wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and found that rainfall contributed significantly to the influx of microplastics (MPs) into the plant. The equalization tank was identified as the primary location for MPs removal, and reducing the surface overflow rate was an effective measure to improve removal efficiency. In cyclic activated sludge systems, reducing sludge wastage was proposed to facilitate MPs removal. By adjusting operational parameters, WWTPs have the potential to control MPs emissions.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. A. Franco, J. M. Arellano, G. Albendin, R. Rodriguez-Barroso, J. M. Quiroga, M. D. Coello
Summary: This research aimed to study the sources, characteristics, and removal rates of microplastics in two wastewater treatment plants in Cádiz, with a focus on the presence of resin polymers from industrial activities. The results showed that fibers were the most common form of microplastics, and there were variations in the types and quantities of microplastics in different size ranges.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eric A. Ben-David, Maryana Habibi, Elias Haddad, Mahdi Hasanin, Dror L. Angel, Andy M. Booth, Isam Sabbah
Summary: This study evaluated the efficiency of a municipal WWTP in removing microplastics using different sampling and detection methods. Results showed that the majority of microplastics were removed by the secondary treatment stage, and seasonal variations can affect the concentration of microplastics in effluents.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
S. Bentancur, C. M. Lopez-Vazquez, H. A. Garcia, M. Duarte, D. Travers, D. Brdjanovic
Summary: The performance of a pulp mill wastewater treatment plant was assessed using the BioWin software to provide alternatives for reducing phosphorus concentration in the effluent. The study found that implementing an anaerobic phase prior to the aerobic process could decrease total phosphorus concentration by approximately 58%, and chemical precipitation could further lower it below 0.1 mg/L.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sonam Paliya, Ashootosh Mandpe, Divyesh Bhisikar, M. Suresh Kumar, Sunil Kumar
Summary: This study evaluated the contamination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in an Indian municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) for the first time. The findings revealed the presence of high concentrations of PBDEs in Indian municipal sewage, highlighting the need for appropriate monitoring and control measures in the Indian context.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Suat Vardar, Turgut T. Onay, Burak Demirel, Ahmet E. Kideys
Summary: The study investigated the levels, composition, and fate of microplastics at a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Istanbul, Turkey. Fibers were found to be the most dominant particles, followed by hard fragments. The removal efficiency varied for different sizes and shapes of particles, with a considerable amount of microplastics still being released into the Sea of Marmara despite high removal rates at the treatment plant.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Emma Faltstrom, Kristina Borg Olesen, Stefan Anderberg
Summary: This study compared the types of microplastics detected at the inlet of a wastewater treatment plant in Sweden with estimations of sources in the plant's catchment area, showing good agreement between the two methods with some exceptions.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Agata Egea-Corbacho, Ana Pilar Martin-Garcia, Ana Amelia Franco, Jose Maria Quiroga, Rune Rojgaard Andreasen, Mads Koustrup Jorgensen, Morten Lykkegaard Christensen
Summary: Microplastics are a major threat to the environment and aquatic life, and one of the main sources of microplastics in water and land environments is wastewater treatment plants. This study aimed to investigate the presence and removal of microplastics in wastewater and sludge from different types of treatment plants. The results showed high removal efficiency in the treatment process, with a decrease in microplastic concentration from influent to effluent. The most common forms of microplastics detected were fragments and fibers, and several types of polymers were identified.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhiqiang Gao, James V. Cizdziel, Kendall Wontor, Alvise Vianello
Summary: The study found that the concentration of microplastics in a secondary wastewater treatment plant is influenced by factors such as campus activities, flow rates, and treatment times. Fibers were the most abundant type of microplastics in the system, and changes in flow rates and treatment times can have a significant impact on microplastic concentrations.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonina Kruglova, Barbara Munoz-Palazon, Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez, Anna Mikola, Riku Vahala, Julia Talvitie
Summary: Microplastics can provide a stable habitat for diverse bacteria, including pathogens and antibiotic-resistant species, and facilitate their transport through wastewater treatment processes to the environment. This study found a high diversity of bacteria attached to microplastics at different stages of treatment, and these bacteria, including pathogenic strains, were able to escape into the effluent water of the treatment plant.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alia Besma Abba, Sofiane Saggai, Youcef Touil, Nadhir Al-Ansari, Saber Kouadri, Fatima Zohra Nouasria, Hadee Mohammed Najm, Nuha S. Mashaan, Moutaz Mustafa A. Eldirderi, Khaled Mohamed Khedher
Summary: The study investigates the composition and structure of aluminum sludge for its use as a natural material to remove heavy metals from wastewater. The results show that a high removal efficiency can be achieved in an acidic medium using a relatively high amount of sludge, but the efficiency is low in a strongly acidic medium.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ngo Anh Dao Ho, Sandhya Babel
Summary: The study introduces a bioelectrochemical system (BES) for silver recovery from aqueous solution, which is considered as an effective and innovative method compared to traditional techniques. BES has been shown to achieve high efficiency and purity in silver recovery, while simultaneously generating electricity.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rasangika Thathsaranee Weligama Thuppahige, Sandhya Babel
Summary: The study evaluates the environmental impact of a full-scale anaerobic digestion plant in Sri Lanka, identifying various environmental burdens throughout its life cycle. It highlights the need to address the direct gaseous emissions and digestate generation in order to reduce burdens from the plant.
WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Hoang Dung Nguyen, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study critically reviews the nitrogen removal process and influencing factors in various MFC configurations, highlighting shortcut nitrification-autotrophic denitrification and heterotrophic anodic denitrification as promising options, although further evaluation on efficiency and gas emissions is needed. The selection of MFC configuration depends on the nature of the wastewater.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rasangika Thathsaranee Weligama Thuppahige, Shabbir H. Gheewala, Sandhya Babel
Summary: Composting is an environmentally and economically friendly method for managing organic solid waste, but it also has unavoidable environmental impacts such as atmospheric emissions and resource consumption. A study assessing the environmental impacts of a full-scale composting plant in Sri Lanka found that the system created burdens for global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, and other factors, while also avoiding several other negative impacts.
JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CYCLES AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Indika Thushari, Sandhya Babel
Summary: Used cooking oil (UCO) is a valuable resource that can be utilized in different ways. This study assessed the environmental impacts of potential UCO valorization options in Thailand and found that energy recovery-based management options showed better environmental performance.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Chayarat Srisunont, Alongot Intarachart, Treeranut Srisunont, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study investigates the relationships between atmospheric parameters, seawater quality, and green mussel production. The findings show that air temperature and rainfall affect seawater temperature and salinity, while nutrients and dissolved oxygen, temperature and salinity, and nutrients and pH are key factors influencing mussel production. Simulation results indicate that when air temperature reaches 34 degrees C and rainfall exceeds 200 mm per month, mussel production deteriorates. The study suggests that locations with less riverine influence can provide higher mussel productivity under climate change events.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katekanya Tadsuwan, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study compares the efficiency of microplastic removal in two wastewater treatment plants in Bangkok and finds that wastewater treatment plants equipped with ultrafiltration have higher removal efficiency.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anh Tuan Ta, Piyathida Pupuang, Sandhya Babel, Li Pang Wang
Summary: Recent studies have shown that bivalves can serve as bioindicators for microplastic pollution. This study investigated the presence of microplastics in blood cockles and green mussels from aquaculture farms and markets in Thailand. The results indicate that the number of microplastics in bivalve samples from the markets is higher than in the aquaculture farms, possibly due to contamination during packaging and transportation processes. The dominant types of microplastics found were fragments and fibers, with polypropylene, polyethylene, copolymer, polyester, and nylon being the most common polymers.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Saifon Kullyakool, Kazuto Hatakeyama, Pongtanawat Khemthong, Sandhya Babel, Kritapas Laohhasurayotin
Summary: A 2D/2D nanostructured hybrid composite was developed by intercalating nitrate ions into zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxide (LDH) on graphene oxide (GO) thin layers. This hybrid composite exhibited improved physicochemical properties and efficient adsorption performance for cationic and anionic dyes. The fast-forming mechanism of LDH in the presence of GO was revealed, suggesting the potential application of this hybrid system in water decontamination, controlled release, and delivery system.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hoang Dung Nguyen, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study investigated power generation from treating different COD/N ratio wastewater by isolating the input nitrogen using the coupled MFC system, including nitrification-MFC (N-MFC) and denitrification-MFC (D-MFC). Energy from wastewater was predominantly recovered in the N-MFC due to the system's configuration, which allowed for the oxidation of over 75% of organic matter input while simultaneously isolating nitrogen input. The second mode utilized the short-cut nitrification-denitrification process, superior to the first mode with regards to energy efficiency and nitrogen removal. However, the usage of CEM as separator and aeration requirement makes this technology expensive.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christian R. Orozco, Somnuk Tangtermsirikul, Takafumi Sugiyama, Sandhya Babel
Summary: The environmental impacts of low calcium oxide (CaO) and high CaO fly ash in mass concrete mixtures from Thailand were assessed in this study. The results show that regardless of type, the use of 25% and 50% fly ash as a cement replacement can reduce the global warming potential of concrete. High CaO fly ash has greater environmental benefits. However, long-distance transport has a significant impact on ionizing radiation and ecotoxicity indicators for different environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ngo Anh Dao Ho, Van Hieu Nguyen, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study employed an integrated process to treat highly toxic wastewater from various industrial effluents and demonstrated the effectiveness of the Fenton-coagulation and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane treatment. The treated water met the national discharge standard and showed potential for reuse. The study provides valuable information and data for WWTP owners to achieve stable performance and economic efficiency.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Pariatamby Agamuthu, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This article explores solid waste management in Asia over the past five decades and identifies the issues and challenges. Waste generation has increased in all countries over the past 50 years, although a decline has been observed recently in Japan and Korea. Organic waste, particularly kitchen waste, has been the predominant composition. The article explains the need for material extraction and productivity to sustain the densely populated region. Waste management technologies have evolved, with a gradual transition from landfills to waste-to-energy options in many countries. However, landfilling and open dumps still remain the primary disposal choice in most developing Asian countries. This raises concerns about dumpsite management, the informal sector, waste collection, open burning, and food waste. The article also observes increasing trends in recycling technologies and quantum in countries such as India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Various challenges and issues in recycling are explored in the text. Lastly, the article discusses the driving forces behind waste management in Asia and their evolution over time. Recommendations are provided to achieve sustainable waste management in Asia.
WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christian Orozco, Somnuk Tangtermsirikul, Takafumi Sugiyama, Sandhya Babel
Summary: This study aims to address the low utilization of fly ash in large-scale concrete applications in countries like the Philippines. Through endpoint impact analysis and in-depth interviews, the study found that the use of fly ash in concrete construction has impacts on human health, ecosystem, and resources. The research suggests that replacing cement with fly ash can contribute to the conservation of resources.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Hewawasam Udumullage Erangi Imasha, Sandhya Babel
Summary: Recent trends in aquaculture have resulted in significant contamination of microplastics (MPs). This study examined the presence of MPs in green mussels farms located in different parts of the Gulf of Thailand. MPs were detected in water, sediments, and mussels with a 100% detection frequency. The abundance of MPs was higher in Sriracha Bay compared to Phetchaburi. Fragmented particles were the most common type, with high-density polyethylene being the dominant polymer. Age did not significantly affect the MPs content in mussels, but there was a significant difference between farms.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
