Article
Engineering, Environmental
Steven J. Chow, Henry C. Croll, Nadezda Ojeda, Jamie Klamerus, Ryan Capelle, Joan Oppenheimer, Joseph G. Jacangelo, Kellogg J. Schwab, Carsten Prasse
Summary: This pilot-scale study compared the adsorption behaviors of PFAS in granular activated carbon (GAC) and two strong-base gel anion exchange resin (AER) columns. The results showed that AER performed better than GAC in terms of PFAS removal, especially for longer-chain PFAS. The study also highlighted the importance of considering operational complexities and the impacts of unregulated co-contaminants in the design of robust PFAS treatment systems.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Francisco Leniz-Pizarro, Holly E. Rudel, Nicolas J. Briot, Julie B. Zimmerman, Dibakar Bhattacharyya
Summary: Adsorption and ion exchange technologies are widely used for separating pollutants from water, but they have diffusion limitations. Pore functionalized membranes, synthesized with different types of polymers, showed promising potential for removing organic and inorganic ions from water with improved sorption capacity and faster kinetics.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jasneet Pala, Tin Le, Medha Kasula, Milad Rabbani Esfahani
Summary: The presence of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in water causes health effects on humans and animals. Adsorption methodology, specifically using classical powder activated carbon (AC) and Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs), has shown effective performance in removing both short-chain and long-chain PFAS from water. However, the effectiveness and sorption mechanisms of these adsorbents have not been systematically investigated and compared due to the complexity of the adsorption process and the lack of standard experimental protocol. In this study, different adsorbents were synthesized and characterized, and a systematic isotherm adsorption protocol was performed to study the adsorption mechanisms and performance of these adsorbents for the removal of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) from water.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xianjun Tan, Zhenying Jiang, Wenhui Ding, Mingkun Zhang, Yuxiong Huang
Summary: The global occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic systems has raised concerns due to their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. This study developed a highly effective and stable layered rare-earth hydroxide (LRH) adsorbent called YOHCl nanosheets for the removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The YOHCl nanosheets showed a significantly higher adsorption capacity for PFOA compared to other commonly used adsorbents under the same conditions. Molecular-level investigations revealed that multiple mechanisms contributed to the strong affinity between PFOA and YOHCl, leading to the high adsorption capacity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hong-Ming Tan, Chang-Gui Pan, Chao Yin, Kefu Yu
Summary: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have gained attention for their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Various activated carbons (ACs) show variability in adsorptive performance towards PFASs. This study comprehensively investigates the adsorption of ten PFASs on different ACs to understand their removal mechanism. Results indicate that GAC-1 and PAC-1 remove over 90% of all target PFASs, and the adsorption mechanisms involve electrostatic interaction, hydrophobic interaction, surface complexation, and hydrogen bonding.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Anderson C. Ellis, Treavor H. Boyer, Yida Fang, Charlie J. Liu, Timothy J. Strathmann
Summary: Anion exchange resin (AER) systems employing single-use PFAS-selective resins have lower environmental impacts and costs compared to regenerable resins or GAC adsorbents. The use of GAC as a single-use adsorbent leads to the highest emissions and treatment costs, but impacts can be reduced with thermal reactivation. Sensitivity analysis highlights the importance of media usage rate (MUR) in determining environmental impacts and costs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcel Riegel, Brigitte Haist-Gulde, Frank Sacher
Summary: Laboratory and column tests were conducted to study the removal of short- and long-chain PFAS using activated carbon filtration and ion exchange treatment in a waterworks. Short-chain PFCA showed lower sorption affinity compared to long-chain PFAS or short-chain PFSA across all adsorbents. Short-chain PFCA could be effectively removed by activated carbon filtration over short run times, while longer PFCA required longer run times. Ion exchange media could also remove short-chain PFCA, but the run times were relatively short. However, the use of ion exchangers in single-use mode did not result in lower operating costs due to higher material costs.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Seyfollah Gilak Hakimabadi, Alannah Taylor, Anh Le-Tuan Pham
Summary: The immobilization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by colloidal activated carbon (CAC) barriers is an important in-situ method to mitigate the transport of PFAS plumes. The effectiveness of CAC barriers can be affected by factors such as adsorption affinity, presence of polymers, ionic strength, and co-contaminants. This study found that hydrophobic interaction was the main adsorption mechanism, and polymers in CAC decreased PFAS adsorption. The presence of dissolved organic carbon and certain components in aqueous film-forming foam formulations also affected PFAS adsorption.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ori Soker, Shilai Hao, Brian G. Trewyn, Christopher P. Higgins, Timothy J. Strathmann
Summary: Granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption is commonly used for treating water contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), but it requires frequent replacement and costly off-site thermal regeneration. Hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) was found to effectively degrade and mineralize PFASs, enabling the regeneration of spent GAC. This method shows promise for on-site regeneration of PFAS-contaminated GAC and other adsorbent media, providing an alternative to off-site thermal regeneration practices.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Heejong Son, Byungryul An
Summary: Batch kinetic tests were conducted on nine PFASs, and pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models were used to determine the rate constants. The effects of carbon chain length and adsorption surface area on the competing conditions were evaluated. The results showed that the linear model in the pseudo-first-order kinetic model included exceptional sample points, while the pseudo-second-order kinetic model was more suitable. In addition, the impact of intraparticle diffusion on adsorption was not significant.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Georgios Niarchos, Lutz Ahrens, Dan Berggren Kleja, Fritjof Fagerlund
Summary: This study investigated the use of colloidal activated carbon (CAC) in stabilizing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) in soil. The results showed higher retardation rates for long-chain PFAS and increased retention of PFAS in the CAC-treated soil compared to the non-treated soil. Additionally, the study observed the redistribution and elution of CAC during the experiments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dipendu Saha, Sandip Khan, Scott E. Van Bramer
Summary: Per- and polyfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging pollutants in water sources worldwide, raising concerns about their potential health impacts. One proposed method for PFAS removal is through adsorption in porous carbons, which have shown promising features but face challenges in practical applications. By modifying the structure and surface functionalities of porous carbons, better adsorption efficiency for PFAS can be achieved. Incorporating computational analysis may aid in designing superior porous carbons for PFAS removal.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Paola S. Pauletto, Teresa J. Bandosz
Summary: This review focuses on recent research results on the adsorption of PFAS on activated carbons and metal-organic frameworks. It highlights the potential for further modifications of activated carbons to enhance PFAS adsorption, and the unique features of metal-organic frameworks in providing acid-base complexation and specific interaction sites.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Sudesh Yadav, Ibrar Ibrar, Raed A. Al-Juboori, Lovdeep Singh, Namuun Ganbat, Tayma Kazwini, Elika Karbassiyazdi, Akshaya K. Samal, Senthilmurugan Subbiah, Ali Altaee
Summary: Advances in treatment technologies for PFAS removal are rapid, but their efficiency and practicality need improvement. Successfully removing a certain level of PFAS calls for cautious implementation of long-term strategies. Emerging treatment technologies include ion exchange, adsorption, advanced oxidation, and membrane separation.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH & DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuanji Shi, Hongxin Mu, Jiaqian You, Chenglong Han, Huazai Cheng, Jinfeng Wang, Haidong Hu, Hongqiang Ren
Summary: The global ecological crisis of PFASs in drinking water has shifted from long-chain to short-chain PFASs. Existing PFAS adsorption technology cannot effectively deal with the impact of hydrophilic short-chain PFASs. This study proposes a reagent-free and low-cost strategy that reduces the energy state of short-chain PFASs in hydrophobic nanopores by using a confined water structure in activated carbon.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Charlie J. Liu, Timothy J. Strathmann, Christopher Bellona
Summary: The widespread use of PFASs has led to water contamination globally. High-pressure membranes like NF and RO are effective barriers to PFASs, with NF showing higher rejection rates for PFAAs and lower rejection rates in AFFF-impacted groundwater matrices. Operating conditions did not significantly impact the rejection of PFASs, except for shorter chain PFSAs, where rejection increased with flux. Structure-activity analysis showed some correlation between rejection rates and compound molecular weight, with adsorptive losses of PFAAs observed in membrane elements and systems. Despite this, NF consistently maintained rejection rates > 98% over 13 days.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Pablo Garcia-Chevesich, Vilma Garcia, Gisella Martinez, Julia Zea, Juana Ticona, Francisco Alejo, Johan Vanneste, Sarah Acker, Gary Vanzin, Aaron Malone, Nicole M. Smith, Christopher Bellona, Jonathan O. Sharp
Editorial Material
Engineering, Civil
Kerry J. Howe, Brent Alspach, Christopher Bellona, Julie Minton, George Tchobanoglous
Summary: In 2020, AWWA Water Science published a topical collection on potable reuse to address issues raised by the increasing demand for water reuse. The collection covers topics such as source water management, pathogen detection and treatment, communications and outreach, and socioeconomics of potable reuse. The guest editors of the collection discussed lessons learned and future challenges for potable reuse regulation and research, highlighting the need for additional research to ensure its safety and reliability as a water supply.
JOURNAL AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Brian R. Pinkard, Shreyas Shetty, Derek Stritzinger, Christopher Bellona, Igor Novosselov
Summary: Effective technologies, such as supercritical water oxidation (SCWO), are needed for the destruction of PFAS. This study found that destruction and defluorination efficiencies of PFOS via SCWO were influenced by temperature and residence time, with a maximum 70.0% PFOS destruction and 78.2% defluorination achieved at 500 degrees C after 60 minutes of reaction.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Charlie J. Liu, Garrett McKay, Daqian Jiang, Raul Tenorio, J. Tani Cath, Camille Amador, Conner C. Murray, Juliane B. Brown, Harold B. Wright, Charles Schaefer, Christopher P. Higgins, Christopher Bellona, Timothy J. Strathmann
Summary: This study confirmed the effectiveness of a hybrid NF and UV-sulfite treatment system for the removal and destruction of PFASs from contaminated groundwater, with different rates of PFAS degradation observed. Energy input analysis showed varying requirements based on the type of PFAS, with opportunities for efficiency improvement in the UV reactor and water-cooling system.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hooman Vatankhah, Bahareh Tajdini, Reid P. Milstead, Erica Clevenger, Conner Murray, Detlef Knappe, Christina K. Remucal, Christopher Bellona
Summary: This study investigates the use of ozone and biologically active filtration as standalone and combined pretreatments to enhance the removal of perfluoroalkyl acids in wastewater effluent. It is found that both processes significantly improve the performance of granular activated carbon for PFAA removal. The combination of ozone and biologically active filtration outperforms the standalone processes, indicating its potential for effective PFAA removal.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vincent Hammer, Johan Vanneste, David C. Vuono, Francisco D. Alejo-Zapata, Henry G. Polanco-Cornejo, Julia Zea, Hector G. Bolanos-Sosa, Carlos A. Zevallos Rojas, Linda A. Figueroa, Christopher Bellona
Summary: Cyanide is widely used in large-scale gold extraction and is replacing mercury in small-scale extraction. Current recovery and oxidation processes are expensive and not widely implemented. This study evaluates cyanide recovery using membranes and shows that pH, temperature, and feed cyanide concentration significantly impact the efficiency of the process. Techno-economic analysis shows that membrane contactors are cost-effective for cyanide recovery on both large and small scales.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bahareh Tajdini, Hooman Vatankhah, Conner C. Murray, Alexander Liethen, Christopher Bellona
Summary: The occurrence of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in wastewater effluent has led to a greater need for effective sorption-based PFAA treatment methods. This study investigated the impact of ozone (O3)-biologically active filtration (BAF) as pretreatment options for nonselective and selective adsorbents. The results showed that O3-BAF in tandem achieved the highest PFAA removal performance improvement. Additionally, the transformation of hydrophobic effluent organic matter (EfOM) to hydrophilic molecules during O3 and biotransformation of EfOM during BAF were the main mechanisms responsible for improving PFAA removal.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Charlie J. Liu, Conner C. Murray, R. Eric Marshall, Timothy J. Strathmann, Christopher Bellona
Summary: This study evaluated and compared the adsorption of PFASs in contaminated groundwater using granular activated carbon (GAC) and anion exchange resins (AER). The results showed that AERs adsorbed 6-7 times more PFASs than GAC based on media mass or volume. However, when considering the same flowrate, AERs performed similarly to GAC for PFCAs and better for PFSAs. The study also assessed the operational costs of both treatment methods and found that AER and GAC could have similar costs if the ratio of AER to GAC unit media costs was around 3.5.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
David C. Vuono, Johan Vanneste, Linda A. Figueroa, Vincent Hammer, Fredy N. Aguilar-Huaylla, Aaron Malone, Nicole M. Smith, Pablo A. Garcia-Chevesich, Hector G. Bolanos-Sosa, Francisco D. Alejo-Zapata, Henry G. Polanco-Cornejo, Christopher Bellona
Summary: The study aimed to optimize the use of UV radiation coupled with H2O2 to enhance the removal of cyanide in gold processing effluents. Higher UV intensity and H2O2 accelerated cyanide degradation, while a lower concentration effluent demonstrated faster removal rates compared to highly concentrated effluent._testing TiO2 photocatalyst with low stoichiometric ratios of CN-:H2O2 showed significant improvement in degradation rate within a short period of time.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Charlie J. Liu, David Werner, Christopher Bellona
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2019)
Meeting Abstract
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Garrett McKay, Raul Tenorio, Daniel Van Hoomissen, Jiaoqin Liu, Christopher Bellona, Christopher Higgins, Shubham Vyas, Timothy Strathmann
ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dinusha P. Siriwardena, Michelle Crimi, Thomas M. Holsen, Christopher Bellona, Craig Divine, Eric Dickenson
REMEDIATION-THE JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP COSTS TECHNOLOGIES & TECHNIQUES
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dinusha P. Siriwardena, Michelle Crimi, Thomas M. Holsen, Christopher Bellona, Craig Divine, Eric Dickenson
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Francisco de Borja Ojembarrena, Elena Fuente, Angeles Blanco, Carlos Negro
Summary: Accumulation of Cr(VI) in industrial fiber cement process water can affect product quality and health, and it needs to be removed to avoid environmental risks. The study found that cationic cellulose nanocrystals (CCNCs) have higher adsorption efficiency and lower cost compared to conventional adsorbents.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Shentan Liu, Yangchen Zhang, Xiaojuan Feng, Sang-Hyun Pyo
Summary: This paper summarizes the common problems of constructed wetlands (CWs) and proposes corresponding optimized solutions, including thermal insulation and additional aeration in cold climates, choosing suitable plant species and planting patterns to enhance phytoremediation in CWs, using various methods to monitor and evaluate CW clogging, implementing anti-clogging measures, controlling greenhouse gas emissions during CW treatment, constructing and utilizing CW databases, designing appropriate CW types, and implementing strict technical management and supervision.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Norzila Mohd, Nazlina Haiza Mohd Yasin, Wan Hasnidah Wan Osman, Mohd Sobri Takriff
Summary: This study demonstrates that Chlamydomonas sp. is effective in removing nutrients from palm oil mill effluent and shows particular efficiency in the removal of ammonium and phosphate.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mingzhen Zhang, Guijian Liu, Ruijia Liu, Jinzhao Xu, Wen Si, Yong Wei
Summary: Tieguanyin tea stem was used to synthesize modified biochar for the adsorption of copper and zinc. Among the modified biochar, Fe-BCs had the highest adsorption capacity, with Fe-BC650 being the best adsorbent. It reached adsorption equilibrium in 1 minute and had a maximum adsorption capacity of 303.5996 mg/g for Cu (II) and 254.0711 mg/g for Zn (II) in single-metal solutions. However, there were antagonistic impacts between Cu2+ and Zn2+.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lingling Zhao, Qiaoshu Zhou, Yun Yang, Yuan Zhang, Yewei Qiu, Yanjun Chen, Xian Jin, Xiangjun Yang, Shixiong Wang
Summary: This research presents a method for selectively recovering gold from e-waste water using metal sulfides microspheres prepared by hydrothermal technique. The results show that the assistance of visible light significantly improves the gold adsorption performance of metal sulfides. The metal sulfides exhibit excellent gold adsorption properties, high selectivity, ultra-high adsorption capacity, and good recyclability.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Laishram Saya, W. Rameshwor Singh, Sunita Hooda
Summary: Organic-inorganic nanoblends, such as polysaccharide-blended-inorganic ones, have versatile applications and have gained significant research attention. In this study, a magnetic guar gum/graphene oxide nanocomposite blended with CuO was successfully prepared and investigated for its adsorption capacity for ciprofloxacin removal. The results showed that the nanocomposite exhibited excellent adsorption capacity and the adsorption process was spontaneous.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Umit Ecer, Sakir Yilmaz
Summary: A novel and effective catalyst Co@MIL-68(Fe)@Fe3O4@CM-BC was synthesized and used for the catalytic reduction of crystal violet in aqueous environments. The catalyst showed high efficiency in degrading crystal violet under specific conditions, and exhibited good regeneration performance.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chi Zhang, Miao Zhang, Haohan Yang, Wei Cai, Jun Wu
Summary: Enhancing the bioaugmentation of common nitrifiers in the partial nitrification/anammox process can decrease the activity of nitrite oxidizing bacteria and increase the activity of anammox bacteria, leading to improved total nitrogen removal efficiency.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Runzhang Zuo, Dajun Ren, Yangfan Deng, Canhui Song, Yubin Yu, Xiejuan Lu, Feixiang Zan, Xiaohui Wu
Summary: This study found that fine bubble aeration in membrane bioreactors (MBR) can better control membrane fouling and reduce energy consumption. However, compared to fine bubble aeration, coarse bubble aeration released more proteins and polysaccharides, resulting in a decrease in functional bacteria and enzymes involved in nitrogen and phosphorus pathways.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ch Tahir Mehmood, Jiekai Dai, Hanjun Zhao, Ziyi Zhong
Summary: Wirelessly powered photocatalyst-coated spheres (WPS) have been developed and demonstrated for various applications, including photodegradation and fouling control. These WPS are cost-effective, easy to fabricate, and have excellent visible light sources, making them suitable as carriers for photocatalysts.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yifan Wang, Xiaoxuan Kang, Yuting Li, Ruyi Li, Chang Wu, Luyao Wang, Chongqing Wang, Tao Yang, Ming Ge, Zhangxing He
Summary: Cobalt/carbon nanofibers (Co/CNF) were prepared and exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the degradation of tetracycline by activating peroxodisulfate (PDS). The effects of process parameters on tetracycline removal were studied, and the reaction mechanism was confirmed through experiments.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ting Wei, Yaqian Zhao, Jia Guo, Bin Ji, Alvaro Pun Garcia, Abraham Esteve Nunez
Summary: This study developed a novel lightweight substrate (Al-NLS) composed of aluminum sludge and polyurethane, and investigated its effectiveness in constructed wetlands (CWs). Results showed that Al-NLS had favorable adsorption capacities for phosphorus and removal efficiencies for pollutants in real domestic wastewater. It also positively influenced the microbial community. Therefore, Al-NLS can be considered as a new alternative substrate in CWs technology.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dabojani Das, Achinta Bordoloi, Heyang Yuan, Daniel J. Caldwell, Rominder P. S. Suri
Summary: This study evaluates the degradation kinetics of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in water matrices by ozone treatment. The results show that extracellular antibiotic resistance genes can be effectively removed, while intracellular genes are more resistant to degradation. The impact of wastewater matrix on gene degradation is minimal.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2024)
