Article
Agricultural Engineering
Pengfei Wan, Ying Liu, Quandi Zhang, Li Jiang, Heping Chen, Wenzhou Lv
Summary: Candida Tropicalis was used to improve the dewaterability of activated sludge (AS) by degrading EPS in AS, resulting in a decrease in protein, polysaccharide, and hydrophilic amino acids in EPS. The yeast degraded macromolecular organics into smaller molecular ones and direct addition of yeast to AS was more effective in EPS degradation. Addition of 0.75 g/L of wet yeast cells and 24 h of aeration enhanced the dewaterability of AS with a reduction in CST and MLSS. After 30 days of operation, lab-scale continuous SBRs reduced CST and MLSS of AS. FTIR spectroscopy showed a decrease in hydrophilic functional groups. This study presents a new approach for in-situ reduction of AS in wastewater treatment plants.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guanjun Wang, Dongdong Ge, Lu Bai, Yanting Dong, Chang Bian, Jiajia Xu, Nanwen Zhu, Haiping Yuan
Summary: This study investigated the effects of electrolysis-activated persulfate oxidation on improving sludge dewaterability, achieving a significant reduction in capillary suction time and water content of dewatered sludge cake. The enhancement of sludge dewaterability was closely associated with changes in floc size, zeta potential, protein content, and viscosity, providing new insight for enhancing sludge dewaterability in sludge treatment.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yang Liu, Fang Yang, Siwan Liu, Xinpeng Zhang, Ming Li
Summary: Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and extracellular persistent free radicals (PFRs) play important roles in microalgal adaptation to the external environment and aggregate formation. The molecular characteristics of EPS and PFRs in various microalgal species were analyzed, revealing that lignin accounted for the highest proportion of EPS for Cyanophyta and the proportion of lipids was higher for Bacillariophyta. PFRs were detected on the cell surfaces of all microalgae species (excluding Cyclotella sp.), and the intensity of carbon-centered PFRs was correlated with the proportions of humic-like component and lignin.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Zhetai Hu, Weiwei Li, Haoran Duan, Xin Huang, Jia Meng, Liangzhen Yang, Min Zheng
Summary: This study proposed an integrated approach to efficiently recover phosphorus (P) as vivianite from waste activated sludge (WAS) and simultaneously enhance sludge dewaterability. Acidification and Fe3+ reduction were conducted to convert Fe and P from solid phase to liquid phase. Acid-elutriation technology was then introduced to enhance liquor-solid separation. Finally, vivianite was obtained via sludge eluate neutralization. The enhanced sludge dewaterability not only increases the recovery efficiency of Fe and P but also decreases the cost of sludge disposal.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shuaishuai Li, Yuling Liu, Chuanchuan Dou, Ruihao Sun
Summary: This study explores the pretreatment of sludge using thermally activated sodium persulfate-biochar skeleton to improve its dewaterability. It demonstrates that under optimal conditions, the water content of waste activated sludge can be significantly reduced while capillary suction time and specific resistance to filtration are improved. The study proposes a relationship between organic matter migration and sludge physical structure and elucidates the mechanism behind the improvement in dewaterability.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gang Wang, Quancheng Shu, Yuliang Zhu, Yucan Liu, Xiaoyong Yang, Daishun Wu, Hongwei Sun
Summary: This study systematically investigated the efficiency and mechanism of thermally activated persulfate (TAP) oxidation technology in improving the dewatering performance of surplus activated sludge. The results showed that the TAP treatment significantly increased the filterability and decreased the particle size of the sludge. Additionally, it facilitated the disintegration of sludge and conversion of certain EPS components. The findings of this study provide insights into the mechanism of TAP process in enhancing sludge dewatering performance.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jialin Liang, Zexing Tan, Lei Zhang, Chengjian Li, Zhihua Mo, Maoyou Ye, Jing Ai, Shaosong Huang, Shuiyu Sun, Hui Liu
Summary: Efficient dewatering of sewage sludge is achieved using the combination process of chalcopyrite and sodium percarbonate (SPC). This process effectively weakens the water-holding capacity and hydrophilicity of sludge, leading to improved sludge-water separation. The chalcopyrite + SPC system generates reactive oxygen species that degrade the macromolecular extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), reduce water-holding affinity, and enhance self-flocculation and flowability. This system can be considered as an economically advantageous and environmentally friendly alternative to Fenton/Fenton-like strategies for sludge dewaterability.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dennys Leyva, Muhammad Usman Tariq, Rudolf Jaffe, Fahad Saeed, Francisco Fernandez-Lima
Summary: Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) is a significant component of the global carbon cycle. This study used high-resolution mobility and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance tandem mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS/MS) to compare four solid phase extracted (SPE) DOM samples from three freshwater ecosystems. Comparison of structural families revealed dissimilarities in the structural footprint of the samples. Inclusion of isomeric content in the structural family description suggested additional transformation pathways and/or source variations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tingting Xiao, Hui Wang, Xiankai Wang, Haibin Wu, Shijie Yuan, Xiaohu Dai, Bin Dong
Summary: By using heated modification drinking water sludge (HDWS) as a conditioner to enhance the dewaterability of waste activated sludge (WAS) through its properties, the collaborative disposal of drinking water sludge (DWS) and waste activated sludge (WAS) can be achieved. The mechanism of HDWS+O-3 enhanced WAS dewaterability was explained through pyridine-infrared analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The discovery of HDWS+O-3 applied to effectively enhance WAS dewaterability provides an inspiring perspective on the emerging DWS and WAS co-processing disposition.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pan Hu, Shaohang Shen, Hu Yang
Summary: This study investigated the sludge dewatering performance of two series of binary graft cationic starch-based flocculants with different hydrophilicity and charge density. With increased charge density and moderate hydrophobicity, the dewaterability of sludge was found to improve, resulting in lower filter cake moisture content and resistance to filtration. The structure-activity relationship of these flocculants was evaluated quantitatively using a second-order polynomial model.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Charlotte Mase, Julien F. Maillard, Marco Piparo, Lukas Friederici, Christopher P. Rueger, Sabrina Marceau, Benoit Paupy, Marie Hubert-Roux, Carlos Afonso, Pierre Giusti
Summary: Pyrolysis is a promising method for converting plastic waste into valuable resources, but undesirable species generated during this process pose challenges for downstream upgrading. Advanced analytical instrumentation is needed to accurately and completely characterize the high molecular diversity found in these samples. The combination of gas chromatography with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, using different dopants for selective ionization, allows for better characterization of the complex organic mixtures in plastic pyrolysis oil.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jing Ai, Zhiyue Wang, Dionysios D. Dionysiou, Ming Liu, Yun Deng, Mingyue Tang, Guiying Liao, Aibin Hu, Weijun Zhang
Summary: The study utilized Fe(II)-sulfite oxidation and polyacrylamide flocculation (F/S-PAM) treatment to remove the bound water in waste activated sludge and improve sludge dewaterability. The radicals generated by F/S could decompose EPS, releasing bound water, while PAM caused re-flocculation of disintegrated sludge flocs, enhancing sludge filterability.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenbo Yu, Yanlei Wan, Yu Wang, Yuwei Zhu, Shuangyi Tao, Qi Xu, Keke Xiao, Sha Liang, Bingchuan Liu, Huijie Hou, Jingping Hu, Jiakuan Yang
Summary: The study showed that the addition of trivalent cations and Fenton's reagent can improve sludge dewaterability by reducing the energy barrier and repulsive force between sludge flocs, converting hydrophilic surfaces to hydrophobic, and decreasing the Lewis acid-base interaction energy of sludge flocs.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bingliang Zhang, Zhuoyao Fang, Shu Wang, Xifeng Shi, Bo Guo, Jie Gao, Dandan Wang, Wansong Zong
Summary: This study used FT-ICR-MS to investigate the impact of bromide on the overall molecular transformation of dissolved effluent organic matter (dEfOM) and the formation of unknown halogenated byproducts (X-BPs) during different oxidation processes. The presence of additional bromide led to a slight decrease in dEfOM oxygenation and a slight increase in the number of unknown brominated byproducts (BrBPs) in various oxidation processes, with the largest increment observed in the UV/Cl process. The study also found that the additional bromide did not significantly increase the concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) in most treatments, except for a significant decrease during UV/Cl treatment.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shuyu Ruan, Jing Deng, Anhong Cai, Shengnan Chen, Yongqing Cheng, Jun Li, Qingsong Li, Xueyan Li
Summary: The study utilized the thermally-activated sodium persulfate process to improve the dewaterability of waste activated sludge, where SPS decomposition at mild temperature generated radicals that oxidized EPS and facilitated solid-liquid separation, enhancing sludge dehydration.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Xiaoli Chai, Youcai Zhao, Xiaohu Dai
FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Kun Zhou, Yunpeng He, Xiaoli Chai, Xiaohu Dai
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Shilai Hao, Younjeong Choi, Christopher P. Higgins, Rula Deeb, Timothy J. Strathmann
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Fan Wu, Dongjie Niu, Shijin Dai, Boran Wu
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaoli Chai
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Boran Wu, Stephanie M. Berg, Christina K. Remucal, Timothy J. Strathmann
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Hao Wang, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaoli Chai
Summary: This study investigated the impact of removing EPS-complexed cations on the spatial distribution of EPS and its influence on particle size distribution, fractal dimension, interfacial free energy, and water occurrence states of WAS. The results confirmed that dispersed EPS adhering layers led to higher fractal dimension but lower space filling degree of bio-flocs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kun Zhou, Boran Wu, Xiaoli Chai, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: PVA/SA-CFZ is a novel absorbent developed by encapsulating nanostructured hydrated ferric-zirconium binary oxide and clinoptilolite in a cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/sodium alginate (SA) matrix. It demonstrates excellent adsorption performance for nitrogen and phosphorus removal over a wide pH range, making it suitable for advanced wastewater treatment applications.
ARABIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Hao Wang, Yunbin He, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaoli Chai
Summary: The cell membrane structure has a significant influence on the dewatering performance of waste-activated sludge, but there is still debate on the optimal extent of cell lysis. This study used non-chemical methods such as sonication, cyclic freezing-thawing, and DMSO amendment to lyse microbial cells and found that the extent of cell lysis had limited impact on the water occurrence states of the sludge.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Hao Wang, Jun Wei, Hewei Li, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaoli Chai
Summary: This study proposed a process for enhancing sludge dewatering through regulating liquid polarity. The decrease of liquid dielectric constant below 50 was found to significantly improve solid-liquid separation performance. The recovery of liquid amendment (acetonitrile) from filtered sludge cake was achieved at a lower energy consumption compared to water evaporation by sludge drying. The addition of NaCl with saturated concentration could non-thermally recover acetonitrile amendment from the filtrate. Moreover, the mechanism of liquid polarity regulation for enhanced dewatering was investigated, revealing the reduction of solid-liquid interfacial free energy and the phase-transfer of amphiphilic proteins.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Boran Wu, Hewei Li, Kun Zhou, Xiaoli Chai, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: This study developed a novel dewatering process using phosphate to improve sludge dewaterability and balance NH4+-N and PO43--P ratios, facilitating the recovery of N/P as struvite. Organic-phosphate interactions led to dense water-repelling sludge flocs with increased rigidity, contributing to improved centrifugal dewatering performance.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hewei Li, Chunjiang Li, Kun Zhou, Wei Ye, Yufei Lu, Xiaoli Chai, Xiaohu Dai, Boran Wu
Summary: Due to the complex compositions and origins of waste-activated sludge (WAS), the physiochemical properties of sludge affect its dewaterability and there is a complex interaction between these properties, making it difficult to identify the controlling factors on sludge dewaterability. This study proposes the use of an artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the dewatering performance of WAS under different conditioning schemes based on multiple physiochemical properties and conditioning operation parameters. The established ANN model shows satisfactory stability and accuracy, providing valuable insights for improving the operation of sludge dewatering processes.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boran Wu, Hewei Li, Kun Zhou, Ningrui Yu, Qinqin Xu, Xiaoli Chai, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: This study aims to improve the dewaterability of waste-activated sludge (WAS) by using crystallization to drive the evolution of water occurrence states. The formation of CO2 hydrate in WAS was found to significantly enhance its dewatering performance. Additionally, the dissociation of hydrates could be used to recycle CO2 gas and reduce chemical consumption in the dewatering process. The research also revealed that the crystallization of water led to changes in the water occurrence state, resulting in improved water-solid separation. These findings provide a novel strategy for enhancing the dewatering performance of waste-activated sludge and increasing its environmental friendliness.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jianguo Li, Boran Wu, Tao Zhou, Xiaoli Chai
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2018)
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.