Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Behrouz Abolpour, Sahar Sheibani, Amir Eskandari
Summary: This study focuses on the optimal conditions of zeolite filtration for controlling water salinity used for watering green areas. By using regression analysis, time series analysis, and fuzzy inference system, models were developed to simulate the removal of COD concentration.
Article
Environmental Sciences
George Tchobanoglous, John Kenny, Harold Leverenz, Adam Oliveri
Summary: Reducing the number of pathogens is crucial in wastewater treatment for potable reuse. California has proposed log reduction values for different pathogens in the overall treatment process. This paper illustrates how to determine pathogen log reduction values using monitoring data and analysis methods.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dan Cao, Weihong Chen, Yuping Xiang, Qianfen Mi, Hang Liu, PengYu Feng, Hong Shen, Cheng Zhang, Yongmin Wang, Dingyong Wang
Summary: Limited information is available about the bio-methylation of inorganic mercury (iHg) under aerobic conditions. In this study, two gamma-proteobacteria strains obtained from the soil of The Three Gorges Reservoir demonstrated effective aerobic transformation capacities of iHg into methylmercury (MeHg). The two strains differed significantly in bacterial growth rate and MeHg production, with MeHg production showing a two-staged process dominated by biomethylation and bio-demethylation.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Richard P. Taylor, Clifford L. W. Jones, Richard K. Laubscher
Summary: There is potential to anaerobically digest sludge and algal biomass from brewery effluent treatment processes to produce methane. The study evaluated the use of waste biomasses for methane production and recommended operating anaerobic digesters at specific feeding rates. Algal-fed digesters showed higher methane content and lower carbon dioxide content compared to waste activated sludge-fed digesters, making it a promising substrate for biogas production.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Adriana Paulo de Sousa Oliveira, Paula Assemany, Lidiane Covell, Gabriella Peterlini Tavares, Maria Lucia Calijuri
Summary: Despite being socially and economically important, swine farming produces wastewater with high concentrations of trace metals, posing a pollution risk. Microalgae can be used to effectively treat this wastewater and produce valuable biomass. This study investigated the effects of different zinc concentrations on the performance of high-rate algal ponds using microalgae. The results showed that high zinc concentrations inhibited nitrification but enhanced the removal of soluble phosphorus. Zinc also increased the chemical oxygen demand and had a significant contribution to biomass growth and zinc removal. The biochemical composition of the biomass was minimally affected by zinc.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthew Baker, Sam Blackman, Erin Cooper, Kevin Smartt, David Walser, Megan Boland, Praveen Kolar, Ashley E. Beck, Mari S. Chinn
Summary: This study explores the feasibility of cultivating Spirulina platensis in swine effluent for waste treatment and value-added fermentation. Results show a positive correlation between Spirulina growth rate and Zarrouk medium proportion, suggesting potential for improving anaerobic digestion systems. Further testing is needed to investigate carbon availability, chemical inhibition, and nutrient reduction in anaerobically digested pig effluent.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marcos von Sperling, Scott D. Wallace, Jaime Nivala
Summary: Longitudinal profiles of concentrations provide more accurate estimation of removal rate coefficients in horizontal flow wetlands compared to using influent and effluent concentrations, which may result in underestimation of the actual removal efficiency.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Rodrigo A. Labatut, James W. Morris, Curt A. Gooch
Summary: This study presents three methods for estimating the mass-flow difference in anaerobic co-digestion systems, based on widely accepted principles. The results show that a simplified input-based method is consistent with real-time data for predicting influent mass flow loss. The reduction in effluent flow is around 3% for systems adding off-site wastes at 30% or less of the total influent volatile solids.
APPLIED ENGINEERING IN AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tsung-Hsien Huang, Fang-Tsen Tung, Guan-Fu Chen, Wei-Hsiang Chen
Summary: This study successfully initiated the process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) by extending the reaction-phase time in a sequencing batch reactor. High removal efficiencies of NH4+ and NO2- were achieved, and the presence of anammox was supported by stoichiometry, bacterial diversity variation, and principal component analysis.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Paul H. Fallgren, Liang Chen, Min Peng, Michael A. Urynowicz, Song Jin
Summary: Microbially digested coal preparation waste can be transformed into an organic soil amendment to increase soil organic matter content and enhance plant growth, providing a viable alternative for beneficial use of coal preparation solid waste.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Matthew E. Verbyla, Lucas Vassalle, Alcino Trindade Rosa-Machado, Fei Zhao, Anais Gaunin, Cesar Rossas Mota
Summary: The study evaluated the removal of bacteria and viruses in a UASB-HRAP system, finding an overall removal rate of 2.06-log. Results demonstrate the suitability of UASB-HRAP systems to reduce viral and bacterial indicators from domestic sewage, emphasizing the importance of adequately treating sludge for pathogen reduction.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alexis L. Mraz, Innocent K. Tumwebaze, Shane R. McLoughlin, Megan E. McCarthy, Matthew E. Verbyla, Nynke Hofstra, Joan B. Rose, Heather M. Murphy
Summary: The commentary emphasizes the importance of considering pathogens rather than relying solely on indicator organisms for decision-making in water and sanitation. They use quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to illustrate the higher risk of infection when considering pathogens compared to indicator species data in scenarios such as chlorination of drinking water and land application of latrine waste. This highlights the inadequacy of relying solely on indicators when aiming to achieve the targets of safely managed water and sanitation services under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mounah Abdel-Samad, Jerel P. Calzo, Jennifer K. Felner, Lianne Urada, Matthew E. Verbyla, Hala Madanat, Brian E. Adams, Thais Alves, Bruce Appleyard, Joshua Chanin, Shawn Flanigan, Hisham Foad, Maya Ginsberg, Matthew Higgins, Eunjeong Ko, Kristen Maher, Natalie Mladenov, Peggy Peattie, Megan Welsh, David Sleet
Summary: This paper outlines a novel, interdisciplinary academic-practice partnership model to address homelessness in Southern California, drawing from a collective impact model to coordinate discipline-specific approaches and establish shared goals and progress indicators to foster synergy and sustainability of efforts.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Daniel A. Okaali, Carolien Kroeze, Gertjan Medema, Peter Burek, Heather Murphy, Innocent K. Tumwebaze, Joan B. Rose, Matthew E. Verbyla, Sowed Sewagudde, Nynke Hofstra
Summary: This study investigates the impact of fecal pathogens on surface water sanitation, considering factors such as future population growth, urbanization, and climate change, providing a model for simulating rotavirus river inputs and concentrations in Uganda. The results indicate that urban sanitation conditions are a key factor influencing rotavirus concentrations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jose S. Calderon, Matthew E. Verbyla, Mia Gil, Federick Pinongcos, Alicia M. Kinoshita, Natalie Mladenov
Summary: This study evaluated the persistence and decay of different microbial indicators in contaminated riverbank soils. The findings showed that microbial indicators could still be detected in flush water months after contamination, with PMMoV persisting the longest and E. coli degrading the most rapidly. The study also highlighted the importance of using multiple human-associated fecal indicators to distinguish pollution from different microbial groups in water bodies.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Matthew E. Verbyla, Lucas Vassalle, Cintia Leal, Deborah Leroy-Freitas, Elayne Machado, Luyara Fernandes, Alcino Trindade Rosa-Machado, Juliana Calabria, Carlos Chernicharo, Cesar Rossas Mota Filho
Summary: The study highlights the importance of investigating removal and partitioning of waterborne viruses in wastewater treatment systems. Results show that viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and HAdV exhibit affinity for solids, with a significant portion remaining in sludge. The system effectively removes organic matter and ammoniacal nitrogen, but additional tertiary treatment is necessary for further pathogen reduction.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Warish Ahmed, Aaron Bivins, Suzanne Metcalfe, Wendy J. M. Smith, Matthew E. Verbyla, Erin M. Symonds, Stuart L. Simpson
Summary: Effective wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA requires rigorous characterization of the process limit of detection (PLOD). This study aimed to estimate the PLOD resulting from primary concentration and extraction with six SARS-CoV-2 assays, finding that US CDC N1 RT-dPCR and RT-qPCR assays had the lowest ALODs and PLODs. However, detection rates decreased at lower seeding levels, suggesting the need for additional replicates to improve positive detection rates in wastewater surveillance.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
E. Christian Wells, Abby M. Vidmar, W. Alex Webb, Alesia C. Ferguson, Matthew E. Verbyla, Francis L. de los Reyes, Qiong Zhang, James R. Mihelcic
Summary: Over the past decades, the water and sanitation infrastructure in the United States has been aging and deteriorating, resulting in unequal access for low-income and minority communities. These communities often face exclusion and lack basic services due to racial and economic factors. Future investment in water and sanitation should prioritize these communities and interventions need to be culturally sensitive to address the challenges they face.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marcos von Sperling, Scott D. Wallace, Jaime Nivala
Summary: Longitudinal profiles of concentrations provide more accurate estimation of removal rate coefficients in horizontal flow wetlands compared to using influent and effluent concentrations, which may result in underestimation of the actual removal efficiency.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Matthew E. Verbyla, Vanessa Vernaza-Hernandez, Allan Feldman
Summary: This study assessed the impact of international research experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Europe on the development of global competency for STEM graduate students from the United States. The results showed that both placements led to increased intercultural abilities, but students who traveled to LAC had higher abilities before the trip and experienced smaller gains compared to those who went to Europe. Efforts should be made to eliminate barriers to understanding communication styles in host communities.
JOURNAL OF STUDIES IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Isaac G. Musaazi, Shane McLoughlin, Heather M. Murphy, Joan B. Rose, Nynke Hofstra, Innocent K. Tumwebaze, Matthew E. Verbyla
Summary: The safe management of fecal sludge can greatly reduce global infectious disease burden, but there is limited knowledge on the factors affecting pathogen survival in different types of onsite toilets. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis revealed significant differences in pathogen reduction rates based on pH, temperature, moisture content, and the use of additives. Higher pH values, temperatures, and the application of lime predicted greater pathogen reduction, but the effectiveness varied for different types of pathogens. Storage for 6 months adequately controlled hazards from bacteria and viruses, but longer storage times and alkaline treatment with urea were needed for protozoa and helminths.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Fei Zhao, Anais Gaunin, Matthew E. Verbyla
Summary: This study found that T7 bacteriophage did not develop increased resistance after repeated exposures to free chlorine, but it did develop increased resistance to thermal treatment at 60 degrees C. This suggests that different bacteriophages have different resistance capabilities in different treatment processes, and caution is needed when choosing appropriate indicators or surrogates.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Federick Pinongcos, Natalie Mladenov, Jose Calderon, Matthew E. Verbyla, Alicia M. Kinoshita, Richard Gersberg, Christine M. Batikian
Summary: Water quality benchmarks for fecal indicator bacteria are often exceeded in urban streams in southern California. Temporal trends in biological and chemical markers were evaluated in the San Diego River, indicating that untreated wastewater flushed from the vadose zone was the main source of microbial pollution, while open defecation near homeless encampments was not a major source. The combined use of caffeine/sucralose ratios and HF183 and PMMoV shows promise for identifying sewage inputs to surface waters.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alma Y. Rocha, Matthew E. Verbyla, Karilyn E. Sant, Natalie Mladenov
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased global interest in wastewater surveillance. This study developed a simplified surveillance system to monitor the flow rates and concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the Tijuana River. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in upstream samples, but not in downstream samples.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lupita D. Montoya, Lorelay M. Mendoza, Christine Prouty, Maya Trotz, Matthew E. Verbyla
Summary: Communities of color face disproportionate burdens in environmental pollution and policy influence, while minority students and faculty are underrepresented in the field of environmental engineering in the United States. Recommendations from a workshop at the 2019 AEESP Conference emphasized the importance of adopting a broader definition of research impact and supporting community-based participatory research methods to promote diversity and inclusion in academia. Workshop discussions highlighted potential causal relationships between academic skills, community skills, mutual trust, and shared knowledge in the co-creation of research.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2021)
