Review
Environmental Sciences
Fangrui Cai, Lirong Lei, Youming Li, Yuancai Chen
Summary: In recent years, the innovative biotechnology aerobic granular sludge (AGS) has shown significant potential in effectively treating recalcitrant wastewater due to its high biomass retention, resistance to toxicity, and layered structure. This review analyzes the structure of AGS and its applications in treating recalcitrant industrial effluents, highlighting the potential for biodegradation of refractory organics. Combining AGS with chemical pre-treatments or membrane bioreactors may offer economically feasible and promising alternatives for wastewater treatment.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cuicui Zhu, Haining Huang, Yinguang Chen
Summary: This review focuses on recent advances in biological treatment systems for the removal of nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) from wastewater. Factors affecting biodegradation and methods to enhance removal efficiency are discussed. Sequential anaerobic-aerobic biological treatment systems are considered to perform better in mineralizing NACs and removing co-pollutants.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jingjing Zheng, Miao Hu, Liang Zhu
Summary: AGS demonstrates high removal efficiencies for E2 and EE2, with biodegradation being the dominant mechanism for E2 removal, while EE2 is removed mainly through adsorption. The active adsorption sites on AGS play a key role in the removal process of EDCs.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jinchi Yao, Wei Li, Dong Ou, Lei Lei, Muhammad Asif, Yongdi Liu
Summary: The presence of sulfate in hypersaline wastewater enhanced the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand and total nitrogen, while reducing the accumulation of nitrite. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that Denitromonas and Xanthomarina were the dominant genera in AGS response to mixed salts containing high sulfate.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xiufang Zhang, Yongqiang Liu, Jun Li, Zhuo Wei, Wenyan Duan, Fangyuan Chen
Summary: This study investigates the use of sludge biochar as a bio-carrier to enhance aerobic granular sludge. The findings show that sludge biochar can speed up granule formation, improve denitrification performance, and enhance the long-term stability of aerobic granules.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Zejiao Li, Jixiang Wang, Xingyu Chen, Zhongfang Lei, Tian Yuan, Kazuya Shimizu, Zhenya Zhang, Duu-Jong Lee
Summary: This study found that aerobic phosphorus removal in the algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (AGS)-based wastewater treatment system is mainly controlled by macropore and micropore diffusion. The increase in light intensity promotes microalgae metabolism and leads to an increase in wastewater pH. The pH increase has a strong negative correlation with phosphorus uptake by polyphosphate-accumulating organisms and promotes chemical precipitation at a specific calcium to phosphorus ratio.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Benjamin J. Thwaites, Richard Stuetz, Michael Short, Petra Reeve, Juan-Pablo Alvarez-Gaitan, Nirmala Dinesh, Renae Philips, Ben van den Akker
Summary: This study found that under low loading rates, the N2O emission factors from AGS and CAS were similar, but with an increase in organic loading rates, AGS emitted more N2O compared to CAS. This difference may be attributed to the feeding strategy used for AGS formation. The feeding plus aeration operation employed by the CAS system enabled a more even biomass ammonium loading rate and DO supply, reducing N2O emissions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Chunli Wan, Liya Fu, Zhengwen Li, Xiang Liu, Lin Lin, Changyong Wu
Summary: This paper comprehensively reviews the research on AGS over the past two decades, including culture conditions, granulation mechanisms, metabolic and structural stability, storage, and diverse applications.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joao F. Silva, Joao R. Silva, Andreia D. D. Santos, Carolina Vicente, Jan Dries, Luis M. M. Castro
Summary: The authors conducted a study on treating synthetic dairy wastewater using aerobic granular sludge (AGS) in a laboratory-scale continuous flow reactor (CFR) system. The system consisted of an anaerobic reactor, an aerobic reactor, and a settling sedimentation tank, with different hydraulic retention times tested over a 90-day period. The study showed that the AGS system achieved excellent removal rates for chemical oxygen demand and total carbon, exceeding 90%. The effluent met Portuguese laws for direct release into the water environment, making it a viable treatment alternative.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sadiye Kosar, Onur Isik, Busra Cicekalan, Hazal Gulhan, Seyma Cingoz, Mustafa Yoruk, Hale Ozgun, Ismail Koyuncu, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Mustafa Evren Ersahin
Summary: Achieving a neutral/positive energy balance without compromising discharge standards is a key goal in wastewater treatment plants. This study explores the coupling of high-rate activated sludge (HRAS) process with aerobic granular sludge (AGS) process as an energy-efficient pre-treatment option. The results show that feeding the AGS process with a mixture of HRAS process effluent and raw municipal wastewater can increase energy recovery potential and maintain high effluent quality.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaochun Wang, Ji Li, Xiaolei Zhang, Zhonglin Chen, Jimin Shen, Jing Kang
Summary: The AGS technology has great potential in efficiently removing OTC from wastewater in an environmentally friendly manner by combining adsorption and biodegradation mechanisms. The adsorption behavior of AGS is affected by MLSS concentration, with better adsorption effects observed at 10 g/L MLSS. Additionally, AGS demonstrates outstanding biodegradation abilities towards OTC, with a degradation ratio of 77%.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sachin Kumar Tomar, Rajneesh Kumar, Saswati Chakraborty
Summary: The research investigated the potential of aerobic granular sludge to concurrently biodegrade two nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds and other pollutants. Pyridine showed minimal adverse effects on granular characteristics at high concentrations, while indole had a substantial negative impact. This study provides an experimental treatment method for wastewater containing multiple contaminants.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaochun Wang, Ji Li, Xiaolei Zhang, Zhonglin Chen, Jimin Shen, Jing Kang
Summary: The study investigated the impact of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the performance of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) treating swine wastewater in sequencing batch reactors (SBR). Results showed that decreasing HRT from 16 to 8 h improved sedimentation performance and biomass concentration, but further reduction to 4.8 h led to worse AGS performance. AGS process with 8 h HRT exhibited high pollutant removal efficiency and stable microbial community structure.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Qinghong Wang, Jiawen Kong, Jiahao Liang, Mohamed Gamal El-Din, Peng Zhao, Wenyu Xie, Chunmao Chen
Summary: The bioaugmentation potential of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was explored for improved nitrogen removal in petroleum wastewater treatment. A highly efficient heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) bacterial consortium was constructed and used to bioaugment the AGS, resulting in enhanced nitrogen removal. The addition of the immobilized consortium facilitated the formation of larger AGS particles and increased the gene abundance related to heterotrophic nitrification.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
P. Carrera, T. Casero-Diaz, C. M. Castro-Barros, R. Mendez, A. Val del Rio, A. Mosquera-Corral
Summary: The composition of wastewater plays a crucial role in selecting granule-forming organisms. The COD/N ratio of the influent can affect the granulation process and lead to different outcomes. The reactor showed efficient removal of COD and N, as well as robustness against production stops.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
K. Rajitha, G. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: This study found that the 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid and its ethanol formulation have high efficacy and potential for killing and removing bacteria from different environmental surfaces. The concentration of the ionic liquid affects its surface disinfection efficacy, and the ethanol formulation enhances its antibacterial and surface disinfection activities.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Sarvajith, Y. Nancharaiah
Summary: The study shows that AC addition can accelerate AGS formation and establishment of BNR, reducing start-up periods. Under different carbon substrate conditions, AC addition helps in granule formation and improves nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency in aerobic granular SBRs.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Y. Nancharaiah, M. Sarvajith
Summary: The study showed that aerobic granular sludge (AGS) can efficiently remove selenite and tellurite, as well as COD, nitrogen, and phosphorus simultaneously. It also demonstrated that AGS can effectively remove ammonia, total nitrogen, and phosphorus stably in the presence of toxic Se-IV and Te-IV concentrations.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Sarvajith, Y. Nancharaiah
Summary: This study found that the addition of GAC to AGS reactors can promote the enrichment of PAOs, shorten the start-up period for EBPR, and increase phosphorus removal efficiencies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. Nivedhita, P. Shyni Jasmin, M. Sarvajith, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: The formation, performance, and microbial community structure of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) were investigated in the presence and absence of oxytetracycline (OTC). The results showed that the addition of OTC promoted the formation of well-settling AGS, but decreased the removal rates of nitrogen and phosphorus. This study is important for understanding the impact of antibiotics on AGS and designing treatment methods for antibiotic-laden wastewaters.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Sarvajith, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: The study found that de novo granulation of sewage-borne microorganisms can rapidly form AGS and achieve efficient removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in sewage treatment plants.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
G. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Snigdha Pathak, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: This study reports the bacterial reduction of Se(IV)/Te(IV) oxyanions at different salinities by a bacterial strain isolated from selenite-reducing halophilic aerobic granular sludge. The strain showed high tolerance and rapid growth in the presence of high concentrations of selenite and tellurite. Biogenesis of Se(0) and Te(0) nanostructures was confirmed, and the bacterial strain was identified as Alteromonas sp. based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
G. Sudharsan, M. Sarvajith, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: Microbial transformations are important for the Se cycle, as they convert Se oxyanions into elemental selenium (Se-0) nanostructures, reducing their solubility and toxicity. Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) has been studied for its ability to efficiently reduce selenite to biogenic Se-0 (Bio-Se-0) and retain it in bioreactors. In this study, selenite removal and Bio-Se-0 biogenesis in different size groups of aerobic granules were investigated. Large granules (>= 0.5 mm) showed rapid and efficient selenite reduction and Bio-Se-0 formation due to better entrapment capabilities. SEM-EDX analysis confirmed the formation of Se-0 spheres and their association with the granules. A bacterial strain, identified as Microbacterium azadirachtae, was found to efficiently reduce selenite under aerobic conditions and immobilize the resulting Bio-Se-0. The findings suggest the potential use of large AGS and AGS-borne bacteria in bioremediation of metal(loid) oxyanions and bio-recovery.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Y. V. Nancharaiah, M. Sarvajith, T. V. Krishna Mohan
Summary: Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is an innovative biotechnology for wastewater treatment. Addition of nucleating agents can improve AGS development while treating low-strength wastewaters. This study investigated AGS formation and biological nutrient removal (BNR) pathways in the presence of nucleating agents during treatment of real domestic wastewater.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
M. Sarvajith, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: Treatment and safe disposal of excess microbial sludge in wastewater treatment plants is challenging due to pathogens, economic and regulatory issues. This study explored the recovery of biopolymers from different biological treatment systems and found that alginate-like exopolymer (ALE) was the dominant biopolymer in all systems. ALE extraction significantly reduced biosolids content and mitigated sludge management challenges, pathogen spread, and improved resource recovery in wastewater treatment plants.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Ali, Yogesh Singh, Luca Fortunato, Zahid Ur Rehman, Sarvajith Manjunath, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Mario Pronk, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Pascal E. Saikaly
Summary: A pilot-scale wastewater treatment process integrating aerobic granular sludge with a gravity-driven membrane system showed superior performance compared to a conventional aerobic MBR system. This novel process is a promising solution for decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse in water-scarce regions. It demonstrated superior nutrient removal and stable operation without the need for frequent cleaning.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Y. V. Nancharaiah, M. Sarvajith
Summary: Variations in temperature can significantly impact the activity of microorganisms and the performance of wastewater treatment. Lower temperatures lead to decreased removal rates of ammonia, total inorganic nitrogen, and phosphorus. Gradually decreasing the temperature can help avoid inhibition of biological nutrient removal pathways, but it also affects the composition of the sludge, which warrants further long-term studies.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
G. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Alwar Ramanujam Padmavathi, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: This article discusses the increasing incidence of fungal infections, the problem of antifungal drug resistance, and the development of novel drugs and approaches to fight against fungal infections.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
M. Sarvajith, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: This study investigated the metabolic potential of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) for simultaneous removal of tellurite, COD, ammonium-nitrogen and phosphorus. The results showed that AGS could efficiently convert tellurite to biogenic elemental tellurium and had good pollutant removal and metal immobilization capabilities. The findings have important implications for metal-laden waste management and metal recovery applications.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
M. Sarvajith, Y. V. Nancharaiah
Summary: This study demonstrated an efficient selenium oxyanion removal process using aerobic granular sludge (AGS) to convert soluble selenite and selenate to biomass-associated selenium. The AGS process showed superior removal efficiencies for SeIV/VI oxyanions, COD, ammonia, and total nitrogen compared to activated sludge, making it a promising solution for treating selenium-contaminated wastewaters.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shaofeng Zhou, Wenwen An, Cuifen Gan, Meiying Xu
Summary: Bacteria generate and release extracellular reactive oxygen species (eROS), which significantly contribute to the natural ROS pool and play a crucial role in metabolic interactions of bacteria with their environment. Understanding the behavior of eROS-generating bacteria and its environmental implications is of great importance in the cycling of biogeochemical elements, transformation of organic matter, and regulation of antibiotic resistance genes.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ji-Dong Gu, Tim Ford, Bryce Mitton, Ralph Mitchell
Summary: Plastics and microplastics are widely present and accumulating in the environment, leading to increasing public attention. In addition to packaging plastics, materials from industries such as electronics, space and aviation are also accumulating, but receiving less attention. The production of degradable and biodegradable plastics is seen as a way to reduce environmental impacts, but enhancing the non-degradability of functional polymers is also a feasible option. Microbial colonization and deterioration pose significant challenges to these materials.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Justyna Bohacz, Michal Mozejko
Summary: This study evaluated the keratinolytic activity of 37 strains of Trichophyton ajelloi and found that pigmented strains isolated from loamy soil were more efficient in degrading native feather keratin, while non-pigmented strains isolated from chernozem showed better abilities. The keratinolytic activity increased over time, as evidenced by the increase in extracellular keratinase activity and release of soluble proteins and peptides. Protease activity peaked in the first 7 days and again on day 28 of culture. The release of ammonium and sulfate ions, associated with an increase in pH, reached its maximum on day 21. Three pigment-producing strains were among the most active in releasing large amounts of ammonium and sulfate ions. The biodegradation of feather waste by Trichophyton ajelloi strains can be used to produce fertilizers suitable for plants with high sulfur requirements.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joseph M. Suflita, Brenda J. Little
Summary: This article reviews the major achievements of the International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation Society (IBBS) on its 50th anniversary and provides recommendations for addressing new challenges and developments based on personal experiences.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenyan Lin, Tuo Jin, Xin Xu, Xiao Yin, Dan Zhang, Mengjiao Geng, Chunyu Pang, Gongwen Luo, Lizhi Xiong, Jianwei Peng, Jiangchi Fei
Summary: The incomplete recycle of residual mulch film (RMF) in recent years has led to an increase in plastic fragments in soil, posing a serious threat to the soil ecological environment. In this study, seven potential plastic-degrading microorganisms were screened and identified from film-mulched vegetable fields. The degradation ability experiments showed that both single strains and mixed strains demonstrated varying levels of degradation of RMF.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tiina Belt, Michael Altgen, Muhammad Awais, Martin Nopens, Lauri Rautkari
Summary: This study investigated the degradation of heat-treated wood by brown rot fungi and found that the decay increased the hygroscopicity of wood in the decaying state. Furthermore, it was observed that heat-treated samples were more susceptible to fungal decay compared to untreated samples, which may be related to the increase in moisture content.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marta Cicardi, Davide Bernasconi, Luca Martire, Linda Pastero, Giulia Caneva, Sergio E. Favero-Longo
Summary: This study investigated the phenomenon of Centimetric circular areas Uncolonized by Microbial Biofilms (CUMBs) on natural and heritage stone surfaces. The analysis revealed a compatibility in distribution and size between CUMBs and lichen thalli, suggesting a lichen origin for some CUMBs. Microscopic analysis also showed similar modifications in marble layers beneath CUMBs and lichens, indicating a possible alteration of stone properties by lichens.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)