Article
Environmental Sciences
A. Y. A. Mohamed, P. Tuohy, M. G. Healy, D. O. hUallachain, O. Fenton, A. Siggins
Summary: Intermittent sand filters (ISFs) are widely used for wastewater treatment in rural areas due to their simplicity and low cost. However, filter clogging reduces their operational lifetime. This study found that pre-treatment of dairy wastewater with coagulation can reduce clogging in ISFs and prolong their lifespan.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Oceane Gilibert, Magali Gerino, Dan-Tam Costa, Sabine Sauvage, Frederic Julien, Yvan Capowiez, Didier Orange
Summary: The burrowing activity of Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei inside sand filters enhances the hydraulic flow, providing a sustainable solution to reduce clogging of the substrate.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Ziheng Wang, Majid Sedighi, Amanda R. Lea-Langton, Masoud Babaei
Summary: Interest in using biochar in environmental engineering applications has increased due to its effectiveness in water and wastewater treatment, carbon dioxide sequestration, hazardous gas containment, and microplastic filtration. This study investigates the impact of biochar microstructure on the hydraulic conductivity of sand-biochar mixtures and introduces a dual-porosity concept to improve the accuracy of existing models. Experimental tests were conducted on sand-biochar mixtures with varying biochar content, and the results showed that considering biochar's intraparticle porosity significantly improves the prediction accuracy of hydraulic conductivity.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
A. Y. A. Mohamed, A. Siggins, M. G. Healy, O. Fenton, D. O. Huallachain, P. Tuohy
Summary: This study proposes a novel hybrid coagulation-ISF system for treating dairy wastewater. The hybrid system shows better performance and operational lifetime compared to conventional ISF system, with higher hydraulic loading rates and improved effluent quality that complies with EU directives.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wenxiu Zhang, Xiaoyi Xu, Guanghui Zhang, Shengjiang Jin, Lihua Dong, Ping Gu
Summary: An integrated membrane bioreactor (MBR) was used to treat wastewater from a thermal power plant, achieving a high removal rate of organic pollutants and meeting the discharge standards. Membrane fouling was mainly caused by the cake layer and concentration polarization. Membrane flux could be recovered through specific cleaning methods.
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. Mazeikiene, R. Vaiskunaite, J. Sarko
Summary: This study found that using OG filter media significantly enhances the removal efficiency of PO4-P from biologically treated wastewater, meeting the required evaluation parameters and producing stable filtrate.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ausra Mazeikiene, Julita Sarko
Summary: This study aimed to reduce phosphate concentration in treated wastewater using Filtralite P as a filter media. The results showed high phosphate removal efficiency under real conditions, indicating the method's potential for sustainable tertiary wastewater treatment plant development.
WATER AND ENVIRONMENT JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastian Wolff, Felix Weber, Jutta Kerpen, Miriam Winklhofer, Markus Engelhart, Luisa Barkmann
Summary: The study investigated the removal of microplastic particles and fibers in the final treatment stage of wastewater treatment plants and found that municipal WWTPs were able to eliminate 99.2%-99.4% of microplastics, while a PVC manufacturer's sand filtration eliminated 99.2%-99.9% of microplastics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jingbing Zhang, Hongchen Wang, Yuting Shao, Guo-hua Liu, Lu Qi, Wenyue Dang, Junli Yuan, Yinghao Li, Zhiheng Xia
Summary: The wastewater treatment industry in urban China faces common problems such as insufficient drainage network length and low water quality ratio. There is also a gap in construction of wastewater treatment facilities compared to developed countries. This study investigates the common problems that hinder the operation efficiency of wastewater treatment plants and proposes three countermeasures, including refinement design, optimization facilities, and reasonable process control.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuheng Huang, Ziqiang Liu, Hongxia Liu, Chengxue Ma, Wanpeng Chen, Xiaoliu Huangfu
Summary: This study investigated the efficiency and mechanisms of Mn(II) and T1(I) removal through the operation of a lab-scale Mn sand filter (MF) without added microorganisms. The results showed that the physicochemical actions of Mn oxides and biochemical actions of microorganisms synergistically contributed to the sequestration of Mn(II) and Tl(I). In addition, accurate control of water quality and operating conditions enhanced removal efficiency.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Kati Martikainen, Anna-Maria Veijalainen, Eila Torvinen, Helvi Heinonen-Tanski
Summary: Sand filtration is a cost-effective and simple solution for household wastewater treatment in areas without centralized sewage systems. Adding different phosphorus adsorbents (gypsum, biotite, and peat) can improve the efficiency of the sand filters. Waste gypsum significantly increases the conductivity of the effluent, but the numbers of enteric microorganisms in the effluent are low, and the used filter masses achieve good hygienic quality. Sand filtration proves to be an effective method for wastewater treatment, but different conditions should be considered when designing these filters. The used masses have potential for reuse as soil improvement materials.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Vicente Vergara-Florez, Jorge Mieles-Galindo, Graciela Nani, Mayerlin Sandoval-Herazo, Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo
Summary: This study evaluated the efficiency of a constructed wetland planted with Thalia geniculata for treating wastewater from the Arroyo Grande de la Sabana in Sucre, Colombia. The results showed that a 5-day hydraulic retention time was most effective in removing contaminants such as nitrates, nitrites, and phosphates.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Gopal Kumar, D. R. Sena, B. K. Rao, R. S. Kurothe, Nyonand Yadav, P. R. Bhatnagar, Uday Mandal
Summary: The experimental results indicate that a high sediment concentration can cause a sharp reduction in filter hydraulic conductivity. Introducing a filtration hiatus of 2 days between tests can significantly improve the hydraulic conductivity of the filter matrix. Using a pre-entry sedimentation trap before filtration can maintain scaled-up hydraulic conductivities for a longer duration.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Petroleum
Lei Hou, Yiyan Cheng, Derek Elsworth, Honglei Liu, Jianhua Ren
Summary: Sand screenout is a serious challenge in hydraulic fracturing, and this research proposes a method combining data-driven methods and field measurements for continuous evaluation and prediction of screenout probability. By optimizing the inputs and training a deep learning model, the probability of screenout can be accurately predicted, and the effect of pump rate on screenout probability is analyzed.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Supriya Gupta, Ankita Nayak, Chandrima Roy, Asheesh Kumar Yadav
Summary: This study reports on a three-stage design of algal assisted constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell incorporated sand filter for efficient treatment of wastewater and bioelectricity generation. The system achieved high removal efficiencies for organic matter and inorganic pollutants such as NH4+, PO43-, and NO3-.
Article
Water Resources
Zhaoyang Luo, Jun Kong, Chengji Shen, Chunhui Lu, Pei Xin, Adrian D. Werner, Ling Li, D. A. Barry
Summary: This study develops approximate analytical solutions for seawater extent in unconfined coastal aquifers considering unsaturated flow, and verifies the accuracy of these solutions. The results show that neglecting unsaturated flow underestimates the steady-state seawater extent, particularly for flux controlled aquifers.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Congrong Yu, Peiyi Duan, D. A. Barry, William P. Johnson, Li Chen, Zhongbo Yu, Yufeng Sun, Ying Li
Summary: The study investigated the effectiveness of submerged synthetic aquatic vegetation on removing colloids from flowing water to explore the retention of particulate nonpoint source pollutants in aquatic systems. Results showed that the colloid deposition rate coefficient decreases in a power-law trend with travel distance in submerged synthetic aquatic vegetation, reaching a steady state value before the end of the flume. The observed decrease in colloid retention could not be fully explained by changes in colloid properties with transport distance, suggesting that additional processes may be at play.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
S. M. Hamze-Ziabari, A. M. Razmi, U. Lemmin, D. A. Barry
Summary: Submesoscale filaments have been found in Lake Geneva for the first time based on high-resolution 3D numerical simulations, field observations, and remote sensing imagery. These filaments are formed during summertime and have significant impacts on the biophysical processes in the lake.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pei Xin, Alicia Wilson, Chengji Shen, Zhenming Ge, Kevan B. Moffett, Isaac R. Santos, Xiaogang Chen, Xinghua Xu, Yvonne Y. Y. Yau, Willard Moore, Ling Li, D. A. Barry
Summary: Salt marshes are important ecosystems that provide essential ecological services, but they have been lost globally due to human activities and climate change. The interactions between tidal water and groundwater in salt marshes affect plant growth and biogeochemical exchange with coastal water. However, there are still significant knowledge gaps regarding the hydrological and ecological links in salt marshes and the challenges they face.
REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Rafael S. Reiss, U. Lemmin, D. A. Barry
Summary: This study investigates wind-induced interbasin exchange between two basins of Lake Geneva using field observations, modeling, and particle tracking. The results show that a two-layer flow field is formed after a strong wind event, with downwind surface drift into the deeper basin balanced by hypolimnetic currents into the shallower basin. The Coriolis force greatly affects the interbasin exchange dynamics. Upwelling leads to an increase in hypolimnetic volume and turbulent mixing between the water masses.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Mehrshad Foroughan, Ulrich Lemmin, David Andrew Barry
Summary: This study investigates the spatial variability of Lake Surface Water Temperature (LSWT) and its association with natural surfactant distribution in the surface microlayer in a lake. The results show that intense short-wave radiation and intermittent light wind conditions lead to the formation of a diurnal warm layer with strong thermal stratification near the water surface. The study also finds that a wind speed threshold of 1.5 m/s affects the surface roughness and the distribution of LSWT.
JOURNAL OF LIMNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
H. Shi, M. E. Negretti, J. Chauchat, K. Blanckaert, U. Lemmin, D. A. Barry
Summary: This study examines the characteristics of three-dimensional plunging flow patterns of hyperpycnal river inflow into lakes and oceans. The researchers found that the inflow densimetric Froude number and the bed slope of the receiving water body are the dominant control parameters. They also observed that the hydrodynamics of laterally unconfined plunging are fundamentally different from confined plunging, with the hyperpycnal plume forming a triangle on the surface and exhibiting increased entrainment coefficient. The study highlights the importance of understanding the dynamics of hyperpycnal inflow for better management of lakes and oceans.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mohsen Cheraghi, Andrea Rinaldo, Graham C. Sander, Paolo Perona, Andrea Cimatoribus, Seifeddine Jomaa, D. A. Barry
Summary: This study challenges a widely used landscape evolution model for non-uniform rainfall on unchanneled surfaces. The experimental results suggest that the model has limitations in accurately simulating the surface morphology under such conditions.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mehrshad Foroughan, Seyed Mahmood Hamze-Ziabari, Ulrich Lemmin, David Andrew Barry
Summary: This study documented for the first time the presence of frontal slick in a lake, indicating the formation of submesoscale fronts. The sharpening of temperature gradient in the submesoscale created an active front with strong convergent flow.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Seyed Mahmood Hamze-Ziabari, Mehrshad Foroughan, Ulrich Lemmin, David Andrew Barry
Summary: Large-scale coherent circulations, such as gyres and eddies, are common in large lakes and play a crucial role in determining water quality. However, field measurements of near-surface currents in lakes are challenging due to their high variability. Satellite imagery, combined with numerical simulations and field observations, can provide valuable insights into the mesoscale and submesoscale processes in lakes. In this study, Sentinel-1 SAR satellite imagery was used to identify gyres/eddies in Lake Geneva, and the results were validated using numerical models and in situ observations.
Article
Water Resources
Zhaoyang Luo, Jun Kong, Lili Yao, Chunhui Lu, Ling Li, D. A. Barry
Summary: Watertable fluctuations in coastal unconfined aquifers, characterized by their interaction with the vadose zone and the creation of a dynamic effective porosity, have been studied. A new expression for the dynamic effective porosity, based on a dimensionless parameter related to the fluctuation frequency, has been proposed and implemented into a modified Boussinesq equation. The dispersion relation arising from the modified equation accurately predicts laboratory experimental data, highlighting the importance of the dynamic effective porosity in modeling watertable fluctuations in coastal unconfined aquifers.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhaoyang Luo, Jun Kong, Xiayang Yu, Chunhui Lu, Adrian D. Werner, David A. Barry
Summary: The effects of unsaturated flow on density-dependent solute transport in coastal unconfined aquifers were analyzed using numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. The results showed that unsaturated flow has a more pronounced influence on salt distributions in coastal unconfined aquifers when tides are considered. Neglecting unsaturated flow effects can lead to expansion of the upper saline plume, shrinkage of the saltwater wedge, and overestimation of water and salt exchange across the aquifer-ocean interface.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
S. M. Hamze-Ziabari, U. Lemmin, M. Foroughan, R. S. Reiss, D. A. Barry
Summary: Dome-shaped thermoclines form in the center of cyclonic gyres in large lakes, caused by pelagic upwelling. Field observations in Lake Geneva confirm the presence of intense pelagic upwelling within the surface mixed layer. A 3D numerical model suggests that nonlinear divergent flows and 3D ageostrophic strain are responsible for the chimney-like upwelling in the surface mixed layer.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Seyed Mahmood Hamze-Ziabari, Ulrich Lemmin, Frederic Soulignac, Mehrshad Foroughan, David Andrew Barry
Summary: In large lakes, basin-scale gyres and mesoscale eddies play a crucial role in spreading biochemical materials and energy. Detailed transect field observations are needed to assess their spatial and temporal extent and to validate numerical simulation results. A novel approach combining numerical simulations, statistical analyses, and remote sensing data was developed to determine the patterns and characteristics of basin-scale gyres in different seasons in Lake Geneva.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Violaine Piton, Frederic Soulignac, Ulrich Lemmin, Benjamin Graf, Htet Kyi Wynn, Koen Blanckaert, David Andrew Barry
Summary: River inflows have a significant impact on lake water quality, contributing to the input of sediments, nutrients, and contaminants. In Lake Geneva, the interaction between the Rhone River plume and lake waters was studied, revealing the dynamics of nearfield hydro-sedimentation. The study found that the river inflow intruded into the lake as a lateral unconfined interflow and mainly spread laterally due to entrainment of ambient water.
FRONTIERS IN WATER
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alexander M. Cancelli, Frank A. P. C. Gobas
Summary: A mechanistic model was developed to assess the removal efficiency of pollutants in a wetland system, particularly in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). The model simulated wetland mechanisms of chemical removal and showed that sustained wetland treatment is feasible. It is a helpful tool to evaluate the feasibility of treatment systems and to assess trade-offs in wetland design and operation.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Prakash Singh Thapa, Hiromu Daimaru, Seiji Yanai
Summary: This study assessed the vegetation recovery and erosion condition in a landslide area in central Japan. The results show that the upper slope, where reforestation activities were implemented, has seen significant vegetation recovery and no significant erosion, while the lower slope lacks vegetation and has experienced continued erosion.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Mike Jerauld, Forrest Dierberg, Thomas DeBusk, Scott Jackson, Kevin Grace, John Juston
Summary: The Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) are constructed wetlands built to remove phosphorus (P) from agricultural and urban runoff in support of Everglades restoration. Research shows that the levels of calcium (Ca) and alkalinity (Alk) have an impact on phosphorus removal in these wetlands.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Kalindhi Larios, Stefan Gerber, Rafael Munoz-Carpena, Patrick Inglett, K. Ramesh Reddy, Michael Chimney
Summary: This study modeled the phosphorus biogeochemical dynamics in one of the best performing Everglades treatment wetlands and found that the complexity of the hydrological system significantly affected the simulated water column P concentration. The modeling tool developed in this study can guide future data collection and optimization efforts for treatment wetlands in the Everglades.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Jing Hu, Benjamin Baiser, R. Thomas James, K. Ramesh Reddy
Summary: This study examined the long-term phosphorus retention in Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) and identified the factors influencing their performance. The results showed that the operational performance of STAs improved over time. There were notable differences among individual STAs, with the co-precipitation of phosphorus with calcium playing a critical role in one of the STAs. This highlights the complexity of phosphorus removal in STAs and the need for site-specific management strategies.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Odi Villapando, K. R. Reddy, J. King
Summary: The biogeochemical response to different flow conditions within two parallel flow-ways in Everglades Stormwater Treatment Area (STA)-2 was studied. It was found that there was a gradual decrease in the total phosphorus (TP) concentration from inflow to outflow for both emergent aquatic vegetation (EAV) and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) dominated systems, with EAV showing a higher reduction rate. Significant increase in TP concentration was observed in the SAV system under no flow condition, possibly due to the production of particulate phosphorus (PP) through various mechanisms.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2024)