Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Michela Lucian, Fabio Merzari, Michele Gubert, Antonio Messineo, Maurizio Volpe
Summary: Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an attractive alternative method for treating high-moisture waste, reducing costs and environmental risks associated with sludge handling. The use of sulfuric acid or citric acid solutions significantly improves the filterability of HTC slurries, promoting the migration of heavy metals and phosphorus in the filtrate solution. The study demonstrates that phosphorus can be recovered via precipitation of struvite in high yields, up to 85 wt% of its initial content.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wenbo Yu, Haoran Duan, Zhiyao Wang, Jiakuan Yang, Zhiguo Yuan, Min Zheng
Summary: This study proposes an optimal integrated strategy for recovery and carbon sink in anaerobically digested sludge management by considering low-valued recyclables recycling and non-recyclables reduction. Acid-elutriation effectively reduces the water content and volume of the sludge, improves its stability, and enhances the quality by removing metals. The study suggests potential opportunities for combining acid-elutriation with other treatment technologies to achieve enhanced dewatering performance.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Zhiyao Wang, Tao Liu, Haoran Duan, Yarong Song, Xi Lu, Shihu Hu, Zhiguo Yuan, Damien Batstone, Min Zheng
Summary: The study reviewed the current status and challenges of post-treatment technologies for anaerobically digested sludge, proposing a multi-target approach to achieve sludge volume reduction, stabilization, and metal solubilization. The authors suggested developing more methods to promote AD sludge management towards a more economically favorable, socially acceptable, and environmentally sustainable direction.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Haochi Zhang, Dejin Zhang, Yujun Zhou, Di Fang, Chunhong Cui, Jianru Liang, Bo Zhou, Mingjiang Zhang, Jiansheng Li, Lixiang Zhou
Summary: This study found that bioleaching was not effective for anaerobically digested sludge (ADS) compared to undigested sludge (UDS). The specific resistance to filtration of ADS increased during bioleaching, and the pH value of ADS remained unchanged at 7.97, while it decreased to 2.98 for UDS. Added Fe2+ was not detected as an energy source for ADS. Higher alkalinity and unavailable Fe2+ in ADS hindered the growth of Acidithiobacillus species. Aeration significantly deteriorated the dewaterability of ADS through bioleaching, with a drastic increase in sludge pH and slime EPS content.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chen Cai, Chongliang Hu, Wan Yang, Yu Hua, Lei Li, Donghai Yang, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: The study investigated the effects of post-thermal hydrolysis process (THP) temperature on methane yields, dewatering performance, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in sludge digestate. Results showed that temperatures above 160 degrees C were optimal, leading to increased methane yield, improved dewatering performance, and reduced abundance of ARGs. The energy balance analysis indicated that the AD-THP configuration could be a promising alternative for sustainable disposal of excess sludge, with a net energy output up to 372 kW.h/t DS.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Iryna Lanko, Jakub Hejnic, Jana Rihova-Ambrozova, Ivet Ferrer, Pavel Jenicek
Summary: The study compared the digestate quality of single-stage mesophilic and thermophilic AD and TPAD systems, showing that the TPAD system is the most beneficial in terms of organic matter degradation efficiency, dewaterability, and pathogenic safety.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zicong Liao, Yongyou Hu, Yuancai Chen, Jianhua Cheng
Summary: This study combined TAP treatment with struvite precipitation technology to enhance sludge dewaterability and phosphorus recovery, achieving resource utilization of waste activated sludge. TAP treatment effectively released phosphorus and nitrogen from sludge, while the income obtained from struvite precipitation covered the corresponding costs, demonstrating good economic benefits.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Haixiao Guo, Lixin Tian, Yufen Wang, Tingting Zhu, Yindong Tong, Yiwen Liu
Summary: This study explores a new pretreatment strategy using beta-CD to enhance methane production and improve dewaterability of waste activated sludge in two-phase anaerobic digestion. Results show that beta-CD significantly increases methane yield and improves the solubilization and acidification processes of the sludge, as well as methane fermentation.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wendan Luo, Youshuai Fang, Liuying Song, Qigui Niu
Summary: A magnesium anode constant voltage electrolysis method was proposed in this study to recover high-purity struvite from anaerobically digested chicken manure slurry. The method showed effective recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus over a wide range of initial pH values, without the need for external chemical adjustments. The purity of the recovered struvite was confirmed to be high by XRD and XPS analysis.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Linan Xing, Mingyue Zheng, Christopher W. K. Chow, Xiulan Xin, Ye Li, Xiaohui Zhang, Qiangqiang Cheng
Summary: This study compared the dewatering capacity of two chemical coagulants, high-performance polyaluminum chloride (HPAC) and FeCl3, on mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digested sludge. The results showed that for mesophilic anaerobic digestion, the optimal dose of FeCl3 and HPAC to improve dewaterability was 5% g/g total suspended solids (TSS), with HPAC being superior to ferric chloride in removing loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (LB-EPS) and tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (TB-EPS). For thermophilic anaerobic sludge, HPAC was more effective than FeCl3 in improving dewaterability, with FeCl3 effectively removing TB-EPS and HPAC having better removal efficiency on soluble extracellular polymeric substances (S-EPS) and LB-EPS. Both coagulants showed potential in degrading EPS during thermophilic anaerobic digestion sludge treatment.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zheng Wu, Yang Bai, Yibo Zhang, Minwei Xie, Tao Huang, Shunsheng Yang, Daoping Peng
Summary: A novel strategy of iron and nitrogen co-doped biochar (Fe-N-BC) activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) was developed to improve anaerobically digested sludge (ADS) dewaterability. The Fe-N-BC-800/PDS treatment significantly reduced the Capillary suction time (CST) and moisture content (MC) of the ADS, indicating enhanced dewatering efficiency. Quantitative analysis revealed that oxidative reactions facilitated by Fe-N2-BC-800 played a crucial role in improving the dewaterability of ADS.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Keishi Tanifuji, Yukiyo Yamasaki, Toyohisa Miyamoto, Hiroyuki Shigemura
Summary: The effects of different types of plant biomass on the dewatering of digested sludge were studied, and it was found that grass fibrous materials as a dewatering aid had better performance.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bart Saerens, Sam Geerts, Marjoleine Weemaes
Summary: Wastewater is now seen as a valuable resource containing nutrients, energy, and water, leading to a paradigm shift. The recovery of phosphorus from municipal wastewater at the WWTP of Leuven is discussed, including performance, pollutants, use, and economics of the struvite plant.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Edward Wagner, K. G. Karthikeyan
Summary: Midwestern US agroecosystems are negatively impacted by excessive phosphorus (P) runoff from manure. This study developed a novel processing pipeline to precipitate struvite from dairy manure, removing organic solids and calcium (Ca) through dilution, acidification, and flocculation. The results showed a 93% reduction in dissolved P, indicating that a simple one-step removal of Ca and organic solids can achieve comparable P removal efficiency to multi-step methods.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Moh Moh Thant Zin, Diwakar Tiwari, Dong-Jin Kim
Summary: A sustainable struvite production pathway was proposed for the recovery of NH4+-N and PO43--P from sewage sludge through hydrolysis and incineration, achieving high recovery rates and producing struvite with excellent chemical composition and properties.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Martin Pabst, Denis Grouzdev, Christopher E. Lawson, Hugo B. C. Kleikamp, Carol de Ram, Rogier Louwen, Yuemei Lin, Sebastian Lucker, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Michele Laureni
Summary: The vast chemical diversity and strain variability of prokaryotic protein glycosylation pose significant challenges for large-scale exploration. A newly established mass binning glycoproteomics approach was used to uncover a variety of oligosaccharides in anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacterium Ca. Kuenenia stuttgartiensis, showing two seemingly unrelated biosynthetic routes and modulation related to energy metabolism. The study provides insights into the compositional exploration of prokaryotic protein glycosylation and showcases an example of the evolution of complex oligosaccharides in bacteria.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lenno van den Berg, Mario Pronk, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Merle K. de Kreuk
Summary: This study compared four methods to measure the density of granular sludge in a full-scale plant treating domestic sewage, and assessed the effect of salinity on granule density. Most methods yielded reliable results, as long as the effect of salinity was considered.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
M-K H. Winkler, M. C. M. van Loosdrecht
Article
Engineering, Environmental
V Kouba, D. Vejmelkova, E. Zwolsman, K. Hurkova, K. Navratilova, M. Laureni, P. Vodickova, T. Podzimek, J. Hajslova, M. Pabst, M. C. M. van Loosdrecht, J. Bartacek, P. Lipovova, D. G. Weissbrodt
Summary: This study compares the effect of gradual temperature decrease and cold shocks on the metabolic activity of anammox bacteria. The results show that cold shocks can significantly increase the activity of anammox bacteria and maintain the relative content of nitrogen respiration proteins. Cold shocks also induce the more efficient expression of potential cold shock proteins and contribute to the adaptation of anammox bacteria to low temperatures through changes in membrane lipid structure.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Aina Soler-Jofra, Lisbeth Schmidtchen, Lluc Olmo, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Julio Perez
Summary: This study investigates the short and long term impact of hydroxylamine on partial nitritation granular sludge. The results indicate that dissolved oxygen is the main factor determining the impact of hydroxylamine. Short term hydroxylamine feeding with low dissolved oxygen leads to higher hydroxylamine accumulation and N2O production, while long term hydroxylamine feeding reduces ammonium consumption rate.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
David Calderon-Franco, Roel Sarelse, Stella Christou, Mario Pronk, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Thomas Abeel, David G. Weissbrodt
Summary: In the context of One Health, wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in preventing the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. However, current surveillance studies focus mainly on monitoring intracellular DNA, while the role of extracellular free DNA is often overlooked. This study found that in the process of wastewater treatment, the exDNA fractions containing resistance determinants and mobile genetic elements need to be considered for AMR surveillance and risk assessment.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Angel Estevez-Alonso, Beatriz Altamira-Algarra, Cesar Arnau-Segarra, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Robbert Kleerebezem, Alan Werker
Summary: The development of mixed culture polyhydroxyalkanoate production focuses on maximizing the biomass PHA content, with less attention given to polymer quality. A study compared commonly reported process conditions for PHA accumulation by full-scale municipal activated sludge, finding that a combination of biomass acclimation and pulse-wise feeding strategy resulted in the highest average PHA content and product yields.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Xingyu Chen, Yu-Jen Lee, Tian Yuan, Zhongfang Lei, Yasuhisa Adachi, Zhenya Zhang, Yuemei Lin, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht
Summary: This review provides an overview of the current research and future directions in the recovery and utilization of high value-added biopolymers from conventional and advanced biological wastewater treatment systems. It discusses the recent developments in the understanding and functionality of extracellular biopolymers, as well as the factors influencing their yield, quality, and functionality. The review also explores potential practical applications of extracellular biopolymers and suggests research priorities for future prospects.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Laurence Strubbe, Edward J. H. van Dijk, Pascalle J. M. Deenekamp, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Eveline I. P. Volcke
Summary: In the pursuit of reducing carbon footprint and energy costs, energy efficiency is crucial. This study focused on aerobic granular sludge reactors and found that they consume up to 50% less energy compared to conventional activated sludge systems. The study also investigated the dynamic behavior of the alpha factor and identified exchange ratio and temperature as the main influencing factors on its rate of increase during the aeration phase.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
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
Engineering, Environmental
Jose Andres Araya-Obando, Luuk C. Rietveld, Daniel E. Kelly-Coto, Andrea Quesada-Gonzalez, Andrey Caballero-Chavarria, Luis G. Romero-Esquivel
Summary: Biofilters are effective for drinking water treatment, but the ripening time for manganese removal is a concern. The influence of flow regime on the ripening time of virgin pumice media was investigated. Flow-through columns achieved effective manganese removal (>90%) after 8 days, while recirculating columns took 23 days. The start-up in recirculating regime reduced water consumption by about 50% compared to flow-through regime.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Amir Tabakovic, Jeremy Lemmens, Jelmer Tamis, Dave van Vliet, Sayeda Nahar, Willem Suitela, Mark van Loosdrecht, Greet Leegwater
Summary: Bitumen is essential in asphalt pavements for its binding properties and ability to restore damage caused by traffic loading. With the decline in crude oil production, there is a need to find environmentally sustainable alternatives for bitumen modifiers. This paper investigates the potential use of the bio-based co-polymer PHBV as an alternative bitumen modifier and presents positive results from various tests.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Navid Ahmadi, Mona Abbasi, Ali Torabian, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Joel Ducoste
Summary: The transformation of four pharmaceuticals in a moving bed biofilm reactor was investigated under different COD/N ratios. Changes in the COD/N ratio influenced the competition between heterotrophic and nitrifying communities, resulting in shifts in microbial populations and composition in the biofilms. Autotrophic conditions exhibited higher transformation rates, indicating the importance of nitrification.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Nam Kyeun Kim, Debes Bhattacharyya, Mark van Loosdrecht, Yuemei Lin
Summary: This research developed a bio-based flame retardant using a biopolymer derived from wastewater sludge to enhance the fire performance of polypropylene (PP). The study found that the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from wastewater sludge played a significant role in improving the char formation of PP composite. The incorporation of the bio-based flame retardant restricted the vertical burning characteristics of PP and improved its tensile moduli.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Bin Lin, Luuk C. Rietveld, Lu Yao, Sebastiaan G. J. Heijman
Summary: This study demonstrates that Fenton cleaning in ceramic nanofiltration can effectively remove cake layer fouling on the membrane, but has limited efficacy in removing adsorptive fouling. The findings provide new insights into the evaluation and optimization of oxidative cleaning in ceramic NF for water treatment.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)