Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhiyong Xu, Yunqin Lin, Yuejin Lin, De Yang, Haomin Zheng
Summary: The study investigated the removal efficiency of heavy metals Cu, Zn, and As from wastewater using paper mill sludge biochar (PMSB) and minerals. The results showed that PMSB and minerals had higher removal efficiencies due to their larger pore sizes, abundant carbonates, and -OH groups. In contrast, the removal efficiencies of DPMSB were lower. Additionally, the adsorption behavior of PMSB could be well simulated by the Freundlich model and other models.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Thabisile Brightwell Jele, Bruce Sithole, Prabashni Lekha, Jerome Andrew
Summary: Three different pulp and paper mill sludge samples from South African mills were characterized to determine their suitability for various beneficiation pathways. The characteristics of the sludge varied depending on the pulping technique, raw material, and effluent treatment used. From the analysis, it was found that different beneficiation pathways were more suitable for each type of sludge based on their specific characteristics.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mauricio C. Matheus, Maria Ekenberg, Joao P. Bassin, Marcia W. C. Dezotti, Maria Piculell
Summary: The study found that higher hydraulic retention times and appropriate filling ratios can enhance the performance of MBBR. Under nutrient-limited conditions, MBBR can more effectively remove COD and utilize nutrients.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Liye Wang, Yuan Lin, Lin Ye, Yuli Qian, Yufei Shi, Ke Xu, Hongqiang Ren, Jinju Geng
Summary: Microbe-mediated DOM transformation during wastewater treatment significantly increases DOM's aromaticity and unsaturation, diversifying DOM richness and generating nitrogenous and sulfur-containing compounds through oxidoreduction, functional group transfer, and bond formation. Network analysis shows microbial division of labor in DOM transformation with hub microbes correlated to liable DOM consumption and recalcitrant compound transformation, while peripheral degraders may feed on hub microbe metabolites. Developing technologies to selectively enrich peripheral degraders may advance DOM removal by decoupling liable and recalcitrant DOM transformation processes.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Magda Rodriguez-Yupanqui, Magaly De La Cruz-noriega, Claudio Quinones, Nelida Milly Otiniano, Medardo A. Quezada-Alvarez, Walter Rojas-Villacorta, Gino A. Vergara-Medina, Frank R. Leon-Vargas, Haniel Solis-Munoz, Segundo Rojas-Flores
Summary: The present study aimed to isolate and identify lignin-degrading bacteria species in paper mill sludge. Bacteria were selected based on their ability to degrade lignin using Kraft lignin as the sole carbon source. Seven species of bacteria with laccase activity and the ability to degrade lignin were identified, including Agrobacterium tumefasciens, Klebsiella grimontii, and Beijeinckia fluminensis. K. grimontii and B. fluminensis showed the highest laccase activity. These findings suggest that paper mill sludge could serve as a potential source of lignin-degrading bacteria with biotechnological applications.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Madan Sonkar, Vivek Kumar, Dharm Dutt
Summary: The release of toxic organics from the paper industry's waste has raised global concerns. Replacing urea-diammonium phosphate with paper mill sludge powder and sewage sludge powder can effectively treat effluent, while Bacillus sp. IITRDVM-5 shows promise in reducing organic compounds and phytotoxicity in treated water.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shule Wang, Yuming Wen, Henry Hammarstrom, Par Goran Jonsson, Weihong Yang
Summary: The study found that the hydrothermal carbonization of paper mill sludge (PPMS) resulted in a higher average activation energy for pyrolysis, and the concentration of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the organic liquid fraction increased with the pyrolysis temperature. The highest yield and highest heating value of the organic liquid fraction were achieved at 550 degrees Celsius, and the pyrolytic chars showed potential for use as a carbon sink.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Younes Gaga, Imane Mehdaoui, Mohammed Kara, Amine Assouguem, Abdulrahman Al-Hashimi, Mohamed Ragab AbdelGawwad, Mohamed S. S. Elshikh, El Mokhtar Saoudi Hassani, Mona S. S. Alwahibi, Jamila Bahhou, Mustapha Taleb, Zakia Rais
Summary: The objective of this study is to valorize two waste products, including sludge from a wastewater treatment station and olive mill wastewater, by using pyrolysis to produce biochar, which has the potential to be used in various applications such as pollutant treatment, organic amendment, reinforcement of polymers, and as a secondary building material.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daneal C. S. Rorke, Prabashni Lekha, Gueguim E. B. Kana, B. Bruce Sithole
Summary: This study modeled and optimized a novel SSF dark fermentative hydrogen production system using pharmaceutical wastewater as a nitrogen source to obtain a suitable C/N for paper mill sludge. The optimized results showed that using PW as the nitrogen source generated comparable kinetic data and increased the maximum potential hydrogen production rate, suggesting the potential for using waste to enhance the treatment and utilization of waste paper mill sludge.
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Tomi Turner, Rebecca Wheeler, Ian W. Oliver
Summary: Over 400 million tonnes of board and paper are produced globally each year, generating 4.3-40 kg of sludge-like material, known as pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS), per tonne of product. PPMS, with its high organic content and low toxicity, is being increasingly used as a soil amendment in agriculture. This review explores the benefits, potential impacts, and viability of land spreading PPMS, suggesting that risks can be mitigated and that the practice is environmentally responsible. However, further research is needed to assess long-term implications and the presence of emerging contaminants.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
P. Keerthana Devi, A. Geethakarthi
Summary: Calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca-HAp) nanoparticles were synthesized from calcium carbonate (CaCO3) extracted from a paper mill sludge. These nanoparticles showed effective batch adsorption of arsenic, with a maximum monolayer adsorption of 0.43 mg/g at an equilibrium time of 60 min and removal efficiency of 93% to 94.2%. Langmuir isotherm model was found to be suitable for describing the adsorption process, which followed pseudo-second-order kinetics.
APPLIED WATER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ming Zhang, Kun Lin, Xiaodian Li, Lijun Wu, Jie Yu, Shuang Cao, Dong Zhang, Liheng Xu, Sanjai J. Parikh, Yong Sik Ok
Summary: Biochar modification by metals and metal oxides has been shown to enhance the adsorption capacity of anionic compounds like phosphate. In this study, paper mill sludge biochar (PMSB) was obtained by pyrolyzing PMS waste containing ferric salt, with PMSB800 showing the best performance for P removal due to the presence of Fe0. The study achieved the conversion of waste PMS into a valuable material with excellent P removal capability and magnetic separation properties through a one-step pyrolysis process.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Leila Chaari, Norah Salem Alsaiari, Abdelfattah Amari, Faouzi Ben Rebah, Monem Kallel, Tahar Mechichi
Summary: Olive manufacturing generates highly polluting wastewater, and various treatments and valorization processes have been investigated by olive-oil-producing countries to manage this waste. In Tunisia, the government has adopted the spreading of olive mill wastewater (OMW) on soil to improve organic matter content in olive grove soil. The study found that this practice leads to positive physicochemical changes in the soil and could be a solution for managing OMW.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caner Yerli, Talip Cakmakci, Ustun Sahin
Summary: This study analyzed the changes in CO2 emissions by season and per unit of organic matter from agricultural lands with added organic matter under recycled wastewater irrigation conditions. The results showed that higher organic matter content in soil resulted in higher CO2 emissions, but lower emissions per unit of organic matter. Increasing organic matter and irrigating with recycled wastewater led to increased soil moisture and temperature, while decreasing water vapor emissions from the soil.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Yulin Zhang, Yulin Wang, Mingxi Tang, Jizhong Zhou, Tong Zhang
Summary: This paper conducted a global meta-analysis of microbial dark matter (MDM) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), revealing the high proportion of MDM in WWTPs. The study also proposed a wanted list for priority targets in further investigations of activated sludge and verified the effectiveness of several genome mining methods. The methodology proposed in this study can be applied to other ecosystems, enhancing our understanding of ecosystem structure across diverse habitats.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patricio Neumann, Daniela Lopez, Nathaly Ruiz-Tagle, Katherine Sossa, Gladys Vidal
Summary: Sono-thermal pre-treatment influences the microbial communities and activities in digesters, increasing methane yield, bacterial richness, and archaea concentration. However, it does not cause process inhibition or instability. Hydrolytic and acidogenic activities are similar among reactors and SRT, while methanogenic activity positively correlates with SRT.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Valentina Carrillo, Cristobal Collins, Jacques Brisson, Gladys Vidal
Summary: The study evaluated long-term phosphorus retention efficiency in a pilot-scale constructed wetland system over nearly 8 years. Both Schoenoplectus californicus and Phragmites australis showed significant phosphorus removal efficiency, with factors such as phosphorus loading rate, hydraulic loading rate, and dissolved oxygen being correlated with long-term retention. Plant uptake of phosphorus increased with operational years, with warmer seasons showing higher efficiency in phosphorus uptake.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jose Contreras, Daniela Lopez, Gloria Gomez, Gladys Vidal
Summary: The aim of this study is to evaluate the seasonal enhancement of nitrogen removal on domestic wastewater treatment performance by partially saturated and saturated hybrid constructed wetlands. The study found that increasing the saturation level reduces the transformation and removal efficiency of nitrogen in the wastewater.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dafne Crutchik, Oscar Franchi, David Jeison, Gladys Vidal, Alicia Pinto, Alba Pedrouso, Jose Luis Campos
Summary: Small wastewater treatment plants in Chile are often not designed to consider the potential utilization of generated sludge. By implementing a sludge-ozonation system, the treatment costs can be reduced by up to 47%.
Article
Agronomy
Christian Santander, Gladys Vidal, Antonieta Ruiz, Catalina Vidal, Pablo Cornejo
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of salinity as a eustressor on the functional quality of red lettuce. The results showed that moderate salt stress increased the phenolic compound concentration and antioxidant activity, while severe salt stress decreased antioxidant activity and biomass production.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Naomi Monsalves, Ana Maria Leiva, Gloria Gomez, Gladys Vidal
Summary: The objective of this review is to evaluate the performance of constructed wetlands in reducing antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) during sewage treatment. Statistical and correlation analyses were performed using published data to determine the influence of operational and design parameters on ARG reduction in constructed wetlands. The results show that constructed wetlands alone may not be optimal technologies for reducing ARGs, but combining them with advanced wastewater treatment technologies can enhance ARG reduction.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thais Gonzalez, Juan Pablo Miranda, Gloria Gomez, Jaume Puigagut, Gladys Vidal
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a saturated constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell system on dissolved oxygen gradient, electricity generation, and ammonium removal. The results showed that there was no significant difference in dissolved oxygen concentration between different zones of the wetland system, and the operating mode and vegetation had no significant effect on dissolved oxygen. Chemical oxygen demand and ammonium removal efficiencies were high, and the maximum power density was recorded in the wetland system without plants.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patricio Neumann, Cristian Riquelme, Javier Cartes, Mathias Kuschel-Otarola, Almudena Hospido, Gladys Vidal
Summary: This study assessed the influence of anaerobic digestion and land application on environmental impacts and proposed recommendations for optimizing the environmental performance of sludge management. The results showed that operational conditions and management practices have significant effects on environmental impacts.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Pilar Suarez, Jose Luis Alonso, Gloria Gomez, Gladys Vidal
Summary: This study evaluated the removal or inactivation efficiency of different treatment technologies for Cryptosporidium sp. and Giardia sp. It was found that aerobic technologies had the best removal efficiency for Cryptosporidium sp., while technologies combining filtration with UV or chemical disinfection agents showed the greatest removal efficiency for Giardia sp. However, detecting and quantifying the infectious forms of these parasites in effluents remains a major concern.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Valentina Zuniga, Sofia Leiva, Cristian Riquelme, Gloria Gomez, Gladys Vidal, Patricio Neumann
Summary: Household water supply can have various environmental impacts related to energy and material consumption, waste generation, and other inputs and outputs needed for water treatment and distribution. These impacts depend on the consumption patterns of the population, considering different water sources. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of water supply from a production-consumption perspective using life cycle assessment (LCA) and a survey to identify household water usage and sources.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Victor Gutierrez, Naomi Monsalves, Gloria Gomez, Gladys Vidal
Summary: This study evaluates the performance of a full-scale vermifilter in reducing organic matter, nutrients, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in rural sewage. The results show significant removal of COD, BOD5, TN, and total phosphorus. Seasonality is an influential variable for the removal of COD, BOD5, and TN. The UV disinfection system eliminated 99% of coliform bacteria but did not eliminate them to safe concentrations.
Article
Agronomy
Marcia Zambrano Riquelme, Dante Rodriguez-Luna, Francisco Javier Alcala, Olga Rubilar, Marysol Alvear, Francisco Encina-Montoya, Gladys Vidal
Summary: The incrressed industrial pulp production has led to the need for alternative ways of handling the associated solid wastes to minimize the environmental impact. This study aimed to determine optimal composting conditions for pulp solid wastes by analyzing the influence of control variables on the composting process. The results showed that adding grits at a certain amount and controlling the composting process time resulted in mature compost and improved soil assimilation capability.
Article
Ecology
Valentina Carrillo, Yannay Casas-Ledon, Patricio Neumann, Gladys Vidal
Summary: This study examines the impact of different plant culture systems and seasonal variations on constructed wetlands. The results show that polycultures in wetlands reduce nutrient input, but have a greater global warming impact compared to monocultures. Seasonality also affects environmental performance, with better results observed in the cold season. These findings provide valuable insights for improving environmental performance and developing strategies for constructed wetlands.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yenifer Gonzalez, Gloria Gomez, Gabriela E. Moeller-Chavez, Gladys Vidal
Summary: UV disinfection is cost-effective and easy to maintain for decentralized areas. Parameters such as suspended solids, water hardness, zeta potential, UV dose, residual chlorine level, and design flow rate significantly influence the reactivation of microorganisms in UV systems. Maintaining low transmittance requires the removal of suspended solids and reduction of water hardness. Controlling the zeta potential within the range of 0-5 mV prevents particle and bacterial aggregation. Determining the appropriate UV dose and maintaining a residual chlorine level of at least 0.5 mg/L are essential for effective disinfection and reducing the likelihood of reactivation. Optimizing the design flow rate of the UV system is also important.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Cristian Riquelme, Gloria Gomez, Gladys Vidal, Patricio Neumann
Summary: Wastewater reuse is a significant strategy for addressing water scarcity. The performance of various technologies implemented for sewage reuse has been compared in this review. Most of the research focuses on technical assessments, with fewer reports addressing social issues. While many processes exhibit successful removal of regulated pollutants, organic micropollutant removal remains a challenge. It is crucial to identify and optimize operational conditions to ensure efficient and safe removal, considering contaminants such as antibiotic resistant microorganisms.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
