Article
Environmental Sciences
Lydia Teel, Adam Olivieri, Richard Danielson, Blaga Delic, Brian Pecson, James Crook, Krishna Pagilla
Summary: The Nevada Administrative Code requires specific log reduction values for enteric viruses, Giardia cysts, and Cryptosporidium oocysts in reclaimed water intended for indirect potable reuse. Study results show that secondary effluent produced by two water reclamation facilities in Nevada consistently meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and industry standards.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Emily Garner, Benjamin C. Davis, Erin Milligan, Matthew Forrest Blair, Ishi Keenum, Ayella Maile-Moskowitz, Jin Pan, Mariah Gnegy, Krista Liguori, Suraj Gupta, Aaron J. Prussin, Linsey C. Marr, Lenwood S. Heath, Peter J. Vikesland, Liqing Zhang, Amy Pruden
Summary: The emergence of NGS technologies has revolutionized the water industry's ability to address complex microbiological challenges, although faced with barriers like cost and expertise. Research has focused on the applications of NGS in water, wastewater, and recycled water, highlighting key contributions and future directions for advancement.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jian Zang, Manish Kumar, David Werner
Summary: This study examined an innovative decentralized water system in use at a higher education institution in India, which integrates rainwater harvesting and wastewater reclamation technologies. The research found that utilizing reclaimed wastewater and rainwater collection can save water resources for the campus and provide significant optimization opportunities in water management.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
T. Sampedro, C. Tristan, L. Gomez-Coma, J. Rioyo, M. Sainz, I Ortiz, R. Ibanez
Summary: Developing efficient upgrading alternatives of treated waters by recovering energy within the treatment process is a promising way to alleviate pressure on natural water basins, achieve freshwater savings, and decarbonize the water industry.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lufuno Nemadodzi, Keneiloe Sikhwivhilu, Kalala Jalama, Kapil Moothi, Mokae Bambo, Shingirirai Mutanga, John Siame
Summary: Across the world, concerns over population growth, economic expansion, and climate change have led to a need for sustainable water supply solutions. This study examines the critical success factors for municipal wastewater reclamation in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. By using a water treatment simulation software, it was found that the quantity and quality of water, as well as treatment technology choices, are key factors in the process. The proposed direct potable water reclamation plant showed successful removal of contaminants to drinking water standards and has the potential to provide clean water for a population of 350,000.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiyeol Im, Kyungik Gil
Summary: The study evaluated the economic, eco-friendly, and energy-saving nitrogen process using nitritation in an SBR, demonstrating its potential applicability in municipal wastewater treatment plants.
DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tao Liu, Shihu Hu, Zhiguo Yuan, Jianhua Guo
Summary: This study developed a novel technology using a granule-based sequencing batch reactor (GSBR) to achieve simultaneous removal of dissolved methane and nitrogen. The GSBR demonstrated high-level removal rates and efficiencies for nitrogen and dissolved methane during long-term demonstration. The availability of different electron acceptors significantly affected the removal of ammonium and dissolved methane, as well as the microbial communities and functional genes. These findings expand the applications of novel n-DAMO microorganisms and provide insights into microbial cooperation and competition in granular systems.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Siphesihle Mangena Khumalo, Babatunde Femi Bakare, Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh, Sudesh Rathilal
Summary: This study investigated the removal of orthophosphates and COD from brewery wastewater using an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor. The results showed that the system achieved removal efficiencies of 69% for orthophosphates and 54% for total COD under specific temperature and retention time conditions.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Basanta Kumar Biswal, Rajasekhar Balasubramanian
Summary: Constructed wetland systems utilizing natural substrates, plants, and microbes have shown to be cost-effective and sustainable for water treatment. This review critically analyzes the recent advances in applying these systems for pollutant removal and discusses key factors influencing their performance. Constructed wetland systems exhibit good performance in removing diverse pollutants through physical, chemical, and biological processes. The review also highlights the need for further research in developing multifunctional constructed wetland systems.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sajja S. Chandrasekhar, Sugali Chandra Sekhar, Swayampakula Kalyani, Sundergopal Sridhar
Summary: The study successfully treated kitchen wastewater using a bioreactor integrated membrane process, achieving significant reduction in pollutants, high water recovery rates, and providing a cost estimate for reusable water production.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
My Thi Tra Ngo, Tetsuro Ueyama, Ryo Makabe, Xuan-Thanh Bui, Long D. Nghiem, Tran Thi Viet Nga, Takahiro Fujioka
Summary: The study demonstrated that direct nanofiltration treatment of secondary treated effluent can efficiently remove organics and produce high-quality recycled water, with membrane fouling minimized by controlling low water flux.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Adam Maslon
Summary: Variability in pollutant load significantly affects the efficiency of activated sludge technology, particularly sequencing batch reactors, in municipal wastewater treatment plants. The diversity of wastewater inflow has a significant impact on the technological efficiency of sequencing batch reactors, especially in systems without storage tanks. Research has shown that sequencing batch reactors alone do not always guarantee high pollutant removal in the event of highly uneven wastewater inflow, emphasizing the recommendation for the use of treated wastewater equalizing tanks to further clean residual contaminants.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Manjari Manisha, Kavita Verma, N. Ramesh, T. P. Anirudha, R. M. Santrupt, Reshmi Das, M. S. Mohan Kumar, H. N. Chanakya, Lakshminarayana Rao
Summary: Reusing treated wastewater to replenish groundwater in severely drought-hit areas of Southern India has significant socio-economic impacts, including improvements in surface water quality, groundwater level and quality, agricultural productivity, livestock and milk production, and land prices. This large-scale wastewater recycling project contributes to a circular economy transition in the water sector and highlights the need for policies encouraging the reuse of recycled water for groundwater recharge to enhance the agro-economic system and food security.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Asli S. Ciggin, Anousheh Iravanian, Serdar Dogruel, Derin Orhon
Summary: The study investigated the co-metabolism of olive mill wastewater in a sequencing batch reactor using a synthetic substrate, peptone mixture. Through gradually increasing wastewater additions, the study demonstrated that co-metabolism can be sustained under different dilution levels, providing a sustainable approach for olive mill wastewater management.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tulay Yilmaz, Emir Kasim Demir, Gulfem Asik, Senem Teksoy Basaran, Emine Ubay Cokgor, Seval Sozen, Erkan Sahinkaya
Summary: This study investigated the impact of different sludge retention times (SRTs) on the wastewater treatment performance of an aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) using real textile industry wastewater. Two laboratory-scale membrane bioreactors were operated in parallel, with SRTs of 30 d and 20 d, and 10 d, respectively. The results showed that the COD removal efficiency remained above 90% in all SRTs, while the color removal efficiency decreased as SRT decreased. The study also found that a decrease in SRT resulted in changes in membrane filtration performance and molecular weight distribution of organic substances in the permeate.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Shenbin Cao, Konrad Koch, Rui Du, George F. Wells, Liu Ye, Joerg E. Drewes
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julia Reichel, Johanna Grassmann, Oliver Knoop, Thomas Letzel, Jorg E. Drewes
Summary: Assessing the sorption of trace organic compounds (TOrCs) into micro- and nanoplastic particles traditionally involves aqueous phase analysis or solvent extractions. In this study, thermal extraction/desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-Pyr-GC/MS) was used to directly analyze TOrCs from particles without the need for lengthy sample preparations. The results showed that PS 78 nm particles exhibited the highest and fastest sorption rate.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yiming Liu, Jingbo Wang, Eric M. V. Hoek, Federico Municchi, Nils Tilton, Tzahi Y. Cath, Craig S. Turchi, Michael B. Heeley, David Jassby
Summary: This study investigates the design and performance of a multistage surface-heated vacuum membrane distillation (SHVMD) system with heat recovery. The results show that surface heating enhances the performance of SHVMD compared to conventional vacuum membrane distillation (VMD), achieving higher water recovery and gained output ratio (GOR). The internal and external heat exchangers capture and reuse additional heat, further improving the GOR values. Additionally, surface heating reduces the energy consumption of membrane distillation for brine concentration.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Shenbin Cao, Konrad Koch, Joerg E. Drewes, Rui Du
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Michele Ponzelli, Hiep Nguyen, Joerg E. Drewes, Konrad Koch
Summary: The study aimed to test whether graphene oxide (GO) helps overloaded anaerobic reactors recover faster. The results showed that while GO did not alleviate the acidification effects, the kinetic constants of the GO-amended assays reached values similar to or even above the controls during the final phase. Additionally, a concentration of up to 20 mg(GO)/g(VS) had no impact on FOS/TAC.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Elliot Reid, Thomas Igou, Yangying Zhao, John Crittenden, Ching-Hua Huang, Paul Westerhoff, Bruce Rittmann, Jorg E. Drewes, Yongsheng Chen
Summary: Chlorine-based disinfection for drinking water treatment was a significant achievement in public health in the 20th century. However, it is now known that chlorinated drinking water is not completely safe due to the presence of disinfection byproducts and other contaminants. The Minus Approach offers alternative methods to remove these risks and improve the sustainability performance of water treatment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Veronika Zhiteneva, Jeff Mosher, Charles P. Gerba, Tanja Rauch-Williams, Jorg E. Drewes
Summary: The removal of pathogens in managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems depends on various operational, physicochemical water quality, and biological parameters. In order to protect groundwater quality and public health, guidelines for pathogen removal have historically been cautious and conservative. This paper reviews the literature on regulated pathogens in MAR applications and compares them to new indicators and surrogates for pathogen assessment, providing a toolbox for regulators and operators to select appropriate pathogens for monitoring and optimization of MAR practices. With improved knowledge of pathogen fate and transport, as well as modeling, this approach can be used to select site-specific pathogens for more efficient pathogen retention, ultimately protecting public health and reducing costs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aurora Kuras, Tzahi Y. Cath, Amanda S. Hering
Summary: Early and effective fault detection is important for maintaining water quality and preventing disruptions in water and wastewater treatment plants. This paper applies functional data analysis (FDA) to detect drift faults in a sequencing batch membrane bioreactor and a closed-circuit reverse osmosis system. FDA enables the analysis of cyclic data and identifies unusual functions by comparing them to a reference set.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kathryn B. Newhart, Molly C. Klanderman, Amanda S. Hering, Tzahi Y. Cath
Summary: Unsupervised process monitoring for fault detection and data cleaning in wastewater treatment plants is underdeveloped due to the complexity and volume of data. This study evaluates the performance of the adaptive dynamic principal component analysis (AD-PCA) method in detecting faults in a decentralized WWTP. The results show that implementing AD-PCA with appropriate parameters can detect faults prior to existing operational thresholds, although further work is needed to improve its consistency in real-time fault detection.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philipp Sperle, Mohammad S. Khan, Joerg E. Drewes, Christian Wurzbacher
Summary: This study aims to develop a standardized procedure for bacterial biodosimetry in flow-through UV systems and evaluate biofouling control. The protocol addresses factors that can affect the reproducibility of results, such as sample processing, light conditions, and execution of experimental steps. Overall, this protocol improves the reproducibility and transferability of bacterial biodosimetry results in flow-through systems.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Nebojsa Ilic, Afrina Andalib, Thomas Lippert, Oliver Knoop, Marcus Franke, Patrick Braeutigam, Joerg E. Drewes, Uwe Huebner
Summary: Ultrasound was used to study the degradation kinetics of hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA or GenX) at four different frequencies and three power densities. GenX showed the highest degradation rate among the tested PFAS, and its degradation increased with increasing power density. No formation of known by-products was detected. Fluorine mass balance experiments confirmed that GenX defluorinated the fastest. When a mixture of all three PFAS was tested, the degradation rates were lower than in individual experiments. The study demonstrates the effective destruction of PFAS using ultrasound.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Emil Bein, Yinon Yecheskel, Ines Zucker, Jorg E. Drewes, Uwe Huebner
Summary: Multiple catalytic oxidation processes using new synthesized materials for water purification have been studied, but lack upscaling and demonstration stages. This study introduces a novel catalytic process involving peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activated by MnO2 surfaces attached on natural sand as part of a catalytic filtration column (CFC). The PMS decomposition was stable during steady-state filter operation and achieved complete oxidation of various contaminants.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander Mitranescu, Anna Uchaikina, Anna-Sonia Kau, Claudia Stange, Johannes Ho, Andreas Tiehm, Christian Wurzbacher, Joerg E. Drewes
Summary: This study analyzed wastewater samples from southern Germany to assess the importance of normalization of SARS-CoV-2 biomarker concentrations, finding that performance of normalization parameters is site-specific. It is recommended to test the suitability of normalization parameters individually for specific sewage systems.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mohammed S. M. Al-Azzawi, Daphne Gondhalekar, Joerg E. Drewes
Summary: With the rapid urbanization, conventional centralized wastewater treatment systems have become burdensome, leading to discussions on the feasibility of decentralized treatment systems at the neighborhood scale. Compared to the centralized system, decentralized systems show great potential in energy recovery and cost-effectiveness.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Brett D. Van Houghton, Shwetha M. Acharya, James S. Rosenblum, Romy Chakraborty, Susannah Green Tringe, Tzahi Y. Cath
Summary: The study showed that membrane bioreactors (MBRs) exhibit excellent long-term performance in removing organic constituents from produced water (PW), even in high salinity conditions. MBRs were effective in removing dissolved organic carbon from PW from different shale basins, but showed less consistent removal of surfactants. The study also found that microbial diversity decreased during reactor establishment but increased at higher total dissolved solid (TDS) concentrations.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiawei Hou, Shixuan Guo, Nigel Graham, Wenzheng Yu, Kening Sun, Ting Liu
Summary: A novel 2D composite membrane based on r-HGO and MXene materials was developed, demonstrating exceptional performance for water treatment in terms of permeability, pollutant rejection, and physical stability. The optimization of preparation conditions and material proportions can result in high water flux and efficient removal of pollutants.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Retraction
Engineering, Chemical
Chang Liu, Jinghong Liu, Liang Zhu, Shanfu Tang, Huixin Xiong
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Rui Gao, Caihong Liu, Andreia F. Faria, Qiang He, Chun Yang, Jun Ma
Summary: A novel copolymer architecture has been developed to address biofouling concerns in thin-film composite (TFC) membranes by integrating anti-fouling, bactericidal, and fouling-release functions. The multifunctional membrane demonstrates promising anti-adhesive properties, self-cleaning ability, and high flux recovery rate.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alexander T. Bridge, Noah P. Wamble, Matthew S. Santoso, Joan F. Brennecke, Benny D. Freeman
Summary: This study demonstrates the reproducible preparation of high-flux defect-free asymmetric gas separation membranes using Cyrene(TM) as a majority dope formulation component. By adjusting the volume ratios of Cyrene(TM) and THF, as well as the concentrations of Matrimid(R) and the dry step time, optimal membrane performance is achieved.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alessandra Imbrogno, Han Ya Lin, Babak Minofar, Andrea Iris Schaefer
Summary: In this study, a composite nanofiber membrane containing cross-linked beta-cyclodextrin-epichlorohydrin was prepared and evaluated for the removal of steroid hormones. The results showed that the membrane had high adsorption capacity and the ability to form a specific inclusion complex interaction with the hormones, indicating its potential application in hormone removal.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Bora Shin, Jaewon Shin, Yanuar Chandra Wirasembada, Ki Young Park, Jinwoo Cho
Summary: This study develops a mathematical model to estimate the initial flux of volatile fatty acids in the direct contact membrane distillation process. It identifies the parameters affecting the flux and their relationship with pH.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yi-Jui Yeh, Jr Rong Liou, Wei Lin, Kuo-Lun Tung, Wei-Hung Chiang
Summary: This study demonstrates an effective plasma engineering method to create nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dot (NGQD)-inorganic nanocomposites for tunable molecular separation. The composite materials show high separation efficiency and controllable nanopore structures, making them potentially valuable for various applications.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Horacio Lopez-Marques, Kristofer L. Gleason, Manuel Aguilar-Vega, Rita Sulub-Sulub, J. Ehren Eichler, Hyeonji Oh, C. Buddie Mullins, Benny D. Freeman, Manish Kumar
Summary: In this study, water transport properties in Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS) membranes were investigated. It was found that membranes synthesized at different pyrolysis temperatures exhibited varying water permeabilities. Compared to other polymeric materials, CMS membranes showed high water permeability, indicating potential for dehydration applications.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dmitry A. Alentiev, Roman Yu. Nikiforov, Marina A. Rudakova, Danil P. Zarezin, Maxim A. Topchiy, Andrey F. Asachenko, Nikolay A. Belov, Maxim Bermeshev
Summary: A series of new norbornene-type monomers containing linear and branched substituents were synthesized, and robust thin membranes were prepared by vinyl-addition polymerization. Gas separation performance for the synthesized polymers was evaluated, and the structure of substituent side chains was found to significantly affect gas permeability and CO2 facilitated transport.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lei Yan, Qi Zhang, Ze Zhang, Gui-Jie Li, Yi Jin, Xin-Lin Zhang, Yan-Yun Sun
Summary: In this study, a continuous, stable and fast ion transport channel was established through in-situ guided cross-linking of zinc alginate hydrogels on a porous membrane, overcoming the negative pore effect and effectively inhibiting the dendrite growth of zinc anodes and interfacial side reactions.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yuqing Zhang, Ailing Zhang, Huiyang He, Yuting Fan, Yongjiang Li, Song Wang, Sanxi Li
Summary: The Langmuir-Blodgett self-assembly process is used to create an ordered SPEEK membrane, which enhances the proton conductivity by three times compared to conventional solution casting method.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hasan Ismaeel, David Gibson, Eleonora Ricci, Maria Grazia De Angelis
Summary: In this study, a machine learning-based group contribution method (ML-GC) was developed to predict pure polymer parameters and successfully applied to predict gas solubility and gas solubility isotherms in glassy polymeric membranes. The model showed satisfactory performance on a small dataset, but has the potential to provide more accurate predictions for a wider range of polymers as more data becomes available.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yi Ji, Yu Sun, Huilin Li, Qiang Fu, Yan Zhang
Summary: Previous studies have shown that vibration- or rotation-based techniques can effectively mitigate fouling during membrane filtration. However, it is difficult to incorporate these techniques with spiral wound modules (SWMs) widely used in water and wastewater treatment. This study developed a prototype membrane system to accommodate angular vibrations with a modified SWM, and experimental results showed that applying angular vibrations can effectively control algal fouling in an SWM with lower energy consumption compared to traditional methods.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lakshmeesha Upadhayaya, Abaynesh Yihdego Gebreyohannes, Muhammad Wakil Shahzad, Usman T. Syed, Sandra L. Aristizabal, Radoslaw Gorecki, Suzana P. Nunes
Summary: Increasing temperatures worldwide pose a significant health risk, exacerbated by high humidity. Conventional air conditioners contribute heavily to carbon dioxide emissions, with dehumidification being a major factor. Membrane-based dehumidification system offers energy efficiency and non-toxic water vapor removal. This study demonstrates a membrane dehumidification system with polymeric hollow fibers coated with a green polyphenol coating, showing remarkable water vapor transport rate and selectivity. Long-term testing reveals minimal decline in vapor transport and a 4-5 times higher coefficient of performance (COP) compared to conventional dehumidifiers, making it a highly competitive, energy-saving device with reduced emissions and a smaller footprint.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhengzhong Zhou, Xue Zhu, Yi Yuan, Shaoqiang Wang, Xiaoshan Meng, Taoli Huhe, Qian Wang
Summary: In this study, lignin, a biomass material, was chemically modified and utilized in the interfacial polymerization process to improve the performance of nanofiltration membranes. The modified membranes showed enhanced hydrophilicity and anti-fouling properties, and the optimization of membrane pore size increased permeability. The study also demonstrated the potential application of the membranes in biogas slurry valorization.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)