Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jordi Palatsi, Ferran Ripoll, Albert Benzal, Maite Pijuan, Maycoll Stiven Romero-Guiza
Summary: This paper presents the results of upgrading a full-scale WWTP using five different Advanced Process Control strategies over a seven-year period, which led to significant improvements in nutrient removal rates, energy efficiency, and economic feasibility. The implementation of APC resulted in enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates, reduced specific energy ratio, and economic benefits in the form of a relatively short return on capital expenses.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Stephany P. Wei, H. David Stensel, Ryan M. Ziels, Stephanie Herrera, Po-Heng Lee, Mari-K H. Winkler
Summary: The study showed that in continuous-flow systems, high-efficiency nutrient removal can be achieved by controlling the solids retention time and selectively providing carbon to granules. There is a partitioning and potential competition/cooperation of key microbial functional groups between large granules and floc/small granules, which can enhance the overall nutrient removal efficiency in the treatment platform.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jie Wang, Ling Xia, Jieyu Chen, Xiaoning Wang, Hu Wu, Dapeng Li, George F. Wells, Jun Yang, Jie Hou, Xugang He
Summary: This study demonstrated the feasibility of achieving phosphorus removal through enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in an intermittent aeration constructed wetland (CW). The integration of EBPR with simultaneous nitrification-endogenous denitrification (SNED) significantly improved phosphorus and nitrogen removal efficiency, providing a novel approach for advanced nutrient removal in CWs.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephany P. Wei, Bao Nguyen Quoc, Madelyn Shapiro, Pin Hsuan Chang, Jason Calhoun, Mari K. H. Winkler
Summary: The study successfully integrated an all-organic media carrier made of porous kenaf plant stalks into existing continuous-flow activated sludge systems, achieving stable biological treatment performance with aerobic granules.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Mohd Najibul Hasan, Mohd Musheer Altaf, Nadeem A. Khan, Afzal Husain Khan, Abid Ali Khan, Sirajuddin Ahmed, P. Senthil Kumar, Mu Naushad, Anushka Upamali Rajapaksha, Jibran Iqbal, Vineet Tirth, Saiful Islam
Summary: In recent years, water scarcity and pollution have become a concern, with nutrient pollution in wastewater leading to eutrophication and reduced oxygen levels in aquatic ecosystems. Traditional biological treatment processes have not effectively removed nutrients, highlighting the need for eco-friendly, low-energy nutrient removal technologies to meet stringent disposal standards.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Prangya Ranjan Rout, Muhammad Kashif Shahid, Rajesh Roshan Dash, Puspendu Bhunia, Dezhao Liu, Sunita Varjani, Tian C. Zhang, Rao Y. Surampalli
Summary: The article emphasizes the importance of nutrient removal and recovery, discussing the advantages and limitations of various conventional and advanced treatment technologies, proposing an integrated approach for simultaneous removal and recovery of nutrients, and highlighting bottlenecks and potential solutions in the implementation of nutrient removal technologies.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Selma Etteieb, Mehdi Zolfaghari, Sara Magdouli, Kamalpreet Kaur Brar, Satinder Kaur Brar
Summary: The study assessed the performance of a laboratory-scale constructed wetland for the removal of selenium, nutrients, and heavy metals, with Typha Latifolia found to be efficient for selenium assimilation. Ammonia removal relied on a nitrification process, while other nitrogen compounds and orthophosphate concentrations were effectively decreased.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tiantian Hu, Yongzhen Peng, Chuansheng Yuan, Qiong Zhang
Summary: The novel SPNEDpr system operated for 213 days in a sequencing batch reactor to treat real domestic sewage, achieving efficient nutrient removal and the formation of aerobic granular sludge through optimizing intermittent aeration conditions. The system provided a highly efficient and economical method for treating urban sewage.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ncumisa Mpongwana, Sudesh Rathilal
Summary: This review explores the properties of biofilms that can be exploited to enhance biological wastewater systems. It reveals that various biofilm properties, such as extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), quorum sensing (Qs), and acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), can be enhanced to improve biofilm technology for wastewater treatment processes. The review also emphasizes the importance of exploiting these properties in simultaneous nitrification and denitrification and biological phosphorus removal processes.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Naveen Chand, Kapil Kumar, Surindra Suthar
Summary: The study demonstrated that intermittent aeration in VFCWs significantly improved the removal efficiency of COD, NH4+-N, NO3-N, and TP compared to non-aerated setups, while setups with biochar (BC) addition and plantation were more advantageous in nutrient removal than those without BC. Moreover, the COD/N ratio of wastewater did not have a significant impact on VFCWs with BC and intermittent aeration, indicating the effectiveness of slow adsorption and fast aerobic degradation processes.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Tiantian Sun, Rui Du, Qiongpeng Dan, Ying Liu, Yongzhen Peng
Summary: This study demonstrated rapid achievement of partial nitrification in an EBPR reactor treating domestic wastewater, leading to stable nitritation within a short period of time. AOB recovered faster than NOB, facilitating the rapid development of PN and significantly increasing both ammonia oxidation rates and nitrite accumulation rates.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Sanket Dey Chowdhury, Puspendu Bhunia, Rao Y. Surampalli
Summary: The vermifiltration technology has gained attention as an alternative for treating wastewater. This review comprehensively explores the innovative strategies and techniques to improve the removal of organic and nutrient pollutants from wastewater using modified vermifilters.
WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Reynel Martinez Castellanos, Jasmim Muniz Rodrigues Dias, Isabelli Dias Bassin, Marcia Dezotti, Joao Paulo Bassin
Summary: The study found that SRT did not affect the stability of COD removal, but did impact phosphate removal, with lower SRT facilitating biological phosphate removal.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md. Alamin, Hiroe Hara-Yamamura, Akihiko Hata, Bo Zhao, Masaru Ihara, Hiroaki Tanaka, Toru Watanabe, Ryo Honda
Summary: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater raises concerns about the potential risk in water bodies receiving treated wastewater. This study investigates the reduction of SARS-CoV-2 RNA during biological nutrient removal and disinfection processes in WWTPs. The results show that SARS-CoV-2 RNA is present abundantly in both solid and liquid fractions of wastewater, and the reduction values are similar in different treatment processes. Furthermore, the pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) is found to be a promising indicator for monitoring the reduction of SARS-CoV-2 in WWTPs.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huan-Huan Liu, Lei Yang, Lin-Kai Guo, Li-Xin Tu, Xiao-Tong Li, Jia Wang, Yong-Xiang Ren
Summary: The occurrence of metal oxide nanoparticles in wastewater treatment plants raises concerns about their impact on nitrification performance. However, a heterotrophic nitrifying bacterium Pseudomonas putida strain NP5 shows strong resistance against TiO2 and NiO NPs, which helps overcome the vulnerability of the nitrification process.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
X. Zhou, E. Fernandez-Palacios, A. D. Dorado, X. Gamisans, D. Gabriel
Summary: The study assessed the reactions and consumption/production rates involved in glycerol fermentation and sulfate reduction, finding that under sulfidogenic conditions, specific sulfate reduction rates using low molecular weight carbon sources (such as formate and ethanol) were 39% higher than those using high molecular weight carbon sources (such as propionate, 1,3-propanediol, and butanol).
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cecilia Polizzi, David Gabriel, Giulio Munz
Summary: Partial denitrification is a valuable solution for NO2- supply in Anammox systems. By controlling influent S/N ratio and sludge retention time (SRT), sulphide-driven Partial Autotrophic Denitrification (PAD) can achieve high conversion efficiencies of NO2-. The study also found that stable S-limiting conditions favor the enrichment of Sulphur Oxidizing Bacteria (SOB).
Review
Environmental Sciences
Daniel Gonzalez, David Gabriel, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: This review examines the development of waste treatment plants based on biological treatments worldwide. The main challenge faced by these plants is the reduction of malodorous emissions. The article discusses the methodology for determining odors, the main causes of undesirable gaseous emissions, and the characterization of odors. It also explores various odor abatement technologies, particularly those related to low-impact biological processes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel Gonzalez, Joan Colon, Antoni Sanchez, David Gabriel
Summary: This study conducted a characterization of gaseous emissions in a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant in Barcelona to identify the main sources of odour and greenhouse gas emissions. The results can be used to develop mitigation strategies and estimate the environmental impact of wastewater treatment plants.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Natalia Rey-Martinez, Albert Guisasola, Juan Antonio Baeza
Summary: Recovering valuable materials from municipal water resource recovery facilities is a promising option for implementing circular economy in wastewater treatment. This article assesses the quality of products recovered from different recovery techniques and finds that they meet current regulations and have potential applications in specific industries.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zivko Juznic-Zonta, Albert Guisasola, Juan Antonio Baeza
Summary: The development of a Smart-Plant Decision Support System (SP-DSS) is presented, which helps in finding the optimal configuration for a water resource recovery facility. The system uses a five-step framework to evaluate different combinations of process unit options based on technical, economic, and environmental criteria. The study compares two wastewater treatment configurations and concludes that the traditional configuration is still the best choice for this specific case.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Borja Solis, Albert Guisasola, Maite Pijuan, Juan Antonio Baeza
Summary: The wastewater sector is shifting towards resource recovery and there is increasing concern for sustainability during operation. This study assesses the emissions of nitrous oxide and methane during the long-term operation of a novel wastewater resource recovery facility and discusses their dynamics and possible sources. The results show that intermittent aeration is the most effective strategy to mitigate nitrous oxide emissions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Congcong Zhang, Albert Guisasola, Juan Antonio Baeza
Summary: This study evaluates the performance and stability of a continuous anaerobic/aerobic A-stage system with integrated enhanced biological phosphorus removal (A-stage-EBPR) under different operational conditions. The results show that COD and P removal can be achieved simultaneously in the aerobic reactor, within a certain range of dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. Anaerobic purge can be used as a possible mainstream P-recovery strategy. The switch to glutamate as sole carbon source maintains successful EBPR activity and COD removal for two months, but settleability problems and biomass loss occur afterwards.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zainab Ul, Pilar Sanchez-Pena, Mireia Baeza, Mira Sulonen, David Gabriel, Juan Antonio Baeza, Albert Guisasola
Summary: This study evaluates the performance of different anode materials in bioelectrochemical systems (BES) and finds that carbon brush (CB) and high-active-area carbon felt (CF3) electrodes have the best overall performance, allowing for shorter start-up time and improved performance.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Oscar Guerrero-Sodric, Juan Antonio Baeza, Albert Guisasola
Summary: Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have a wide range of applications in the environmental field, but there is limited research on scaling up these systems. A pilot-scale microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) was operated for six months under various operational conditions to understand the limiting factors of hydrogen production. The use of synthetic wastewater yielded the maximum current density and hydrogen production, while low COD urban wastewater limited plant performance. The study also showed that the MEC pilot plant had a robust capacity to remove organic matter from wastewater.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Mariella Belen Galeano, Mira Sulonen, Zainab Ul, Mireia Baeza, Juan Antonio Baeza, Albert Guisasola
Summary: Due to the anticipated rise in demand for ammonia, there has been increased research on viable methods for its recovery, with a focus on reducing the high energy demand associated with traditional ammonia production. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) offer a promising alternative for ammonia recovery, with lower energy demand compared to other methods at the lab-scale. This paper explores the fundamentals and opportunities of bioelectrochemical ammonia recovery in various BES devices and discusses the challenges in scaling up for industrial adoption.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Congcong Zhang, Albert Guisasola, Adrian Oehmen, Juan Antonio Baeza
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of incorporating a side-stream sludge fermenter (SSSF) into an anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic (A2O) configuration for P/N/COD removal under a limited influent COD condition. The results show that the S2EBPR configuration improves P removal but also increases P-release, leading to higher effluent P concentration.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alex Gaona, Borja Solis, Javier Guerrero, Albert Guisasola, Juan A. Baeza
Summary: Deciding whether the nitrite pathway is useful for wastewater treatment depends on criteria such as organic matter availability, N and P removal, N2O emissions, and operational costs. This study simulated the implementation of the nitrite pathway in a conventional A(2)/O WWTP, providing correlations to calculate minimum COD requirements and a decision tree for its opportunities. The results show that the nitrite pathway can significantly reduce COD requirements (9-68%), aeration costs (41-47%), and operational costs (10-16%), but it may also lead to increased N2O emissions (2.5-17 times higher than the nitrate pathway).
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
X. Zhou, A. D. Dorado, J. Lafuente, X. Gamisans, D. Gabriel
Summary: In this study, a mathematical model considering multiple pathways of glycerol fermentation combined with sulfate reduction was established and verified. It was found that glycerol fermentation mainly went through oxidative and reductive pathways, producing ethanol and 1,3-propanediol. 1,3-propanediol was converted to 3-hydroxypropionate coupled with sulfate reduction, and 3-hydroxypropionate was further oxidized to acetate.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rong-Gui Zhu, Chang-Gui Pan, Feng-Jiao Peng, Chao-Yang Zhou, Jun-Jie Hu, Kefu Yu
Summary: This comprehensive survey investigated the occurrence, bioaccumulation, and trophic magnification of parabens and their metabolite 4-HB in a marine food web. Results showed that parabens were the predominant pollutants in marine organisms, with significant bioaccumulation from sediments. The estimated trophic magnification factor indicated biomagnification for MeP and trophic dilution for 4-HB. Overall, the risks for humans consuming marine organisms were found to be low.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andres F. Torres-Franco, Deborah Leroy-Freitas, Cristina Martinez-Fraile, Elisa Rodriguez, Pedro A. Garcia-Encina, Raul Munoz
Summary: Anaerobic and microalgae-based technologies have emerged as sustainable alternatives for municipal wastewater treatment. However, the presence of viruses in the treated wastewater is a major concern for reuse applications. This study assessed the ability of these technologies to reduce viruses during secondary wastewater treatment. The results showed that all technologies were effective in reducing the concentration of viruses, with microalgae-based treatment exhibiting the highest potential for reducing the disinfection requirements of treated wastewater.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Young Gwang Kim, Sae Yun Kwon, Spencer J. Washburn, Scott C. Brooks, Ji Won Yoon, Lucien Besnard
Summary: The study uses Hg isotope ratios to identify the sources and exposure pathways of mercury in bivalves, finding that dissolved Hg phases in the water column are the primary source and exposure pathway to bivalves. This provides new insights into using bivalves as bioindicators for sediment quality monitoring.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hui Geng, Ying Xu, Rui Liu, Dianhai Yang, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: This study investigates the effect of cation exchange resin (CER) on the sequential recovery of hydrogen and methane from anaerobic digestion (AD) and the corresponding mechanisms. The results show that CER can simultaneously enhance the production of hydrogen and methane by promoting the solubilisation, hydrolysis, and acidification of organic matter. Additionally, CER facilitates effective contact between bacteria and organic particulates and reduces the energy barrier for mass transfer during methane production. The study also reveals changes in the microbial community structure and metagenomics during the AD process.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaojing Lin, Zhan Jin, Shunfeng Jiang, Zhiquan Wang, Suqing Wu, Ke Bei, Min Zhao, Xiangyong Zheng
Summary: Dehumidification combined with addition of absorbent resin supplement (ARS) was used to achieve rapid evaporation of non-pretreated urine, resulting in high water evaporation efficiency and nutrient recovery.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yangli Che, Chaoran Lin, Shen Li, Jiao Liu, Longhai Zhu, Shilei Yu, Nan Wang, Haoshuai Li, Mutai Bao, Yang Zhou, Tonghao Si, Rui Bao
Summary: Hydrodynamic processes play a crucial role in the transmission of sediments, microbial assembly, and organic carbon redistribution in the ocean. Through experiments and analysis, we found that hydrodynamics shape the assembly of microbial communities and control the redistribution of different sourced organic carbon, thereby influencing microbial-mediated biogeochemical transformation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chao Chen, Yu Yang, Nigel J. D. Graham, Zhenyu Li, Xingtao Yang, Zhining Wang, Nadia Farhat, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Li -an Hou
Summary: The fouling of seawater reverse osmosis membranes is a persistent challenge in desalination. This study monitored the operational performance of a desalination plant for 7 years and the fouling development in different areas of membrane modules. The findings showed that operational performance declined over time and fouling mainly occurred at the feed side of the modules, with the highest microbial diversity. Keystone species like Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes played an important role in maintaining community structure and biofilm maturation. Polysaccharides, soluble microbial products, marine humic acid-like substances, and inorganic substances contributed to fouling. Overall, biofouling had a significant impact on membrane fouling after 7 years of operation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dan Li, Jieyi Sun, Yibo Fu, Wentao Hong, Heli Wang, Qian Yang, Junhong Wu, Sen Yang, Jianhui Xu, Yunfei Zhang, Yirong Deng, Yin Zhong, Ping'an Peng
Summary: Sulfidation-oxidation treatment of magnetite (Fe3O4) enhances the production of dark center dot OH, which can efficiently degrade dissolved organic matter (DOM) and accelerate carbon cycling.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Cheng Yu, Kaijun Wang, Kaiyuan Zhang, Ruiyang Liu, Pingping Zheng
Summary: This study implemented a microaerobic-aerobic configuration in a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility and investigated the effects on sludge characteristics, pollutant removal, microbial community, and granulation mechanisms. The results showed successful transition from flocculent-activated sludge to well-defined AGS after two months of operation. The primary pathways for pollutant removal were simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal. Moreover, the incorporation of internal separators induced shifts in the flow pattern, which promoted granulation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhe Zhang, Shaoyang Hu, Guangrong Sun, Wei Wang
Summary: Halogenated aromatic disinfection byproducts (DBPs), such as halogenated phenols, have garnered widespread attention due to their high toxicity and prevalence. This study reports on the analysis, occurrence, and cytotoxicity of a group of emerging halogenated aromatic DBPs, known as halogenated polyhydroxyphenols (HPPs), in drinking water.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shengyue Chen, Jinliang Huang, Peng Wang, Xi Tang, Zhenyu Zhang
Summary: Accurate prediction of river water quality is crucial for sustainable water management. This study introduces wavelet analysis and transfer learning techniques to assist LSTM modeling, proposing a newly coupled modeling approach that improves short-term prediction of river water quality.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bang Du, Xinmin Zhan, Piet N. L. Lens, Yifeng Zhang, Guangxue Wu
Summary: Efficient anaerobic digestion relies on the cooperation of different microorganisms with different metabolic pathways. This study investigated the effects of different operational modes and the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) on ethanol metabolic pathways. The results showed that the SBR mode and the presence of CO2 facilitated ethanol metabolism towards propionate production, while the CFR mode with extended solids retention time enriched Geobacter. Adjusting operational modes and PAC addition can modulate anaerobic ethanol metabolism and enrich Geobacter.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wanfa Wang, Si-Liang Li, Jun Zhong, Yuanbi Yi, Fujun Yue, Zenglei Han, Qixin Wu, Ding He, Cong-Qiang Liu
Summary: This study compares the carbon biogeochemical processes in karst and non-karst regions within large thermal stratified river-reservoir systems. The results demonstrate that karst reservoirs have a reduced potential for carbon emissions and highlight the importance of considering geologic settings to improve accuracy in regional and global CO2 emission estimates.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chunxia Jiang, Zelong Zhao, Dong Zhu, Xiong Pan, Yuyi Yang
Summary: This study analyzed the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in different environmental media of the Yangtze River using metagenomics. Core resistome dominated by multidrug resistance genes was found in all samples, while rare resistome dominated by various resistance genes was more prevalent in plasmids. Specific bacteria were identified as hosts for both core and rare resistomes, with high clinical concern ARGs found in the rare resistome. Particle-associated environment provided the most ideal conditions for resistome hosts. This study provided insights into the genetic locations of ARGs and the community assembly mechanisms of ARG hosts in freshwater environments.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yu Zhang, Yongtao He, Linchun Jia, Lei Xu, Zheng Wang, Yueling He, Ling Xiong, Xumeng Lin, Hong Chen, Gang Xue
Summary: By synergizing organic carbon source, thiosulfate, and zero-valent iron, efficient mixotrophic denitrification of oligotrophic secondary effluent can be achieved. Thiosulfate plays a vital role in promoting TN removal efficiency, while corrosion of Fe0 releases OH- to neutralize H+ from thiosulfate-driven denitrification, creating a suitable environment for denitrification. The coordination of thiosulfate and Fe0 maintains the dominance of Thiobacillus for denitrification.