Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandra K. Richardson, Rachel C. Irlam, Helena Rapp Wright, Graham A. Mills, Gary R. Fones, Stephen R. Stuerzenbaum, David A. Cowan, David J. Neep, Leon P. Barron
Summary: This study presents a miniaturized workflow for identification and monitoring of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). It discusses the development of a low-cost small 3D-printed passive sampler device and a highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. The field testing of the new 3D-PSD showed the successful identification of a higher number of CECs compared to traditional water samples.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Nicolo Interino, Rossana Comito, Patrizia Simoni, Silvia Franzellitti, Giorgia Palladino, Simone Rampelli, Anastasiia Mosendz, Roberto Gotti, Aldo Roda, Marco Candela, Emanuele Porru, Jessica Fiori
Summary: This study developed and validated a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for detecting pharmaceutical and pesticide residues in mussels. The method successfully detected target analytes at different concentration levels with high accuracy and low relative standard deviation for both intra-day and inter-day analyses. The method was applied to mussel samples collected from a commercial farm near the Adriatic Sea, detecting various contaminants within a certain range. The study provides a valuable tool for investigating the potential threats posed by diverse contaminant classes with high annual tonnage.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qin Wang, Puxin Shi, Zhiye Sun, Jixiao Wang, Baoan Li
Summary: A hybrid ozone-membrane aerated biofilm reactor (O3-MABR) system was designed to treat municipal reverse osmosis concentrate (mROC). Under the optimal operating conditions, the effluent COD and TN concentration of the coupling system met the discharge standard of pollutants for wastewater treatment plants. High-throughput sequencing technology revealed the dominant phyla in the biofilms of MABR.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Oltan Canli, Elmas Oktem Olgun, Baris Guzel, Muammer Kaplan
Summary: The study presents validation of an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of 168 micropollutants in water samples using LC-MS/MS, demonstrating its suitability for pharmaceuticals and numerous pesticides analysis in environmental samples.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jorge Senan-Salinas, Junkal Landaburu-Aguirre, Jorge Contreras-Martinez, Eloy Garcia-Calvo
Summary: Recycling end-of-life RO membrane modules into FO membranes is an innovative approach to integrate membrane science into Circular Economy. This study assessed the environmental potential of this strategy and compared it with commercial TFC and CTA membranes. The results showed the interest in most impact categories and identified solvent losses as a source of error.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Harischandra R. Naik, M. S. Pallavi, M. Bheemanna, K. PavanKumar, V. Chandra Sekhara Reddy, Udaykumar R. Nidoni, M. Paramasivam, Satish Yadav
Summary: A method for simultaneous determination of 79 pesticide residues in pigeonpea has been developed and validated, with low LOD and LOQ, good recoveries, and applicability for routine monitoring purposes.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Maria Constantinou, Despo Louca-Christodoulou, Agapios Agapiou
Summary: A validated multi-residue method using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS for analyzing various pesticides in raisins was conducted according to DG SANTE guidelines. Results showed the presence of multiple pesticides in conventional samples, while no analyzed pesticides were detected in samples from organic farming. The study highlights the need for official controls on pesticide residues in processed samples, particularly on high consumption dried fruits like raisins.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jie Du, Zhijun An, Yufeng Hu, Xianliang Yi, Hao Zhou, Jingjing Zhan, Minghuo Wu
Summary: The degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics in water was optimized using the Fe3O4/PDS oxidation system, achieving degradation rates of 95%-99.7%. However, many unknown oxidation products were formed, raising concerns about their potential health risks to the environment. The investigation of a model compound, sulfameter, identified 10 new oxidation products using LC-HRMS/MS.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jose Augusto Michelleti Burgarelli, Dayana Moscardi dos Santos, Fernanda Scavassa Ribeiro Prado, Waleria Ferreira Rabelo, Rafael Sardeli, Janete Brigante, Michiel Adriaan Daam, Eny Maria Vieira
Summary: The increase in agricultural productivity associated with the use of pesticides has undeniable benefits, but it also causes serious environmental impacts and toxic effects on pollinating insects. This study focused on detecting pesticides in strawberry flowers and pollen collected from beehives, highlighting the persistence of fungicides and conducting a preliminary environmental risk assessment for native bees.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jose Augusto Michelleti Burgarelli, Dayana Moscardi dos Santos, Fernanda Scavassa Ribeiro Prado, Waleria Ferreira Rabelo, Rafael Sardeli, Janete Brigante, Michiel Adriaan Daam, Eny Maria Vieira
Summary: The increase in agricultural productivity associated with the emergence and extensive use of pesticides is undeniable. However, there is strong evidence indicating that this continuous demand is causing serious environmental impacts and toxic effects on pollinating insects. This study aimed to determine the presence of the insecticide abamectin (ABA) and the fungicide difenoconazole (DIF) in strawberry flowers and pollen collected from beehives near strawberry fields. The results showed that while abamectin was not detected, difenoconazole was found in almost all samples, suggesting its persistent presence in the investigated matrices. The study also conducted a preliminary environmental risk assessment for native stingless bees based on difenoconazole application rates and transport to colonies, highlighting the importance of understanding the potential risks of pesticide exposure for native bees.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bahar Nakhjavan, Jason Bland, Maryam Khosravifard
Summary: An analytical method for simultaneous quantification of 65 pesticides in surface water by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectroscopy was developed and validated. Different factors influencing extraction efficiency were evaluated, various parameters were investigated, and appropriate techniques were selected. The recoveries of pesticides were satisfactory and the method was evaluated on a variety of surface water samples.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Cristian Gomez-Canela, Silvia Edo, Natalia Rodriguez, Gemma Gotor, Silvia Lacorte
Summary: Wastewaters are a major source of pollution in aquatic environments, releasing a high number of contaminants daily. This study developed an analytical method using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to MS/MS to determine 76 pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in wastewater. The study provides comprehensive optimization of MS conditions for the detection and identification of pharmaceutical compounds in water.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sun-A An, Jonghun Lee, Jeonghoo Sim, Cheol-Gyu Park, Jin-San Lee, Hojung Rho, Kwang-Duck Park, Han-Seung Kim, Yun Chul Woo
Summary: This study evaluated the filtration performance and energy consumption of three different reverse osmosis membranes for treating semiconductor wastewater. The results showed that ESPA2-LD membrane had the best performance in terms of water quality stability and energy consumption.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rui Li, Haris Kadrispahic, Mads Koustrup Jorgensen, Sisse Brondum Berg, Dines Thornberg, Artur Tomasz Mielczarek, Kai Bester
Summary: The study showed that the cMBR system can effectively remove organic matter and micropollutants, with sludge concentration lower but activity significantly higher than conventional WWTPs, resulting in efficient oxygen consumption and micropollutant removal.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paulo Henrique Prado Stefano, Ari Roisenberg, Matheus Rossi Santos, Mariana Amaral Dias, Cassiana Carolina Montagner
Summary: In recent decades, changes in human behavior and new technologies have introduced thousands of new compounds called contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) into the environment. These CEC compounds have been detected in various environmental compartments such as soil, surface water, air, and groundwater. This study used statistical analysis by self-organizing maps (SOM) to evaluate the trends of CEC in urban groundwater systems, and found that atrazine, hexazinone, simazine, and other compounds were frequently detected in groundwater samples. Caffeine was also commonly detected in the samples, likely due to a local population habit of consuming a hot drink made of yerba mate.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Pieter Ostermeyer, Luiza Bonin, Luis Fernando Leon-Fernandez, Xochitl Dominguez-Benetton, Tom Hennebel, Korneel Rabaey
Summary: The text discusses the development of biological treatment for metallurgical wastewaters, highlighting the drawbacks of passive and active treatment systems and the advantages of electrified biological systems. It also addresses the challenges faced by bioelectrochemical systems in high rate applications and emphasizes the importance of future research focusing on the development and effectiveness of electrified bioreactors.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Silvio Matassa, Pascal Boeckx, Jos Boere, Jan Willem Erisman, Miao Guo, Raffaele Manzo, Francis Meerburg, Stefano Papirio, Ilje Pikaar, Korneel Rabaey, Diederik Rousseau, Jerald Schnoor, Peter Smith, Erik Smolders, Stefan Wuertz, Willy Verstraete
Summary: Nitrogen is crucial for the production of nutritious feeds and foods, but the production and use of fertilizer nitrogen pose a major threat to environmental health and sustainability. It is important to promote consumer acceptance and awareness of proteins produced by highly effective microorganisms as an alternative to proteins obtained from plants and animals with low nitrogen efficiencies. Additionally, recovering and upgrading used nitrogen from secondary resources and integrating biological nitrogen fixation into feed and food supply chains are promising solutions for a more sustainable agriculture.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
L. Van Peteghem, M. Sakarika, S. Matassa, K. Rabaey
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Eleni Stylianou, Jose M. Carvajal-Arroyo, Dimitrios Ladakis, Carol Sze Ki Lin, Vera Essmann, Sebastin Dorr, Jakob Marbach, Korneel Rabaey, Apostolis Koutinas, Chrysanthi Pateraki
Summary: A novel electrochemical membrane bioreactor (EMB) integrating succinic acid (SA) production and in situ separation was used with hydrolysates from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) as feedstock. The fermentation process was optimized to achieve high SA productivity and efficiency, and the SA crystals were successfully purified for further applications. Scale-up of the process was influenced by yeast cell viability, cell design, and EMB configuration. Overall, this study demonstrated the potential of the EMB system for sustainable SA production and purification.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kai Cui, Kun Guo, Jose M. Carvajal-Arroyo, Jan Arends, Korneel Rabaey
Summary: Currently, most microbial electrosynthesis (MES) reactors are driven by biofilms, whether the cathode electron transfer is direct or indirect. The formation of cathode biofilms is time-consuming, and the current density achieved on these biofilms is relatively low. However, non-biofilm-driven MES faces the challenge of maintaining good Columbic efficiency (CE) at high current densities. In this study, a novel electro-H2 bubble column reactor with an external hollow fiber membrane gas-liquid contactor was developed to address this challenge. The reactor demonstrated efficient conversion of electrolytically-produced H2 and externally-supplied CO2 into acetate, with high acetate production rates and CE.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Seppe Ongena, Arjen Van de Walle, Suanny Mosquera-Romero, Nele Driesen, Leonardo Gutierrez, Korneel Rabaey
Summary: Greywater is a viable source for water reuse at the household or building level, and two treatment approaches, MBR and MBBR, were compared in this study. The results showed that both MBR and MBBR met most water quality requirements for greywater reuse, but MBR had a smaller reactor volume and delayed membrane fouling compared to MBBR. However, neither system allowed adequate nitrogen removal, and MBBR had issues with effluent chemical oxygen demand and turbidity requirements. UV disinfection was more efficient than electrochemical disinfection in the long run. Proposed improvements aim to optimize the performance of both treatment trains and disinfection processes for small-scale greywater treatment for reuse.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Natalia Sergienko, Elisabeth Cuervo Lumbaque, Nick Duinslaeger, Jelena Radjenovic
Summary: In this study, a novel anode based on TiO2 nanotube array (NTA) coated with Mo-doped MnxOy was developed and applied for the electrooxidation of persistent organic contaminants. The Ti/TiO2 NTA-MnxOy-Mo anode outperformed the commercial Ti/IrOx-Pt anode in terms of oxidizing organic contaminants, with lower electric energy consumption and without chlorine evolution reaction. Mo doping played a crucial role in the excellent performance of the synthesized anode, promoting the formation of oxygen vacancies and Mn/Mo redox couples, enhancing the oxidizing power and ensuring complete stability of the anode.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Oriol Casabella-Font, Michele Ponzelli, Melina Papapanou, Jose Luis Balcazar, Maite Pijuan, Jelena Radjenovic
Summary: The addition of conductive materials to the anaerobic digestion bioreactor was shown to enhance microbial activity. In this study, an anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating municipal wastewater was operated for 385 days, and the effects of different graphene oxide concentrations on pharmaceutical removal and microbial community dynamics were investigated. The addition of graphene oxide did not affect reactor stability, but it did enhance the removal of antibiotics. The microbial community shifted after the addition of 50-900 mg L-1 of graphene oxide, with an increase in hydrogenotrophic methanogens and potential interactions through direct interspecific electron transfer.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Elisabeth Cuervo Lumbaque, Jelena Radjenovic
Summary: Borophene and hexagonal boron nitride-modified graphene sponge anode and N-doped graphene sponge cathode were used for electrochemical degradation of persistent organic contaminants. The use of intermittent current and the functionalization of graphene improved the contaminant removal efficiency while reducing energy consumption.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Anna Segues Codina, Natalia Sergienko, Carles M. Borrego, Jelena Radjenovic
Summary: In this study, low-cost reduced graphene oxide sponges functionalized with manganese oxide were used as electrodes for the disinfection of Escherichia coli in water. The functionalization with amino-doped manganese oxide strengthened the bond with the graphene coating and improved the electrochemical stability of the sponge. The results showed significant removal of E. coli, and the experiments demonstrated the irreparable damage to the bacterial cells and the key role of storage temperature in further inactivation.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Pieter Candry, Grayson L. Chadwick, Jose Maria Caravajal-Arroyo, Tim Lacoere, Mari-Karoliina Henriikka Winkler, Ramon Ganigue, Victoria J. Orphan, Korneel Rabaey
Summary: This study investigates the spatial organization and growth activity patterns of granular biofilms producing medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCA) and reveals that key functional guilds are not stratified. The outer layers of the biofilms consist of Olsenella and Oscillospiraceae, while deeper layers contain less active bacteria. The study also suggests that Oscillospiraceae switch from sugars to lactic acid as a substrate and physical processes may contribute to the lenticular biofilm morphology.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Natalia Sergienko, Elizabeth Cuervo Lumbaque, Jelena Radjenovic
Summary: MnxOy coated TiO2 nanotube array substrate doped with Mo and PANI exhibited excellent activity and stability for electrochemical desulfurization in basic pH conditions. The introduction of Mo and PANI co-dopants increased the electrochemically active surface area, improved coating conductivity, and reduced charge transfer resistance. The catalytic oxidation of sulfide showed minimal impact from different operational parameters, and long-term anode usage requires periodic removal of the formed sulfur layer.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Anita Dwi Anggrainy, Afrah Zhafirah Sinatria, Arseto Yekti Bagastyo, Zuhaida Mohd-Zaki
Summary: This study evaluated the simultaneous electrodialytic recovery of mineral ions from bittern wastewater and identified the factors that contribute to mineral ion recovery. The study found that applied voltage is a critical factor for the recovery process of mineral ions.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Arjen Van de Walle, Minseok Kim, Md Kawser Alam, Xiaofei Wang, Di Wu, Smruti Ranjan Dash, Korneel Rabaey, Jeonghwan Kim
Summary: Sustainable water management is crucial for ensuring access to safe water and addressing challenges such as climate change, urbanization, and population growth. Greywater, which accounts for 50-80% of daily wastewater generation in households and has low organic strength and high volume, requires separate treatment strategies due to its characteristics. Greywater reuse can enhance the resilience and adaptability of local water systems, reduce transport costs, and achieve fit-for-purpose reuse. Various biological and physicochemical treatment technologies can produce treated water suitable for reuse. Overcoming challenges such as greywater quality variance, legal framework, monitoring and control systems, and consumer perspective is important. The potential water and energy savings and sustainable future of greywater reuse in an urban context are also discussed.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xiaoting Zhang, Tyler Arbour, Daijun Zhang, Shiqiang Wei, Korneel Rabaey
Summary: Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) can produce multicarbon compounds from CO₂ using electricity as the energy source. This study assessed MES under 35-60 g/L salinity and found that acetate production decreased over time under high salinity conditions. Carbonate precipitation on cathodes inhibited CO₂ supply, electrode contact, and H₂ production, leading to reduced acetate production. By adjusting the levels of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the reactors, stable acetate production was achieved. The research also highlighted the dominance of Acetobacterium and Sphaerochaeta bacteria in the MES system.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
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.