Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel Bouchard, Patrick Hohener, Didier Gori, Daniel Hunkeler, Tim Buscheck
Summary: Several types of laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate isotope fractionation caused by phase transfer process for a selection of common environmental contaminants. Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation caused by vaporization of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), volatilization from water, and dissolution into an organic solvent (TGDE) were investigated. The results showed significant isotope fractionation during NAPL vaporization and volatilization from water, while no significant fractionation was observed during the air-TGDE partitioning process, except for certain compounds.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Markus C. Leuenberger, Shyam Ranjan
Summary: Since 1971, water isotope measurements have been conducted at various locations in Switzerland by the Climate and Environmental Physics Division at the University of Bern. The study investigates the effects of meteorological parameters such as temperature, turbulence factor, and humidity on the water isotopes through the analysis of isotope ratios.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Clara Torrento, Violaine Ponsin, Christina Lihl, Thomas B. Hofstetter, Nicole Baran, Martin Elsner, Daniel Hunkeler
Summary: Although multielement isotope fractionation studies have been well-established for point-source pollution, they are only emerging for diffuse pollution by micropollutants like pesticides. This study found that chlorine isotope fractionation can be a robust indicator of chloroacetanilide degradation, with distinct patterns observed for different degradation pathways. The 3D isotope approach allows for differentiation of transformations that may not be distinguishable based on C and N isotope data alone.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
S. Klemme, F. Genske, P. A. Sossi, J. Berndt, C. J. Renggli, A. Stracke
Summary: The new experimental results reveal fractionation of Cr isotopes during degassing of silicate melts. Lighter isotope Cr-52 is enriched in the gas phase and residual melt becomes enriched in the heavier Cr-53 isotope. This study provides important clues for understanding the recording of chromium isotope loss by evaporation in terrestrial magmas.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Elliott P. Mueller, Fenfang Wu, Alex L. Sessions
Summary: Natural-abundance stable isotope compositions are important tools for understanding complex processes. This article presents a new isotope modelling software tool called QIRN, which combines computational strategies used in metabolic modeling with natural isotope fractionations. QIRN treats isotopic properties as distributions of discrete isotopologues, enabling models of reaction networks with unprecedented complexity. QIRN can model any physical, chemical or biological process and has a diverse range of applications. It reproduces outputs from previous models and predicts isotopic anomalies measured in nature.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Chunhua He, Tingxia Liu, Hua Ou, Shoujun Yuan, Zhenhu Hu, Wei Wang
Summary: This study demonstrates a novel method to enhance the conversion rate of phenol to methane by coupling granular activated carbon and exogenous hydrogen (GAC/H2). The results show that the coupling of GAC and hydrogen significantly increased methane production compared to the control group. The enhancement of methane production was associated with changes in microbial communities, with GAC enhancing specific bacteria and hydrogen promoting methane-producing microorganisms.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Liuwei Wang, Yuanliang Jin, Dominik J. Weiss, Nina J. Schleicher, Wolfgang Wilcke, Longhua Wu, Qingjun Guo, Jiubin Chen, David O'Connor, Deyi Hou
Summary: Stable isotope measurements hold great potential for identifying metal sources in soil, with specific isotopic signals serving as key prerequisites for source allocation. In particular, zinc and cadmium isotopes are valuable for identifying combustion-related industrial sources, while uncertainties may arise from biogeochemical low-temperature fractionation of other elements. Isotope-based source identification, in combination with other analytical approaches, can offer more accurate results for understanding the temporal changes of metal accumulation in soil systems.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Gabriel Capson-Tojo, Sergi Astals, Angel Robles
Summary: This study updated the ADM1 model to improve accurate estimation of free ammonia concentrations and inhibition thresholds, while simulating acetate syntrophic oxidation as an acetate-consuming pathway. The modified ADM1 showed better predictions of methane production, VFA profiles, and microbial clades than the default ADM1, demonstrating improved accuracy in modeling anaerobic digestion processes.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Elliott P. Mueller, Alex L. Sessions, Peter E. Sauer, Gabriella M. Weiss, John M. Eiler
Summary: Stable hydrogen isotope compositions have been a useful tool for studying biogeochemical processes in nature, with a new technique using Orbitrap mass spectrometry demonstrated in this study for measuring the δ H-2 of biomolecules like acetate. This approach, utilizing electrospray ionization (ESI)-Orbitrap MS, allows for high precision and sensitivity in analyzing acetate and potentially other molecules amenable to ESI, expanding the scope of hydrogen isotope biogeochemistry research.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Yusuke Fukami, Teruhiko Kashiwabara, Hiroshi Amakawa, Takazo Shibuya, Akira Usui, Katsuhiko Suzuki
Summary: This study presents the concentrations and stable isotope compositions of Te in ferromanganese crusts collected from the slope of two seamounts in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The Te concentration decreases sharply with depth at shallow regions, while the Te isotope composition exhibits two trends depending on water depth. These variations may be related to co-precipitation processes with Fe and oxidation involving Mn, as well as changes in dissolved oxygen concentration in seawater. The Te isotope compositions in ferromanganese crusts could potentially be used as a proxy for changes in the oxygen minimum zone of paleoceans.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Lei Zhang, Yiyang Yuan, Yingdi Zhang, Yang Liu
Summary: The study found that granular sludge structure is conducive to syntrophic reactions and enriches syntrophic acetate oxidation bacteria and methanogens. Different sludge morphologies have a significant impact on syntrophic activities.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaofang Pan, Lixin Zhao, Chunxing Li, Irini Angelidaki, Nan Lv, Jing Ning, Guanjing Cai, Gefu Zhu
Summary: Acetate plays a crucial role in anaerobic decomposition of organic matter, with a complex network of generation and consumption covering most steps in the anaerobic digestion process. Syntrophic acetate oxidation (SAO) and homoacetogenesis are key processes in the production and consumption of acetate, influencing the efficiency of anaerobic digesters. This review provides insights into the biochemical reactions, metabolism pathways, and physiological characteristics of functional bacteria involved in acetate production and consumption.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Man Zhou, Cheng Li, Fuquan Ni, Anjun Chen, Meiliang Li, Guanghui Shen, Yu Deng, Liangwei Deng
Summary: In this study, the addition of granular activated carbon (GAC) improved the dry anaerobic digestion of chicken manure, reducing the inhibition caused by high ammonia nitrogen levels and increasing methane yield. Zeolite improved the early stage of anaerobic digestion, while medical stone (MS) did not show improvement.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna A. Nikitina, Anna Y. Kallistova, Denis S. Grouzdev, Tat'yana V. Kolganova, Andrey A. Kovalev, Dmitriy A. Kovalev, Vladimir Panchenko, Ivar Zekker, Alla N. Nozhevnikova, Yuriy V. Litti
Summary: In this study, an enrichment culture of the thermophilic butyrate-oxidizing syntrophic consortium was obtained by gradually increasing the initial butyrate concentration. It was found that even the highest butyrate concentration did not significantly inhibit the methanogenic community, and the limiting factor in the process was acetate degradation. The enrichment culture was effective in mitigating the butyrate-dominated VFA build-up during the anaerobic digestion of readily biodegradable waste, increasing the methane production rate, methane yield, and volatile solids removal.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ni Su, Zhouyang Wu, Shouye Yang, Juan Xu, Michael E. Boettcher
Summary: This study examines the relationship between Sr stable isotope ratios and weathering intensity in a granodiorite weathering profile in southeast China. The results suggest that silicate minerals dominate the Sr isotopic composition, and differential weathering of minerals is the main factor controlling the Sr stable isotopes.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tobias Littfinski, Jonas Beckmann, Tito Gehring, Max Stricker, Edith Nettmann, Stefan Krimmler, Ernst Murnleitner, Manfred Luebken, Deepak Pant, Marc Wichern
Summary: This study presents a mathematical model to quantify the contribution of ammonia volatilization to total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal in single-chamber microbial fuel cells (SC-MFCs). Experimental results indicate that oxygen supply and pH have a significant impact on the ammonia volatilization process.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mareike Evers, Ruben-Laurids Lange, Eva Heinz, Marc Wichern
Summary: This study investigated the application of powdered activated carbon (PAC) for removing organic micropollutants (OMP) at two different points in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The results showed that dosing PAC into the nitrification zone simultaneously reduced the concentrations of BPA, BTRs, METF, and METO by over 80% at a dosage of 20 mg/L. The post-treatment stage requires half the amount of PAC to achieve the same removal rates.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Julliana M. Araujo, Stephan Berzio, Tito Gehring, Edith Nettmann, Lourdinha Florencio, Marc Wichern
Summary: This study investigated the influence of temperature on the formation and stability of aerobic granules in sequential batch reactors. The results showed that granulation at 30 degrees C was faster and resulted in larger, more compact, and more stable granules. The operational conditions were the same for both temperatures and achieved high removal efficiency of NH4-N and COD.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Max Stricker, Tobias Littfinski, Klaus Hans Pecher, Manfred Luebken, Marc Wichern
Summary: The development of compact treatment devices (CTDs) with high removal efficiencies and low space requirements is a key objective in urban stormwater treatment. This study determines the removal efficiency of sedimentation and the expected filter load in a specific CTD designed for a catchment area of up to 10,000 m(2) using small-scale physical hydraulic modeling. The results show the importance of sedimentation upstream of a filter in CTDs.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Willame A. Cavalcante, Camila Aparecida de Menezes, Francisco C. G. da Silva, Tito A. Gehring, Renato C. Leita, Marcelo Zaiat
Summary: This investigation presents a reproducible approach to determine the limits of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for methanizing fruit and vegetable waste. Two identical UASB reactors were operated for 240 days and achieved methane yield close to 0.250 LCH4 gCOD-1 up to an organic load rate (OLR) of 7.7 gCOD L-1 d-1. The maximum volumetric methane production rate of 2.0 LCH4 L-1 d-1 was observed for OLR ranges between 7.7 and 10 gCOD L-1 d-1. However, an overload at an OLR of 10 gCOD L-1 d-1 resulted in a significant reduction in methane production in both reactors. The study estimated a maximum loading capacity of approximately 8 gCOD L-1 d-1 based on the methanogenic activity of the UASB reactors' sludge.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Salahaldeen Dababat, Stephan Berzio, Marc Wichern, Manfred Luebken
Summary: There is a growing interest in integrating aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology into wastewater industries. While there are several projects on cultivating aerobic granules for continuous flow reactors (AGS-CFR), there is a scarcity of projects investigating bio-energy recovery from AGS-CFR. This research aims to examine the digestibility of AGS-CFR and the role of granule size on their digestibility. BMP tests were conducted at mesophilic conditions, showing that AGS-CFR has a lower methane potential compared to activated sludge, possibly due to the high sludge age. The average size of granules is a key factor in reducing their digestibility, with larger granules yielding significantly less methane than smaller ones.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
J. Heinrichmeier, Tobias Littfinski, Ekaterina Vasyukova, Leon Steuernagel, Marc Wichern
Summary: The reliability of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) system on an industrial scale was tested in a 1,000-litre single-chamber system at a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The use of submergible multi-electrode modules with largescale grid-segmented gas diffusion cathodes with activated carbon as a catalyst resulted in power densities above 100 mW m(Cat)(-2). Fluctuating chemical and physical wastewater characteristics had reversible effects on the MFC performance in terms of energetic efficiency.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carolin Wehrheim, Manfred Luebken, Harro Stolpe, Marc Wichern
Summary: Urbanization, industrialization, and the loss of freshwater resources have led to an increased awareness of the importance of surface water quality worldwide. The Vietnamese Mekong Delta is facing pressure on the availability of freshwater sources due to limited ground water resources, prolonged droughts, and flooding. This study identified freshwater aquaculture and industrial activities as the main factors influencing surface water pollution in the delta region.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Pascal Kosse, Tanja Hernandez Rodriguez, Bjoern Frahm, Manfred Luebken, Marc Wichern
Summary: Visual Water is a powerful software tool that allows accurate pH calculations and automated mathematical uncertainty analysis, showing reliable performance in complex acid-base solutions.
CHEMIE INGENIEUR TECHNIK
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Stephan Berzio, Julliana M. Araujo, Tito Gehring, Linh-Con Phan, Burkhard Teichgraeber, Manfred Luebken, Marc Wichern
Summary: This long-term investigation presents the optimization of a pilot-scale continuous flow reactor using aerobic granular sludge to treat municipal wastewater. The reactor achieved complete granulation and stable operation with high MLSS concentration and efficient NH4+-N removal. The study provides insights into the effect of operating parameters on the performance of the reactor.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ramineh Rad, Tito Gehring, Kevinjeorjios Pellumbi, Daniel Siegmund, Edith Nettmann, Marc Wichern, Ulf-Peter Apfel
Summary: Hybrid electrochemical and biological systems using wastewater as the catholyte have the potential to bring bioelectrochemical methanogenesis closer to practical implementation. A zero-gap cell with a porous transport layer in the cathode is developed specifically for operating with a wastewater-fed methanogenic reactor. In-depth analysis of the electrode composition shows a significant variation in current density depending on the binder and carbon black contents. This hybrid system, equipped with a robust pentlandite-type cathode catalyst, Fe3Ni3Co3S8, produces methane over 220 days with a maximal weekly average rate of 669 LN m-2cathode d-1. The average current density sustained by the entire hybrid system is 30 mA cm -2 at a 2.2 V set potential.
CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
(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.
