Article
Environmental Sciences
Shaoyon Lu, Yaru Zhang, Xiaohui Liu, Jiamin Xu, Ying Liu, Wei Guo, Xianbin Liu, Jing Chen
Summary: The study found that long-term exposure to SMX significantly increased nitrate removal rates in IVCWs, while ammonia nitrogen removal rates were not significantly affected. The presence of SMX led to a decrease in bacterial richness and alterations in bacterial community structures, especially those of nitrogen-transforming microorganisms. The molecular ecological network analysis revealed that SMX had positive effects on denitrifying bacteria interactions but reduced the complexity of the microbial network as a whole.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Buthaina Mahfoud Al-Wahaibi, Tahereh Jafary, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Mahad Said Baawain, Mortaza Aghbashlo, Meisam Tabatabaei, Alexandros I. Stefanakis
Summary: A full-scale Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland (VFCW) project was implemented in Oman to provide a sustainable wastewater treatment solution. The study showed high removal rates for pollutants, but nitrogen removal still faced challenges, prompting the testing of various operational modifications to optimize treatment performance.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xinwen Zhang, Chengye Feng, Zhenghe Xu, Wenhao Yang, Kai Tong, Yubin Wang, Xinlin Liu
Summary: A novel aerated vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCW) using waste gas from PN process was designed to enhance nitrogen removal and reduce N2O and NO2--N in PN process. Compared with unaerated VFCW, NH4+-N and TN removal efficiencies in aerated VFCW were significantly improved by 118.48% and 78.14%, respectively. The aerated wetland mode can effectively eliminate the problem of high NO2-- N and N2O pollution, reducing the NO2--N concentration from 17.07 mg/L to 0.34 mg/L and achieving a N2O removal rate of 88.72%.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fei Wu, Shengbing He, Xushun Gu, Pan Yan, Yuanyuan Peng, Shanshan Sun, Zexuan Liu
Summary: This study found that compared to withered biomass, fresh biomass can release carbon source more effectively and improve nitrogen removal efficiency.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jinjin Chen, Mengchun Gao, Yangguo Zhao, Liang Guo, Chunji Jin, Junyuan Ji, Zonglian She
Summary: This study investigated the removal of nitrogen and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and the microbial communities in a partially saturated vertical flow constructed wetland (PS-VFCW) fed with synthetic mariculture wastewater operated at different saturated zone depths (SZDs). The results showed that SZD had a significant impact on the removal efficiency, with different depths showing variation in nitrification and denitrification performance. Various important microbial communities were found in the unsaturated zone, which played a key role in the removal of organics, nitrogen, and SMX.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Feng Gao, Guochen Liu, Zonglian She, Junyuan Ji, Mengchun Gao, Yangguo Zhao, Liang Guo, Chunji Jin
Summary: This study found that PS-VFCW can efficiently remove NH4+-N, TIN and COD at 0.4-2.4% salinity levels, with salt-adaptable bacteria becoming dominant.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huiyong Wang, Yongxin Xu, Beibei Chai
Summary: In this study, the effects of temperature changes on nitrogen-associated microorganisms and nitrogen metabolism functional genes in a multi-stage surface flow constructed wetland were analyzed using metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that at low temperatures, the removal efficiency of total nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen in the wetland was low, and the removal efficiency of ammonium nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand was also low. The highest nitrogen removal rates occurred in July and August, while the lowest rates occurred in January and February. A total of 25 significantly different species were detected in the surface sediment, none of which were dominant species. The dominant phyla and genera were similar at low and high temperatures, but microorganisms were more abundant in the low-temperature months.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qingqing Pang, Wenwen Xu, Fei He, Fuquan Peng, Xiang Zhu, Bin Xu, Jianghua Yu, Zewei Jiang, Longmian Wang
Summary: This study used a two-stage tidal flow constructed wetland to treat low C/N ratio influent, investigating the impact of flooding-resting time and effluent recirculation on nitrogen removal and microbial community characteristics. The results showed that nitrogen removal efficiency and microbial community composition were influenced, with TFCW-B leading to nitrate nitrogen accumulation due to lack of a carbon source and longer resting time.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yaocheng Fan, Tiancui Li, Deshou Cun, Haibing Tang, Yanran Dai, Feihua Wang, Wei Liang
Summary: The study on four pilot-scale Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands (VFCWs) with Phragmites australis planted in gravel showed promising efficiency in arsenic removal from contaminated wastewater at different concentrations. The result also indicated the effectiveness of substrate accumulation in arsenic removal and the adaptability for treating arsenic-containing wastewater.
FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Deepti Negi, Shelly Verma, Swati Singh, Achlesh Daverey, Jih-Gaw Lin
Summary: Constructed wetland is a sustainable eco-technology for remediation of contaminants, but its nitrogen removal efficiency is unsatisfactory. Anammox, an eco-friendly technology, can be integrated into constructed wetlands to overcome the shortcomings.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Miaowen Qu, Ying Liu, Mengqing Hao, Mengting Wang, Rong Chen, Xiaochang C. Wang, Yucong Zheng, Mawuli Dzakpasu
Summary: This study demonstrates the effects of sulfamethoxazole on carbon-nitrogen transformation and microbial community in constructed wetlands. The results show that sulfamethoxazole can be co-metabolized with organic pollutants, resulting in a high removal rate. Additionally, sulfamethoxazole promotes the enrichment of co-metabolizing bacteria and functional genes involved in denitrification, leading to an increase in denitrification rate.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cong Li, Likui Feng, Jianjun Lian, Xiaoting Yu, Chunzhen Fan, Zhen Hu, Haiming Wu
Summary: This study investigated the effect of a static magnetic field on the purification efficiency and microbial mechanism in vertical flow constructed wetland systems for treating domestic wastewater. The results showed that the systems with magnetic field outperformed control systems in terms of treatment performance, and the activity of enzymes indicated the beneficial effects of the magnetic field on plant health. Additionally, the high ammonia monooxygenase activity in the magnetic field-treated systems suggested enhanced removal of ammonia. High-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that the magnetic field application enriched functional bacteria, which further accelerated pollutants transformation. These findings contribute to understanding pollutant removal processes and mechanisms in constructed wetlands with magnetic field application.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Abhishek Soti, Saurabh Singh, Vishesh Verma, Niha Mohan Kulshreshtha, Urmila Brighu, Pradip Kalbar, Akhilendra Bhushan Gupta
Summary: The requirement of large land area limits the adoption of constructed wetlands (CWs) in urban settings with limited land availability. The area calculations for CW design are commonly carried out following Kikuth approach where the removal rate constant (K) is derived from literature. Investigation of secondary data of 82 vertical flow CWs, performed in this study, revealed wide variations in the calculated K values for different pollutants under different environmental and operational conditions, highlighting the importance of incorporating desired pollutant removal levels into customized CW design.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiaxing Lu, Zizhang Guo, Yitong Pan, Mengting Li, Xinhan Chen, Mingyu He, Haiming Wu, Jian Zhang
Summary: By improving the oxygen environment and substrate, automatic tidal flow constructed wetland microcosms were constructed for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification, as well as microbial degradation, were found to be the major processes for nitrogen and PAHs removal. The addition of magnetite enhanced the number of PAHs-degrading bacteria and metabolic pathways, promoting the anaerobic degradation of PAHs.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Abhishek Soti, Saurabh Singh, Vishesh Verma, Niha Mohan Kulshreshtha, Urmila Brighu, Pradip Kalbar, Akhilendra Bhushan Gupta
Summary: Secondary datasets of 42 low organic loading Vertical flow constructed wetlands (LOLVFCWs) were assessed to optimize their area requirements for N and P (nutrients) removal. Significant variations in removal rate coefficients (k(20)) (0.002-0.464 md(- 1)) indicated scope for optimization. The effluent concentrations of the targeted pollutants were predicted using two machine learning approaches, MLR and SVR, with SVR performing better. The generated model equations can assist in a customized design for nutrient removal and attaining the desired standards.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bernhard Pucher, Guenter Langergraber
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Andrea Zraunig, Miguel Estelrich, Heinz Gattringer, Johannes Kisser, Gunter Langergraber, Manfred Radtke, Ignasi Rodriguez-Roda, Gianluigi Buttiglieri
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yasinta John, Guenter Langergraber, Tanveer M. Adyel, Victor Emery David
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gaetano Bertino, Johannes Kisser, Julia Zeilinger, Guenter Langergraber, Tatjana Fischer, Doris Oesterreicher
Summary: The construction industry has a significant impact on the environment, and the transition to a circular economy within the sector is still in its early stages. Deconstruction plays a crucial role in the circularity of buildings, offering a sustainable alternative to common demolition methods and reducing waste generation.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guenter Langergraber, Joana A. C. Castellar, Theis Raaschou Andersen, Maria-Beatrice Andreucci, Gosta F. M. Baganz, Gianluigi Buttiglieri, Alba Canet-Marti, Pedro N. Carvalho, David C. Finger, Tjasa Griessler Bulc, Ranka Junge, Boldizsar Megyesi, Dragan Milosevic, Hasan Volkan Oral, David Pearlmutter, Rocio Pineda-Martos, Bernhard Pucher, Eric D. van Hullebusch, Natasa Atanasova
Summary: The translation above discusses the framework for addressing Urban Circularity Challenges using nature-based solutions, analyzing the perspectives of various urban sectors and discussing ways to overcome differences.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guenter Langergraber, Joana A. C. Castellar, Bernhard Pucher, Gosta F. M. Baganz, Dragan Milosevic, Maria-Beatrice Andreucci, Katharina Kearney, Rocio Pineda-Martos, Natasa Atanasova
Summary: The new framework aims to facilitate the coupling of individual NBS units and NBS interventions with NBS that enable circular economy solutions by providing a comprehensive set of Urban Circularity Challenges (UCCs) and assessing over fifty NBS units and interventions in terms of their potential to address these challenges.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Flora Prenner, Bernhard Pucher, Irene Zluwa, Ulrike Pitha, Guenter Langergraber
Summary: Vertical greenery systems (VGS) are promoted as a nature-based solution to mitigate the urban heat island effect. In order to ensure the long-term provision of this function, sufficiently available irrigation water is the key element. This study provides a conceptual model supporting rainwater harvesting as a sustainable resource for VGS irrigation.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Imane Hachoumi, Bernhard Pucher, Elisabetta De Vito-Francesco, Flora Prenner, Thomas Ertl, Guenter Langergraber, Maria Fuerhacker, Roza Allabashi
Summary: The study discusses the potential impact of green roofs and vertical greenery systems on urban runoff quality, emphasizing the importance of focusing on pollution sources and establishing appropriate decentralized stormwater treatment measures to reduce or avoid the emission of relevant pollutants into the aquatic environment.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Natasa Atanasova, Guenter Langergraber
Article
Water Resources
Souphaphone Soudachanh, Gunter Langergraber, Stefan Salhofer
Summary: Hydropower plants in Laos have had both direct and indirect impacts on the environment and society, requiring relocation of residents living in downstream and upstream areas. However, the technical planning phase for sanitation systems in resettlement sites has been overlooked, with no clear support for wastewater treatment system development and health risk assessment. We propose six concise sanitation planning steps and resource-oriented sanitation to support project developers in decision-making and planning.
JOURNAL OF WATER SANITATION AND HYGIENE FOR DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Verena Germann, Guenter Langergraber
Summary: Comprehensive monitoring of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is necessary to achieve the sustainable transformation envisioned in Agenda 2030. However, the current indicators have gaps and weaknesses in reflecting national realities. Therefore, the use of complementary indicators is recommended to fully cover all aspects and support policy-making.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alba Canet-Marti, Sabrina Gruener, Stevo Lavrnic, Attilio Toscano, Thilo Streck, Guenter Langergraber
Summary: The study compared different simplified models for total nitrogen treatment in steady- and unsteady-state conditions, identifying the optimal model and suggesting the inclusion of different background concentrations in wetland design.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastian Handl, Kaan Georg Kutlucinar, Roza Allabashi, Christina Troyer, Ernest Mayr, Guenter Langergraber, Stephan Hann, Reinhard Perfler
Summary: The increasing global demand for drinking water has led to the diversification and sustainability of water supply sources. River bank filtration (RBF) is a good option as it reduces the need for extensive treatment compared to surface water usage. Organic micropollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, pose a hazard in drinking water production. However, their behavior in RBF systems has not been fully understood and studies have not accounted for the variability of flow paths.
Article
Water Resources
Nikola Jovanovic, Sandra Breu, Hanns Plihal, Guenter Langergraber
Summary: Based on experimental data, a numerical model has been developed to study the effects of road salt (NaCl) on nitrification rates in wastewater treatment plants. The results show that salt concentrations below 1 g NaCl/L can improve nitrification rates, while higher concentrations inhibit the process. Prolonged exposure to salt can amplify both positive and negative effects on removal rates.
WATER PRACTICE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giuseppe Mancuso, Stevo Lavrnic, Alba Canet-Marti, Ammad Zaheer, Francesco Avolio, Guenter Langergraber, Attilio Toscano
Summary: Climate change presents challenges for agricultural water resources in terms of both quantity and quality. The use of reclaimed water in agricultural irrigation is seen as an adaptation measure. Nature-based solutions have been found to be effective in facilitating water reclamation and reuse, but improvements are needed in water quality. Recommendations were made to enhance system performance and ensure adequate water quality for agricultural reuse.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Arvin Sohrabi, Mousa Meratizaman, Shuli Liu
Summary: This paper simulates and discusses possible solutions to improve the economic and technical performances of a battery-less renewable energy-powered BWRO system under real climate conditions. The study finds that the photovoltaic-based system performs better in terms of specific energy consumption and unused energy ratio.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chunlan Pan, Xiaoyin Hu, Vishal Goyal, Theyab R. Alsenani, Salem Alkhalaf, Tamim Alkhalifah, Fahad Alturise, Hamad Almujibah, H. Elhosiny Ali
Summary: This paper introduces a novel waste heat recovery method using the hot flue gas from a ship's engine to produce liquefied hydrogen while meeting the ship's air-conditioning requirement. A comprehensive feasibility assessment is conducted and an artificial neural network with a multiobjective grey wolf optimization method is used for optimization. The findings indicate the highest mean sensitivity index of the flash temperature and the best optimization scenario for exergy efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, and liquefied hydrogen cost.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Daniele Chinello, Jan Post, Louis C. P. M. de Smet
Summary: In this study, PVDF-based anion-exchange membranes were designed to selectively separate nitrate from chloride. Experimental data showed that increasing the concentration of PVDF enhanced nitrate transport but also increased the membrane electrical resistance. The selectivity of nitrate was found to be independent of the membrane thickness and mainly driven by the increased affinity between the anion and the membrane.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Umar Noor, Muhammad Fayyaz Farid, Ammara Sharif, Amna Saleem, Zubair Nabi, Muhammad Furqan Mughal, Kiran Abbas, Toheed Ahmed
Summary: Global water scarcity is increasing, and water desalination is an important solution. Multifunctional advanced materials, such as membrane materials and solar-driven desalination, play a crucial role in water desalination. Additionally, these materials can be used for water purification, wastewater treatment, and pollutant elimination.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Emrah Gumus
Summary: With growing global concerns about climate change and environmental impacts, the use of nuclear energy in naval vessels offers a cleaner and more efficient solution to reduce emissions and address water and energy supply challenges. This study explores a novel system that combines a nuclear-driven supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle with reverse osmosis cogeneration to meet the water and electricity demands in maritime operations, enhancing the sustainability, efficiency, and self-sufficiency of naval vessels. The results indicate that the system has the potential to be a viable and effective solution for naval operations.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dao Thi Thanh Huyen, Saikat Sinha Ray, Young -Nam Kwon
Summary: This study focuses on the modification of a commercially available polyamide thin-film composite membrane with a zwitterionic material to enhance its fouling resistance. The modified membrane shows improved salt rejection and reduced permeability compared to the pristine membrane. Fouling tests demonstrate that the modified membrane has a lower fouling ratio and higher recovery ratio. The enhanced antifouling characteristics are attributed to the improved hydrophilicity resulting from the zwitterionic brushes and the salting-in effect.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Niklas Koeller, Lukas Mankertz, Selina Finger, Christian J. Linnartz, Matthias Wessling
Summary: This study presents a methodology to scale up Flow-electrode Capacitive Deionization (FCDI) technology from lab-scale to pilot-scale systems. By increasing membrane area and using a stacking approach, the FCDI modules were successfully scaled up and achieved a salt transfer rate comparable to lab-scale systems. This provides a foundation for future assessments of energy demand and economics.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mona Gulied, Sifani Zavahir, Tasneem Elmakki, Hyunwoong Park, Guillermo Hijos Gago, Ho Kyong Shon, Dong Suk Han
Summary: This study introduces a novel hybrid system that combines direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and electrically switched ion exchange (ESIX) to facilitate seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) brine enrichment and selective lithium recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhiqiang Zhang, Ruifeng Deng, Jiao Zhang, Lu She, Guangfeng Wei, Renyong Jia, Pengyu Xiang, Siqing Xia
Summary: A transmembrane electro-chemisorption system with authigenic acid and base was developed for enhancing ammonia recovery from strong ammonia wastewater. The system efficiently transformed ammonium into free ammonia, which was then adsorbed and recovered through transmembrane chemisorption. This system yielded pure (NH4)2SO4 product and produced valuable byproducts of pure hydrogen and oxygen. Higher applied voltage resulted in better ammonia recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alena Popova, Sandrine Boivin, Takuji Shintani, Takahiro Fujioka
Summary: This study aimed to produce a high-integrity RO membrane by forming a polyamide skin layer on a TE support layer, in order to enhance the integrity of the membrane and improve the microbiological safety of potable water reuse.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sanjana Yagnambhatt, Saber Khanmohammadi, Jonathan Maisonneuve
Summary: This study investigates the concept of using heat to enhance reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. The effect of temperature on water permeate flux, specific energy, permeate quality, and applied operating pressures is evaluated using an analytical model. The results suggest that under specific conditions, the tradeoff between savings in mechanical pump work and thermal energy input in thermally-enhanced RO can be favorable, leading to overall energy savings.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiangju Si, Chenrui Xue, Shun Li, Linchao Yang, Weiwei Li, Jie Yang, Jihong Lan, Ningbo Sun
Summary: To meet the huge demand for lithium resources, there is an urgent need to develop a new efficient technology for lithium recovery from salt-lake brines. In this study, a selective membrane capacitive deionization system is reported, which achieves high lithium recovery capacity and rate through the use of materials with efficient intercalated pseudo-capacitance and a high specific area porous carbon. The use of a modified thin-coated membrane allows for selective Li+ recovery, and adjusting the concentrations of Li+ and Mg2+ in the feed solution enables higher Li+/Mg2+ selectivity.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mohamed R. Salem, R. Y. Sakr, Ghazy M. R. Assassa, Omar A. Aly
Summary: This research proposes a new method of using wasted thermal energies as an additional heating source for solar still distillation units (SSDUs) to increase productivity and reduce pollution and global warming. By testing two SSDUs, the study shows that heating airflow can raise temperatures, enhance freshwater production, and improve system thermal efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qimeng Sun, Miao Sun, Linyan Yang, Yuan Gao, Xinghai Zhou, Lihua Lyu, Chunyan Wei
Summary: This study presents an innovative design and fabrication of a fabric-based conical roll (FCR) evaporator, which enables low-temperature evaporation and achieves high evaporation efficiency with excellent thermal management ability. The evaporator has demonstrated advanced light-harvesting capability and can produce freshwater that meets drinking water standards, showing great potential for applications in desalination and sewage treatment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Meiyan Wu, Chao Liu, Guang Yu, Qiu Cui, Pedram Fatehi, Chunlin Xu, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, a novel polydopamine-functionalized lignin-containing pulp foam evaporator with high-efficiency desalination and multi-contaminant adsorption capabilities was designed. The foam evaporator showed excellent light absorption, water absorption, thermal conductivity, and chelation abilities, allowing for solar evaporation and contaminant adsorption synergistically. It also exhibited potential applications in metal ion concentration and contaminated seawater treatments, and demonstrated superior biodegradability compared to poly-styrene foam. This foam material holds promise for developing multifunctional photo-thermal systems for solar-driven water purification.