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Niu Y, Wang Z, Xiong Y, Wang Y, Chai L, Guo C. Exploring the Potential of Microbial Coalbed Methane for Sustainable Energy Development. Molecules 2024; 29:3494. [PMID: 39124898 PMCID: PMC11313768 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29153494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
By allowing coal to be converted by microorganisms into products like methane, hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, and other products, current coal deposits can be used effectively, cleanly, and sustainably. The intricacies of in situ microbial coal degradation must be understood in order to develop innovative energy production strategies and economically viable industrial microbial mining. This review covers various forms of conversion (such as the use of MECoM, which converts coal into hydrogen), stresses, and in situ use. There is ongoing discussion regarding the effectiveness of field-scale pilot testing when translated to commercial production. Assessing the applicability and long-term viability of MECoM technology will require addressing these knowledge gaps. Developing suitable nutrition plans and utilizing lab-generated data in the field are examples of this. Also, we recommend directions for future study to maximize methane production from coal. Microbial coal conversion technology needs to be successful in order to be resolved and to be a viable, sustainable energy source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Niu
- School of Electric Power, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Z.W.); (Y.X.); (Y.W.); (C.G.)
| | - Zhiqian Wang
- School of Electric Power, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Z.W.); (Y.X.); (Y.W.); (C.G.)
| | - Yingying Xiong
- School of Electric Power, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Z.W.); (Y.X.); (Y.W.); (C.G.)
| | - Yuqi Wang
- School of Electric Power, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Z.W.); (Y.X.); (Y.W.); (C.G.)
| | - Lin Chai
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
| | - Congxiu Guo
- School of Electric Power, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Z.W.); (Y.X.); (Y.W.); (C.G.)
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Zan R, Stirling R, Blackburn A, Walsh C, Werner D. Activated carbon amendment of sand in the base of a permeable pavement reduces total nitrogen and nitrate leaching. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 931:172831. [PMID: 38685424 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Urban runoff from impermeable surfaces contains various pollutants. Stormwater samples were collected for one year from car parks on the campus of Newcastle University, located in northeast England, to monitor seasonal variation in stormwater properties and leachate quality following stormwater percolation through pilot-scale, outdoor permeable pavements. The pilot study compared an innovative 'pollution munching' permeable pavement with 2 % activated carbon (AC) amendment in the sand base with a conventional, un-amended sand base permeable pavement. Faecal coliforms were detected in stormwater at an average value of 3.75 ± 0.79 log10 CFUs per 100 mL. The permeable pavements without and with AC had mean log removal values of 0.81 ± 0.35 and 0.70 ± 0.35 for these faecal bacteria. The absence of genetic markers for human host associated Bacteroides (HF183) in eleven out of twelve stormwater samples showed that the faecal bacteria were mainly from animal sources. 16S rRNA gene sequencing results confirmed the presence of nitrifying bacteria from the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter, Nitrosococcus, Nitrospira, and Nitrosospira in stormwater. Nitrification and nitrate leaching was more notable for the conventional permeable pavement and may pose a groundwater pollution risk. Two percent AC amendment of the sand base reduced nitrate and total nitrogen leaching significantly compared with the conventional permeable pavement, by 57 ± 15 % and 40 ± 20 %, respectively. The AC amendment also resulted in significantly reduced Cu and DOC leaching, and lesser accumulation of PAHs by passive samplers embedded in the permeable pavement base. Hydraulic tests showed that the AC amended base layer still met the design specifications for permeable pavements, making it a promising proposition for pollution reduction in Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rixia Zan
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Ross Stirling
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; UKCRIC National Green Infrastructure Facility, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5TG, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian Blackburn
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Walsh
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; UKCRIC National Green Infrastructure Facility, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5TG, United Kingdom
| | - David Werner
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
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Thongsamer T, Vinitnantharat S, Pinisakul A, Werner D. Fixed-bed biofilter for polluted surface water treatment using chitosan impregnated-coconut husk biochar. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 334:122137. [PMID: 37406752 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Pelletizing biochar enables its use as a biofilter medium for polluted canal water treatment. Coconut husk biochar pellets and their modification with chitosan (CHC) were compared with conventional activated carbon pellets and gravel. The biofilter columns with these media were operated with a hydraulic loading rate of 0.1 m3/m2∙h. CHC showed the highest potential to reduce phosphate and nitrogen, via the adsorption process in the first week of filtration and later enhanced by biodegradation, to achieve removal efficiencies of 61.70 and 54.37% for these two key nutrients, respectively, over five weeks of biofilter operation. The predominant bacteria in the biofilter communities were characterized at the end of the experiments by next generation sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. The biofilter communities included ammonium oxidizing, nitrite oxidizing, denitrifying, polyphosphate accumulating and denitrifying phosphate-accumulating bacteria that benefit nutrient removal. The CHC biofilter also effectively removed micropollutants, including pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thunchanok Thongsamer
- Environmental Technology Program in School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand
| | - Soydoa Vinitnantharat
- Environmental Technology Program in School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand; Environmental and Energy Management for Community and Circular Economy Research Group, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand
| | - Anawat Pinisakul
- Chemistry for Green Society and Healthy Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand.
| | - David Werner
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
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Gwenzi W, Marumure J, Makuvara Z, Simbanegavi TT, Njomou-Ngounou EL, Nya EL, Kaetzl K, Noubactep C, Rzymski P. The pit latrine paradox in low-income settings: A sanitation technology of choice or a pollution hotspot? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 879:163179. [PMID: 37003330 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Pit latrines are widely promoted to improve sanitation in low-income settings, but their pollution and health risks receive cursory attention. The present narrative review presents the pit latrine paradox; (1) the pit latrine is considered a sanitation technology of choice to safeguard human health, and (2) conversely, pit latrines are pollution and health risk hotspots. Evidence shows that the pit latrine is a 'catch-all' receptacle for household disposal of hazardous waste, including; (1) medical wastes (COVID-19 PPE, pharmaceuticals, placenta, used condoms), (2) pesticides and pesticide containers, (3) menstrual hygiene wastes (e.g., sanitary pads), and (4) electronic wastes (batteries). Pit latrines serve as hotspot reservoirs that receive, harbour, and then transmit the following into the environment; (1) conventional contaminants (nitrates, phosphates, pesticides), (2) emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals and personal care products, antibiotic resistance), and (3) indicator organisms, and human bacterial and viral pathogens, and disease vectors (rodents, houseflies, bats). As greenhouse gas emission hotspots, pit latrines contribute 3.3 to 9.4 Tg/year of methane, but this could be an under-estimation. Contaminants in pit latrines may migrate into surface water, and groundwater systems serving as drinking water sources and pose human health risks. In turn, this culminates into the pit latrine-groundwater-human continuum or connectivity, mediated via water and contaminant migration. Human health risks of pit latrines, a critique of current evidence, and current and emerging mitigation measures are presented, including isolation distance, hydraulic liners/ barriers, ecological sanitation, and the concept of a circular bioeconomy. Finally, future research directions on the epidemiology and fate of contaminants in pit latrines are presented. The pit latrine paradox is not meant to downplay pit latrines' role or promote open defaecation. Rather, it seeks to stimulate discussion and research to refine the technology to enhance its functionality while mitigating pollution and health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willis Gwenzi
- Grassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, Universität Kassel, Steinstraße 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany; Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Jerikias Marumure
- Department of Physics, Geography and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, Off Old Great Zimbabwe Road, P.O. Box 1235, Masvingo, Zimbabwe; Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, South Africa
| | - Zakio Makuvara
- Department of Physics, Geography and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, Off Old Great Zimbabwe Road, P.O. Box 1235, Masvingo, Zimbabwe; Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, South Africa
| | - Tinoziva T Simbanegavi
- Department of Soil Science and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Environment, and Food Systems, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, Harare P.O. Box MP 167, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Esther Laurentine Nya
- Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences, University of Maroua, P.O. Box 644, Maroua, Cameroon
| | - Korbinian Kaetzl
- Grassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, Universität Kassel, Steinstraße 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany.
| | - Chicgoua Noubactep
- Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), University of Göttingen, Waldweg 26, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Department of Applied Geology, University of Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 3, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; School of Earth Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Fo Cheng Xi Road 8, 211100 Nanjing, PR China.
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznań, Poland.
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