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Besiri IN, Goudoulas TB, Fattahi E, Becker T. Experimental Advances in the Real-Time Recording of Cross-Linking Alginate In Situ Gelation: A Review. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:2875. [PMID: 37447520 DOI: 10.3390/polym15132875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alginate-based hydrogels are promising smart materials widely employed in the food, bioengineering, and energy sectors. The development and optimization of their production require a thorough knowledge of gelation. In recent years, advanced experimental procedures have been developed for real-time cross-linking alginate reaction monitoring. Novel methods, such as customized rheometric setups, enable the recording of mechanical properties and morphological changes during hydrogel formation. These innovative techniques provide important insights into the gelation stages, the reaction rate, the diffusion of cross-linker to polymer chains, and the homogeneity of the gelling structures. Based on real-time experimental data, kinetic models are developed to enhance comprehension of the reaction mechanism and, eventually, to predict the gelation progress. The aim is to enable better control of the characterization of both the complex gelation and the propagated structures. This review aspires to present a comprehensive overview and evaluation of the breakthrough innovations of the real-time in situ recording of cross-linking alginate hydrogels and bead formation. A detailed analysis of the pioneering experimental developments provides a deep comprehension of the alginate gelation, including the parameters controlling the reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna N Besiri
- Research Group of Fluid Dynamics, Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Steig 20, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Thomas B Goudoulas
- Research Group of Fluid Dynamics, Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Steig 20, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Ehsan Fattahi
- Research Group of Fluid Dynamics, Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Steig 20, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Thomas Becker
- Research Group of Fluid Dynamics, Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Steig 20, 85354 Freising, Germany
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van den Berg L, Pronk M, van Loosdrecht MCM, de Kreuk MK. Density measurements of aerobic granular sludge. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2023; 44:1985-1995. [PMID: 34904922 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2021.2017492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Granular sludge processes are frequently used in domestic and industrial wastewater treatment. The granule buoyant density and biomass density are important parameters for the design and operation of granular sludge reactors. Different methods to measure the granule density include the pycnometer method, the Percoll density gradient method, the dextran blue method, and the settling velocity method. In this study, a comparison was made between these four methods to measure granule density for granules from a full-scale granular sludge plant treating domestic sewage. The effect of salinity on granule density was assessed as well. Three out of the four evaluated methods yielded comparable results, with granule buoyant densities between 1025.7 and 1028.1 kg/m3 and granule biomass densities between 71.1 and 71.5 g/L (based on volatile suspended solids (VSS)). The settling velocity method clearly underestimated the granule density, due to the complex relation between granule properties and settling velocity. The pycnometer method was the most precise method, but it was also quite susceptible to bias. The granule buoyant density increased proportionally with salinity, to 1049.2 kg/m3 at 36 g/L salinity. However, the granule biomass density, based on VSS, remained constant. This showed that the granule volume was not affected by salinity and that the buoyant density increase was the result of diffusion of salts into the granule pores. Overall, the granule density can be measured reliably with most methods, as long as the effect of salinity is considered. The results are discussed in light of operational aspects for full-scale granular sludge plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenno van den Berg
- Department of Water Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Mario Pronk
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
- Royal HaskoningDHV, Amersfoort, the Netherlands
| | | | - Merle K de Kreuk
- Department of Water Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
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Bou-Sarkis A, Paul E, Girbal-Neuhauser E, Derlon N, Bessiere Y. Detection of Gel-Forming Polymers via Calcium Crosslinking, Applied to the Screening of Extracellular Polymeric Substances Extracted from Biological Aggregates. Gels 2023; 9:gels9020157. [PMID: 36826327 PMCID: PMC9957232 DOI: 10.3390/gels9020157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The valorization of biological aggregates through the extraction of hydrogel-forming polymers can enhance the economics and sustainability of various processes in which bacteria are involved in organic waste transformation, such as wastewater treatment. Achieving these goals requires the development of a method capable of detecting the presence of gel-forming polymers in complex mixtures containing biopolymers that are most often unknown and uncharacterized. A miniaturized screening method capable of detecting gelation via ionic crosslinking using only 1 to 3 mg of the tested samples (commercial molecules or extracellular polymeric substances, EPSs) is proposed. The method consists of calculating a percentage of reactivity (%R) through UV-vis spectra and determining the percentage of gel volume (%Vg) formed after the addition of calcium. Both factors were combined to give a gelling factor (GF), and the test was applied to pure commercial molecules (BSA, DNA, alginate (ALV), and a mixture of them), allowing the classification of the following solutions according to their gel-forming capacity: GF(ALV) > GF(ALV+DNA) > GF(BSA+ALV+DNA) > GF(BSA+ALV) > GF(DNA) > GF(BSA+DNA) > GF(BSA). As a relevant tool for screening hydrogel-forming solutions, the method was applied to the EPS extracted from aerobic granular sludge. The EPS (0.5% w/v) had a GF of 0.16 ± 0.03, equivalent to approximately half of the GF of ALV (0.38 ± 0.02 at 0.5% w/v). The developed test pushes the limits of the existing gel-detection techniques because it allows for quicker, less consuming, and more informative gelation detection through the use of simple methods that do not require sophisticated equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdo Bou-Sarkis
- LBAE, Laboratoire de Biotechnologies Agroalimentaire et Environnementale (UPS, URU 4565), Université de Toulouse, Institut Universitaire de Technologie, 24 rue d’Embaquès, 32000 Auch, France
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, 135 avenue de Rangueil, CEDEX 04, 31077 Toulouse, France
- Correspondence: (A.B.-S.); (E.G.-N.)
| | - Etienne Paul
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, 135 avenue de Rangueil, CEDEX 04, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Elisabeth Girbal-Neuhauser
- LBAE, Laboratoire de Biotechnologies Agroalimentaire et Environnementale (UPS, URU 4565), Université de Toulouse, Institut Universitaire de Technologie, 24 rue d’Embaquès, 32000 Auch, France
- Correspondence: (A.B.-S.); (E.G.-N.)
| | - Nicolas Derlon
- Department of Process Engineering, EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Yolaine Bessiere
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, 135 avenue de Rangueil, CEDEX 04, 31077 Toulouse, France
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Cao DQ, Tang K, Zhang WY, Chang C, Han JL, Tian F, Hao XD. Calcium Alginate Production through Forward Osmosis with Reverse Solute Diffusion and Mechanism Analysis. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:207. [PMID: 36837710 PMCID: PMC9968021 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13020207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Calcium alginate (Ca-Alg) is a novel target product for recovering alginate from aerobic granular sludge. A novel Ca-Alg production method was proposed herein where Ca-Alg was formed in a sodium alginate (SA) feed solution (FS) and concentrated via forward osmosis (FO) with Ca2+ reverse osmosis using a draw solution of CaCl2. An abnormal reverse solute diffusion was observed, with the average reverse solute flux (RSF) decreasing with increasing CaCl2 concentrations, while the average RSF increased with increasing alginate concentrations. The RSF of Ca2+ in FS decreased continuously as the FO progressed, using 1.0 g/L SA as the FS, while it increased initially and later decreased using 2.0 and 3.0 g/L SA as the FS. These results were attributed to the Ca-Alg recovery production (CARP) formed on the FO membrane surface on the feed side, and the percentage of Ca2+ in CARP to total Ca2+ reverse osmosis reached 36.28%. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy also verified CARP existence and its Ca2+ content. The thin film composite FO membrane with a supporting polysulfone electrospinning nanofiber membrane layer showed high water flux and RSF of Ca2+, which was proposed as a novel FO membrane for Ca-Alg production via the FO process with Ca2+ reverse diffusion. Four mechanisms including molecular sieve role, electrification of colloids, osmotic pressure of ions in CARP, and FO membrane structure were proposed to control the Ca-Alg production. Thus, the results provide further insights into Ca-Alg production via FO along with Ca2+ reverse osmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da-Qi Cao
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Kai Tang
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Wen-Yu Zhang
- Institute of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Cheng Chang
- Institute of Chemical Engineering, Chemical and Process Engineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Jia-Lin Han
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Feng Tian
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Xiao-Di Hao
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
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Effect of Electrofiltration on the Dewatering Kinetics of Arthrospira platensis and Biocompound Recovery. SEPARATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/separations9120410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) is a microalga with a wide range of commercial uses. One of the main concerns that needs to be addressed in microalgae biorefineries is the costs associated with the harvesting and concentration steps. Filtration has been shown to be an effective technique for concentrating microalgae and recent studies have attempted to enhance membrane filtration by applying an external electric field to the filtration cell. This study consisted of assessing the use of electrically assisted filtration (electrofiltration) at 60 A/m2 and 1 bar for the dewatering of A. platensis, as well as the effect of pretreating the microalgae with ultrasounds (US) on the filtration process. Untreated A. platensis exhibited better filtration kinetics than US-treated A. platensis, and electrofiltration was found to increase the cake dryness. More protein and pigments were present in the US-treated microalgae solution compared to the untreated microalgae, which led to the presence of higher concentrations of protein and pigments in the filtrate streams after pressure filtration at 1 bar without the application of an external electric field. Electrofiltration was found to consume less energy compared to traditional drying techniques used for A. platensis. However, electrofiltration degrades the biocompounds present in the filtrate and cake due to pH changes and other electrophoresis phenomena, which shows the need to optimize the process in future work.
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Pratofiorito G, Horn H, Saravia F. Differentiating fouling on the membrane and on the spacer in low-pressure reverse-osmosis under high organic load using optical coherence tomography. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.120885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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BOU-SARKIS A, PAGLIACCIA B, RIC A, DERLON N, PAUL E, BESSIERE Y, GIRBAL-NEUHAUSER E. Effects of alkaline solvents and heating temperatures on the solubilization and degradation of gel-forming Extracellular Polymeric Substances extracted from aerobic granular sludge. Biochem Eng J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2022.108500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Desmond P, Huisman KT, Sanawar H, Farhat NM, Traber J, Fridjonsson EO, Johns ML, Flemming HC, Picioreanu C, Vrouwenvelder JS. Controlling the hydraulic resistance of membrane biofilms by engineering biofilm physical structure. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 210:118031. [PMID: 34998071 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.118031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The application of membrane technology for water treatment and reuse is hampered by the development of a microbial biofilm. Biofilm growth in micro-and ultrafiltration (MF/UF) membrane modules, on both the membrane surface and feed spacer, can form a secondary membrane and exert resistance to permeation and crossflow, increasing energy demand and decreasing permeate quantity and quality. In recent years, exhaustive efforts were made to understand the chemical, structural and hydraulic characteristics of membrane biofilms. In this review, we critically assess which specific structural features of membrane biofilms exert resistance to forced water passage in MF/UF membranes systems applied to water and wastewater treatment, and how biofilm physical structure can be engineered by process operation to impose less hydraulic resistance ("below-the-pain threshold"). Counter-intuitively, biofilms with greater thickness do not always cause a higher hydraulic resistance than thinner biofilms. Dense biofilms, however, had consistently higher hydraulic resistances compared to less dense biofilms. The mechanism by which density exerts hydraulic resistance is reported in the literature to be dependant on the biofilms' internal packing structure and EPS chemical composition (e.g., porosity, polymer concentration). Current reports of internal porosity in membrane biofilms are not supported by adequate experimental evidence or by a reliable methodology, limiting a unified understanding of biofilm internal structure. Identifying the dependency of hydraulic resistance on biofilm density invites efforts to control the hydraulic resistance of membrane biofilms by engineering internal biofilm structure. Regulation of biofilm internal structure is possible by alteration of key determinants such as feed water nutrient composition/concentration, hydraulic shear stress and resistance and can engineer biofilm structural development to decrease density and therein hydraulic resistance. Future efforts should seek to determine the extent to which the concept of "biofilm engineering" can be extended to other biofilm parameters such as mechanical stability and the implication for biofilm control/removal in engineered water systems (e.g., pipelines and/or, cooling towers) susceptible to biofouling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Desmond
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Strasse 1, D52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Kees Theo Huisman
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huma Sanawar
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nadia M Farhat
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jacqueline Traber
- Department of Process Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Einar O Fridjonsson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Michael L Johns
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Hans-Curt Flemming
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore; Biofilm Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; IWW Water Centre, Moritzstrasse 26, 45476, Muelheim, Germany
| | - Cristian Picioreanu
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Johannes S Vrouwenvelder
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, Netherlands
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Influence of Rhamnolipids and Ionic Cross-Linking Conditions on the Mechanical Properties of Alginate Hydrogels as a Model Bacterial Biofilm. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136840. [PMID: 34202115 PMCID: PMC8269414 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The literature indicates the existence of a relationship between rhamnolipids and bacterial biofilm, as well as the ability of selected bacteria to produce rhamnolipids and alginate. However, the influence of biosurfactant molecules on the mechanical properties of biofilms are still not fully understood. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of rhamnolipids concentration, CaCl2 concentration, and ionic cross-linking time on the mechanical properties of alginate hydrogels using a Box–Behnken design. The mechanical properties of cross-linked alginate hydrogels were characterized using a universal testing machine. It was assumed that the addition of rhamnolipids mainly affects the compression load, and the value of this parameter is lower for hydrogels produced with biosurfactant concentration below CMC than for hydrogels obtained in pure water. In contrast, the addition of rhamnolipids in an amount exceeding CMC causes an increase in compression load. In bacterial biofilms, the presence of rhamnolipid molecules does not exceed the CMC value, which may confirm the influence of this biosurfactant on the formation of the biofilm structure. Moreover, rhamnolipids interact with the hydrophobic part of the alginate copolymer chains, and then the hydrophilic groups of adsorbed biosurfactant molecules create additional calcium ion trapping sites.
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