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Hafez RM, Tawfik A, Hassan GK, Zahran MK, Younes AA, Ziembińska-Buczyńska A, Gamoń F, Nasr M. Synergism of floated paperboard sludge cake /sewage sludge for maximizing biomethane yield and biochar recovery from digestate: A step towards circular economy. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 362:142639. [PMID: 38909865 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142639] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion of floated paperboard sludge (PS) cake suffers from volatile fatty acids (VFAs) accumulation, nutrient unbalanced condition, and generation of digestate with a risk of secondary pollution. To overcome these drawbacks, sewage sludge (SS) was added to PS cake for biogas recovery improvement under a co-digestion process followed by the thermal treatment of solid fraction of digestate for biochar production. Batch experimental assays were conducted at different SS:PS mixing ratios of 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 20:80 (w/w), and their anaerobic co-digestion performances were compared to the mono-digestion systems at 35 ± 0.2 °C for 45 days. The highest methane yield (MY) of 241.68 ± 14.81 mL/g CODremoved was obtained at the optimum SS:PS ratio of 50:50 (w/w). This experimental condition was accompanied by protein, carbohydrate, and VFA conversion efficiencies of 47.3 ± 3.2%, 46.8 ± 3.2%, and 56.3 ± 3.8%, respectively. The synergistic effect of SS and PS cake encouraged the dominance of Bacteroidota (23.19%), Proteobacteria (49.65%), Patescibacteria (8.12%), and Acidovorax (12.60%) responsible for hydrolyzing the complex organic compounds and converting the VFAs into biomethane. Further, the solid fraction of digestate was subjected to thermal treatment at a temperature of 500 °C for 2.0 h, under an oxygen-limited condition. The obtained biochar had a yield of 0.48 g/g dry digestate, and its oxygen-to-carbon (O/C), carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N), and carbon-to-phosphorous (C/P) ratios were 0.55, 10.23, and 16.42, respectively. A combined anaerobic co-digestion/pyrolysis system (capacity 50 m3/d) was designed based on the COD mass balance experimental data and biogenic CO2 market price of 22 USD/ton. This project could earn profits from biogas (12,565 USD/yr), biochar (6641 USD/yr), carbon credit (8014 USD/yr), and COD shadow price (6932 USD/yr). The proposed project could maintain a payback period of 6.60 yr. However, further studies are required to determine the associated life cycle cost model that is useful to validate the batch experiment assumptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania M Hafez
- Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Buhouth St., Dokki, Cairo, 12311, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Tawfik
- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat, 13060, Kuwait.
| | - Gamal K Hassan
- Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Buhouth St., Dokki, Cairo, 12311, Egypt
| | - Magdy Kandil Zahran
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Ain-Helwan, Cairo, 11795, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Younes
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Ain-Helwan, Cairo, 11795, Egypt
| | | | - Filip Gamoń
- Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Sanitary Engineering, 11/12 Narutowicza St, Gdansk, 80-233, Poland
| | - Mahmoud Nasr
- Sanitary Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21544, Egypt
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2
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Li AH, Zhang BC, He ZW, Tang CC, Zhou AJ, Ren YX, Li Z, Wang A, Liu W. Roles of quorum-sensing molecules in methane production from anaerobic digestion aided by biochar. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 366:121867. [PMID: 39032259 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121867] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Biochar has been used to enhance methane generation from anaerobic digestion through establishing direct interspecific electron transfer between microorganisms. However, the microbial communication is still inadequate, thereby limiting further methane production improvement contributed by biochar. This study investigated the roles of quorum-sensing molecules, acylated homoserine lactone (AHL), in anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge aided by biochar. Results showed that the co-addition of separated biochar and AHL achieved best methane production performance, with the maximal methane yield of 154.7 mL/g volatile suspended solids, which increased by 51.9%, 47.2%, 17.9%, and 39.4% respectively compared to that of control, AHL-loaded biochar, sole AHL, and sole biochar groups. The reason was that the co-addition of separated biochar and AHL promoted the stages of hydrolysis and acidification, promoting the conversion of organic matters and short-chain fatty acids, and optimizing the accumulation of acetate acid. Moreover, the methanogenesis stage also performed best among experimental groups. Correspondingly, the highest activities of electron transfer and coenzyme F420 were obtained, with increase ratios of 33.2% and 27.2% respectively compared to that of control. Furthermore, biochar did more significant effects on the evolution of microbial communities than AHL, and the direct interspecific electron transfer between fermentative bacteria and methanogens were possibly promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Hua Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Bao-Cai Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Zhang-Wei He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China.
| | - Cong-Cong Tang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Ai-Juan Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China
| | - Yong-Xiang Ren
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Zhihua Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Aijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Wenzong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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3
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Lu Q, Li X, Rene ER, Hu Q, Qiu B. Heterogeneous g-C 3N 4/polyaniline composites enhanced the conversion of organics into methane during anaerobic wastewater treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 258:119480. [PMID: 38909948 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
In this study, g-C3N4/PANI was prepared by in situ oxidative polymerization. Graphite-phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with surface defects was deposited onto the surface of conductive polyaniline (PANI) to form a p-n heterojunction. This construction aimed to create an efficient heterogeneous catalyst, increasing the surface defect level and active sites of the composite, and augmenting its capability to capture and transfer extracellular electrons under anaerobic conditions. This addresses the challenge of low efficiency in direct interspecies electron transfer between bacteria and archaea during anaerobic digestion for methane production. The results showed that the prepared g-C3N4/PANI increased the CH4 yield and CH4 production rate by 82% and 96%, respectively. Notably, the conductivity and XPS test results showed that the ratio of g-C3N4 to PANI was 0.15, and the composite exhibited favorable conductivity, with a uniform distribution of pyrrolic nitrogen, pyridinic nitrogen, and graphitic nitrogen, each accounting for approximately 30%. Furthermore, g-C3N4/PANI effectively enhanced the metabolic efficiency of intermediate products such as acetate and butyrate. Analysis of the microbial community structure revealed that g-C3N4/PANI led to a significant increase in the abundance of hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanolinea (from 48% to 64%) and enriched Clostridium (a rise of 1%) with direct interspecies electron transfer capability. Microbial community function analysis demonstrated that the addition of g-C3N4/PANI boosted the activities of key enzymes involved in anaerobic digestion, including phosphate transacetylase (PTA), phospho-butyryl transferase (PTB), and NAD-independent lactate dehydrogenase (NNLD), by 47%, 135%, and 153%, respectively. This acceleration in enzymatic activity promoted the metabolism of acetyl-CoA, butyryl-CoA, and pyruvate. Additionally, the function of ABC transporters was enhanced, thereby improving the efficiency of material and energy exchange among microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoling Lu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Eldon R Rene
- IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Department of Water Supply, Sanitation and Environmental Engineering, Westvest 7, 2601, DA, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Qian Hu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Bin Qiu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control & Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Hu W, Jin HY, Gao XY, Tang CC, Zhou AJ, Liu W, Ren YX, Li Z, He ZW. Biochar derived from alkali-treated sludge residue regulates anaerobic digestion: Enhancement performance and potential mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118578. [PMID: 38423498 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118578] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Biochar produced from bio-wastes has been widely used to promote the performance of anaerobic digestion. Waste activated sludge (WAS) is considered as a kind of popular precursor for biochar preparation, but the abundant resources in WAS were neglected previously. In this study, the roles of biochar prepared from raw, pretreated, and fermented sludge on anaerobic digestion were investigated. That is, parts of carbon sources and nutrients like polysaccharides, proteins, and phosphorus were firstly recovered after sludge pretreatment or fermentation, and then the sludge residuals were used as raw material to prepare biochar. The methane yield improved by 22.1% with adding the biochar (AK-BC) prepared by sludge residual obtained from alkaline pretreatment. Mechanism study suggested that the characteristics of AK-BC like specific surface area and defect levels were updated. Then, the conversion performance of intermediate metabolites and electro-activities of extracellular polymeric substances were up-regulated. As a result, the activity of electron transfer was increased with the presence of AK-BC, with increase ratio of 21.4%. In addition, the electroactive microorganisms like Anaerolineaceae and Methanosaeta were enriched with the presence of AK-BC, and the potential direct interspecies electron transfer was possibly established. Moreover, both aceticlastic and CO2-reducing methanogenesis pathways were improved by up-regulating related enzymes. Therefore, the proposed strategy can not only obtain preferred biochar but also recover abundant resources like carbon source, nutrients, and bioenergy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Hu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Hong-Yu Jin
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Xiang-Yu Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Cong-Cong Tang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Ai-Juan Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China
| | - Wenzong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yong-Xiang Ren
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Zhihua Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Zhang-Wei He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China.
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5
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Yi X, Wang Z, Zhao P, Song W, Wang X. New insights on destruction mechanisms of waste activated sludge during simultaneous thickening and digestion process via forward osmosis membrane. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121378. [PMID: 38430758 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121378] [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: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
This study delved into the efficacy of sludge digestion and the mechanisms involved in sludge destruction during the implementation of forward osmosis process for sludge thickening and digestion (FO-MSTD). Utilizing a lab-scale FO membrane reactor for the thickening and digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS), the investigation explored the effects of sludge thickening and digestion in FO-MSTD processes using draw solutions of varying concentrations. The findings underscored the significance of hydraulic retention time (HRT) as a pivotal parameter influencing the swift thickening or profound digestion of sludge. Consequently, tailoring the HRT to specific processing objectives emerged as a key strategy for achieving desired treatment outcomes. In the investigation, the use of a 1 M NaCl draw solution in the FO-MSTD process showcased enhanced thickening and digestion capabilities. This specific setup raised the concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) to over 30 g/L and achieved a 42.7% digestion efficiency of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) within an operational timeframe of 18 days. Furthermore, the research unveiled distinct stages in the sludge digestion process of the FO-MSTD system, characterized by fully aerobic digestion and aerobic-local anaerobic co-existing digestion. In the fully aerobic digestion stage, the sludge digestion rate exhibited a steady increase, leading to the breakdown of sludge floc structures and the release of a substantial amount of nutrients into the sludge supernatant. The predominant microorganisms during this stage were typical functional microorganisms found in wastewater treatment systems. Transitioning into the aerobic-local anaerobic co-existing digestion stage, both MLSS concentration and MLVSS digestion efficiency continued to rise, accompanied by a decreasing dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. More organic matter was released into the supernatant, and sludge microbial flocs tended to reaggregate. The localized anaerobic environment within the FO-MSTD reactor fostered an increase in the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrogen and phosphorus removal functions, thereby positively impacting the mitigation of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the sludge supernatant. The results of this research enhance comprehension of the advanced FO-MSTD technology in the treatment of WAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiawen Yi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Pin Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China
| | - Weilong Song
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China
| | - Xinhua Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China.
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6
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Zhao S, Zhu S, Liu S, Song G, Zhao J, Liu R, Liu H, Qu J. Quorum Sensing Enhances Direct Interspecies Electron Transfer in Anaerobic Methane Production. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:2891-2901. [PMID: 38308618 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c08503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) provides an innovative way to achieve efficient methanogenesis, and this study proposes a new approach to upregulate the DIET pathway by enhancing quorum sensing (QS). Based on long-term reactor performance, QS enhancement achieved more vigorous methanogenesis with 98.7% COD removal efficiency. In the control system, methanogenesis failure occurred at the accumulated acetate of 7420 mg of COD/L and lowered pH of 6.04, and a much lower COD removal of 41.9% was observed. The more significant DIET in QS-enhancing system was supported by higher expression of conductive pili and the c-Cyts cytochrome secretion-related genes, resulting in 12.7- and 10.3-fold improvements. Moreover, QS enhancement also improved the energy production capability, with the increase of F-type and V/A-type ATPase expression by 6.3- and 4.2-fold, and this effect probably provided more energy for nanowires and c-Cyts cytochrome secretion. From the perspective of community structure, QS enhancement increased the abundance of Methanosaeta and Geobacter from 54.3 and 17.6% in the control to 63.0 and 33.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in carbon dioxide reduction and alcohol dehydrogenation increased by 0.6- and 7.1-fold, respectively. Taken together, this study indicates the positive effects of QS chemicals to stimulate DIET and advances the understanding of the DIET methanogenesis involved in environments such as anaerobic digesters and sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunan Zhao
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shaoqing Zhu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Suo Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ge Song
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ruiping Liu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Shen D, Zhang P, Wu SL, Long Y, Wei W, Ni BJ. Enhanced biomethane production from waste activated sludge anaerobic digestion by ceramsite and amended Fe 2O 3 ceramsite. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119973. [PMID: 38160547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119973] [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: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Wastes recycling and reutilization technique could simultaneously fulfill waste control and energy recovery sustainably, which has attracted increasing attention. This work proposed a novel waste reuse technology utilizing ceramsite and amended Fe2O3-ceramsite made from waste activated sludge (WAS) as additives to promote the yield of methane from WAS anaerobic digestion (AD). Experimental results demonstrated that compared to the control (85.05 ± 0.2 mL CH4/g-VS), the cumulative methane yield was effectively enhanced by 14% and 40% when ceramsite and Fe2O3-ceramsite were added. Further investigation revealed that ceramsite, especially the Fe2O3-ceramsite, enriched the populations of key anaerobes involved in hydrolysis, acidification, and methanogenesis. Meanwhile, potential syntrophic metabolisms between syntrophic bacteria and methanogens were confirmed in the Fe2O3-ceramsite AD system. Mechanisms studies exhibited that ceramsite and Fe2O3-ceramsite reinforced intermediate processes for methane production. The favorable pore structure, enhanced Fe (III) reduction capacity and conductivity also contributed a lot to the AD process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsheng Shen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Pengqu Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shu-Lin Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Yuyang Long
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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8
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Wei Y, Wang R, Wang M, Hu L, Zhang X, Xu Y, Liu Y, Lan F, Chen J. Research status and prospects of organic photocatalysts in algal inhibition and sterilization: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:5013-5031. [PMID: 38147259 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31665-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
An increasing amount of sewage has been discharged into water bodies in the progression of industrialization and urbanization, causing serious water pollution. Meanwhile, the increase of nutrients in the water induces water eutrophication and rapid growth of algae. Photocatalysis is a common technique for algal inhibition and sterilization. To improve the utilization of visible light and the conversion efficiency of solar energy, more organic photocatalytic materials have been gradually developed. In addition to ultraviolet light, partial infrared light and visible light could also be used by organic photocatalysts compared with inorganic photocatalysts. Simultaneously, organic photocatalysts also exhibit favorable stability. Most organic photocatalysts can maintain a high degradation rate for algae and bacteria after several cycles. There are various organic semiconductors, mainly including small organic molecules, such as perylene diimide (PDI), porphyrin (TCPP), and new carbon materials (fullerene (C60), graphene (GO), and carbon nanotubes (CNT)), and large organic polymers, such as graphite phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4), polypyrrole (PPy), polythiophene (PTH), polyaniline (PANI), and polyimide (PI). In this review, the classification and synthesis methods of organic photocatalytic materials were elucidated. It was demonstrated that the full visible spectral response (400-750 nm) could be stimulated by modifying organic photocatalysts. Moreover, some problems were summarized based on the research status related to algae and bacteria, and corresponding suggestions were also provided for the development of organic photocatalytic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushan Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Renjun Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengjiao Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijun Hu
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyi Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuling Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Lan
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Junfeng Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Ye B, Zhang J, Zhou Y, Tang M, You F, Li X, Yang Q, Wang D, Liu X, Duan A, Liu J. Pretreatment of free nitrous acid combined with calcium hypochlorite for enhancement of hydrogen production in waste activated sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165774. [PMID: 37499831 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165774] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
A variety of variables limit the recovery of resources from anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS), hence pretreatment strategies are necessary to be investigated to increase its efficiency. A combination of free nitrous acid (FNA) and calcium hypochlorite [Ca(ClO)2] was employed in this investigation to significantly improve sludge fermentation performance. The yields of cumulative hydrogen for the blank and FNA treatment group were 1.09 ± 0.16 and 7.36 ± 0.21 mL/g VSS, respectively, and 6.59 ± 0.24 [0.03 g Ca(ClO)2/g TSS], 7.75 ± 0.20 (0.06), and 8.58 ± 0.22 (0.09) mL/g VSS for the Ca(ClO)2 groups. The co-treatment greatly boosted hydrogen generation, ranging from 39.97 ± 2.26 to 76.20 ± 4.78 % as compared to the solo treatment. Mechanism analysis demonstrated that the combined treatment disturbed sludge structure and cell membrane permeability even more, which released more organic substrates and enhanced biodegradability of fermentation broth. This paper describes a unique strategy to sludge pretreatment that expands the use of Ca(ClO)2 and FNA in anaerobic fermentation, with implications for sludge disposal and energy recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boqun Ye
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Jiamin Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Yintong Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Mengge Tang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Fengyuan You
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China.
| | - Qi Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Dongbo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Xuran Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Abing Duan
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Junwu Liu
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Mining Site Pollution Remediation, Changsha 410082, PR China
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Wang Y, Wang H, Chen H, Dai X. Metatranscriptome analysis unveils the mechanisms of zero-valent iron enhancing reactivation of starvation hydrolysis acidification sludge by inducing high-level gene expression. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 899:165696. [PMID: 37482355 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Hydrolysis acidification (HA) is a promising method for wastewater treatment and resource recovery. However, the extended time required for bacterial reactivation after starvation or a change in living conditions often poses a challenge to the efficient operation of the system. Although the addition of zero-valent iron (ZVI) could enhance HA performance, its effects on sludge reactivation in the HA process are not fully understood. In this study, ZVI was employed to accelerate sludge reactivation and its involved genetic mechanisms were unveiled. The results demonstrated that ZVI addition activated the sludge within 35 days with stable HA performance. Sludge characteristics revealed that ZVI improved active biomass, enzyme activity (by 11.4 % ∼ 26.7 %), ETS activity (by 566 %), and cell viability, with a higher concentration of MLVSS, live cells, more microbial byproducts in EPS, and relative abundance of HA bacteria (63.41 %). Moreover, metatranscriptome analysis showed that ZVI upregulated the expression of genes related to key enzymes in carbohydrate degradation metabolism, biosynthesis of electron transfer media such as heme and ubiquinone, and biosynthesis of vital cofactors like vitamin B12 and folate during microbial growth and metabolism. These findings suggest that ZVI enhanced electron transfer, bacterial growth, and metabolism, resulting in effective starch conversion and VFAs generation. Overall, these results deepen our understanding of the mechanism by which ZVI enhanced HA sludge reactivation, providing valuable information for addressing sludge starvation issues in HA systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqiong Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Urban Pollution Control, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Hongwu Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Urban Pollution Control, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Urban Water Supply, Water Saving and Water Environment Governance in the Yangtze River Delta of Ministry of Water Resources, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Hongbin Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for Urban Pollution Control, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- National Engineering Research Center for Urban Pollution Control, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Jin HY, Yang L, Ren YX, Tang CC, Zhou AJ, Liu W, Li Z, Wang A, He ZW. Insights into the roles and mechanisms of a green-prepared magnetic biochar in anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165170. [PMID: 37379930 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165170] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Methane is one of the most promising renewable energies to alleviate energy crisis or replace fossil fuels, which can be recovered from anaerobic digestion of bio-wastes. However, the engineering application of anaerobic digestion is always hindered by low methane yield and production rate. This study revealed the roles and mechanisms of a green-prepared magnetic biochar (MBC) in promoting methane production performance from waste activated sludge. Results showed that the methane yield reached 208.7 mL/g volatile suspended solids with MBC additive dosage of 1 g/L, increasing by 22.1 % compared to that in control. Mechanism analysis demonstrated that MBC could promote hydrolysis, acidification, and methanogenesis stages. This was because the properties of biochar were upgraded by loading nano-magnetite, such as specific surface area, surface active sites, and surface functional groups, which made MBC have greater potential to mediate electron transfer. Correspondingly, the activity of α-glucosidase and protease respectively increased by 41.7 % and 50.0 %, and then the hydrolysis performances of polysaccharides and proteins were improved. Also, MBC improved the secretion of electroactive substances like humic substances and cytochrome C, which could promote extracellular electron transfer. Furthermore, Clostridium and Methanosarcina, as well-known electroactive microbes, were selectively enriched. The direct interspecies electron transfer between them was established via MBC. This study provided some scientific evidences to comprehensively understand the roles of MBC in anaerobic digestion, with important implications for achieving resource recovery and sludge stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yu Jin
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Yong-Xiang Ren
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Cong-Cong Tang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Ai-Juan Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Wenzong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhihua Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Aijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhang-Wei He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.
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12
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Cheng B, Zhang D, Lin Q, Xi S, Ma J, Zan F, Biswal BK, Wang Z, Guo G. Short-chain fatty acid production and phosphorous recovery from waste activated sludge via anaerobic fermentation: A comparison of in-situ and ex-situ thiosulfate-assisted Fe 2+/persulfate pretreatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162172. [PMID: 36775172 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Recently, increasing attention is given on the resource and energy recovery (e.g. short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and phosphorus (P)) from waste active sludge (WAS) under the "Dual carbon goals". This study compared four thiosulfate-assisted Fe2+/persulfate (TAFP) pretreatments of WAS, i.e. in-situ TAFP pretreatment (R1), ex-situ TAFP pretreatment (R2), in-situ TAFP pretreatment + pH adjustment (R3) and ex-situ TAFP pretreatment + pH adjustment (R4), followed by anaerobic fermentation over 20 days for SCFA production and P recovery. The results showed that the maximal SCFA yields in R1-4 were 730.2 ± 7.0, 1017.4 ± 13.9, 860.1 ± 40.8, and 1072.0 ± 33.2 mg COD/L, respectively, significantly higher than Control (365.2 ± 17.8 mg COD/L). The findings indicated that TAFP pretreatments (particularly ex-situ TAFP pretreatment) enhanced WAS disintegration and provided more soluble organics and subsequently promoted SCFA production. The P fractionation results showed the non-apatite inorganic P increased from 11.6 ± 0.2 mg P/g TSS in Control to 11.8 ± 0.5 (R1), 12.4 ± 0.3 (R2), 13.2 ± 0.7 (R3) and 12.7 ± 0.7 mg P/g TSS (R4), suggesting TAFP pretreatments improved P bioavailability due to formation of Fe-P mineral (Fe(H2PO4)2·2H2O), which could be recycled through magnetic separators. These findings were further strengthened by the analysis of microbial community and related marker genes that fermentative bacteria containing SCFA biosynthesis genes (e.g. pyk, pdhA, accA and accB) and iron-reducing bacteria containing iron-related proteins (e.g. feoA and feoB) were enriched in R1-4 (dominant in ex-situ pretreatment systems, R2 and R4). Economic evaluation further verified ex-situ TAFP pretreatment was cost-effective and a better strategy over other operations to treat WAS for SCFA production and P recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyi Cheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Da Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Qingshan Lin
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Shihao Xi
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jie Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Feixiang Zan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Basanta Kumar Biswal
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zongping Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Gang Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Wuhan 430074, China.
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13
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Chemically enhanced high-loaded membrane bioreactor (CE-HLMBR) for A-stage municipal wastewater treatment: Pilot-scale experiments and practical feasibility evaluation. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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