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Beutler P, Larsen TA, Maurer M, Staufer P, Lienert J. A participatory multi-criteria decision analysis framework reveals transition potential towards non-grid wastewater management. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 367:121962. [PMID: 39094412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Many public environmental decisions are wicked problems due to high complexity and uncertainty. We test a participatory value-based framework based on multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to tackle such problems. Our framework addresses two important gaps identified in reviews of MCDA applications to environmental problems: including stakeholders and treating uncertainty. We applied our framework in two complex real-world cases concerning a paradigm shift in the wastewater sector; the transition from centralized wastewater systems to decentralized non-grid systems. Non-grid systems may solve some problems of centralized systems by reducing costs, increasing flexibility, and addressing growing demands on environmental issues, especially in rural areas. But non-grid systems have rarely been implemented in OECD countries, because it is unclear whether a transition is recommendable, and whether stakeholders would accept this shift. This problem allows addressing several fundamental research questions. As theoretical contribution, we found that stakeholder participation in MCDA is necessary, because different preferences of stakeholders can lead to different best-performing options in the assessments. Compared to the typical integrated assessment (IA) approach that excludes stakeholders' preferences, the MCDA process led to clearer outcomes. Results indicate that including the uncertainty of predicted consequences of options with Monte Carlo simulation helped discriminate between options and identify best-performing options. Challenging the uncertainty of elicited stakeholder preferences with sensitivity analyses, we found that best-performing options were especially sensitive to the MCDA aggregation model. Despite the high uncertainty, it was possible to suggest robust consensus options that would perform reasonably well for all stakeholders. As practical contribution, results indicated that a transition from the centralized to decentralized non-grid systems seems feasible. Most stakeholders assigned highest weights to environmental protection objectives in decision-making workshops. These stakeholder preferences implemented in MCDA led to a generally better assessment of innovative non-grid systems, especially when including urine source separation. Stakeholders perceived the MCDA process as beneficial and found results plausible. We conclude that the proposed participatory value-based framework is rigorous, but still feasible in practice. The framework is certainly transferable to any context and is open to testing and refinement in various applications to wicked decision problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Beutler
- Hunziker Betatech AG, Pflanzschulstrasse 17, CH-8400, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Tove A Larsen
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Max Maurer
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Staufer
- Institute of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland; City of Zürich, Disposal + Recycling, CH-8010, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Judit Lienert
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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Im S, Jung B, Wang X, Wu J, Xiao M, Chen X, Quezada-Renteria JA, Iddya A, Dlamini D, Lu S, Maravelias CT, Ren ZJ, Hoek EMV, Jassby D. High-Efficiency Recovery of Acetic Acid from Water Using Electroactive Gas-Stripping Membranes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37368842 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Recovery of carbon-based resources from waste is a critical need for achieving carbon neutrality and reducing fossil carbon extraction. We demonstrate a new approach for extracting volatile fatty acids (VFAs) using a multifunctional direct heated and pH swing membrane contactor. The membrane is a multilayer laminate composed of a carbon fiber (CF) bound to a hydrophobic membrane and sealed with a layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); this CF is used as a resistive heater to provide a thermal driving force for PDMS that, while a highly hydrophobic material, is known for its ability to rapidly pass gases, including water vapor. The transport mechanism for gas transport involves the diffusion of molecules through the free volume of the polymer matrix. CF coated with polyaniline (PANI) is used as an anode to induce an acidic pH swing at the interface between the membrane and water, which can protonate the VFA molecule. The innovative multilayer membrane used in this study has successfully demonstrated a highly efficient recovery of VFAs by simultaneously combining pH swing and joule heating. This novel technique has revealed a new concept in the field of VFA recovery, offering promising prospects for further advancements in this area. The energy consumption was 3.37 kWh/kg for acetic acid (AA), and an excellent separation factor of AA/water of 51.55 ± 2.11 was obtained with high AA fluxes of 51.00 ± 0.82 g.m-2hr-1. The interfacial electrochemical reactions enable the extraction of VFAs without the need for bulk temperature and pH modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungju Im
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Bongyeon Jung
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Xinyi Wang
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Jishan Wu
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Minhao Xiao
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Javier A Quezada-Renteria
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Arpita Iddya
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Derrick Dlamini
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Sidan Lu
- Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment, Princeton University 86 Olden St, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University 50-70 Olden St, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and The Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Christos T Maravelias
- Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment, Princeton University 86 Olden St, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University 50-70 Olden St, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and The Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Zhiyong Jason Ren
- Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment, Princeton University 86 Olden St, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University 50-70 Olden St, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and The Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Eric M V Hoek
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- UCLA California NanoSystems Institute, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- UCLA Institute of the Environment & Sustainability, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Energy Systems & Distributed Resources Division, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - David Jassby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- UCLA California NanoSystems Institute, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- UCLA Institute of the Environment & Sustainability, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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3
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Zhang D, Dong X, Zeng S, Wang X, Gong D, Mo L. Wastewater reuse and energy saving require a more decentralized urban wastewater system? Evidence from multi-objective optimal design at the city scale. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 235:119923. [PMID: 37004305 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Decentralization is recognized as an emerging solution for a more sustainable urban wastewater system (UWS) for the future. However, the debate of centralization vs. decentralization at the system's planning stage remains unresolved, mainly due to the complexity of the system's spatial structure and the multiple design objectives, such as water reuse and energy conservation. This paper presents the Sustainable Urban Wastewater System Generator (SUWStor) as a tool to address this issue. Integrating a graph representation of the system structure and the ant colony algorithm, SUWStor can produce Pareto optimal solutions for system design under three objectives: minimizing the capital cost, minimizing the operational energy consumption, and maximizing the water reuse capacity. The model is used for system design in a 100-square-km new city, the Xiong'an New District in China. Compared to the solution based on human experience, the model can reduce the system's capital cost by 7% and the operational energy in the pipe network by 26%, while maintaining the water reuse capacity at 100%. With this model, the relation between the optimal system layout and the choice over different design objectives can be discussed for any given area. In our case study, the optimal capacity of WWTPs for the lowest-cost solution is 48,000 m3 per day, leading to a total number of WWTPs of 5. As the water reuse level increases to maximum, the optimal capacity reduces to 15,000 m3 per day, where the number of WWTPs is 16. The model is also able to perform significantly better than the locally optimized results, in which only the WWTP locations are fixed at their optimal values. This demonstrates the importance of a global optimization model in designing the integrated UWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhen Zhang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xin Dong
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Siyu Zeng
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xu Wang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Daoxiao Gong
- China Academy of Urban Planning & Design, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Li Mo
- China Academy of Urban Planning & Design, Beijing, 100044, China
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4
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Maziotis A, Sala-Garrido R, Mocholi-Arce M, Molinos-Senante M. A comprehensive assessment of energy efficiency of wastewater treatment plants: An efficiency analysis tree approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 885:163539. [PMID: 37146822 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are energy intensive facilities. Controlling energy use in WWTPs could bring substantial benefits to people and environment. Understanding how energy efficient the wastewater treatment process is and what drives efficiency would allow treating wastewater in a more sustainable way. In this study, we employed the efficiency analysis trees approach, that combines machine learning and linear programming techniques, to estimate energy efficiency of wastewater treatment process. The findings indicated that considerable energy inefficiency among WWTPs in Chile existed. The mean energy efficiency was 0.287 suggesting that energy use should cut reduce by 71.3 % to treat the same volume of wastewater. This was equivalent to a reduction in energy use by 0.40 kWh/m3 on average. Moreover, only 4 out of 203 assessed WWTPs (1.97 %) were identified as energy efficient. It was also found that the age of treatment plant and type of secondary technology played an important role in explaining energy efficiency variations among WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Maziotis
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avda. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860 Santiago, Chile
| | - Ramon Sala-Garrido
- Department of Mathematics for Economics, University of Valencia, Avd. Tarongers S/N, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Mocholi-Arce
- Department of Mathematics for Economics, University of Valencia, Avd. Tarongers S/N, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Molinos-Senante
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avda. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860 Santiago, Chile; Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, C/ Dr. Mergelina, S/N, Valladolid, Spain; Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable ANID/FONDAP/15110020, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860 Santiago, Chile.
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5
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Wagner TR, Nelson KL, Binz C, Hacker ME. Actor Roles and Networks in Implementing Urban Water Innovation: A Study of Onsite Water Reuse in the San Francisco Bay Area. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:6205-6215. [PMID: 37011143 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
As climate change and rapid urbanization stress our aging water infrastructure, cities are under increasing pressure to develop more flexible, resilient, and modular water management systems. In response, onsite water reuse practices have been adopted by several cities globally. In addition to technological innovation, these novel water treatment systems also require new stakeholder collaborations, relationships, and processes to support them. There are, however, few models for stakeholder arrangements that support and encourage the adoption and success of such infrastructure. In this paper, we use interviews with stakeholders involved in onsite water reuse projects in the San Francisco Bay Area to create a social network map that describes the interactions between stakeholders at large and during specific phases of project implementation. Using qualitative content analysis of expert interviews and social network analysis, we identify four actor roles that are key to the functioning of this novel water infrastructure paradigm─specialists, continuity providers, program champions, and conveners─and discuss the importance of each role through the course of project implementation. These findings can be helpful for policy interventions and outreach efforts by other cities and communities looking to implement onsite water systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzipora R Wagner
- Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Re-inventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Kara L Nelson
- National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Re-inventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Christian Binz
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- CIRCLE─Centre for Innovation Research, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Miriam E Hacker
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- The Water Research Foundation, 1199 North Fairfax Street, Suite 900, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, United States
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6
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Amann A, Weber N, Krampe J, Rechberger H, Peer S, Zessner M, Zoboli O. Systematic data-driven exploration of Austrian wastewater and sludge treatment - implications for phosphorus governance, costs and environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 846:157401. [PMID: 35872185 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157401] [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: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Within the new policy framework shaped by the EU Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plans, the field of wastewater and sludge treatment in Europe is subject to high expectations and new challenges related to mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, micropollutant removal and resource recovery. With respect to phosphorus recovery, several technologies and processes have been thoroughly investigated. Nevertheless, a systemic and detailed understanding of the existing infrastructure and of the related environmental and economic implications is missing. Such basis is essential to avoid unwanted consequences in designing new strategies, given the long lifespan of any infrastructural change. This study couples a newly collected and highly detailed database for all wastewater treatment plants in Austria bigger than 2000 population equivalent with a combination of analyses, namely Substance Flow Analysis with focus on nutrient and metal distribution in different environmental and anthropogenic compartments, Energy Flow Analysis, Life Cycle Assessment and cost estimation. The case study of Austria is of special interest, given its highly autonomous administration in federal states and its contrasting traits, ranging from flat metropolitan areas like Vienna to low-populated alpine areas. The significant impact of electricity demand of wastewater treatment on the overall Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) shows the importance of optimization measures. Further, the current system of wastewater and sludge disposal have a low efficiency in recovering nutrients and in directing pollutants as heavy metals into final sinks. Sludge composting with subsequent use in landscaping does not only show an unfavorable environmental balance, but it is the only relevant route leading to additional CED and Global Warming Potential emissions and to the highest transport volume. Altogether, the outcomes of this study provide a sound basis to further develop national strategies for resource recovery aimed to optimize trade-offs between different economic and environmental objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arabel Amann
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Unit of Water Quality Management, Karlsplatz 13/E226-1, Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nikolaus Weber
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Unit of Water Quality Management, Karlsplatz 13/E226-1, Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jörg Krampe
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Unit of Water Quality Management, Karlsplatz 13/E226-1, Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Helmut Rechberger
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Unit of Waste and Resource Management, Karlsplatz 13/E226-2, Vienna 1040, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandra Peer
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Unit of Water Quality Management, Karlsplatz 13/E226-1, Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Zessner
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Unit of Water Quality Management, Karlsplatz 13/E226-1, Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ottavia Zoboli
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Unit of Water Quality Management, Karlsplatz 13/E226-1, Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria.
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7
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Onchoke KK, Franclemont CM. Evaluation and removal efficiencies of a rural WWTP for metals and anions in Lufkin, East Texas (USA). ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:920. [PMID: 36257995 PMCID: PMC9579637 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10622-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The present study quantified element concentrations and evaluated the removal efficiencies of the Lufkin Wastewater Treatment Plant (LWWTP): a public municipal wastewater treatment plant in East Texas. Macroelements (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe, Se, Zn, P, and S) and microelements (Ni, Pb, Mn, Cr, Mo, Cu, Co, V, As, B, Ba) were detected using ICP-OES and ICP-MS. In addition, the anion concentrations (Br-, NO3-, NO2-, PO43-, F-, Cl-, and SO42-) and their percent removal from the LWWTP were assessed by using ion chromatography. Whereas macroelements in the influent were above the maximum ceiling limits, the total metal concentrations in the effluent were found below the USEPA (below μg/L) guidelines. In general, the removal efficiencies for metals in LWWTP were ≥ 94%. The removal efficiencies of the anions were > 100% (Br-), 16.42% (Cl-), 78.89% (F-), 182.59% (NO3-), > 100% (NO2-), 51.81% (PO43-), and 67.01% (SO42-). In addition, Pierson correlation coefficients between the anions and cations, and implications for usage and suggested improvements of the treatment plants are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kefa K Onchoke
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephen F. Austin State University, Box 13006 - SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX, 75962-13006, USA.
| | - Christopher M Franclemont
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephen F. Austin State University, Box 13006 - SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX, 75962-13006, USA
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8
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Narayan Thorat B, Kumar Sonwani R. Current technologies and future perspectives for the treatment of complex petroleum refinery wastewater: A review. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 355:127263. [PMID: 35526717 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Petroleum refinery wastewater (PRW) is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, sulphides, ammonia, oils, suspended and dissolved solids, and heavy metals. As these pollutants are toxic and recalcitrant, it is essential to address the above issue with efficient, economical, and eco-friendly technologies. In this review, initially, an overview of the characteristics of wastewater discharged from different petroleum refinery units is discussed. Further, various pre-treatment and post-treatment strategies for complex PRW are introduced. A segregated approach has been proposed to treat the crude desalting, sour, spent caustic, and oily wastewater of petroleum refineries. The combined systems (e.g., ozonation + moving bed biofilm reactor and photocatalysis + packed bed biofilm reactor) for the treatment of low biodegradability index wastewater (BOD5/COD < 0.2) were discussed to construct a perspective map and implement the proposed system efficiently. The economic, toxicity, and biodegradability aspects are also introduced, along with research gaps and future scope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Narayan Thorat
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai-Indian Oil Odisha Campus, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751013, India
| | - Ravi Kumar Sonwani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai-Indian Oil Odisha Campus, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751013, India; Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530003, India.
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9
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Estévez S, González-García S, Feijoo G, Moreira MT. How decentralized treatment can contribute to the symbiosis between environmental protection and resource recovery. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 812:151485. [PMID: 34742805 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Challenges associated with the sustainability of the water cycle pose new opportunities for resource recovery and greater environmental protection. While centralized wastewater treatment plants must evolve in their design and operation to adapt to a scenario of increasing demand for water, resources and energy, the decentralized approach emerges as an option to be considered in small communities or developing residential areas where bioenergy production can be improved through the recovery of organic matter in segregated streams or where the investment in the sewer network for connection to a centralized facility may be technologically or economically unfeasible. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the environmental and economic profile of a hybrid-decentralized configuration for the purpose of efficient wastewater management and resource recovery and its comparative evaluation with the centralized treatment scenario. Beyond water reclamation, decentralized treatment offers the possibility of valorization of digestate streams as nutrient sources for horticultural or ornamental crops in the vicinity of the plant. Based on the results of the environmental profile, this manuscript shows that the decentralized treatment approach is in line with the philosophy and guidelines of the circular economy, as it allows the use of reclaimed water and biofertilizers under safe and environmental-friendly conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía Estévez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, CRETUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Sara González-García
- Department of Chemical Engineering, CRETUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Gumersindo Feijoo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, CRETUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María Teresa Moreira
- Department of Chemical Engineering, CRETUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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10
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Venkataraman A, Babu L, Aravamudan K. Unified, simple and decentralized treatment process for synthetic and real-time dye contaminated wastewaters. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 423:127059. [PMID: 34547690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to develop a simple, economical and effective treatment scheme to treat effluents from small scale textile dyeing units and tanneries, which have been set up in rural areas. The physicochemical properties of real time effluents procured from these industries were analysed. The workflow required for treating these effluents were ascertained by preliminary tests carried out on synthetically created solutions. A novel treatment scheme for tannery and textile dye effluents sludge volume reduction by the use of sodium hypochlorite was identified. Effective methods for the safe disposal and recycling of all the by-products generated from different steps were discussed. The proposed scheme was successfully able to decolourize and detoxify both the tannery and textile dyeing effluent with over 90% removal of both COD and BOD. The impacts of the treatment scheme on 14 different effluent parameters were reported. The methodology developed in this study may be utilized to construct simple localized treatment units for handling effluents in isolated rural areas. This preliminary treatment at the source, will help in the reduction of the load on the local treatment plants and prevent their choking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anush Venkataraman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai 602105, India
| | - Lokesh Babu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai 602105, India
| | - Kannan Aravamudan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India.
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11
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Sustainability Assessment for Wastewater Treatment Systems in Developing Countries. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14020241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
As the assessment of the economic, environmental, institutional, and social sustainability of wastewater treatment systems may have several conceivable goals and intended recipients, there are numerous different approaches. This paper surveys certain aspects of sustainability assessment that may be of interest to the planners of wastewater treatment systems. Here, the key criteria assess the system’s costs and financing, including its affordability for the users, the environmental impact, the benefits for health and hygiene, the cultural acceptance of the system and its recycled products, the technical functioning, and the administrative, political, and legal framework for its construction and operation. A multi-criteria approach may then be used to analyze possible trade-offs and identify the most suitable system for a certain location.
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12
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Sonwani RK, Kim KH, Zhang M, Tsang YF, Lee SS, Giri BS, Singh RS, Rai BN. Construction of biotreatment platforms for aromatic hydrocarbons and their future perspectives. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 416:125968. [PMID: 34492879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aromatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) are one of the major environmental pollutants introduced from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Many AHCs are well known for their toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic impact on human health and ecological systems. Biodegradation is an eco-friendly and cost-effective option as microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and algae) can efficiently breakdown or transform such pollutants into less harmful and simple metabolites (e.g., carbon dioxide (aerobic), methane (anaerobic), water, and inorganic salts). This paper is organized to offer a state-of-the-art review on the biodegradation of AHCs (monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) and associated mechanisms. The recent progress in biological treatment using suspended and attached growth bioreactors for the biodegradation of AHCs is also discussed. In addition, various substrate growth and inhibition models are introduced along with the key factors governing their biodegradation kinetics. The growth and inhibition models have helped gain a better understanding of substrate inhibition in biodegradation. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) aspects are also described to assess the technical, economical, and environmental impacts of the biological treatment system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Kumar Sonwani
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Technology Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ki-Hyun Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-Ro, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yiu Fai Tsang
- Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Sang Soo Lee
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea
| | - Balendu Shekher Giri
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Technology Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ram Sharan Singh
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Technology Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Birendra Nath Rai
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Technology Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
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13
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Recent Developments in Microbial Electrolysis Cell-Based Biohydrogen Production Utilizing Wastewater as a Feedstock. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13168796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Carbon constraints, as well as the growing hazard of greenhouse gas emissions, have accelerated research into all possible renewable energy and fuel sources. Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), a novel technology able to convert soluble organic matter into energy such as hydrogen gas, represent the most recent breakthrough. While research into energy recovery from wastewater using microbial electrolysis cells is fascinating and a carbon-neutral technology that is still mostly limited to lab-scale applications, much more work on improving the function of microbial electrolysis cells would be required to expand their use in many of these applications. The present limiting issues for effective scaling up of the manufacturing process include the high manufacturing costs of microbial electrolysis cells, their high internal resistance and methanogenesis, and membrane/cathode biofouling. This paper examines the evolution of microbial electrolysis cell technology in terms of hydrogen yield, operational aspects that impact total hydrogen output in optimization studies, and important information on the efficiency of the processes. Moreover, life-cycle assessment of MEC technology in comparison to other technologies has been discussed. According to the results, MEC is at technology readiness level (TRL) 5, which means that it is ready for industrial development, and, according to the techno-economics, it may be commercialized soon due to its carbon-neutral qualities.
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14
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Reifsnyder S, Cecconi F, Rosso D. Dynamic load shifting for the abatement of GHG emissions, power demand, energy use, and costs in metropolitan hybrid wastewater treatment systems. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 200:117224. [PMID: 34029871 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The installation of satellite water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) has strengthened the ability to provide cheap and reliable recycled water to meet the increasing water demand of expanding cities. As a result, recent studies have attempted to address the problem of how to optimally integrate satellite systems with other sectors of the urban sphere, such as the local economy, the power supply, and the regional carbon footprint. However, such studies are merely based on the spatial domain, thus neglecting potential time-dependent strategies that could further improve the sustainability of metropolitan water systems. Therefore, in this study a new conceptual framework is proposed for the dynamic management of hybrid systems comprised of both centralized and satellite WRRFs. Furthermore, a novel set of integrated real-time control (RTC) strategies are considered to analyze three different scenarios: 1) demand response, 2) flow equalization of the centralized WRRF and 3) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Data from a case study in California is used to develop an integrated dynamic model of a system of 8 facilities. Our results show that by dynamically shifting the dry-weather influent wastewater flows between hydraulically connected WRRFs, a reduction in power demand (up to 25%), energy use (4%), operating costs (8.5%) and indirect carbon emissions (4.5%) can be achieved. Therefore, this study suggests that a certain degree of hydraulic interconnection coupled with dynamic load-shifting strategies, can broaden the operational flexibility and overall sustainability of hybrid WRRF systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Reifsnyder
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - Francesca Cecconi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - Diego Rosso
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA.
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15
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Torre A, Vázquez-Rowe I, Parodi E, Kahhat R. Wastewater treatment decentralization: Is this the right direction for megacities in the Global South? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 778:146227. [PMID: 33714102 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The centralization-decentralization dichotomy in wastewater treatment management has been a recurrent topic of discussion in the urban context. The escalation of environmental hazards linked to increasing mismanaged wastewater flows in emerging or developing cities has vivified this conundrum. It is argued that there is a wide range of parameters to identify the optimal level of centralization-decentralization that must be implemented. In many cases, this prevents decision-makers from having a clear picture of the most appropriate management choices that must be undertaken. Hence, the main objective of the current discussion consists of an in-depth comparison between centralized wastewater treatment systems and decentralized systems with source separation in urban environments of the Global South. Moreover, a set of actions that should be considered in order to upgrade wastewater treatment systems amidst the existence of numerous economic, social and environmental constraints are analyzed. Considering the constraints of megacentralization as a preferred option, we argue that decision-makers should restrain from entering a centralization-decentralization dichotomy, seeing the process as a gradient between the two concepts. In fact, we advocate combining the benefits of each of the two perspectives to generate an adaptive management, site-specific solution for urban environments. For this, the inclusion of quantitative management tools, such as life-cycle environmental or cost management methodologies, in multi-objective optimization models, constitutes an interesting path forward towards fostering comprehensive policy support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Torre
- Peruvian Life Cycle Assessment and Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
| | - Ian Vázquez-Rowe
- Peruvian Life Cycle Assessment and Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru.
| | - Eduardo Parodi
- Peruvian Life Cycle Assessment and Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
| | - Ramzy Kahhat
- Peruvian Life Cycle Assessment and Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
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16
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Vinardell S, Astals S, Koch K, Mata-Alvarez J, Dosta J. Co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste in a wastewater treatment plant based on mainstream anaerobic membrane bioreactor technology: A techno-economic evaluation. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 330:124978. [PMID: 33770732 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.124978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The implementation of anaerobic membrane bioreactor as mainstream technology would reduce the load of sidestream anaerobic digesters. This research evaluated the techno-economic implications of co-digesting sewage sludge and food waste in such wastewater treatment plants to optimise the usage of the sludge line infrastructure. Three organic loading rates (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kg VS m-3 d-1) and different strategies to manage the additional nutrients backload were considered. Results showed that the higher electricity revenue from co-digesting food waste offsets the additional costs of food waste acceptance infrastructure and biosolids disposal. However, the higher electricity revenue did not offset the additional costs when the nutrients backload was treated in the sidestream (partial-nitritation/anammox and struvite precipitation). Biosolids disposal was identified as the most important gross cost contributor in all the scenarios. Finally, a sensitivity analysis showed that food waste gate fee had a noticeable influence on co-digestion economic feasibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Vinardell
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Sergi Astals
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Konrad Koch
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Joan Mata-Alvarez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Dosta
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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17
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Xu M, Zhang Y, Li Y, Lv M, Zhu S, Qian T, Fan B. Energy recovery potential in coupling of sanitation and agriculture: Techno-economic analysis on resource-oriented sanitation. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 126:141-151. [PMID: 33756114 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.03.003] [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: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The coupling of sanitation system and agriculture production is essential to mitigate the environmental burden and offset unsustainable fertilizer utilization by employing resource-oriented sanitation. Yet, the economic feasibility and energy recovery potential from domestic waste have rarely been investigated. To assess four scenarios (whether with kitchen waste separation; whether with energy recovery) in the resource-oriented sanitation system, an integrated assessment framework based on energy analysis and techno-economic analysis is employed to investigate the comprehensive sanitation system including both wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal. The results show that energy recovery from human excreta and kitchen waste can offset the energy consumption of the sanitation system and the energy surplus can even be 1067.70 kJ·PE-1·day-1. The optimum covering range of the regional recovery center was quantified from the balance between scale effect and spatial distribution, and the serving inhabitants need to be more than 2800.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjie Xu
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yahui Li
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Minghuan Lv
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shikun Zhu
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tingting Qian
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Bin Fan
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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18
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Microbial Electrolysis Cells for Decentralised Wastewater Treatment: The Next Steps. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13040445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Traditional wastewater treatment methods have become aged and inefficient, meaning alternative methods are essential to protect the environment and ensure water and energy security worldwide. The use of microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) for wastewater treatment provides an innovative alternative, working towards circular wastewater treatment for energy production. This study evaluates the factors hindering industrial adoption of this technology and proposes the next steps for further research and development. Existing pilot-scale investigations are studied to critically assess the main limitations, focusing on the electrode material, feedstock, system design and inoculation and what steps need to be taken for industrial adoption of the technology. It was found that high strength influents lead to an increase in energy production, improving economic viability; however, large variations in waste streams indicated that a homogenous solution to wastewater treatment is unlikely with changes to the MEC system specific to different waste streams. The current capital cost of implementing MECs is high and reducing the cost of the electrodes should be a priority. Previous pilot-scale studies have predominantly used carbon-based materials. Significant reductions in relative performance are observed when electrodes increase in size. Inoculation time was found to be a significant barrier to quick operational performance. Economic analysis of the technology indicated that MECs offer an attractive option for wastewater treatment, namely greater energy production and improved treatment efficiency. However, a significant reduction in capital cost is necessary to make this economically viable. MEC based systems should offer improvements in system reliability, reduced downtime, improved treatment rates and improved energy return. Discussion of the merits of H2 or CH4 production indicates that an initial focus on methane production could provide a stepping-stone in the adoption of this technology while the hydrogen market matures.
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19
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Vinardell S, Astals S, Jaramillo M, Mata-Alvarez J, Dosta J. Anaerobic membrane bioreactor performance at different wastewater pre-concentration factors: An experimental and economic study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 750:141625. [PMID: 32871369 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This research evaluated the performance of a lab-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treating municipal sewage pre-concentrated by forward osmosis (FO). The organic loading rate (OLR) and sodium concentrations of the synthetic sewage stepwise increased from 0.3 to 2.0 g COD L-1 d-1 and from 0.28 to 2.30 g Na+ L-1 to simulate pre-concentration factors of 1, 2, 5 and 10. No major operational problems were observed during AnMBR operation, with COD removal efficiencies ranging between 90 and 96%. The methane yield progressively increased from 214 ± 79 to 322 ± 60 mL CH4 g-1 COD as the pre-concentration factor increased from 1 to 10. This was mainly attributed to the lower fraction of methane dissolved lost in the permeate at higher OLRs. Interestingly, at the highest pre-concentration factor (2.30 g Na+ L-1) the difference between the permeate and the digester soluble COD indicated that membrane biofilm also played a role in COD removal. Finally, a preliminary energy and economic analysis showed that, at a pre-concentration factor of 10, the AnMBR temperature could be increased 10 °C and achieve a positive net present value (NPV) of 4 M€ for a newly constructed AnMBR treating 10,000 m3 d-1 of pre-concentrated sewage with an AnMBR lifetime of 20 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Vinardell
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès 1, 6th floor, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Sergi Astals
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès 1, 6th floor, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Jaramillo
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès 1, 6th floor, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Mata-Alvarez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès 1, 6th floor, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Dosta
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès 1, 6th floor, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Poch M, Garrido-Baserba M, Corominas L, Perelló-Moragues A, Monclús H, Cermerón-Romero M, Melitas N, Jiang SC, Rosso D. When the fourth water and digital revolution encountered COVID-19. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140980. [PMID: 32687996 PMCID: PMC7363603 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is, undeniably, a substantial shock to our civilization which has revealed the value of public services that relate to public health. Ensuring a safe and reliable water supply and maintaining water sanitation has become ever more critical during the pandemic. For this reason, researchers and practitioners have promptly investigated the impact associated with the spread of SARS-CoV-2 on water treatment processes, focusing specifically on water disinfection. However, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts multiple aspects of the urban water sector besides those related to the engineering processes, including sanitary, economic, and social consequences which can have significant effects in the near future. Furthermore, this outbreak appears at a time when the water sector was already experiencing a fourth revolution, transitioning toward the digitalisation of the sector, which redefines the Water-Human-Data Nexus. In this contribution, a product of collaboration between academics and practitioners from water utilities, we delve into the multiple impacts that the pandemic is currently causing and their possible consequences in the future. We show how the digitalisation of the water sector can provide useful approaches and tools to help address the impact of the pandemic. We expect this discussion to contribute not only to current challenges, but also to the conceptualization of new projects and the broader task of ameliorating climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manel Poch
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Manel Garrido-Baserba
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - Lluís Corominas
- ICRA, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Scientific and Technological Park, H2O Building, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Antoni Perelló-Moragues
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Hector Monclús
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Nikos Melitas
- Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, 1955 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90706, USA
| | - Sunny C Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - Diego Rosso
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA.
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21
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Trimmer JT, Miller DC, Byrne DM, Lohman HAC, Banadda N, Baylis K, Cook SM, Cusick RD, Jjuuko F, Margenot AJ, Zerai A, Guest JS. Re-Envisioning Sanitation As a Human-Derived Resource System. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:10446-10459. [PMID: 32867485 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Sanitation remains a global challenge, both in terms of access to toilet facilities and resource intensity (e.g., energy consumption) of waste treatment. Overcoming barriers to universal sanitation coverage and sustainable resource management requires approaches that manage bodily excreta within coupled human and natural systems. In recent years, numerous analytical methods have been developed to understand cross-disciplinary constraints, opportunities, and trade-offs around sanitation and resource recovery. However, without a shared language or conceptual framework, efforts from individual disciplines or geographic contexts may remain isolated, preventing the accumulation of generalized knowledge. Here, we develop a version of the social-ecological systems framework modified for the specific characteristics of bodily excreta. This framework offers a shared vision for sanitation as a human-derived resource system, where people are part of the resource cycle. Through sanitation technologies and management strategies, resources including water, organics, and nutrients accumulate, transform, and impact human experiences and natural environments. Within the framework, we establish a multitiered lexicon of variables, characterized by breadth and depth, to support harmonized understanding and development of models and analytical approaches. This framework's refinement and use will guide interdisciplinary study around sanitation to identify guiding principles for sanitation that advance sustainable development at the nature-society interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T Trimmer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Daniel C Miller
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Diana M Byrne
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Hannah A C Lohman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Noble Banadda
- Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Katherine Baylis
- Department of Agricultural & Consumer Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Sherri M Cook
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, UCB 428, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Roland D Cusick
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Fulgensio Jjuuko
- Community Integrated Development Initiatives, P.O. Box 692, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Andrew J Margenot
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1201 S. Dorner Dr., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Assata Zerai
- Department of Sociology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Jeremy S Guest
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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22
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Sun Y, Garrido-Baserba M, Molinos-Senante M, Donikian NA, Poch M, Rosso D. A composite indicator approach to assess the sustainability and resilience of wastewater management alternatives. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 725:138286. [PMID: 32464749 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating the sustainability of wastewater management alternatives is a challenging task. This paper proposes an innovative methodology to assess and compare the sustainability of four wastewater management alternatives: a) centralised water resource recovery facility (WRRF) based on activated sludge (AS); b) centralised WRRF with membrane bioreactors (MBR); c) decentralised WRRFs with upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors and trickling filters; d) centralised-decentralised hybrid system. In doing so, a composite indicator embracing total annual equivalent costs, carbon emission intensity, eutrophication and resilience (based on robustness and rapidity metrics) was developed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. The results show that decentralised and hybrid systems contribute less to carbon emission and eutrophication because of energy and fertilizer harvest and with a trade-off of higher costs of 7-17% than the ones of AS and MBR. In addition, decentralised and hybrid systems are more resilient, contributing to lower environmental impacts facing natural disasters. Based on the weights obtained by AHP, the decentralised alternative appears to be the most sustainable option due to its best performance in terms of carbon emission intensity and resilience. By contrast, the MBR alternative appeared the least sustainable evaluated wastewater management alternative. However, this alternative is sustainable option when the eutrophication criterion is heavily prioritized. The proposed approach contributes to the selection of the most sustainable wastewater management alternative from a holistic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yian Sun
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA.
| | - Manel Garrido-Baserba
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Centre, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - María Molinos-Senante
- Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago, Chile; Center for Sustainable Urban Development, CONICYT/FONDAP/15110020, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago, Chile; Gestión Integrada de Desastres Naturales (CIGIDEN), CONICYT/FONDAP/15110017, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nubia A Donikian
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - Manel Poch
- LEQUiA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, E-17071, Girona, Spain
| | - Diego Rosso
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Centre, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
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23
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Patil VV, Gogate PR, Bhat AP, Ghosh PK. Treatment of laundry wastewater containing residual surfactants using combined approaches based on ozone, catalyst and cavitation. Sep Purif Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.116594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Garrido-Baserba M, Corominas L, Cortés U, Rosso D, Poch M. The Fourth-Revolution in the Water Sector Encounters the Digital Revolution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:4698-4705. [PMID: 32154710 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The so-called fourth revolution in the water sector will encounter the Big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution. The current data surplus stemming from all types of devices together with the relentless increase in computer capacity is revolutionizing almost all existing sectors, and the water sector will not be an exception. Combining the power of Big data analytics (including AI) with existing and future urban water infrastructure represents a significant untapped opportunity for the operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of urban water infrastructure to achieve economic and environmental sustainability. However, such progress may catalyze socio-economic changes and cross sector boundaries (e.g., water service, health, business) as the appearance of new needs and business models will influence the job market. Such progress will impact the academic sector as new forms of research based on large amounts of data will be possible, and new research needs will be requested by the technology industrial sector. Research and development enabling new technological approaches and more effective management strategies are needed to ensure that the emerging framework for the water sector will meet future societal needs. The feature further elucidates the complexities and possibilities associated with such collaborations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manel Garrido-Baserba
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2175, United States
- Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2175, United States
| | - Lluís Corominas
- ICRA, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Scientific and technological Park, H2O Building, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Catalonia Spain
- Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Ulises Cortés
- KEMLg, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya/Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Edifici Omega 205d. Barcelona 08034, Catalonia Spain
- High-Performance Artificial Intelligence (HPAI). Barcelona Supercomputing Center. Jordi Girona 29. 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diego Rosso
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2175, United States
- Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2175, United States
| | - Manel Poch
- Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (LEQUIA), University of Girona, Science Faculty. Montilivi Campus, 17071 Girona, Spain
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25
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Vinardell S, Astals S, Mata-Alvarez J, Dosta J. Techno-economic analysis of combining forward osmosis-reverse osmosis and anaerobic membrane bioreactor technologies for municipal wastewater treatment and water production. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 297:122395. [PMID: 31761630 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The economic feasibility of combining forward osmosis (FO), reverse osmosis (RO) and anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) technologies for municipal wastewater treatment with energy and water production was analysed. FO was used to pre-concentrate the AnMBR influent, RO for draw solution regeneration and water production, and AnMBR for wastewater treatment and energy production. The minimum wastewater treatment cost was estimated at 0.81 € m-3, achieved when limiting the FO recovery to 50% in a closed-loop scheme. However, the cost increased to 1.01 and 1.27 € m-3 for FO recoveries of 80% and 90%, respectively. The fresh water production cost was estimated at 0.80 and 1.16 € m-3 for an open-loop scheme maximising water production and a closed-loop scheme, respectively. The low FO membrane fluxes were identified as a limiting factor and a sensitivity analysis revealed that FO membrane fluxes of 10 LMH would significantly improve the competitiveness of FO-RO + AnMBR technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Vinardell
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Sergi Astals
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Mata-Alvarez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Dosta
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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26
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Molinos-Senante M, Maziotis A. A metastochastic frontier analysis for technical efficiency comparison of water companies in England and Wales. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:729-740. [PMID: 31808092 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06981-3] [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: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating the performance of water companies is of great importance for both water utilities and water regulators. This paper explores comparative levels of technical efficiencies and technology gap ratios with the metafrontier concept by estimating an input distance function using stochastic frontier techniques. The metafrontier framework is employed in the water services of water and sewerage companies (WaSCs) and water-only companies (WoCs) in England and Wales. The results show that the English and Welsh water industry is an efficient industry, with WaSCs more efficient than WoCs. On average, a water company can increase its technical efficiency by operating in more densely populated areas and by investing in technology to reduce bursts in water mains. We also link the efficiency results with the regulatory cycle to assess the impact of regulation on the efficiency levels of water companies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Molinos-Senante
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
- Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable CONICYT/FONDAP/15110020, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Alexandros Maziotis
- Foundazione Eni Enrico Mattei, Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore 8, Venice, Italy
- New York College, Athens, Greece
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27
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Zhu Y, Fan W, Zhou T, Li X. Removal of chelated heavy metals from aqueous solution: A review of current methods and mechanisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 678:253-266. [PMID: 31075592 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Water contamination with heavy metal ions and organic compounds such as citrate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, tartrate, pharmaceuticals, surfactants and natural organic matter, is a serious problem in the natural environment. Although many methods have been effectively applied to the removal of heavy metal complexes from aqueous solution, there is a lack of information available on the mechanisms, advantages and disadvantages of these various methods. This review summarizes the various treatment methods applied to the removal of heavy metal complexes, with a summary of the mechanisms of action and recent research progress. The methods reviewed in detail include electrolysis, membrane separation, adsorption, precipitation, replacement-coprecipitation, TiO2 photocatalysis and Fenton oxidation-precipitation, with the advantages and disadvantages of each method discussed. Furthermore, the heavy metal complex removal mechanisms are analyzed comprehensively. Results show that the adsorption method exhibited unique merits, showing much promise for future development. Finally, this review comprehensively analyzes future prospects and developments in methods for removal of chelated heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, No. 37, XueYuan Road, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Wenhong Fan
- School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, No. 37, XueYuan Road, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191, PR China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, PR China.
| | - Tingting Zhou
- School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, No. 37, XueYuan Road, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, No. 37, XueYuan Road, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191, PR China
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28
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Ghanbari F, Martínez-Huitle CA. Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes coupled with peroxymonosulfate for the treatment of real washing machine effluent: A comparative study. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2019.05.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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29
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Wang X, Daigger G, de Vries W, Kroeze C, Yang M, Ren NQ, Liu J, Butler D. Impact hotspots of reduced nutrient discharge shift across the globe with population and dietary changes. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2627. [PMID: 31201305 PMCID: PMC6570658 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10445-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Reducing nutrient discharge from wastewater is essential to mitigating aquatic eutrophication; however, energy- and chemicals-intensive nutrient removal processes, accompanied with the emissions of airborne contaminants, can create other, unexpected, environmental consequences. Implementing mitigation strategies requires a complete understanding of the effects of nutrient control practices, given spatial and temporal variations. Here we simulate the environmental impacts of reducing nutrient discharge from domestic wastewater in 173 countries during 1990-2050. We find that improvements in wastewater infrastructure achieve a large-scale decline in nutrient input to surface waters, but this is causing detrimental effects on the atmosphere and the broader environment. Population size and dietary protein intake have the most significant effects over all the impacts arising from reduction of wastewater nutrients. Wastewater-related impact hotspots are also shifting from Asia to Africa, suggesting a need for interventions in such countries, mostly with growing populations, rising dietary intake, rapid urbanisation, and inadequate sanitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, Beijing, China.
- Centre for Water Systems, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QF, United Kingdom.
| | - Glen Daigger
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, United States
| | - Wim de Vries
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Environmental Systems Analysis Group, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Carolien Kroeze
- Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Min Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 150090, Harbin, China
| | - Junxin Liu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - David Butler
- Centre for Water Systems, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QF, United Kingdom
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30
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Guo Z, Sun Y, Pan SY, Chiang PC. Integration of Green Energy and Advanced Energy-Efficient Technologies for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E1282. [PMID: 30974807 PMCID: PMC6479948 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16071282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment can consume a large amount of energy to meet discharge standards. However, wastewater also contains resources which could be recovered for secondary uses under proper treatment. Hence, the goal of this paper is to review the available green energy and biomass energy that can be utilized in wastewater treatment plants. Comprehensive elucidation of energy-efficient technologies for wastewater treatment plants are revealed. For these energy-efficient technologies, this review provides an introduction and current application status of these technologies as well as key performance indicators for the integration of green energy and energy-efficient technologies. There are several assessment perspectives summarized in the evaluation of the integration of green energy and energy-efficient technologies in wastewater treatment plants. To overcome the challenges in wastewater treatment plants, the Internet of Things (IoT) and green chemistry technologies for the water and energy nexus are proposed. The findings of this review are highly beneficial for the development of green energy and energy-efficient wastewater treatment plants. Future research should investigate the integration of green infrastructure and ecologically advanced treatment technologies to explore the potential benefits and advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Guo
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10673, Taiwan.
- Carbon Cycle Research Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10672, Taiwan.
| | - Yongjun Sun
- College of Urban Construction, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China.
| | - Shu-Yuan Pan
- Department of Bioenvironmental System Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan.
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Pen-Chi Chiang
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10673, Taiwan.
- Carbon Cycle Research Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10672, Taiwan.
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