1
|
Liao Q, Sun L, Lu H, Qin X, Liu J, Zhu X, Li XY, Lin L, Li RH. Iron driven organic carbon capture, pretreatment, recovery and upgrade in wastewater: Process technologies, mechanisms, and implications. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 263:122173. [PMID: 39111213 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122173] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants face significant challenges in transitioning from energy-intensive systems to carbon-neutral, energy-saving systems, and a large amount of chemical energy in wastewater remains untapped. Iron is widely used in modern wastewater treatment. Research shows that leveraging the coupled redox relationship of iron and carbon can redirect this energy (in the form of carbon) towards resource utilization. Therefore, re-examining the application of iron in existing wastewater carbon processes is particularly important. In this review, we investigate the latest research progress on iron for wastewater carbon flow restructuring. During the iron-based chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) process, organic carbon is captured into sludge and its bioavailability is enhanced through iron-based advanced oxidation processes (AOP) pretreatment, further being recovered or upgraded to value-added products in anaerobic biological processes. We discuss the roles and mechanisms of iron in CEPT, AOP, anaerobic biological processes, and biorefining in driving organic carbon conversion. The dosage of iron, as a critical parameter, significantly affects the recovery and utilization of sludge carbon resources, particularly by promoting effective electron transfer. We propose a pathway for beneficial conversion of wastewater organic carbon driven by iron and analyze the benefits of the main products in detail. Through this review, we hope to provide new insights into the application of iron chemicals and current wastewater treatment models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quan Liao
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Lianpeng Sun
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Xianglin Qin
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Junhong Liu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Xinzhe Zhu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Li
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Laboratory for Sludge and Food Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Lin Lin
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Laboratory for Sludge and Food Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Ruo-Hong Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Maharathi P, Eripogu KK, Lo SL. Nutrients recovery from livestock wastewater by batch and gas bubble-column studies with biochar, nano-composite material, and ammonium magnesium phosphate hydrate. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 366:121722. [PMID: 38991346 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121722] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
The breeding of livestock raises substantial environmental concerns, especially the efficient management of nutrients and pollution. This research is designed to assess the potency of char and modified char in diluting nutrient concentrations in livestock wastewater. The characteristics of graphene oxide, struvite, and calcium-modified char were inspected, defining their efficacy in both batch and bed-column investigations of nutrient sorption. Various factors, including sorption capacity, time of contact, ion levels, a decrease in ion levels over time, and sorption kinetics, have been considered, along with their appropriateness for respective models. The first evaluation of the options concluded that 600 °C char was better since it exhibited higher removal efficiency. Modified char sorption data at 600 °C was used to adjust the models "PSOM, Langmuir", and "Thomas". The models were applied to both batch and bed-column experiments. The maximum phosphate sorption was 110.8 mg/g, 85.73 mg/g, and 82.46 mg/g for B-GO, B-S, and B-C modified chars respectively, in the batch experiments. The highest phosphate sorption in column experiments, at a flow rate of 400 μl/min, was 51.23 mg per 10 g of sorbent. This corresponds to a sorption rate of 5.123 mg/g. B-GO and B-S modified chars showed higher sorption capacities; this was observed in both the batch and bed-column studies. This displayed the capability of graphene oxide and struvite-modified chars for efficient ion and nutrient uptake, whether in single or multi-ion environments, making them a very good candidate for nutrient filtration in livestock wastewater treatment. Additionally, B-GO char enhanced the sorption of phosphate, resulting in augmented seed germination and seedling growth. These results reveal that B-GO char can be used as a possible substitute for chemical fertilizers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Payal Maharathi
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering (GIEE), National Taiwan University (NTU), Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Kiran Kumar Eripogu
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 106, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Shang Lien Lo
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering (GIEE), National Taiwan University (NTU), Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Riesenberger B, Rodriguez M, Marques L, Cervantes R, Gomes B, Dias M, Pena P, Ribeiro E, Viegas C. Filling the Knowledge Gap Regarding Microbial Occupational Exposure Assessment in Waste Water Treatment Plants: A Scoping Review. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1144. [PMID: 38930526 PMCID: PMC11205677 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are crucial in the scope of European Commission circular economy implementation. However, bioaerosol production may be a hazard for occupational and public health. A scoping review regarding microbial contamination exposure assessment in WWTPs was performed. METHODS This study was performed through PRISMA methodology in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. RESULTS 28 papers were selected for data extraction. The WWTPs' most common sampled sites are the aeration tank (42.86%), sludge dewatering basin (21.43%) and grit chamber. Air sampling is the preferred sampling technique and culture-based methods were the most frequently employed assays. Staphylococcus sp. (21.43%), Bacillus sp. (7.14%), Clostridium sp. (3.57%), Escherichia sp. (7.14%) and Legionella sp. (3.57%) were the most isolated bacteria and Aspergillus sp. (17.86%), Cladosporium sp. (10.71%) and Alternaria sp. (10.71%) dominated the fungal presence. CONCLUSIONS This study allowed the identification of the following needs: (a) common protocol from the field (sampling campaign) to the lab (assays to employ); (b) standardized contextual information to be retrieved allowing a proper risk control and management; (c) the selection of the most suitable microbial targets to serve as indicators of harmful microbial exposure. Filling these gaps with further studies will help to provide robust science to policy makers and stakeholders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Riesenberger
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Margarida Rodriguez
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Liliana Marques
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Renata Cervantes
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
- NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, REAL, CCAL, NOVA University Lisbon, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Bianca Gomes
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Dias
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
- NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, REAL, CCAL, NOVA University Lisbon, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Pena
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
- NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, REAL, CCAL, NOVA University Lisbon, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Edna Ribeiro
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carla Viegas
- H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
- NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, REAL, CCAL, NOVA University Lisbon, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Peydayesh M, Mezzenga R. The circular economy of water across the six continents. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:4333-4348. [PMID: 38597321 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00812f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Water is our most valuable and precious resource, yet it is only available in a limited amount. Sustainable use of water can therefore only operate in a circular way; nonetheless, still today depletion of water resources proceeds at an accelerated pace. Here, we quantitatively assess the water circular economy and the status of water management across 132 countries distributed over six continents by introducing the water circular economy index, WCEI, based on the three pillars of water circular economy, i.e., decreasing, optimising, and retaining. This index relies on eight indicators such as water stress, tap water price, water use efficiency, the degree of water resource management, proportion of safely treated wastewater, population with access to safe drinking water, drinking water quality, and surface water changes in hydrological basins. It allows ranking 132 countries, and most importantly to identify criticalities and bottlenecks in the sustainable use of water resources across the six continents, pointing at possible directions and actions towards a fully circular economy of water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Peydayesh
- ETH Zurich, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- ETH Zurich, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
- ETH Zurich, Department of Materials, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Basar IA, Stokes A, Eskicioglu C. Evaluation of on-site biological treatment options for hydrothermal liquefaction aqueous phase derived from sludge in municipal wastewater treatment plants. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 252:121206. [PMID: 38295457 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121206] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Aerobic treatment, mesophilic anaerobic digestion, thermophilic anaerobic digestion, and dark fermentation were evaluated for on-site biological treatment of municipal sludge derived HTL aqueous. For all four described batch test scenarios, municipal sludge-derived HTL aqueous samples obtained under 290-360 °C and 0-30 min retention time were used. In the aerobic respirometric tests, HTL aqueous samples resulted in a five-day biochemical oxygen demand range of 40.75 g/L (350 °C-25.6 min) to 54 g/L (325 °C-0 min). The calculated aerobic biodegradability index showed that approximately 50 % of the organics in HTL aqueous were easily biodegradable. Mesophilic and thermophilic biochemical methane potential tests resulted in specific yields of 151-179 mL CH4/g chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 103-122 mL CH4/g COD, respectively. HTL aqueous obtained under 360 °C-15 min condition caused total inhibition in both mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion. Possible causes for this inhibition were pyridine, pyrrolidinone, piperidinone, pyridinol, and phenolic compounds, which were higher in abundance in the 360 °C-15 min sample. HTL aqueous was found unfit for hydrogen production in dark fermentation due to inhibitory composition. In summary, on-site biological treatment of HTL aqueous was found to be most suitable under aerobic and mesophilic anaerobic conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Alper Basar
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, Canada
| | - Abigail Stokes
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, Canada
| | - Cigdem Eskicioglu
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Shi Z, Xing K, Rameezdeen R, Chow CWK. Current trends and future directions of global research on wastewater to energy: a bibliometric analysis and review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:20792-20813. [PMID: 38400981 PMCID: PMC10948484 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32560-2] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
This paper presents a structured bibliometric analysis and review of the research publications recorded in the Web of Science database from 2000 to 2023 to methodically examine the landscape and development of the 'wastewater to energy' research field in relation to global trends, potential hotspots, and future research directions. The study highlights three main research themes in 'wastewater to energy', which are biogas production through anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge, methane generation from microbial wastewater treatment, and hydrogen production from biomass. The analysis reveals activated sludge, biochar, biomethane, biogas upgrading, hydrogen, and circular economy as key topics increasingly gaining momentum in recent research publications as well as representing potential future research directions. The findings also signify transformation to SDGs and circular economy practices, through the integration of on-site renewables and biogas upgrading for energy self-sufficiency, optimising energy recovery from wastewater treatment systems, and fostering research and innovation in 'wastewater to energy' supported by policy incentives. By shedding light on emerging trends, cross-cutting themes, and potential policy implications, this study contributes to informing both knowledge and practices of the 'wastewater to energy' research community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhining Shi
- UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Ke Xing
- UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia.
| | - Rameez Rameezdeen
- UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Shao X, Huang Y, Wood RM, Tarpeh WA. Electrochemical sulfate production from sulfide-containing wastewaters and integration with electrochemical nitrogen recovery. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 466:133527. [PMID: 38241833 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemical methods can help manage sulfide in wastewater, which poses environmental and health concerns due to its toxicity, malodor, and corrosiveness. In addition, sulfur could be recovered as fertilizer and commodity chemicals from sulfide-containing wastewaters. Wastewater characteristics vary widely among wastewaters; however, it remains unclear how these characteristics affect electrochemical sulfate production. In this study, we evaluated how four characteristics of influent wastewaters (electrolyte pH, composition, sulfide concentration, and buffer strength) affect sulfide removal (sulfide removal rate, sulfide removal efficiency) and sulfate production metrics (sulfate production rate, sulfate production selectivity). We identified that electrolyte pH (3 × difference, i.e., 25.1 to 84.9 μM h-1 in average removal rate within the studied pH range) and sulfide concentration (16 × difference, i.e., 82.1 to 1347.2 μM h-1 in average removal rate) were the most influential factors for electrochemical sulfide removal. Sulfate production was most sensitive to buffer strength (6 × difference, i.e., 4.4 to 27.4 μM h-1 in average production rate) and insensitive to electrolyte composition. Together, these results provide recommendations for the design of wastewater treatment trains and the feasibility of applying electrochemical methods to varying sulfide-containing wastewaters. In addition, we investigated a simultaneous multi-nutrient (sulfur and nitrogen) process that leverages electrochemical stripping to further enhance the versatility and compatibility of electrochemical nutrient recovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Shao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
| | - Yixuan Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
| | - Robert M Wood
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
| | - William A Tarpeh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States; Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abyar H, Nowrouzi M. A comprehensive framework for eco-environmental impact evaluation of wastewater treatment plants: Integrating carbon footprint, energy footprint, toxicity, and economic assessments. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119255. [PMID: 37847937 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119255] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The need for clear and straightforward guidelines for carbon footprint (CFP) and energy footprint (EFP) evaluations is critical due to the non-transparent and misleading results that have been reported. This study aims to address this gap by integrating CFP, EFP, toxicity, and economic assessments to evaluate the eco-environmental impacts of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The results indicate that the total CFP was below 0.6 kg CO2/kg COD removed, which is attributed to CO2 offset and biogas recovery. However, site-specific EFP varied considerably from 482.7 to 2294 kgCO2/kWh due to design differences of WWTPs and their aeration and mixing energy demand (46.96-66.1%). The use of crude oil and natural gas for electricity generation significantly increased EFP, CFP, and carcinogenic human toxicity. In contrast, a combined heat and power (CHP) installation enabled energy recovery ranging from 12.09% to 65.65%. Construction costs dominated the highest share of total costs (85.43%), with indirect construction costs (42.9%) and operation labor costs (61.4%) being the primary elements in the total net costs. It is worth noting that site-specific CO2 emission factors were used in the calculations to decrease model uncertainty. However, to improve modeling reliability, we recommend modifying the regional CO2 emission factor and focusing on emerging technologies to recover energy and biogas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hajar Abyar
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, 49189-43464, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Nowrouzi
- Department of Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Nano and Bio Science and Technology, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, 75169-13798, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sheikh M, Harami HR, Rezakazemi M, Cortina JL, Aminabhavi TM, Valderrama C. Towards a sustainable transformation of municipal wastewater treatment plants into biofactories using advanced NH 3-N recovery technologies: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166077. [PMID: 37544447 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166077] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia (NH3), as a prevalent pollutant in municipal wastewater discharges, can impair aquatic life and have a negatively impact on the environment. Proper wastewater treatment and management practices are essential to protect ecosystems and keep human populations healthy. Therefore, using highly effective NH3-N recovery technologies at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is widely acknowledged as a necessity. In order to improve the overall efficiency of NH3 removal/recovery processes, innovative technologies have been generally applied to reduce its concentration when discharged into natural water bodies. This study reviews the current status of the main issues affecting NH3 recovery from municipal/domestic wastewater discharges. The current study investigated the ability to recover valuable resources, e.g., nutrients, regenerated water, and energy in the form of biogas through advanced and innovative methods in tertiary treatment to achieve higher efficiency towards sustainable wastewater and resource recovery facilities (W&RRFs). In addition, the concept of paradigm shifts from WWTP to a large/full scale W&RRF has been studied with several examples of conversion to innovative bio-factories producing materials. On the other hand, the carbon footprint and the high-energy consumption of the WWTPs were also considered to assess the sustainability of these facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Sheikh
- Chemical Engineering Department, Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)-BarcelonaTECH, C/ Eduard Maristany 10-14, Campus Diagonal-Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Research Center for Multiscale Science and Engineering, Campus Diagonal-Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hossein Riasat Harami
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, AL, USA
| | - Mashallah Rezakazemi
- Faculty of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran
| | - Jose Luis Cortina
- Chemical Engineering Department, Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)-BarcelonaTECH, C/ Eduard Maristany 10-14, Campus Diagonal-Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Research Center for Multiscale Science and Engineering, Campus Diagonal-Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain; Water Technology Center (CETaqua), Carretera d'Esplugues, 75, 08940 Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Tejraj M Aminabhavi
- Center for Energy and Environment, School of Advanced Sciences, KLE Technological University, Hubballi, Karnataka 580 031, India; School of Engineering, UPES, Bidholi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248 007, India
| | - Cesar Valderrama
- Chemical Engineering Department, Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)-BarcelonaTECH, C/ Eduard Maristany 10-14, Campus Diagonal-Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Research Center for Multiscale Science and Engineering, Campus Diagonal-Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abyar H, Nowrouzi M. Trickling filter systems for sustainable water supply: An evaluation of eco-environmental burdens and greenhouse gas emissions. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:117011. [PMID: 37648187 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite the global water crisis, the significant potential of trickling filter systems as a crucial auxiliary option for sustainable water supply has received insufficient attention. Therefore, this study presents the first-ever evaluation of the environmental impacts of trickling filter application in wastewater treatment, focusing on eco-environmental burdens. Additionally, the study explores greenhouse gas emissions, energy, and exergy footprints, providing novel insights into the environmental implications of using trickling filters for wastewater treatment. The study's findings indicate that the consumption of heat and electricity in trickling filters has significant environmental impacts, particularly on land use (93.24%), freshwater/marine eutrophication (∼81.98%), and human health (45.36%). The majority of the energy required for trickling filter operation is supplied by fossil fuels (96.02%), resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions (65.58%). The exergy of trickling filters is highly efficient, accounting for over 95% of the system's energy. Mathematical modeling reveals that anaerobic digestion and secondary clarifier have the highest energy consumption, with contributions of 94.65% and 2.63%, respectively. Construction expenses account for almost 88% of the total cost, with anaerobic digestion (42.15%) and trickling filters (35.39%) being the most costly components. The cost of treating 1 m3 of wastewater is estimated at 0.52 $/m3. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that electricity (14.66%) and heat (18.65%) significantly impact terrestrial ecotoxicity and land use, respectively. This study presents a framework for future investigations in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hajar Abyar
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, 49189-43464, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Nowrouzi
- Department of Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Nano and Bio Science and Technology, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, 75169-13798, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sahu S, Kaur A, Singh G, Kumar Arya S. Harnessing the potential of microalgae-bacteria interaction for eco-friendly wastewater treatment: A review on new strategies involving machine learning and artificial intelligence. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 346:119004. [PMID: 37734213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
In the pursuit of effective wastewater treatment and biomass generation, the symbiotic relationship between microalgae and bacteria emerges as a promising avenue. This analysis delves into recent advancements concerning the utilization of microalgae-bacteria consortia for wastewater treatment and biomass production. It examines multiple facets of this symbiosis, encompassing the judicious selection of suitable strains, optimal culture conditions, appropriate media, and operational parameters. Moreover, the exploration extends to contrasting closed and open bioreactor systems for fostering microalgae-bacteria consortia, elucidating the inherent merits and constraints of each methodology. Notably, the untapped potential of co-cultivation with diverse microorganisms, including yeast, fungi, and various microalgae species, to augment biomass output. In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) stand out as transformative catalysts. By addressing intricate challenges in wastewater treatment and microalgae-bacteria symbiosis, AI and ML foster innovative technological solutions. These cutting-edge technologies play a pivotal role in optimizing wastewater treatment processes, enhancing biomass yield, and facilitating real-time monitoring. The synergistic integration of AI and ML instills a novel dimension, propelling the fields towards sustainable solutions. As AI and ML become integral tools in wastewater treatment and symbiotic microorganism cultivation, novel strategies emerge that harness their potential to overcome intricate challenges and revolutionize the domain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sudarshan Sahu
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Anupreet Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gursharan Singh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, 144411, Punjab, India
| | - Shailendra Kumar Arya
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Phung LD, Ba CA, Pertiwi PAP, Ito A, Watanabe T. Unlocking fertilization potential of anaerobically digested sewage sludge centrate for protein-rich rice cultivation with composted sludge amendment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:116912. [PMID: 37619638 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The use of composted sewage sludge (CSS) and centrate as alternatives to synthetic fertilizers in rice cultivation holds great promise. This study aims to determine the effects of varying doses and timings of centrate derived from anaerobically digested sewage sludge on rice yield, nutrient quality, and soil fertility when applied as a topdressing to rice fields fertilized with CSS. At the panicle initiation (PI) stage, 100, 300, and 500 kg N ha-1 of centrate topdressing (CT100, CT300, and CT500, respectively) was applied. In addition, different topdressing timings at a total dose of 500 kg N ha-1 were evaluated, including a two-split application (40% at active tillering (AT) and 60% at PI; CT500S2) and a three-split application (40% at AT + 40% at PI + 20% at heading; CT500S3). At a rate of 160 kg N ha-1, CSS was used as a base fertilizer in all treatments. A control treatment received synthetic fertilizers at a rate of 160 kg N ha-1 as a base application and 100 kg N ha-1 as a topdressing. Results showed that CSS-treated rice plants exhibited a lower N status and leaf chlorophyll content during the vegetative growth stage; however, the split application of centrate topdressing improved plant N status, resulting in an increase in biomass and grain yield. Centrate and CSS tended to increase the mineral content of rice; nevertheless, a significant accumulation of As in grains raised concerns about food safety. Combining CSS and centrate has the potential to increase rice production, improve grain nutritional value, and decrease reliance on synthetic fertilizers. However, it is essential to optimize this fertilization, mitigate environmental risks, and ensure food safety by employing appropriate fertilization dosing and timing as well as appropriate field management strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luc Duc Phung
- Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, 1-23 Wakaba-machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-8555, Japan; Center for Foreign Languages and International Education, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Trau Quy, Gia Lam, Ha Noi, 12406, Viet Nam.
| | - Chiekh Adrame Ba
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Yamagata University, 1-23 Wakaba-machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-8555, Japan
| | - Putri Aditya Padma Pertiwi
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Yamagata University, 1-23 Wakaba-machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-8555, Japan
| | - Ayumi Ito
- Faculty of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8551, Japan
| | - Toru Watanabe
- Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, 1-23 Wakaba-machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-8555, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Quispe Cardenas LE, Deptula PJ, Huerta CS, Zhu C, Ye Y, Wang S, Yang Y. Electro-Fenton and Induced Electro-Fenton as Versatile Wastewater Treatment Processes for Decontamination and Nutrient Removal without Byproduct Formation. ACS ES&T ENGINEERING 2023; 3:1547-1556. [PMID: 37854076 PMCID: PMC10580281 DOI: 10.1021/acsestengg.3c00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
It is a long-pursued goal to develop electrified water treatment technology that can remove contaminants without byproduct formation. This study unveiled the overlooked multifunctionality of electro-Fenton (EF) and induced EF (I-EF) processes to remove organics, pathogens, and phosphate in one step without halogenated byproduct formation. The EF and I-EF processes used a sacrificial anode or an induced electrode to generate Fe2+ to activate H2O2 produced from a gas diffusion cathode fed by naturally diffused air. We used experimental and kinetic modeling approaches to illustrate that the •OH generation and radical speciation during EF were not impacted by chloride. More importantly, reactive chlorine species were quenched by H2O2, which eliminated the formation of halogenated byproducts. When applied in treating septic wastewater, the EF process removed >80% COD, >50% carbamazepine (as representative trace organics), and >99% phosphate at a low energy consumption of 0.37 Wh/L. The EF process also demonstrated broad-spectrum disinfection activities in removing and inactivating Escherichia coli, Enterococcus durans, and model viruses MS2 and Phi6. In contrast to electrochemical oxidation (EO) that yielded mg/L level byproducts to achieve the same degree of treatment, EF did not generate byproducts (chlorate, perchlorate, trihalomethanes, and haloacetic acids). The I-EF carried over all the advantages of EF and exhibited even faster kinetics in disinfection and carbamazepine removal with 50-80% less sludge production. Last, using septic wastewater treatment as a technical niche, we demonstrated that iron sludge formation is predictable and manageable, clearing roadblocks toward on-site water treatment applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luz Estefanny Quispe Cardenas
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699 United States
- Institute
for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699 United States
| | - Parker John Deptula
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699 United States
| | - Cynthia Soraya Huerta
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699 United States
| | - Chonglin Zhu
- Department
of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260 United States
| | - Yinyin Ye
- Department
of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260 United States
| | - Siwen Wang
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699 United States
| | - Yang Yang
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699 United States
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ekholm J, de Blois M, Persson F, Gustavsson DJI, Bengtsson S, van Erp T, Wilén BM. Case study of aerobic granular sludge and activated sludge-Energy usage, footprint, and nutrient removal. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2023; 95:e10914. [PMID: 37494966 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10914] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
This study demonstrates a comparison of energy usage, land footprint, and volumetric requirements of municipal wastewater treatment with aerobic granular sludge (AGS) and conventional activated sludge (CAS) at a full-scale wastewater treatment plant characterized by large fluctuations in nutrient loadings and temperature. The concentration of organic matter in the influent to the AGS was increased by means of hydrolysis and bypassing the pre-settler. Both treatment lines produced effluent concentrations below 5 mg BOD7 L-1 , 10 mg TN L-1 , and 1 mg TP L-1 , by enhanced biological nitrogen- and phosphorus removal. In this case study, the averages of volumetric energy usage over 1 year were 0.22 ± 0.08 and 0.26 ± 0.07 kWh m-3 for the AGS and CAS, respectively. A larger difference was observed for the energy usage per reduced population equivalents (P.E.), which was on average 0.19 ± 0.08 kWh P.E.-1 for the AGS and 0.30 ± 0.08 kWh P.E.-1 for the CAS. However, both processes had the potential for decreased energy usage. Over 1 year, both processes showed similar fluctuations in energy usage, related to variations in loading, temperature, and DO. The AGS had a lower specific area, 0.3 m2 m-3 d-1 , compared to 0.6 m2 m-3 d-1 of the CAS, and also a lower specific volume, 1.3 m3 m-3 d-1 compared to 2.0 m3 m-3 d-1 . This study confirms that AGS at full-scale can be compact and still have comparable energy usage as CAS. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Full-scale case study comparison of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) and conventional activated sludge (CAS), operated in parallel. AGS had 50 % lower footprint compared to CAS. Energy usage was lower in the AGS, but both processes had potential to improve the energy usage efficiency. Both processes showed low average effluent concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Ekholm
- Division of Water Environment Technology, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Frank Persson
- Division of Water Environment Technology, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Britt-Marie Wilén
- Division of Water Environment Technology, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Salamanca M, Peña M, Hernandez A, Prádanos P, Palacio L. Forward Osmosis Application for the Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Municipal Wastewater: A Review. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:655. [PMID: 37505021 PMCID: PMC10384920 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13070655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Forward osmosis (FO) has attracted special attention in water and wastewater treatment due to its role in addressing the challenges of water scarcity and contamination. The presence of emerging contaminants in water sources raises concerns regarding their environmental and public health impacts. Conventional wastewater treatment methods cannot effectively remove these contaminants; thus, innovative approaches are required. FO membranes offer a promising solution for wastewater treatment and removal of the contaminants in wastewater. Several factors influence the performance of FO processes, including concentration polarization, membrane fouling, draw solute selection, and reverse salt flux. Therefore, understanding and optimizing these factors are crucial aspects for improving the efficiency and sustainability of the FO process. This review stresses the need for research to explore the potential and challenges of FO membranes to meet municipal wastewater treatment requirements, to optimize the process, to reduce energy consumption, and to promote scalability for potential industrial applications. In conclusion, FO shows promising performance for wastewater treatment, dealing with emerging pollutants and contributing to sustainable practices. By improving the FO process and addressing its challenges, we could contribute to improve the availability of water resources amid the global water scarcity concerns, as well as contribute to the circular economy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Salamanca
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Mar Peña
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Antonio Hernandez
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Pedro Prádanos
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Laura Palacio
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Garlicka A, Kupidura P, Krawczyk P, Umiejewska K, Muszyński A. Re-flocculation reduces the effectiveness of sewage sludge pretreatment through hydrodynamic disintegration prior to anaerobic digestion. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 328:138522. [PMID: 36990362 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138522] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Circular economy model, based on the "make, use, reuse, remake, recycle" approach, is an alternative to progressive depletion of non-renewable fossil fuels. Sewage sludge can be a source of renewable energy obtained through the anaerobic conversion of their organic fraction into biogas. This process is mediated by highly complex microbial communities and its efficiency depends on the availability of substrates to microorganisms. Disintegration of the feedstock in the pre-treatment step may intensify the anaerobic digestion, but re-flocculation of disintegrated sludge (reassembly of the released fractions into larger agglomerates) may result in a reduced availability of the released organic compounds for microbes. Pilot-scale studies on re-flocculation of disintegrated sludge were conducted to select parameters for scaling-up the pre-treatment and intensifying the anaerobic digestion process in two large Polish wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Samples of thickened excess sludge from full-scale WWTPs were subjected to hydrodynamic disintegration at three energy density levels of 10 kJ/L, 35 kJ/L and 70 kJ/L. Microscopic analyses of disintegrated sludge samples were carried out twice: i) immediately after the disintegration process at a given energy density level, ii) and after 24-h incubation at 4 °C following the disintegration. Micro-photographs of 30 randomly selected fields of view were taken for each analysed sample. A method of the image analysis was developed as a tool to measure dispersion of sludge flocs to assess the re-flocculation degree. Re-flocculation of the thickened excess sludge occurred within 24 h after hydrodynamic disintegration. This was evidenced by a very high re-flocculation degree, reaching up to 86%, depending on the origin of the sludge and the energy density levels used for the hydrodynamic disintegration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Garlicka
- Research and New Technologies Office, Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company in the Capital City of Warsaw Joint Stock Company, Koszykowa 81, 00-454, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Przemysław Kupidura
- Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography, Warsaw University of Technology, Plac Politechniki 1, 00-661, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Krawczyk
- Orbitile Sp. z o.o., Potułkały 6B, 02-971, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Umiejewska
- Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 20, 00-653, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adam Muszyński
- Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 20, 00-653, Warsaw, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Costa JAV, Zaparoli M, Cassuriaga APA, Cardias BB, Vaz BDS, Morais MGD, Moreira JB. Biochar production from microalgae: a new sustainable approach to wastewater treatment based on a circular economy. Enzyme Microb Technol 2023; 169:110281. [PMID: 37390584 DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2023.110281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
The generation of wastewater due to human activities are the main responsible for environmental problems. These problems are caused by the large amount of organic and inorganic pollutants related to the presence of pesticides, metals, pathogens, drugs and dyes. The photosynthetic treatment of effluents emerges as a sustainable and low-cost alternative for developing wastewater treatment systems based on a circular economy. Chemical compounds present in wastewater can be recovered and reused as a source of nutrients in microalgae cultivation to produce value-added bioproducts. The microalgal biomass produced in the cultivation with effluents has the potential to produce biochar. Biochar is carbon-rich charcoal that can be obtained by converting microalgae biomass through thermal decomposition of organic raw material under limited oxygen supply conditions. Pyrolysis, torrefaction, and hydrothermal carbonization are processes used for biochar synthesis. The application of microalgal biochar as an adsorbent material to remove several compounds present in effluents is an effective and fast treatment. This effectiveness is usually related to the unique physicochemical characteristics of the biochar, such as the presence of functional groups, ion exchange capacity, thermal stability, and high surface area, volume, and pore area. In addition, biochar can be reused in the adsorption process or applied in agriculture for soil correction. In this context, this review article describes the production, characterization, and use of microalgae biochar through a sustainable approach to wastewater treatment, emphasizing its potential in the circular economy. In addition, the article approaches the potential of microalgal biochar as an adsorbent material and its reuse after the adsorption of contaminants, as well as highlights the challenges and future perspectives on this topic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Alberto Vieira Costa
- Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil; Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Munise Zaparoli
- Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Aguiar Cassuriaga
- Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Bruna Barcelos Cardias
- Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Bruna da Silva Vaz
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Biochemistry, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal Uni-versity of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
| | - Michele Greque de Morais
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Biochemistry, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal Uni-versity of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Botelho Moreira
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Biochemistry, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal Uni-versity of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kopperi H, Hemalatha M, Ravi Kiran B, Santhosh J, Venkata Mohan S. Sustainable consideration for traditional textile handloom cluster/village in pollution abatement - A case study. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 324:121320. [PMID: 36805470 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121320] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Decentralized handlooms are being traditionally practised throughout India. Siripuram village known for traditional Pochampally/Ikat work was considered as a case study for detailed investigation towards providing a sustainable solution. Nearly 65% of village population solely depend on weaving and dyeing works as primary occupation based on the household survey and generated wash water of 127 KLD on an average from the dyeing operations. Initially, a topographical survey (Aerial drone; PHANTOM 4 RTK UAV) was carried out to understand the drainage pattern, elevations, contours and interlinked with domestic and dyeing functions. The characteristics of combined wastewater and dye wash water were studied at lab scale using sequential batch (SBR) operation under aerobic (SBRAe) and aerobic-anoxic (SBRAex) microenvironments. SBRAex microenvironment showed effective organic and nutrients removal due to infused anoxic microenvironment. Treatment studies depicted 76.2% of organic fraction, 73.3% of phosphate, and 81.6% of nitrate removal. Based on the lab scale studies a closed-loop decentralized effluent treatment system was designed to ensure zero-liquid discharge (ZLD).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harishankar Kopperi
- Bioengineering and Environmental Sciences (BEES) Lab, Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Manupati Hemalatha
- Bioengineering and Environmental Sciences (BEES) Lab, Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Boda Ravi Kiran
- Bioengineering and Environmental Sciences (BEES) Lab, Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - J Santhosh
- Bioengineering and Environmental Sciences (BEES) Lab, Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - S Venkata Mohan
- Bioengineering and Environmental Sciences (BEES) Lab, Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Garlicka A, Umiejewska K, Halkjær Nielsen P, Muszyński A. Hydrodynamic disintegration of thickened excess sludge and maize silage to intensify methane production: Energy effect and impact on microbial communities. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 376:128829. [PMID: 36889601 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128829] [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] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this project was to study the combination of two methods to increase methane production: feedstock pretreatment by hydrodynamic disintegration and co-digestion of maize silage (MS) with thickened excess sludge (TES). Disintegration of TES alone resulted in a 15% increase in specific methane production from 0.192 Nml/gVS (TES + MS) to 0.220 Nml/gVS (pretreated TES + MS). The energy balance revealed additional energy (0.14 Wh) would cover only the energy expenditure for the mechanical pretreatment and would not allow for net energy profit. Identification of the methanogenic consortia by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that Chloroflexi, Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota were five most abundant bacteria phyla, with Methanothrix and Methanolinea as the dominant methanogens. Principal component analysis did not show any effect of feedstock pretreatment on methanogenic consortia. Instead, the composition of inoculum was the decisive factor in shaping the microbial community structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Garlicka
- Research and New Technologies Office, Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company in the Capital City of Warsaw Joint Stock Company, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Umiejewska
- Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Per Halkjær Nielsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Adam Muszyński
- Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lugo A, Bandara GLCL, Xu X, Penteado de Almeida J, Abeysiriwardana-Arachchige ISA, Nirmalakhandan N, Xu P. Life cycle energy use and greenhouse gas emissions for a novel algal-osmosis membrane system versus conventional advanced potable water reuse processes: Part I. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 331:117293. [PMID: 36657205 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117293] [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: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
This study applied a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology for a comparative environmental analysis between an innovative algae resource recovery and near zero-liquid discharge potable reuse system (i.e., the main system) versus a conventional potable reuse system (i.e., the benchmark system) through energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that pilot-scale data coupled with LCA would provide valuable information for system optimization, integration, and improvements for the design of environmentally sustainable full-scale systems. This study also provides decision-makers valuable information regarding the energy demand and environmental impact of this innovative main system compared to a typical tried-and-true system for potable water reuse. The main system consists of a novel algal-based wastewater treatment coupled with a dual forward osmosis and seawater reverse osmosis (Algal FO-SWRO) membranes system for potable water recovery and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to recover biofuels and valuable nutrients from the harvested algal biomass. The benchmark system refers to the current industry standard technologies for potable water reuse and waste management including a secondary biological treatment, microfiltration (MF), brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO), ultraviolet/advanced oxidation process (UV-AOP), and granular activated carbon (GAC), as well as anaerobic digestion for sludge treatment. Respective energy and GHG emissions of both systems were normalized and compared considering 1 m3 of water recovered. Based on an overall water recovery of 76% designed for the benchmark system, the energy consumption totaled 4.83 kWh/m3, and the system was estimated to generate 2.42 kg of CO2 equivalent/m3 with most of the emissions coming from the biological treatment. The main system, based on an overall water recovery of 88%, was estimated to consume 4.76 kWh/m3 and emit 1.49 kg of CO2 eq/m3. The main system has high environmental resilience and can recover bioenergy and nutrients from wastewater with zero waste disposal. With the application of energy recovery devices for the HTL and the SWRO, increase in water recovery of the FO membrane, and replacement of the SWRO membrane with BWRO, the main system provides an energy-competitive and environmentally positive alternative with an energy demand of 2.57 kWh/m3 and low GHG emissions of 0.94 kg CO2 eq/m3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdiel Lugo
- Civil Engineering Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, United States
| | | | - Xuesong Xu
- Civil Engineering Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, United States
| | | | | | - Nagamany Nirmalakhandan
- Civil Engineering Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, United States
| | - Pei Xu
- Civil Engineering Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ganesh Kumar P, Kanmani S, Senthil Kumar P, Vellingiri K. Efficacy of simultaneous advanced oxidation and adsorption for treating municipal wastewater for indirect potable reuse. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 321:138115. [PMID: 36775035 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138115] [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: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The main scope of this study was to compare the efficacy of different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) combined with adsorption for treating secondary treated effluent of municipal wastewater in a continuous-lab-scale reactor. The results revealed enhanced removal of biological oxygen demand (BOD: C0: 14.1 and Ct: 0 mg L-1 (100%)), chemical oxygen demand (COD: C0: 40.5 and Ct: 4 mg L-1 (≤90%)), and total organic carbon (TOC: C0: 15.2 and Ct: 3.02-3.63 mg L-1 (∼80%)) by UV/PMS, O3/PMS, UV/O3/H2O2, and UV/O3/MnO2 processes followed by glass packed bed reactor (GPBR). Complete inactivation of the bacterial count was observed for all the studied processes. The GPBR showed the additional advantage of termination in the regrowth of bacterial count on the filtering medium. The gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that AOP followed by adsorption reduced the concentrations of the by-products in the treated effluent. Overall, the synergy between AOP and adsorption improved the effluent quality to meet various indirect potable reuse (IPR) applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Ganesh Kumar
- Water & Effluent Treatment IC, L&T Construction, Chennai, 600089, India; Centre for Environmental Studies, Department of Civil Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, 600025, India
| | - S Kanmani
- Centre for Environmental Studies, Department of Civil Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, 600025, India.
| | - P Senthil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India; School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Prabha Padinhattath S, Gardas RL. Extraction of Diclofenac Sodium from Water using N-Benzylethanolamine Based Ionic Liquids: Computational and Experimental Approach. J Mol Liq 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.121603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
|
23
|
Liu H, Qin S, Li A, Wen J, Lichtfouse E, Zhao H, Zhang X. Bioelectrochemical systems for enhanced nitrogen removal with minimal greenhouse gas emission from carbon-deficient wastewater: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160183. [PMID: 36384176 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160183] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen pollution and the rising amount of wastewater generation are calling for advanced wastewater treatments, which is particularly necessary for carbon-deficient wastewater that contains multi-species inorganic nitrogen, since conventional heterotrophic denitrification processes cannot remove nitrogen completely when carbon sources are insufficient. For that, bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have been recently developed because they can simultaneously produce electricity and remove resistant nitrogen from the carbon-deficient wastewater. However, the simultaneous removal of multi-species inorganic nitrogen cannot be achieved by electroautotrophic denitrification using BES alone. Moreover, the efficiency of nitrogen removal and power generation has been thwarted by the low energy output, high internal resistance of the device, and electron competition in non-denitrification pathways. This review article discusses the latest developments for nitrogen removal through BES-enhanced denitrification and elucidates multiple coupled BES-based denitrification pathways to remove multi-species inorganic nitrogen simultaneously. Focus points of the research area include coupling BES technologies with emerged methods, electron transfer enhancement, and avoiding electron competition that improves performance with less cost. The prospect of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases is also critically reviewed, in the hope of reducing potential intermediate products of denitrification, such as nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas), through multi-factor regulation. We imply that BES is a good choice for future scale-up applications of MFC coupled with MEC to treat carbon-deficient wastewater. Overall, this review will provide useful information for the development of advanced technologies to treat carbon-deficient wastewater with less emission of greenhouse gases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Liu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China.
| | - Song Qin
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China
| | - Anze Li
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Wen
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China
| | - Eric Lichtfouse
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France, CEREGE, 13100 Aix en Provence, France.
| | - Heping Zhao
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhang Tang Road, 310058 Hangzhou, China.
| | - Xianzhong Zhang
- Shanghai Urban Construction Design & Research Institute [Group] Co., Ltd., 3447 Dongfang Road, 200125 Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Gao J, Shi N, Li Y, Jiang B, Marhaba T, Zhang W. Electrocatalytic Upcycling of Nitrate Wastewater into an Ammonia Fertilizer via an Electrified Membrane. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:11602-11613. [PMID: 35862245 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemically upcycling wastewater nitrogen such as nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) into an ammonia fertilizer is a promising yet challenging research topic in resource recovery and wastewater treatment. This study presents an electrified membrane made of a CuO@Cu foam and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane for reducing NO3- to ammonia (NH3) and upcycling NH3 into (NH4)2SO4, a liquid fertilizer for ready-use. A paired electrolysis process without external acid/base consumption was achieved under a partial current density of 63.8 ± 4.4 mA·cm-2 on the cathodic membrane, which removed 99.9% NO3- in the feed (150 mM NO3-) after a 5 h operation with an NH3 recovery rate of 99.5%. A recovery rate and energy consumption of 3100 ± 91 g-(NH4)2SO4·m-2·d-1 and 21.8 ± 3.8 kWh·kg-1-(NH4)2SO4, respectively, almost outcompete the industrial ammonia production cost in the Haber-Bosch process. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations unraveled that the in situ electrochemical conversion of Cu2+ into Cu1+ provides highly dynamic active species for NO3- reduction to NH3. This electrified membrane process was demonstrated to achieve synergistic nitrate decontamination and nutrient recovery with durable catalytic activity and stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianan Gao
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, P. R. China
- John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Ning Shi
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, P. R. China
| | - Yifan Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, P. R. China
| | - Bo Jiang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, P. R. China
| | - Taha Marhaba
- John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Wen Zhang
- John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ijoma GN, Mutungwazi A, Mannie T, Nurmahomed W, Matambo TS, Hildebrandt D. Addressing the water-energy nexus: A focus on the barriers and potentials of harnessing wastewater treatment processes for biogas production in Sub Saharan Africa. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09385. [PMID: 35600457 PMCID: PMC9118499 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Several anthropogenic activities reduce the supply of freshwater to living organisms in all ecological systems, particularly the human population. Organic matter in derived wastewater can be converted into potential energy, such as biogas (methane), through microbial transformation during anaerobic digestion (AD). To address the current lack of data and values for wastewater generation in Sub-Saharan Africa, this review analyzes and estimates (at 50% and 90% conversion rates) the potential amount of wastewater-related sludge that can be generated from domestic freshwater withdrawals using the most recent update in 2017 from the World Bank repository and database on freshwater status in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could potentially produce the highest estimate of biogas in Sub-Saharan Africa from domestic wastewater sludge of approximately 90 billion m3, which could be converted to 178 million MWh of electricity annually, based on this extrapolation at 50% conversion rates. Using same conversion rates estimates, at least nine other countries, including Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, and Congo Republic, could potentially produce biogas in the range of 1-20 billion m3. These estimates show how much energy could be extracted from wastewater treatment plants in Sub-Saharan Africa. AD process to produce biogas and energy harvesting are essential supplementary operations for Sub-Saharan African wastewater treatment plants. This approach could potentially solve the problem of data scarcity because these values for Freshwater withdrawals are readily available in the database could be used for estimation and projections towards infrastructure development and energy production planning. The review also highlights the possibilities for energy generation from wastewater treatment facilities towards wastewater management, clean energy, water, and sanitation sustainability, demonstrating the interconnections and actualization of the various related UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace N. Ijoma
- Institute for the Development of Energy for African Sustainability (IDEAS), University of South Africa, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Florida, Roodepoort, 1709, South Africa
| | - Asheal Mutungwazi
- Institute for the Development of Energy for African Sustainability (IDEAS), University of South Africa, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Florida, Roodepoort, 1709, South Africa
| | - Thulani Mannie
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Florida, Roodepoort, 1709, South Africa
| | - Weiz Nurmahomed
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Florida, Roodepoort, 1709, South Africa
| | - Tonderayi S. Matambo
- Institute for the Development of Energy for African Sustainability (IDEAS), University of South Africa, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Florida, Roodepoort, 1709, South Africa
| | - Diane Hildebrandt
- African Energy Leadership Centre, Wits Business School and Molecular Sciences Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Circular Economy Framework for Energy Recovery in Phytoremediation of Domestic Wastewater. ENERGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/en15093075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Circular economy (CE) strategy is crucial in developing towards sustainable growth. It was created to promote resource utilization and the elimination of waste production. This article aimed to study the possibilities of using the CE framework in wastewater bioremediation and energy recovery using hydroponic tanks. The integration of phytoremediation with bioenergy, construction and lifespan of hydroponic tanks in phytoremediation of wastewater, selection of aquatic plants and the expected challenges in the implementation of CE in phytoremediation of wastewater were discussed. The plant-based biomass harvested and the relative growth rate (RGR) of the selected plants from the phytoremediation process was evaluated. The findings obtained indicated that the selected plants tripled in weight after 14 days cultivation period at different retention times. E. crassipes recorded the highest growth with 2.5 ± 0.03 g g−1 d−1, followed by S. molesta with 1.33 ± 0.05 g g−1 d−1 and then P. stratiotes recorded 0.92 ± 0.27 g g−1 d−1 at the end of the cultivation period. Therefore, the selected plants have been identified as having the potential to be used in phytoremediation as well as a source of energy production. The outcome of our review suggested the adoption of a lifecycle assessment as the CE framework for the phytoremediation of wastewater.
Collapse
|
27
|
Herrera-León S, Cruz C, Negrete M, Chacana J, Cisternas LA, Kraslawski A. Impact of seawater desalination and wastewater treatment on water stress levels and greenhouse gas emissions: The case of Chile. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 818:151853. [PMID: 34822892 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151853] [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: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many regions around the world are suffering from water stress, and desalinated water and recycled water are seen as alternatives for meeting the water demand. However, high energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions are some of the main environmental impacts. This is notable for many arid and semi-arid countries where desalination and water recycling are considered options for ensuring water resources availability. This research presents the incorporation of the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions generated during the operation of desalination and wastewater treatment plants in the assessment of water stress levels using the water stress indicator adopted by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Chile was chosen as a case study, as it is a country where there is a considerable difference between the availability of conventional water sources and the water demand, and the electrical grid is fed mainly by fossil fuels. The methodology proposed allows calculating the indirect greenhouse gas emissions due to electrical consumption for the operation of desalination and wastewater treatment plants, and the direct greenhouse gas emissions coming from biological processes used in wastewater treatment plants. The results showed that Chilean arid climate zones will not experience water stress in the future at the regional level, mainly because of the installation of several desalination plants by 2030. Meanwhile, recycled water from the urban sector will slightly contribute to the reduction in the level of water stress in almost all Chilean regions by 2030. Moreover, desalination and wastewater treatment plant will contribute only between 0.34% and 0.75% of total greenhouse gas emitted in Chile by 2030. Therefore, the operation of these industrial systems for facing water scarcity problems in northern and central zones of Chile is a suitable alternative because it does not generate large environmental problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Herrera-León
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; School of Engineering Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT University), Lappeenranta, Finland.
| | - Constanza Cruz
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; School of Engineering Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT University), Lappeenranta, Finland
| | - Moira Negrete
- School of Engineering Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT University), Lappeenranta, Finland; Departamento de Gestión de la Construcción, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Jaime Chacana
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Luis A Cisternas
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Procesos de Minerales, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Andrzej Kraslawski
- School of Engineering Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT University), Lappeenranta, Finland; Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Onchoke KK, Fateru OO, Friedfeld RB, Weatherford PW. Evaluation and analysis of perlite and municipal wastewater sludge (biosolids) from three wastewater treatment plants in East Texas, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:121. [PMID: 35075528 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09794-z] [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: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Municipal wastewater sludge (also known as biosolids) is produced in large quantities from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Traditionally, analyses of biosolids revealed the presence of inorganic (including metals) and organic contaminants which pose health concerns to man and the environment. This study investigated physical-chemical parameters and comparative element concentrations (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, S, Se, Zn, V, Na, S, and P) in biosolids and composted wastewater sludge (CWS) from Nacogdoches Wastewater Treatment Plant (NWWTP), Lufkin Wastewater Treatment Plant (LWWTP), and Angelina-Neches Compost Facility (NCF) in East Texas (USA). In addition, concentrations in perlite, a hydroponic material, were determined via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (SEM/EDX), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), X-ray diffraction (XRD)), and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis. Via ICP-OES analysis, metal concentrations in biosolid samples were similar. Macroelement amounts followed the order: NWWS ≈ LWWS > NCS > perlite. Notably, concentrations in biosolids, CWS, and perlite are below recommended USEPA and WHO maximum ceiling levels. The pH of biosolid samples was determined between 5.33 and 6.74. The weight loses of 6-19% wt at ~ 300-700 ℃ are attributed to volatile compounds and inorganic metal oxides. From environmental and circular economy perspectives, this study shows biosolids to be safe, and potential recycling can be encouraged for use in soil amendments. This finding could find impetus to design of much better WWTPs which improve removal efficiencies and encourage recycling of biosolids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kefa K Onchoke
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephen F. Austin State University, Box 13006 - SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX, 75962-13006, USA.
| | - Oluwadamilola O Fateru
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephen F. Austin State University, Box 13006 - SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX, 75962-13006, USA
| | - Robert B Friedfeld
- Department of Physics, Engineering & Astronomy, Stephen F. Austin State University, 1901 Raguet St North, Box 13044, Nacogdoches, TX, 75962, USA
| | - Paul W Weatherford
- Department of Agriculture, Soil, Plant and Water Analysis Lab, Stephen F. Austin State University, P.O. Box 13025 SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX, 75962-3025, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Thaba KP, Mphahlele-Makgwane MM, Kyesmen PI, Diale M, Baker PG, Makgwane PR. Composition-dependent structure evolution of FeVO4 nano-oxide and its visible-light photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.127856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
30
|
Hydropower Technology for Sustainable Energy Generation in Wastewater Systems: Learning from the Experience. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13223259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hydropower is a well-known technology, applied worldwide for electricity generation from renewable sources. Within the current framework, some studies have started to consider its application to existing urban water systems, to harness an excess of energy that otherwise would be wasted. This research sought to determine a methodology to assess the potential of hydropower application to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), regarding different aspects of sustainability. Firstly, previously developed methodologies for potential assessment in this sector at a country level were analyzed. Secondly, data from existing real case studies were gathered from publicly available documents and a theoretical analysis of their actual performance was conducted to validate assumptions made in the previous methodologies. As a result, the proposed new approach suggests adapting methodologies for potential assessment at a lower level, considering possible driving factors, other than economic feasibility. To define the study area, the management model scope should be considered. The power to determine the cut-off point for a WWTP to be considered as a potential site, is proposed to be lowered according to technical feasibility. Additionally, bearing in mind the sustainability concept, social or environmental factors should also be introduced in the methodology, tailored to the region being assessed. This novel perspective could provide a closer approach to the most likely decision-making level for these kinds of strategies in the wastewater industry.
Collapse
|