Editorial

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4 pages, 173 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Wastewater Treatment Processes: Part I

by George Z. Kyzas and Kostas A. Matis

Processes 2020, 8(3), 334; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8030334 - 12 Mar 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2588

Abstract

Cheap and plentiful, water was for centuries a manufacturing tool that industry took for granted [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review, Other

11 pages, 3797 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Low-Cost Activated Carbon for Petroleum Products Clean-Up

by Ramonna I. Kosheleva, George Z. Kyzas, Nikolaos C. Kokkinos and Athanasios C. Mitropoulos

Processes 2022, 10(2), 314; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10020314 - 06 Feb 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2392

Abstract

Petroleum products are hazardous both for humans and nature. Diesel oil is one of the main contaminants of land but also of sea, during its transportation. Currently, there are many different clean-up techniques for petroleum products. One of the most common is adsorption [...] Read more.

Petroleum products are hazardous both for humans and nature. Diesel oil is one of the main contaminants of land but also of sea, during its transportation. Currently, there are many different clean-up techniques for petroleum products. One of the most common is adsorption by adsorbent materials. Although adsorption is an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach, it lacks efficiency. The present study investigates the performance of low-cost activated carbon, derived from potato peels and activated under different temperature conditions, from 350 °C to 800 °C. The yield of activated carbon decreases with the increase in the carbonization temperature. However, the sample prepared at 600 °C shows an oil sorption capacity of 72 g/g, which is the highest of all samples. Nitrogen adsorption characterization reveals that this specific sample has the highest specific surface (SSA) area of 1052 m²/g and total a pore volume of 2.959 cm³/g, corresponding to a 94% and 77% increase compared to the sample prepared at 350 °C. Oil sorption kinetics experiments show that, for all samples, the maximum uptake is reached after 1h. Oil uptake was also investigated under realistic conditions by introducing the best performance activated carbon to an oil/seawater system, and the outcome does not show a significant decrease in the oil sorption. The outcomes of this study indicate that low-cost adsorbents from agricultural by-products have strong potential as an oil spill response technique. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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20 pages, 6242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Degradation of Selected Antidepressants Sertraline and Citalopram in Ultrapure Water and Surface Water Using Gamma Radiation

by Anna Bojanowska-Czajka, Marta Pyszynska, Agnieszka Majkowska-Pilip and Kamil Wawrowicz

Processes 2022, 10(1), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10010063 - 28 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2571

Abstract

Gamma radiation was applied to degradation selected antidepressants in ultrapure water and surface water. Additionally, the influence of typical radical scavengers like carbonate, nitrate and humic acid was determined. The cytotoxicity towards liver cells HepG2 and colon cells Caco2 were measured during the [...] Read more.

Gamma radiation was applied to degradation selected antidepressants in ultrapure water and surface water. Additionally, the influence of typical radical scavengers like carbonate, nitrate and humic acid was determined. The cytotoxicity towards liver cells HepG2 and colon cells Caco2 were measured during the radiation process. It was found that radiation technology, specifically ionizing radiation, can achieve satisfactory degradation efficiency with both SER and CIT. It was shown that the process of decomposition of the tested antidepressants with the highest efficiency occurs in the reaction with the hydroxyl radical. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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11 pages, 13103 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Evaluation of Sand Filtration and Activated Carbon Adsorption for the Post-Treatment of a Secondary Biologically-Treated Fungicide-Containing Wastewater from Fruit-Packing Industries

by Konstantinos Azis, Zografina Mavriou, Dimitrios G. Karpouzas, Spyridon Ntougias and Paraschos Melidis

Processes 2021, 9(7), 1223; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9071223 - 15 Jul 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4986

Abstract

In this work, a sand filtration-activated carbon adsorption system was evaluated to remove the fungicide content of a biologically treated effluent. The purification process was mainly carried out in the activated carbon column, while sand filtration slightly contributed to the improvement of the [...] Read more.

In this work, a sand filtration-activated carbon adsorption system was evaluated to remove the fungicide content of a biologically treated effluent. The purification process was mainly carried out in the activated carbon column, while sand filtration slightly contributed to the improvement of the pollutant parameters. The tertiary treatment system, which operated under the batch mode for 25 bed volumes, resulted in total and soluble COD removal efficiencies of 76.5 ± 1.5% and 88.2 ± 1.3%, respectively, detecting total COD concentrations below 50 mg/L in the permeate of the activated carbon column. A significant pH increase and a respective electrical conductivity (EC) decrease also occurred after activated carbon adsorption. The total and ammonium nitrogen significantly decreased, with determined concentrations of 2.44 ± 0.02 mg/L and 0.93 ± 0.19 mg/L, respectively, in the activated carbon permeate. Despite that, the initial imazalil concentration was greater than that of the fludioxonil in the biologically treated effluent (i.e., 41.26 ± 0.04 mg/L versus 7.35 ± 0.43 mg/L, respectively). The imazalil was completely removed after activated carbon adsorption, while a residual concentration of fludioxonil was detected. Activated carbon treatment significantly detoxified the biologically treated fungicide-containing effluent, increasing the germination index by 47% in the undiluted wastewater or by 68% after 1:1 v/v dilution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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9 pages, 1541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on a Closed-Cycle Humidification and Dehumidification System for Treating Wastewater Containing High Concentrations of Inorganic Salts and Organic Matter

by Jun Liu, Yong Sun, Sanjiang Yv, Jiaquan Wang and Kaixuan Hu

Processes 2021, 9(4), 671; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9040671 - 11 Apr 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1656

Abstract

Industrial wastewater contains high concentrations of inorganic salts and organic matter. This experiment studied a system for treating wastewater containing high concentrations of inorganic salts and organic matter. The setup consists of a closed-cycle humidification and dehumidification system and a filter press. Chemical [...] Read more.

Industrial wastewater contains high concentrations of inorganic salts and organic matter. This experiment studied a system for treating wastewater containing high concentrations of inorganic salts and organic matter. The setup consists of a closed-cycle humidification and dehumidification system and a filter press. Chemical wastewater was used as the treatment solution, and the treatment performance of the system was tested and analyzed. The system effectively reduced the chemical oxygen demand (COD), electric conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (TN), and ammonia nitrogen (NH₄-N) in the wastewater and, at the same time, dehydrated sludge was obtained through a filter press. The system maintains a stable removal rate of each index (COD, EC, TN, and NH₄-N) in wastewater and can remove inorganic salts and organic matter from wastewater. The system can successfully treat industrial wastewater containing high concentrations of inorganic salts and organic matter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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19 pages, 3014 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Carbonaceous Adsorbents Derived from Agricultural Sources for the Removal of Pramipexole Pharmaceutical Model Compound from Synthetic Aqueous Solutions

by Efstathios V. Liakos, Kyriazis Rekos, Dimitrios A. Giannakoudakis, Athanasios C. Mitropoulos and George Z. Kyzas

Processes 2021, 9(2), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9020253 - 29 Jan 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2102

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to synthesize various samples of activated carbon (AC) from different agricultural sources as precursors, like orange peels, tea stalks, and kiwi peels, as well as sucrose. The synthesis of AC was achieved with chemical activation using [...] Read more.

The aim of the present study was to synthesize various samples of activated carbon (AC) from different agricultural sources as precursors, like orange peels, tea stalks, and kiwi peels, as well as sucrose. The synthesis of AC was achieved with chemical activation using H₃PO₄ and KOH. The produced AC samples were tested as adsorbents for the removal of a pharmaceutical model compound, pramipexole dihydrochloride (PRM), from synthetic aqueous synthetic solutions. The produced-from-sucrose AC presented the higher yield of synthesis (~58%). The physicochemical features of the materials were analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy, N₂ physisorption, and SEM imaging. More specifically, the AC sample derived from sucrose (SG-AC) had the highest specific surface area (1977 m²/g) with the total pores volume, mesopores volume, and external surface area being 1.382 cm³/g, 0.819 cm³/g, and 751 m²/g, respectively. The effect of the initial pH and PRM concentration were studied, while the equilibrium results (isotherms) were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models. The maximum adsorption capacities were found to be 213, 190, 155, and 115 mg/g for AC samples produced from sucrose, kiwi peels, orange peels, and tea stalks, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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22 pages, 3118 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Hydrothermally Reduced Graphene Hydrogel Intercalated with Divalent Ions for Dye Adsorption Studies

by Alvin Lim Teik Zheng, Supakorn Boonyuen, Teruhisa Ohno and Yoshito Andou

Processes 2021, 9(1), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9010169 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2715

Abstract

Fundamental studies involving divalent ion intercalated graphene-based hydrogel are still lacking in terms of their adsorption behavior towards dye pollutants. In this study, we prepared a self-assembled Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ intercalated reduced graphene hydrogel (rGH) using hydrothermal treatment to evaluate the [...] Read more.

Fundamental studies involving divalent ion intercalated graphene-based hydrogel are still lacking in terms of their adsorption behavior towards dye pollutants. In this study, we prepared a self-assembled Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ intercalated reduced graphene hydrogel (rGH) using hydrothermal treatment to evaluate the intercalation impact on the adsorption capability towards cationic dyes, methylene blue and rhodamine B. The morphological, structural, thermal, and textural properties of the divalent ion intercalated reduced graphene hydrogels were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, and X-ray diffraction. The increased adsorption capacity of the divalent ion intercalated reduced graphene-based hydrogels towards the dye molecules resulted from the increase in the specific surface area and pore volume due to the Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ bridging that formed spaces between the graphene sheets framework. Adsorption kinetics and the equilibrium adsorption isotherm were fitted by a pseudo-second-order alongside intraparticle diffusion kinetic models and Langmuir isotherm respectively. In addition, the divalent ion intercalated reduced graphene hydrogel showed good generation after three cycles of simultaneous adsorption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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14 pages, 3082 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Surface Functionalization of Biochar from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch through Hydrothermal Process

by Izzudin Ibrahim, Toshiki Tsubota, Mohd Ali Hassan and Yoshito Andou

Processes 2021, 9(1), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9010149 - 13 Jan 2021

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 3552

Abstract

The use of biochar as an adsorbent for wastewater treatment purposes has been hindered due to its lower surface area compared to activated carbon. Current research on increasing surface functional groups on biochar surfaces to improve its adsorption performance suggests using high chemical [...] Read more.

The use of biochar as an adsorbent for wastewater treatment purposes has been hindered due to its lower surface area compared to activated carbon. Current research on increasing surface functional groups on biochar surfaces to improve its adsorption performance suggests using high chemical concentration and long period of modification. This study solves these problems by focusing on improving surface functionalities of biochar via the hydrothermal functionalization process. Oil palm empty fruit bunch biochar was functionalized using autoclave with nitric acid as the functionalization agent. Functionalized biochar properties such as Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and surface functional groups were analyzed and compared with untreated biochar. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis shows a significant increase in absorption by oxygen functional groups and is corroborated with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The process does not result in any major change in surface morphology and reduction in surface area value. Methylene blue (MB) adsorption test shows 7 times increase in adsorption performance. These results show that the simple hydrothermal functionalization process successfully functionalizes the biochar surface and improves its performance without affecting its surface area at lower concentration, and shorter time compared to previous studies. This result, with future large-scale experimentation using real-life equipment in palm oil mills, would provide a better technology that can be implemented in the industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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16 pages, 2331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Antimony Removal by Coagulation-Flocculation-Sedimentation Process Using Response Surface Methodology

by Muhammad Ali Inam, Rizwan Khan, Ick Tae Yeom, Abdul Salam Buller, Muhammad Akram and Muhammad Waleed Inam

Processes 2021, 9(1), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9010117 - 07 Jan 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2891

Abstract

Coprecipitation-adsorption plays a significant role during coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation (C/F/S) of antimony (Sb) in water. This work uses a Box–Behnken statistical experiment design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM) to investigate the effects of major operating variables such as initial Sb(III, V) concentration (100–1000 µg/L), [...] Read more.

Coprecipitation-adsorption plays a significant role during coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation (C/F/S) of antimony (Sb) in water. This work uses a Box–Behnken statistical experiment design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM) to investigate the effects of major operating variables such as initial Sb(III, V) concentration (100–1000 µg/L), ferric chloride (FC) dose (5–50 mg/L), and pH (4–10) on redox Sb species. Experimental data of Sb(III, V) removal were used to determine response function coefficients. The model response value (Sb removal) showed good agreement with the experimental results. FC showed promising coagulation behavior of both Sb species under optimum pH (6.5–7.5) due to its high affinity towards Sb species and low residual Fe concentration. However, a high dose of 50 mg/L of FC is required for the maximum (88–93%) removal of Sb(V), but also for the highest (92–98%) removal of low initial concentrations of Sb(III). Furthermore, BBD and RSM were found to be reliable and feasible for determining the optimum conditions for Sb removal from environmental water samples by a C/F/S process. This work may contribute to a better understanding and prediction of the C/F/S behavior of Sb(III, V) species in aqueous environments, to reduce potential risks to humans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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11 pages, 2888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Ammonium Sorption of Bayah Natural Zeolites by Hydrothermal Method

by Teguh Kurniawan, Saiful Bahri, Anita Diyanah, Natasya D. Milenia, Nuryoto Nuryoto, Kajornsak Faungnawakij, Sutarat Thongratkaew, Muhammad Roil Bilad and Nurul Huda

Processes 2020, 8(12), 1569; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8121569 - 28 Nov 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1896

Abstract

Natural zeolites are easily found and abundant in Indonesia. The natural zeolites are low-cost minerals; however, their ammonium sorption is poor. A hydrothermal method was applied to improve the ammonium sorption. Hydrothermal treatment times were varied 8, 24, and 32 h. The parent [...] Read more.

Natural zeolites are easily found and abundant in Indonesia. The natural zeolites are low-cost minerals; however, their ammonium sorption is poor. A hydrothermal method was applied to improve the ammonium sorption. Hydrothermal treatment times were varied 8, 24, and 32 h. The parent and hydrothermal treated samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopes (FE-SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nitrogen physisorption. Ammonium adsorption was performed using a batch reactor to evaluate the adsorption performance of the prepared zeolite samples. The 8 h hydrothermal (HT 8 h) treated zeolites showed the highest ammonium removal percentage among others. The XRD analysis of HT 8 h shows a higher crystallinity of mordenite and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) model shows a surface area of 105 m²/g, much larger as compared to the parent with a surface area of 19 m²/g. Various kinetic and isotherms models were also studied on the parent and HT 8 h samples. The intraparticle equation showed the most accurate model for the kinetic data and the Freundlich equation showed the most accurate model for the isotherm of the experimental data. In terms of ammonium removal efficiency, hydrothermally treated Bayah mordenite compares favorably with treated mordenite from other locations despite that clinoptilolite provides higher removal capacities than mordenite. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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16 pages, 2799 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Quantifying the Effect of COD to TN Ratio, DO Concentration and Temperature on Filamentous Microorganisms’ Population and Trans-Membrane Pressure (TMP) in Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBR)

by Petros Gkotsis, Giannis Lemonidis, Manassis Mitrakas, Alexandros Pentedimos, Margaritis Kostoglou and Anastasios Zouboulis

Processes 2020, 8(11), 1514; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8111514 - 21 Nov 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2202

Abstract

Using moderate populations of filaments in the biomass of Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBRs) is a biological anti-fouling method which has been increasingly applied over the last few years. This study aims to quantify the effect of COD to TN ratio, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) concentration [...] Read more.

Using moderate populations of filaments in the biomass of Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBRs) is a biological anti-fouling method which has been increasingly applied over the last few years. This study aims to quantify the effect of COD to TN ratio, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) concentration and temperature on filaments’ population and Trans-Membrane Pressure (TMP) in a pilot-scale MBR, with a view to reducing membrane fouling. The novelty of the present work concerns the development of a mathematical equation that correlates fouling rate (dTMP/dt) with the population of filamentous microorganisms, assessed by the Filament Index (FI), and with the concentration of the carbohydrate fraction of Soluble Microbial Products (SMP_c). Apart from TMP and SMP_c, other fouling-related biomass characteristics, such as sludge filterability and settleability, were also examined. It was shown that at high COD to TN ratio (10:1), low DO concentration in the filaments’ tank (0.5 ± 0.3 mg/L) and high temperature (24–30 °C), a moderate population of filaments is developed (FI = 1–2), which delays the TMP rise. Under these conditions, sludge filterability and settleability were also enhanced. Finally, TMP data analysis showed that the fouling rate is affected by FI and SMP_c concentration mainly in the long-term fouling stage and increases exponentially with their increase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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21 pages, 1896 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Denitrification Control in a Recirculating Aquaculture System—A Simulation Study

by Pedro Almeida, Laurent Dewasme and Alain Vande Wouwer

Processes 2020, 8(10), 1306; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8101306 - 17 Oct 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4008

Abstract

The recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) is a land-based water treatment technology, which allows for farming aquatic organisms, such as fish, by reusing the water in the production (often less than 5%). This technology is based on the use of filters, either mechanical or [...] Read more.

The recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) is a land-based water treatment technology, which allows for farming aquatic organisms, such as fish, by reusing the water in the production (often less than 5%). This technology is based on the use of filters, either mechanical or biological, and can, in principle, be used for any species grown in aquaculture. Due to the low recirculation rate, ammonia accumulates in the system and must be converted into nitrate using nitrification reactors. Although less toxic for fish, nitrate can also be further reduced into nitrogen gas by the use of denitrification biofilters which may create several issues, such as incomplete denitrification, resulting in toxic substances, such as nitrite and nitric oxide, or a waste of carbon source in excess. Control of the added quantity of carbon source in the denitrification biofilter is then mandatory to keep nitrate/nitrite concentrations under toxic levels for fish and in accordance with local effluent regulations, and to reduce costs related to wasted organic carbon sources. This study therefore investigates the application of different control methodologies to a denitrification reactor in a RAS. To this end, a numerical simulator is built to predict the RAS behavior and to allow for the comparison of different control approaches, in the presence of changes in the operating conditions, such as fish density and biofilter removal efficiency. First, a classical proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller was designed, based on an SIMC tuning method depending on the amount of ammonia excreted by fish. Then, linearizing and cascade controllers were considered as possible alternatives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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14 pages, 21307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Degradation of Phenolic Compounds in Coal Gasification Wastewater by Methods of Microelectrolysis Fe-C and Anaerobic-Anoxic—Oxic Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (A2O-MBBR)

by Do Tra Huong, Van Tu Nguyen, Xuan Linh Ha, Hien Lan Nguyen Thi, Thi Thoa Duong, Duy Chinh Nguyen and Hong-Tham Nguyen Thi

Processes 2020, 8(10), 1258; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8101258 - 07 Oct 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2868

Abstract

The coal gasification wastewater figures prominently among types of industrial effluents due to its complex and phenolic composition, posing great difficulty for conventional water treatment processes. Since the coking wastewater is toxic and mutagenic to humans and animals, treatment of coal gasification wastewater [...] Read more.

The coal gasification wastewater figures prominently among types of industrial effluents due to its complex and phenolic composition, posing great difficulty for conventional water treatment processes. Since the coking wastewater is toxic and mutagenic to humans and animals, treatment of coal gasification wastewater is genuinely necessary. In this study, we established a lab-scale A2O (Anaerobic-Anoxic—Oxic) with moving bed biological reactor (MBBR) system and evaluated some water indicators of wastewater pretreated with internal electrolysis, of wastewater output of the established A2O-MBBR system, and of the wastewater treated by the combination thereof. The wastewater was taken from a coking plant at Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Joint Stock Company in Vietnam. COD, BOD₅, NH₄⁺-N, phenol, and pH of the input coal gasification wastewater were 2359, 1105, 319, 172 mg/L, and 8 ± 0.1, respectively. The conditions of internal electrolysis were as follows: 720 min of reaction time, pH = 4, 25 g/L Fe-C dosage, and 100 mg/L PAM dosage. After internal electrolysis process, the removal of COD, BOD₅, NH₄⁺-N, and phenol were 53.7%, 56.7% 60.5%, and 73.3%, respectively. After 24 h of treatment, the treatment efficiencies of the combined treatment process are as follows: 100% phenol removal, 71.3% of TSS removal; 97.7% reduction of BOD₅, and 97.1% reduction of COD; total N content reduced by 97.6%; total P content decreased by 81.6%; and NH₄⁺-N content decreased by 97.5%. All above indicators after treatment have met QCVN 52: 2017/BTNMT (column A) Vietnamese standard for steel industry wastewater. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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17 pages, 6559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quartz Sand Filter Media with Special Wettability for Continuous and Efficient Oil/Water Separation and Dye Adsorption

by Bigui Wei, Xuying Luo, Xiaosan Song, Hanyue Guo, Liang Dai, Hongwei Zhang and Gang Wang

Processes 2020, 8(9), 1083; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8091083 - 02 Sep 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3048

Abstract

For continuous and efficient oil/water separation and adsorption of dyes, coconut shell powder was grafted onto the surface of quartz sand by dip-coating method to make coconut shell powder-covered quartz sand filter media (CSQS) with superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic properties and superoleophilic and [...] Read more.

For continuous and efficient oil/water separation and adsorption of dyes, coconut shell powder was grafted onto the surface of quartz sand by dip-coating method to make coconut shell powder-covered quartz sand filter media (CSQS) with superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic properties and superoleophilic and underoil highly hydrophobic properties. The contact angles of the underwater oil and underoil water with CSQS were more than 151.2° and 134.2°, respectively. A continuous oil/water separation device was designed. The separation device filled with CSQS can separate oil/water mixture (whether heavy or light oil) into water and oil at the same time with a separation efficiency of above 99.92%. The filter layer can be recovered through reverse extrusion even after lyophobic liquid penetrated the filter layer; hence, the separation efficiency of the filter layer was still above 99.99% for diesel and water mixture. Simultaneously, CSQS can effectively adsorb methylene blue with the highest removal rate as 98.94%. CSQS can maintain stable wettability under harsh environment conditions. This paper provides a new idea on continuous and efficient oil/water separation and simultaneous dye adsorption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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15 pages, 2528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Fungi in the Debitterizing Water of Apricot Kernels and Their Preliminary Evaluation on Degrading Amygdalin

by Ning Zhang, Qing-An Zhang, Jian-Li Yao and Juan Francisco García-Martín

Processes 2020, 8(9), 1061; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8091061 - 01 Sep 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2383

Abstract

Debitterizing water contains a great amount of amygdalin, a potential toxic compound, so it is mandatory the degradation of amygdalin to reduce the water’s toxicity and environmental pollution. In this paper, the suspended mycelia in debitterizing water were firstly investigated by digital microscope, [...] Read more.

Debitterizing water contains a great amount of amygdalin, a potential toxic compound, so it is mandatory the degradation of amygdalin to reduce the water’s toxicity and environmental pollution. In this paper, the suspended mycelia in debitterizing water were firstly investigated by digital microscope, cold field emission scanning electron microscope, and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) high-throughput sequencing. Thereafter, the degradation of commercial amygdalin by the identified species was assessed by determining the changes of amygdalin content and the β-glucosidase activity. The results indicate that the mycelia matched with genus of lower fungi, mainly including Irpex, Trichoderma and white rot fungus. Among them, Irpex lacteus had a definite promoting effect on the degradation of amygdalin, which was not caused by producing β-glucosidase, and the suitable degrading colony numbers ranged from 6.4 × 10⁶ CFU/mL to 6.4 × 10⁷ CFU/mL. In conclusion, this research might provide a potential novel approach to treat debitterizing water, so as to reduce the water pollution in the processing industry of apricot kernels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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17 pages, 1335 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Study of the Digestate as an Innovative and Low-Cost Adsorbent for the Removal of Dyes in Wastewater

by Sicong Yao, Massimiliano Fabbricino, Marco Race, Alberto Ferraro, Ludovico Pontoni, Oriella Aimone and Yao Chen

Processes 2020, 8(7), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8070852 - 16 Jul 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2678

Abstract

Digestate, as an urban solid waste, was considered as an innovative adsorbent for colorant polluted wastewater. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out using digestate as an adsorbent material to remove various dyes belonging to different categories. The removal rate and adsorption capacity of [...] Read more.

Digestate, as an urban solid waste, was considered as an innovative adsorbent for colorant polluted wastewater. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out using digestate as an adsorbent material to remove various dyes belonging to different categories. The removal rate and adsorption capacity of dyes were evaluated and the dose of digestate, contact time, and initial dye concentration were studied. The maximum removal rate was approximately 96% for Methylene Blue. The equilibrium time for the Methylene Blue was 4 h, while for other dyes, a longer contact time was required to reach the equilibrium. The suspicion of colloidal matter release into the solution from solid fraction of the digestate led to the investigation of the consequence of a washing step of the digestate adsorbent upstream the adsorption experiment. Washed and not washed adsorbents were tested and the differences between them in terms of dye removal were compared. Moreover, experimental data were fitted by pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and intra-partial diffusion kinetic models as well as Langmuir, Freundlich, and Sips isotherm models. The results from fitted models showed that the adsorption of various dyes onto the digestate was mostly well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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17 pages, 1840 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant-Based Tacca leontopetaloides Biopolymer Flocculant (TBPF) Produced High Removal of Turbidity, TSS, and Color for Leachate Treatment

by Nurul Shuhada Mohd Makhtar, Juferi Idris, Mohibah Musa, Yoshito Andou, Ku Halim Ku Hamid and Siti Wahidah Puasa

Processes 2020, 8(5), 527; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8050527 - 29 Apr 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2670

Abstract

Wastewater treatment is crucial to ensure a sustainable supply of clean water, especially for human use. Natural flocculants can overcome the disadvantages of chemical flocculants in wastewater treatment. This study proposes a new natural-based flocculant from the Tacca leontopetaloides plant for leachate treatment. [...] Read more.

Wastewater treatment is crucial to ensure a sustainable supply of clean water, especially for human use. Natural flocculants can overcome the disadvantages of chemical flocculants in wastewater treatment. This study proposes a new natural-based flocculant from the Tacca leontopetaloides plant for leachate treatment. The plant tuber was processed through gelatinization to produce Tacca leontopetaloides biopolymer flocculant (TBPF). The characterization of TBPF for flocculant properties was investigated, and the performance of TBPF on leachate treatment using a standard jar test procedure was examined at different pH values of leachate and TBPF dosages. The characteristics of TBPF in terms of amylose/amylopectin fraction, viscosity, and zeta potential were 26:74, 0.037–0.04 Pa·s, and −13.14 mV, respectively. The presence of –COOH and –OH structure in TBPF indicates the flocculant properties. TBPF reduced the turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), and color from 218 NTU, 214 mg/L, 14201 PtCo to 45.8–54.5 NTU, 19.3–19.9 mg/L, and 852–994 PtCo, respectively, using 240 mg/L of TBPF at pH 3. These results show a high potential of the new plant-based TBPF for leachate treatment and water industry applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 819 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Different Treatment Processes for Landfill Leachate Using Low-Cost Agro-Industrial Materials

by Tawfiq J. H. Banch, Marlia M. Hanafiah, Abbas F. M. Alkarkhi, Salem S. A. Amr and Nurul U. M. Nizam

Processes 2020, 8(1), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8010111 - 15 Jan 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3626

Abstract

Leachate is a complex liquid that is often produced from landfills, and it contains hazardous substances that may endanger the surrounding environment if ineffectively treated. In this work, four leachate treatment applications were examined: combined leachate/palm oil mill effluent (POME) (LP), leachate/tannin (LT), [...] Read more.

Leachate is a complex liquid that is often produced from landfills, and it contains hazardous substances that may endanger the surrounding environment if ineffectively treated. In this work, four leachate treatment applications were examined: combined leachate/palm oil mill effluent (POME) (LP), leachate/tannin (LT), pre-(leachate/tannin) followed by post-(leachate/POME) (LT/LP), and pre-(leachate/POME) followed by post-(leachate/tannin) (LP/LT). The aim of this work is to evaluate and compare the performance of these treatment applications in terms of optimizing the physicochemical parameters and removing heavy metals from the leachate. The highest efficiency for the optimization of the most targeted physicochemical parameters and the removal of heavy metals was with the LP/LT process. The results are indicative of three clusters. The first cluster involves raw leachate (cluster 1), the second contains LP and LP/LT (cluster 2), and the third also consists of two treatment applications, namely, LT and LT/LP (cluster 3). The results demonstrate that LP/LT is the most appropriate method for leachate treatment using low-cost agro-industrial materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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11 pages, 1832 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application and Mechanism of Sludge-Based Activated Carbon for Phenol and Cyanide Removal from Bio-Treated Effluent of Coking Wastewater

by Yali Liu, Han Cheng and Yueting He

Processes 2020, 8(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8010082 - 08 Jan 2020

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3629

Abstract

The toxic pollutants phenol and cyanide in the bio-treated effluent of coking wastewater still need advanced treatment to meet environmental requirements. In this study, activated carbon prepared from municipal sludge and bamboo waste (SBAC) was used for simultaneous adsorption of phenol and cyanide [...] Read more.

The toxic pollutants phenol and cyanide in the bio-treated effluent of coking wastewater still need advanced treatment to meet environmental requirements. In this study, activated carbon prepared from municipal sludge and bamboo waste (SBAC) was used for simultaneous adsorption of phenol and cyanide from bio-treated effluent of coking wastewater. The results showed that the optimum removal efficiencies of volatile phenol (69.7%) and total cyanide (80.1%) were observed at a SBAC dosage of 8 g/L, a pH value of 8.0, and a contact time of 80 min. The physical and chemical properties of SBAC were analyzed using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area (S_BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. SBAC had high S_BET (289.58 m²/g) and rich mesoporous structure (average pore diameter of 3.688 nm), and carboxylic groups on SBAC surfaces were enhanced due to the addition of bamboo waste. In addition, a kinetic model of pseudo-first-order fitted well with the experimental data of volatile phenol, while the adsorption of total cyanide onto the SBAC was better described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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16 pages, 1569 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance and Microbial Community Structure of Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor for Lipids-Rich Kitchen Waste Slurry Treatment: Mesophilic and Thermophilic Processes

by Xiaolan Xiao, Wansheng Shi and Wenquan Ruan

Processes 2019, 7(12), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7120879 - 26 Nov 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2952

Abstract

The performance and microbial community structure for treating lipids-rich kitchen waste slurry in mesophilic Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (m-AnMBR) and thermophilic AnMBR (t-AnMBR) were compared in this study. Higher Organic Loading Rate (OLR) of 12 kg-COD/(m³·d), better Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal [...] Read more.

The performance and microbial community structure for treating lipids-rich kitchen waste slurry in mesophilic Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (m-AnMBR) and thermophilic AnMBR (t-AnMBR) were compared in this study. Higher Organic Loading Rate (OLR) of 12 kg-COD/(m³·d), better Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal efficiency over 98%, stronger stability with Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs)/alkalinity below 0.04, higher flux with 18 L/(m²·h) and lower Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFAs) concentration of 550 mg/L were obtained in the m-AnMBR. Directly increasing temperature from 39 to 55 °C resulted in a collapse of the t-AnMBR. Acclimation via gradually increasing temperature made the t-AnMBR run successfully with lower OLR and COD removal efficiency of 7.5 kg-COD/(m³·d) and 96%. An obvious discrepancy of microbial community structure was presented between the m-AnMBR and t-AnMBR via the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The Methanomethylovorans and Methanoculleus were dominant in the t-AnMBR instead of Methanobacterium and Methanothrix in the m-AnMBR. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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17 pages, 5485 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study of Cake Filtration Parameters Using the Constant Rate Process

by Faiz M. Mahdi, Timothy N. Hunter and Richard G. Holdich

Processes 2019, 7(10), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100746 - 15 Oct 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 17474

Abstract

The minerals calcium carbonate and talc were filtered under various conditions of filtrate flow rate and suspension concentration, using constant rate conditions with the aid of a peristaltic pump to draw the filtrate. Cake concentrations of between 0.41 and 0.53 v/v [...] Read more.

The minerals calcium carbonate and talc were filtered under various conditions of filtrate flow rate and suspension concentration, using constant rate conditions with the aid of a peristaltic pump to draw the filtrate. Cake concentrations of between 0.41 and 0.53 v/v for calcium carbonate and 0.19 and 0.26 v/v for talc were recorded. The mean sizes of the two different minerals were very similar, but the average specific resistances obtained from the experiments were 5.9 × 10¹⁰ and 7.4 × 10¹¹ m/kg for calcium carbonate and talc, respectively. These results do not agree with what would be predicted from an analytical equation for permeability, such as Kozeny-Carman. In addition, discontinuities were observed in all cases on the curves of filtrate volume with time for the initial stage of filtration. This behaviour is attributed to retarded packing compressibility (RPC) complicating the analysis of the filter medium resistance. RPC is an important component in determining the filter cake resistance and its functionality with cake forming pressure. It is found that there are additional effects that enhance the resistance to permeation in different cake materials, which is not recognised in the standard analytical approaches. These complexities can be related to shape, polydispersity, or agglomeration within the material sample and not to the experimental equipment or procedure. Furthermore, a complete and straightforward methodology is presented in this work for investigating the significance, or otherwise, of medium resistance on the later stages of the filtration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 2827 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Assisted Ultrasonication and Ozone Pretreatments on Sludge Characteristics and Yield of Biogas Production

by Tuan Minh Le, Phong Thanh Vo, Tuan Anh Do, Lien Thi Tran, Hoa Thi Truong, Thanh Thao Xuan Le, Yi-Hung Chen, Chia-Chi Chang, Ching-Yuan Chang, Quoc Toan Tran, Tran Thanh and Manh Van Do

Processes 2019, 7(10), 743; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100743 - 15 Oct 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2979

Abstract

The effects of ultrasonic and ozonation pretreatments on organic solubilization, anaerobic biodegradability, and biogas production were elucidated in this study. Two pretreatment methods for batch anaerobic digestion for biogas recovery with the same material and experimental conditions were the focus for comparison. Anaerobic [...] Read more.

The effects of ultrasonic and ozonation pretreatments on organic solubilization, anaerobic biodegradability, and biogas production were elucidated in this study. Two pretreatment methods for batch anaerobic digestion for biogas recovery with the same material and experimental conditions were the focus for comparison. Anaerobic digestion experiments were conducted at ambient temperature with the solid retention time set to 25 days. The obtained results indicated that the soluble chemical oxygen demand increased from 0.344 without pretreatment to 1.023 and 1.228 g/L with ultrasound and ozone pretreatments, respectively, whereas the yields of biogas production in the 25 days increased by 32.3 and 52.9% via ultrasonic irradiation and ozonation relative to the control case, respectively. The biodegradability of the organic compounds of the samples for the cases of ultrasound, ozone pretreatments, and control achieved 55.9, 64.31, and 39.18%, respectively, in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies. The physicochemical characteristics of sludge flocs were investigated via scanning with particle sizes, which were obviously affected by pretreatments of sonication and ozonation, resulting in finer particles than in the control case. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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13 pages, 3615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Hydraulic Retention Time on Carbon Sequestration during the Two-Stage Anammox Process

by Xueyan Ma, Xiaoning Liu, Bangdong Xiang and Wenjie Zhang

Processes 2019, 7(10), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100717 - 09 Oct 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2906

Abstract

In a biological treatment process, hydraulic retention time (HRT) has a certain effect on the operation of the reactor. This study investigated the effect of HRT on carbon sequestration in a two-stage anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process using a partial nitrification reactor and [...] Read more.

In a biological treatment process, hydraulic retention time (HRT) has a certain effect on the operation of the reactor. This study investigated the effect of HRT on carbon sequestration in a two-stage anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process using a partial nitrification reactor and anammox reactor to determine the optimal carbon sequestration operating conditions. Molecular biotechnology was used to analyze the sludge in the reactor in order to explore the denitrification performance and to determine the carbon sequestration pathway of the microorganisms. The results show that the partial nitrification stage had the highest carbon sequestration rate (0.319 mg/mg·N) when the nitrogen loading rate (NLR) was 0.44 kg·N/m³/d. The NLR of the anammox stage was 0.13 kg·N/m³/d. When the HRT was 33.4 h, the carbon sequestration of the anammox reaction was at its highest, reaching 0.183 mg/mg·N. The results of microbial analysis show that the carbon-fixing gene cbbLR1 was present in the sludge samples during the anammox and partial nitrification stages, and that there was a Calvin cycle carbon sequestration pathway during the growth process. However, the existence of a gene for reducing and immobilizing CO₂ by the acetyl-CoA pathway was not detected; further research is thus needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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13 pages, 1444 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Biodegradation Potential and Diversity of Diclofenac-degrading Microbiota in an Immobilized Cell Biofilter

by Efstathia Navrozidou, Nikolaos Remmas, Paraschos Melidis, Dimitrios G. Karpouzas, George Tsiamis and Spyridon Ntougias

Processes 2019, 7(9), 554; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7090554 - 22 Aug 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3958

Abstract

Despite that diclofenac has been embodied to the European watch list of priority substances of concern, studies on diclofenac biodegradation are limited and the diversity of diclofenac-degrading microbiota remains unknown. In this work, an immobilized cell biofilter was constructed and operated to evaluate [...] Read more.

Despite that diclofenac has been embodied to the European watch list of priority substances of concern, studies on diclofenac biodegradation are limited and the diversity of diclofenac-degrading microbiota remains unknown. In this work, an immobilized cell biofilter was constructed and operated to evaluate its effectiveness to depurate high strength diclofenac wastewater and to identify the diclofenac-degrading community accommodated in activated sludge by employing high-throughput sequencing techniques. After a two-month adaptation period, biofilter removal efficiencies reached values as high as 97.63 ± 0.62%, whereas utilization of diclofenac in the immobilized cell biofilter led to a drastic pH decrease. Based on Illumina sequencing, the major bacterial taxa identified in the immobilized cell biofilter were members of the species Granulicella pectinivorans and Rhodanobacter terrae, followed by members of the species Castellaniella denitrificans, Parvibaculum lavamentivorans, Bordetella petrii, Bryocella elongata and Rhodopseudomonas palustris. The ability of such taxa to utilize a wide range of carbon sources and to effectively adapt under acidic conditions seemed to be the main parameters, which favored their prevalence in the immobilized cell biofilter. In addition, Wickerhamiella was the predominant fungal taxon in the immobilized cell biofilter, which appears to be actively involved in diclofenac degradation in activated sludge systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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9 pages, 1995 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Ornamental Vegetation Type and Different Substrate Layers on Pollutant Removal in Constructed Wetland Mesocosms Treating Rural Community Wastewater

by Sergio Zamora, Luis Sandoval, J. Luis Marín-Muñíz, Gregorio Fernández-Lambert and M. Graciela Hernández-Orduña

Processes 2019, 7(8), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7080531 - 12 Aug 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4403

Abstract

Improving water quality is a relevant environmental aspect, and using constructed wetlands (CWs) is a sustainable option for this; both porous material filled cells and plants that collectively remove contaminants must be readily available and inexpensive. This study evaluated CWs and their functionality [...] Read more.

Improving water quality is a relevant environmental aspect, and using constructed wetlands (CWs) is a sustainable option for this; both porous material filled cells and plants that collectively remove contaminants must be readily available and inexpensive. This study evaluated CWs and their functionality by comparing two ornamental plants (Spathiphyllum wallisii and Hedychium coronarium) planted in experimental mesocosm units filled with layers of porous river rock, tepezil, and soil, or in mesocosms with layers of porous river rock, and tepezil, without the presence of soil. The findings during the experiments (180 days), showed that the removal of pollutants (chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids suspended (TSS), nitrogen as ammonium (N-NH₄), as nitrate (N-NO₃), and phosphate (P-PO₄) was 20–50% higher in mesocosms with vegetation that in the absence of this, and those mesocosms with the soil layer between 33–45% favored removal of P-PO₄. Differences regarding of vegetation removal were only observed for N-NH₄, being 25–45% higher in CWs with H. coronarium, compared with S. wallisii. Both species are suitable for using in CWs, for its functionality as phytoremediation, and aesthetic advantages could generate interest for wastewater treatment in rural communities, parks, schools or in domiciliary levels like floral flower boxes in the backyard. The study also revealed that a soil layer in CWs is necessary to increase the removal of P-PO₄, an ion hardly eliminated in water treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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18 pages, 4658 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorptive Removal of Pyridine in Simulation Wastewater Using Coke Powder

by Qieyuan Gao, Lei Wang, Zhipeng Li, Yaqi Xie, Qiongqiong He and Yongtian Wang

Processes 2019, 7(7), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7070459 - 18 Jul 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4134

Abstract

Pyridine is a toxic component in industrial wastewater, which is difficult to remove using conventional methods. In this study, the cost-effective coke powder was used to remove pyridine from a pyridine simulation wastewater. The removal efficiency and adsorption capacity of pyridine reached up [...] Read more.

Pyridine is a toxic component in industrial wastewater, which is difficult to remove using conventional methods. In this study, the cost-effective coke powder was used to remove pyridine from a pyridine simulation wastewater. The removal efficiency and adsorption capacity of pyridine reached up to 67.32% and 0.4488 mg/g, respectively, at a coke powder concentration of 60 mg/L and an adsorption time of 30 min. The pyridine removal efficiency and adsorption capacity of coke powder reached saturation when the initial concentration was 40 mg/L. The pH of 2–12 in the solution was found to have little effect on the pyridine adsorption process of coke powder, while the coke powder with lower ash content was of better adsorbability for pyridine. The coke powder was regenerated by heat treatment, and reused for pyridine adsorption. It was found that the pyridine removal efficiency slightly decreased after nine times of reuse, in addition to a small cumulative weight loss rate of coke powder. Adsorption isotherm analysis showed that the adsorption of pyridine by coke powder could be well described by the Freundlich isothermal adsorption model, indicating multi-molecular layers mainly dominated the adsorption of pyridine on the surface of coke powder. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 1286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Dissolved Organic Matter on Agglomeration and Removal of CuO Nanoparticles by Coagulation

by Rizwan Khan, Muhammad Ali Inam, Muhammad Akram, Ahmed Uddin, Sarfaraz Khan and Ick Tae Yeom

Processes 2019, 7(7), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7070455 - 16 Jul 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3418

Abstract

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), such as copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), are emerging as pollutants extensively used in many commercial and industrial applications, thus raising environmental concerns due to their release into water bodies. It is, therefore, essential to remove these pollutants from water [...] Read more.

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), such as copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), are emerging as pollutants extensively used in many commercial and industrial applications, thus raising environmental concerns due to their release into water bodies. It is, therefore, essential to remove these pollutants from water bodies in order to minimize the potential threat to the aquatic environment and human health. The objective of this study was to investigate the removal of CuO NPs from waters by the coagulation process. This study also explored the efficiency of coagulation to remove hydrophobic/hydrophilic dissolved organic matter (DOM) and turbidity with varying polyaluminum chloride (PACl) doses. According to the results, a high concentration of DOM affects both the CuO NPs zeta potential and hydrodynamic diameter, thereby decreasing the agglomeration behavior. At effective coagulation zone (ECR), high removal of CuO NPs (>95%) was observed for all studied waters (hydrophobic and hydrophilic waters), above ECR excess charge induced by coagulant restabilized particles in solution. Furthermore, waters containing hydrophobic DOM and those with high UV_254nm values needed more coagulant dose than hydrophilic waters to obtain similar CuO NP removals. The primary mechanism involved in CuO NPs removal might be charge neutralization. These findings suggest that PACl is an effective coagulant in the removal of CuO NPs; however, water characteristics are an influencing factor on the removal performance of ENMs during the coagulation process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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15 pages, 1244 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Capacity of Caulerpa lentillifera in the Removal of Fish Culture Effluent in a Recirculating Aquaculture System

by B. V. A. S. Manori Bambaranda, Takuji W. Tsusaka, Anong Chirapart, Krishna R. Salin and Nophea Sasaki

Processes 2019, 7(7), 440; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7070440 - 10 Jul 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6669

Abstract

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food producing industries in the world. Aquaculture effluent contains high concentrations of inorganic nutrients. Reduction of these inorganic nutrients in aquaculture effluent is crucial for fulfilling the effluent standards or reuse of aquaculture effluent. This study [...] Read more.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food producing industries in the world. Aquaculture effluent contains high concentrations of inorganic nutrients. Reduction of these inorganic nutrients in aquaculture effluent is crucial for fulfilling the effluent standards or reuse of aquaculture effluent. This study investigated the effective use of green macroalga Caulerpa lentillifera as a bioremediatory species for nutrient removal from aquaculture effluent by conducting an on-station experiment and measurements. The effluent of a fish culture unit was circulated through a macroalgal culture unit every four days for a total of 60 days, allowing 15 circulations. Concentrations of inorganic nutrients (NO₂⁻-N, NO₃⁻-N, NH₃-N, and PO₄³⁻) were measured in the integrated system consisting of a fish unit, settling unit, macroalgal unit and extra tank for water circulation in triplicates. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the application of the bioremediation system led to a significant reduction in nutrient concentrations within one day, and slightly further in the following two days. On average over the 15 circulations, the first one day of application decreased the concentrations of NO₂⁻-N, NO₃⁻-N, NH₃-N, and PO₄³⁻ by 0.247 mg/L, 81.6 mg/L, 0.682 mg/L, and 0.352 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, the C:N ratio of macroalgae decreased during the 60-day application period, providing evidence of the nutrient uptake by macroalgae. Based on the European Union (EU) standard and quality criteria of France and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee (JFWEC), the macroalgae grown in the integrated system were at the safe level for human consumption in terms of contents of Cd, Pb, and As. The results of our study imply that recirculating aquaculture systems utilizing C. lentillifera for biofiltration have the potential for effective treatment of aquaculture effluent integrating fish and macroalgae production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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13 pages, 2662 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Effluent Capture and Evacuation Device that Increases COD Removal Efficiency in Subsurface Flow Wetlands

by Pedro Cisterna-Osorio, Verónica Lazcano-Castro, Gisela Silva-Vasquez, Mauricio Llanos-Baeza and Ignacio Fuentes-Ortega

Processes 2019, 7(7), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7070418 - 03 Jul 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3088

Abstract

The objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of innovative modifications made to conventional effluent capture and discharge devices used in subsurface flow wetlands (SSFW). The main modifications that have been developed extend the influence of the capture and discharge device [...] Read more.

The objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of innovative modifications made to conventional effluent capture and discharge devices used in subsurface flow wetlands (SSFW). The main modifications that have been developed extend the influence of the capture and discharge device in such a way that the SSFW width and height are fully covered. This improved innovative device was applied and evaluated in two subsurface flow wetlands, one on a pilot scale and one on a real scale. To evaluate the impact of the innovative device with respect to the conventional one in the operational functioning of subsurface flow wetlands, the elimination of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was measured and compared. The results show that for the innovative device, the COD removal was 10% higher than for the conventional device, confirming the validity and effectiveness of the modifications implemented in the effluent capture and discharge devices used in SSFW. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 2499 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Removal of Lead and Cadmium Ions from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption on a Low-Cost Phragmites Biomass

by Abdulaziz N. Amro, Mohammad K. Abhary, Muhammad Mansoor Shaikh and Samah Ali

Processes 2019, 7(7), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7070406 - 01 Jul 2019

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 3529

Abstract

In recent years, the interest in waste water treatment increased to preserve the environment. The objective of this study is the removal of lead and cadmium ions from aqueous solution by treated Phragmites biomass (TPB). TPB was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared [...] Read more.

In recent years, the interest in waste water treatment increased to preserve the environment. The objective of this study is the removal of lead and cadmium ions from aqueous solution by treated Phragmites biomass (TPB). TPB was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) which indicates the presence of functional groups that may be responsible of metal adsorption such as hydroxyl, carbonyl, sulfonate and carboxylate. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface area analysis using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method (BET) illustrated that TPB is nonporous with a small surface area. The influences of various experimental factors were investigated; the proposed method recommended the extraction of Pb⁺² and Cd⁺² metal ions by TPB at pH 5.0. A contact time of 60 and 45 min was required for the adsorption 50 mL (50 ppm) Pb⁺² and Cd⁺² respectively to reach equilibrium when 0.10 g TPB was used. The optimum TPB dosage was 0.20 g for adsorption both metal ions when adsorbate solution was 50 mL (50 ppm). Particle sizes of 0.125–0.212 mm showed the best metal ion removal of both metal ions. Thermodynamic study illustrated that both metal ions correlate more with Langmuir isotherm. Furthermore, chemisorption of Pb⁺² and Cd⁺² on TPB was more likely according to kinetic study data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 2533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coffee Pulp: A Sustainable Alternative Removal of Cr (VI) in Wastewaters

by Dora Luz Gómez Aguilar, Juan Pablo Rodríguez Miranda, Javier Andrés Esteban Muñoz and Jhon Fredy Betancur P.

Processes 2019, 7(7), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7070403 - 01 Jul 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3373

Abstract

Currently, agricultural waste is proposed as a sustainable alternative in the removal of heavy metals present in industrial wastewater, to fulfill some of the goals proposed in the Sustainable Development Goals stated for the 2030 Agenda, in particular in Sections 3.9 and 6.9. [...] Read more.

Currently, agricultural waste is proposed as a sustainable alternative in the removal of heavy metals present in industrial wastewater, to fulfill some of the goals proposed in the Sustainable Development Goals stated for the 2030 Agenda, in particular in Sections 3.9 and 6.9. Considering this context, the coffee pulp (Castilla variety) of Caldas municipality (Colombia) was used in study for the removal of one of the most toxic chemical species of chromium: Cr (VI). Therefore, the agricultural residue was subjected to a bromatological characterization, determination of the lignocellulosic composition and elucidation of characteristic organic functional groups by IR spectrophotometry. Additionally, the optimal parameters for contaminant removal were identified, regarding particle size, biomass quantity, optimum pH, stirring time, temperature, adsorption kinetics, zero charge potential (pH_pzc) and adsorption isotherms, to analyze the kinetic model that fitted the process, the explanation of the possible adsorption mechanism between the contaminant, the surface of the coffee pulp and the capacity of maximum adsorption, respectively. Finally, the innovation of the research is discussed considering two criteria: First, when a mixture was made in different proportions between two agricultural residues (coffee pulp and plantain pseudostem) to show if there was an increase in the removal of the contaminant under the same optimal conditions found experimentally; and the second criterion, the comparison of the maximum adsorption capacity, with the percentages of removal carried out by other authors using the pulp of unmodified coffee. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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16 pages, 961 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Macroalgal Density and Salinity for Nutrient Removal by Caulerpa lentillifera from Aquaculture Effluent

by B.V.A.S. Manori Bambaranda, Nophea Sasaki, Anong Chirapart, Krishna R. Salin and Takuji W. Tsusaka

Processes 2019, 7(5), 303; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7050303 - 21 May 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4439

Abstract

Determining the optimum levels of macroalgal density and salinity for removing aquaculture effluent has gained increasing research interest in recent years because of the growing concerns over environmental sustainability. Here, we determined the effects of macroalgal density and salinity on the uptake of [...] Read more.

Determining the optimum levels of macroalgal density and salinity for removing aquaculture effluent has gained increasing research interest in recent years because of the growing concerns over environmental sustainability. Here, we determined the effects of macroalgal density and salinity on the uptake of NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻, NH₃, and PO₄³⁻ by Caulerpa lentillifera from the effluent of Poecilia latipinna using spectrophotometry. Laboratory experiments were conducted to measure nutrient uptake at five different macroalgal density levels (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 g/L) and three salinity levels (20, 30, and 40 ppt) with and without aeration. Quadratic regression analysis revealed significant nonlinear and linear effects of macroalgal density on the uptake of NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻, NH₃, and PO₄³⁻, where the maximum uptake was predicted to occur at the macroalgal densities of 31.6, 33.3, 50.0, and 20.0 g/L, respectively. Likewise, the effects of salinity on the uptake of NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻, NH₃, and PO₄³⁻ were significant and nonlinear where the maximum uptake was predicted to occur at the salinity levels of 29.1, 30.7, 29.5, and 29.5 ppt, respectively. The result of the effects of aeration was mixed but somewhat indicated a positive effect on the nutrient uptake within the 24 h period. Our results could help aquaculturists to minimize the excessive nutrients by C. lentillifera from aquaculture effluent while achieving long-term sustainable aquaculture production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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11 pages, 1170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling of Wastewater Treatment Processes in Membrane Bioreactors Compared to Conventional Activated Sludge Systems

by Marta Bis, Agnieszka Montusiewicz, Adam Piotrowicz and Grzegorz Łagód

Processes 2019, 7(5), 285; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7050285 - 14 May 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5841

Abstract

Membrane techniques constitute an interesting alternative to conventional activated sludge systems (CAS). In membrane bioreactors (MBR), the biomass separated on membranes is retained independently of sludge sedimentation properties. As a consequence, a high biomass concentration as well as low food to microorganisms ratio [...] Read more.

Membrane techniques constitute an interesting alternative to conventional activated sludge systems (CAS). In membrane bioreactors (MBR), the biomass separated on membranes is retained independently of sludge sedimentation properties. As a consequence, a high biomass concentration as well as low food to microorganisms ratio can be obtained. Moreover, the development of a characteristic activated sludge population is stimulated by the specific conditions prevailing in MBRs. In the study, the operation and treatment efficiency of the MBR and CAS processes were examined and compared. Simulation was performed with the use of GPS-X software. The effluent quality obtained for the MBR system was either better or comparable to that of CAS. The most significant difference concerned the elimination of total suspended solids, which amounted to 99.8% in the MBR. Regarding nutrients, a low concentration of total phosphorus in the effluent from CAS and MBR was obtained (0.67 gP m⁻³ and 0.50 gP m⁻³, respectively). Greater differences were achieved in the case of total nitrogen. Although almost complete nitrification took place in both systems, a lower concentration of nitrate in the effluent from MBR in comparison to CAS, i.e., 11.2 gN m⁻³ and 14.1 gN m⁻³, respectively, allowed us to obtain a higher removal of total nitrogen (80.8% and 76.1%, respectively). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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15 pages, 1958 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Electronic Nose for Evaluation of Wastewater Treatment Process Effects at Full-Scale WWTP

by Grzegorz Łagód, Sylwia M. Duda, Dariusz Majerek, Adriana Szutt and Agnieszka Dołhańczuk-Śródka

Processes 2019, 7(5), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7050251 - 29 Apr 2019

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4101

Abstract

This paper presents the results of studies aiming at the assessment and classification of wastewater using an electronic nose. During the experiment, an attempt was made to classify the medium based on an analysis of signals from a gas sensor array, the intensity [...] Read more.

This paper presents the results of studies aiming at the assessment and classification of wastewater using an electronic nose. During the experiment, an attempt was made to classify the medium based on an analysis of signals from a gas sensor array, the intensity of which depended on the levels of volatile compounds in the headspace gas mixture above the wastewater table. The research involved samples collected from the mechanical and biological treatment devices of a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), as well as wastewater analysis. The measurements were carried out with a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) gas sensor array, when coupled with a computing unit (e.g., a computer with suitable software for the analysis of signals and their interpretation), it formed an e-nose—that is, an imitation of the mammalian olfactory sense. While conducting the research it was observed that the intensity of signals sent by sensors changed with drops in the level of wastewater pollution; thus, the samples could be classified in terms of their similarity and the analyzed gas-fingerprint could be related to the pollution level expressed by physical and biochemical indicators. Principal component analysis was employed for dimensionality reduction, and cluster analysis for grouping observation purposes. Supervised learning techniques confirmed that the obtained data were applicable for the classification of wastewater at different stages of the purification process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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20 pages, 3649 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis and Characterization of Natural Extracted Precursor Date Palm Fibre-Based Activated Carbon for Aluminum Removal by RSM Optimization

by Alfarooq O. Basheer, Marlia M. Hanafiah, Mohammed Abdulhakim Alsaadi, Y. Al-Douri, M.A. Malek, Mustafa Mohammed Aljumaily and Seef Saadi Fiyadh

Processes 2019, 7(5), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7050249 - 28 Apr 2019

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3935

Abstract

The Powder-Activated Carbon (PAC) under optimum conditions from a new low-cost precursor Date Palm Fibre (DPF) biomass through a carbonization followed by KOH activation has been synthesized by response surface methodology (RSM) combined with central composite design (CCD). The special effects of activation [...] Read more.

The Powder-Activated Carbon (PAC) under optimum conditions from a new low-cost precursor Date Palm Fibre (DPF) biomass through a carbonization followed by KOH activation has been synthesized by response surface methodology (RSM) combined with central composite design (CCD). The special effects of activation temperature, time, and impregnation ratio on bio-PAC Aluminum (Al³⁺) removal and uptake capacity were examined. The optimum conditions for synthesized bio-PAC were found to be 99.4% and 9.94 mg·g⁻¹ for Al³⁺ removal and uptake capacity, respectively at activation temperature 650 °C, activation time 1h and impregnation ratio 1. The optimum bio-PAC was characterized and analyzed using FESEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA, BET, and Zeta potential. RSM-CCD experimental design was used to optimize removal and uptake capacity of Al³⁺ on bio-PAC. Optimum conditions were found to be at bio-PAC dose of 5 mg with pH 9.48 and contact time of 117 min. Furthermore, at optimized conditions of Al³⁺ removal, kinetic, and isotherm models were investigated. The results reveal the feasibility of DPF biomass to be used as a potential and cost-effective precursor for synthesized bio-PAC for Al³⁺ removal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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13 pages, 2996 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Treatment of Saline Water Using Electrocoagulation with Combined Electrical Connection of Electrodes

by Abbas A. Al-Raad, Marlia M. Hanafiah, Ahmed Samir Naje, Mohammed A. Ajeel, Alfarooq O. Basheer, Thuraya Ali Aljayashi and Mohd Ekhwan Toriman

Processes 2019, 7(5), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7050242 - 26 Apr 2019

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 7292

Abstract

Saline water treatment has become increasingly important for drinking water supplies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of the electrocoagulation (EC) process with combined aluminum electrodes in removing various types of salt from water samples collected at Sawa Lake, [...] Read more.

Saline water treatment has become increasingly important for drinking water supplies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of the electrocoagulation (EC) process with combined aluminum electrodes in removing various types of salt from water samples collected at Sawa Lake, Al-Muthanna, Iraq. The targeted types of salt include total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride salt (Cl⁻), bromine (Br⁻), and sulphate (SO₄²⁻). A bench scale consisting of combined EC configurations with static electrodes was employed under combined electrical connections. The effect of the six variables factors, such as applied current density (I), reaction time (RT), pH, temperature (T), stirring speed (M_rpm) and inter electrode distance (IED) were observed to achieve a higher removal of TDS, Cl⁻, Br⁻ and SO₄²⁻. Initial results showed the following optimum operating conditions: I = 2 mA/cm², RT = 80 min, pH = 8, T = 25 °C, IED = 1 cm and M_rpm = 500. The maximum removal efficiency of TDS, Cl⁻, Br⁻ and SO₄²⁻ were 91%, 93%, 92% and 90%, respectively. It can be concluded that the EC method applied in the present study was effective to removing salts from lake water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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9 pages, 1154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Aluminium- and Ferric-Based Chemical Phosphorus Removal on Activated Sludge Digestibility and Dewaterability

by Peter Ojo and Augustine Osamor Ifelebuegu

Processes 2019, 7(4), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7040228 - 23 Apr 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3557

Abstract

The uses of Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺ salts in chemical phosphorus removal (CPR) in activated sludge plants have increased considerably in recent years and their full impacts on downstream processes such as dewaterability and digestibility are not fully understood. In this research, [...] Read more.

The uses of Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺ salts in chemical phosphorus removal (CPR) in activated sludge plants have increased considerably in recent years and their full impacts on downstream processes such as dewaterability and digestibility are not fully understood. In this research, the effects of CPR on sludge digestibility and dewaterability were investigated in laboratory-scale experiments using sludge samples from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. The results of the digestibility tests showed a 21% and 36% reduction in the biogas volume generated during anaerobic digestion of surplus activated sludge at 0.1 g/L doses of Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺ salts, respectively. This demonstrates that Al³⁺ dosing for CPR has less of a reduction effect compared with Fe³⁺ salts on biogas generation during anaerobic digestion of sludge. The dewaterability tests showed that primary sludge dewaterability was improved by up to 25% by Fe³⁺ and 16% by Al³⁺, while that of surplus activated sludge was reduced by 64% and 73%, respectively, at a metal salt dose of 50 mg/L. Consequently, a pre-precipitation process during CPR where phosphorus is removed in the primary tank would, therefore, enhance sludge dewaterability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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14 pages, 2982 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Adsorption Process of Lead (II) and Chromium (VI) Ions from Aqueous Solutions on Acid Activated Carbon Prepared from Juniperus procera Leaves

by Ismat H. Ali, Mohammed K. Al Mesfer, Mohammad I. Khan, Mohd Danish and Majed M. Alghamdi

Processes 2019, 7(4), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7040217 - 16 Apr 2019

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 5070

Abstract

The adsorption potential of acid activated carbon prepared from leaves of Juniperus procera to remove Pb(II) and Cr(VI) toxic ions from aqueous solutions was investigated. The effects of solution pH, adsorbent mass, contact time, initial ion concentration and temperature on the biosorption process [...] Read more.

The adsorption potential of acid activated carbon prepared from leaves of Juniperus procera to remove Pb(II) and Cr(VI) toxic ions from aqueous solutions was investigated. The effects of solution pH, adsorbent mass, contact time, initial ion concentration and temperature on the biosorption process were studied, and the optimum conditions were determined. Moreover, Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich adsorption isotherm models were applied to analyze adsorption data. Thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption processes were calculated. Adsorption was found to be a spontaneous and endothermic process. In addition, kinetic studies revealed a pseudo-first order kinetics biosorption process. The obtained results suggest that acid activated Juniperus procera leaves powder can be used as a cheap, efficient and environmentally friendly adsorbent material with high removal efficiency up to 98% for Pb(II) and 96% for Cr(VI) at 0.80 and 1.00 g/100 mL, respectively. The duration of the process was 100 min and 120 min for Pb(II) and Cr(VI) ions, respectively. The morphology of the of prepared activated carbon was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 2274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance of Anaerobic Baffled Reactor for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment in Urban Malang, Indonesia

by Anie Yulistyorini, Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero, Sukarni Sukarni, Nugroho Suryoputro, Mujiyono Mujiyono, Hadi Santoso and Endang Tri Rahayu

Processes 2019, 7(4), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7040184 - 29 Mar 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6382

Abstract

In order to assess the impact of the Sanitation by Communities (SANIMAS) program for community-led sanitation in Indonesia (established in 2002), this research work was conducted with the aim of characterizing the current performance of anaerobic baffled reactors (ABRs), which were deployed in [...] Read more.

In order to assess the impact of the Sanitation by Communities (SANIMAS) program for community-led sanitation in Indonesia (established in 2002), this research work was conducted with the aim of characterizing the current performance of anaerobic baffled reactors (ABRs), which were deployed in high numbers for the provision of domestic wastewater treatment in densely populated urban areas in Malang (Indonesia). Small and decentralized sewage treatment facilities serve ≈3% of the total population in Malang, including 89 ABR treatment plants. Our findings reveal that only 14% of the 89 ABRs in Malang have an acceptable performance with regard to pollutant removal and integrity of their building structure, but the majority of them produce a treated effluent of poor quality, according to discharge consents set by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia (Regulation No. P.68/2016). Clearly the lack of consistent operation and maintenance practices have had a detrimental effect on these decentralized sewage treatment systems, despite their robustness and buffer capacity to cope with changes in organic and hydraulic loading rates. Urbanization will continue to exert pressure on the provision of sanitation services in lower and middle economies, and the role of decentralized sewage management systems is expected to be prominent in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals era (2015–2030); however, sustainable service delivery must be conceived beyond the provision of sanitation infrastructure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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13 pages, 2218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of Porous Fe/C Bio-Char Adsorbent for Rhodamine B from Waste Wood: Characterization, Kinetics and Thermodynamics

by Yao Zhang, Zhichao Lou, Chaochao Wang, Weikai Wang and Jiabin Cai

Processes 2019, 7(3), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7030150 - 09 Mar 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3582

Abstract

In the past decades, dyes waste waters produced from industries have become a major source of environmental pollution causing the destruction of aquatic communities in the ecosystem and greatly threatened human health. Herein, a novel magnetic adsorbent was synthesized by carbonizing iron (III) [...] Read more.

In the past decades, dyes waste waters produced from industries have become a major source of environmental pollution causing the destruction of aquatic communities in the ecosystem and greatly threatened human health. Herein, a novel magnetic adsorbent was synthesized by carbonizing iron (III) 2,4-pentanedionate (Fe(acac)₃) pre-enriched forestry waste wood at a pyrolysis temperature of 1000 °C. The characterization of the adsorbent conducted via SEM, EDS, VSM, XRD, XPS, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The adsorption trend followed the pseudo-second order kinetics model. The corresponding adsorption performance was efficient with an equilibrium time of only 1 min. Affect factors on the adsorption performance, such as adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature, were investigated. The magnetic bio-char showed a high adsorption capacity and an efficient adsorption toward RhB, implying great potential application in the treatment of colored wastewaters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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11 pages, 2859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High Nitrate and Phosphate Ions Reduction in Modified Low Salinity Fresh Water through Microalgae Cultivation

by Ahmad Rozaimee Mustaffa, Ku Halim Ku Hamid, Mohibah Musa, Juferi Idris and Roslina Ramli

Processes 2019, 7(3), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7030129 - 01 Mar 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4096

Abstract

The treatment of nitrate and phosphate ions in fresh water such as streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands through biological treatment has been getting more crucial and popular in recent years. This paper reports the reduction of nitrate and phosphate ions in modified [...] Read more.

The treatment of nitrate and phosphate ions in fresh water such as streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands through biological treatment has been getting more crucial and popular in recent years. This paper reports the reduction of nitrate and phosphate ions in modified low salinity fresh water via the cultivation of a microalgae strain, e.g., Tetraspora sp. and Spirogyra sp. The low salinity fresh water (9054 to 9992 ppm) was modified with the addition of organic fertiliser (VermiCompost Tea) and used as the cultivation medium to grow microalgae. The microalgae strains were grown under controlled conditions in an indoor laboratory for 14 days. The initial concentrations of nitrate and phosphate ions in the modified fresh water sample were 1.17 mg/L and 0.10 mg/L, respectively. The reduction of nitrate and phosphate ions associated with the effect of cultivation of Tetraspora sp. and Spirogyra sp. in ambient air (0.03% of CO₂) and 15% of CO₂ was investigated. In ambient air, the cultivation of Tetraspora sp. and Spirogyra sp. greatly reduced the nitrate ions concentration from 5.96 ± 0.28 to 0.37 ± 0.05 mg/L and from 2.35 ± 0.19 to 0.59 ± 0.08 mg/L, respectively. A 100% reduction of phosphate ions was observed in the cultivation of Tetraspora sp. and Spirogyra sp. from 0.52 ± 0.10 mg/L in 13 days of and from 0.63 ± 0.15 mg/L in 6 days, respectively. Meanwhile, with the aeration of 15% of CO₂, after the 14 days cultivation of Tetraspora sp. and Spirogyra sp. reduced the nitrate ions concentration from 5.27 ± 0.06 to 1.80 ± 0.20 mg/L and from 4.73 ± 0.12 to 2.80 ± 0.10 mg/L, respectively. The excessive CO₂ in water consequently lowered the pH of water medium from 7.18 to 6.60 due to the formation of carbonic acid (H₂CO₃). It was feasible to couple the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in Sungai Sura (4°42″28.2° N 103°26″12.1° E) while cultivating microalgae through biological treatment to produce biomass for biofuel production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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13 pages, 1978 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integration of Membrane Bioreactor and Nanofiltration for the Treatment Process of Real Hospital Wastewater in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

by Thanh Tran, Thanh Binh Nguyen, Huu Loc Ho, Duc Anh Le, Tri Duc Lam, Duy Chinh Nguyen, Anh Tuan Hoang, Trung Sy Do, Luong Hoang, Trinh Duy Nguyen and Long Giang Bach

Processes 2019, 7(3), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7030123 - 27 Feb 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4814

Abstract

Hospital wastewater contains pharmaceutical residues, chemicals, and pathogens that cause coloration and nourish pathogenic microorganisms. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a medical wastewater treatment system at Military Hospital 175 (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) that combined a [...] Read more.

Hospital wastewater contains pharmaceutical residues, chemicals, and pathogens that cause coloration and nourish pathogenic microorganisms. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a medical wastewater treatment system at Military Hospital 175 (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) that combined a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system with nanofiltration (NF). The influent of the system was the wastewater discharged from the operating rooms of the hospital. The system has a capacity of 50 L/day and operates at three organic load rates (OLR) of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 kgCOD/m³day (COD: Chemical oxygen demand), in which each load rate operates for 40 days. The results showed that most nutritional criteria generally achieved positive results. Specifically, the average COD removal was shown to be consistently high throughout the three phases at 94%, 93.3%, and 92.7%, respectively. For removal of nitrogen, the system demonstrated efficiencies of 75%, 79%, and 83%, respectively, to three phases. The log removal value (LRV) for Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria were higher than four throughout the study period. The average removal efficiency for color and total iron was approximately 98% and 99%, respectively. The water quality after treatment, especially after NF, meets the Vietnamese standard of grade A. The arrangement in which the MBR preceded NF was also found to limit the amount of soil and solids entering subsequent treatment, which therefore improved the efficiency of NF, as demonstrated by the stability of post-NF transmembrane pressures throughout three cycles renewed by two backwashes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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15 pages, 3629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flocculation of a High-Turbidity Kaolin Suspension Using Hydrophobic Modified Quaternary Ammonium Salt Polyacrylamide

by Jiangya Ma, Xue Fu, Wei Xia, Kun Fu and Yi Liao

Processes 2019, 7(2), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7020108 - 18 Feb 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4590

Abstract

In this work, a novel cationic polyacrylamide (PAMD) was synthesized by acrylamide (AM) diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DMD) and dodecyl polyglucoside (DPL) under low-pressure ultraviolet (UV) initiation. The intrinsic viscosity and cationic degree of PAMD were optimized in copolymerization. The optimum synthesis conditions [...] Read more.

In this work, a novel cationic polyacrylamide (PAMD) was synthesized by acrylamide (AM) diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DMD) and dodecyl polyglucoside (DPL) under low-pressure ultraviolet (UV) initiation. The intrinsic viscosity and cationic degree of PAMD were optimized in copolymerization. The optimum synthesis conditions that affect polymerization were determined to be solid content 30%, DPL content 25%, DMD content 30%, illumination time 135 min, and pH 9. The flocculation performance of flocculant PAMD with a high cationic degree was investigated in the purification of high-turbidity water. The flocculation mechanism was correspondingly studied and summarized based on Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) analysis. Finally, the results of an experimental simulation using the response surface method show that 98.9% supernatant transmittance was achieved under dosage 4 mg/L, fast stirring time 20 min, pH 7, and stirring speed 320 rpm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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14 pages, 2622 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorption of Organic Constituents from Reverse Osmosis Concentrate in Coal Chemical Industry by Coking Coal

by Hongxiang Xu, Qizheng Qin, Changfeng Zhang, Kejia Ning, Rong Zhao, Penghui Wang, Jiushuai Deng and Gen Huang

Processes 2019, 7(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7010044 - 16 Jan 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3816

Abstract

To solve the unwieldy problem of coal chemical wastewater reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC), a novel treatment method in which coking coal was used to adsorb the organic from ROC and the adsorption mechanism involved was investigated. The results showed that the organic components [...] Read more.

To solve the unwieldy problem of coal chemical wastewater reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC), a novel treatment method in which coking coal was used to adsorb the organic from ROC and the adsorption mechanism involved was investigated. The results showed that the organic components in the ROC of coal chemical industry can be effectively absorbed by the coking coal and the total organic carbon, UV₂₅₄ and chromaticity of treated ROC reduced by 70.18%, 70.15% and 59.55%, respectively, at the coking coal dosage of 80 g/L. The isothermal adsorption data were fitted to the Langmuir model well. The kinetics were expressed well by the quasi-second-order kinetic model. The intragranular diffusion model and the BET (Acronym for three scientists: Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) test showed that the adsorption occurred mainly on the surface of the coking coal and its macropores and mesopores. When the pollutants further diffused to the mesopores and micropores, the adsorption rate decreased. The result of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra showed that the coking coal mainly adsorbed the nitrogen and oxygen species and the halogenated hydrocarbon organic compounds in the ROC. The chlorinated hydrocarbons and heterocyclic organics in ROC are adsorbed on the surface of coking coal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 5949 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficient Removal of Hexavalent Chromium from Wastewater with Electro-Reduction

by Hao Peng, Yumeng Leng, Qinzhe Cheng, Qian Shang, Jiancheng Shu and Jing Guo

Processes 2019, 7(1), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7010041 - 15 Jan 2019

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 8379

Abstract

Removal of hexavalent chromium had attracted much attention as it is a hazardous contaminant. An electrocoagulation-like technology electro-reduction was applied. The chromium (VI) in the wastewater was reduced to chromium (III) by the electron supplied by electricity power and Fe²⁺, formed [...] Read more.

Removal of hexavalent chromium had attracted much attention as it is a hazardous contaminant. An electrocoagulation-like technology electro-reduction was applied. The chromium (VI) in the wastewater was reduced to chromium (III) by the electron supplied by electricity power and Fe²⁺, formed from corrosion of steel electrodes in acidic conditions. The mechanism and parameters affecting the reaction were investigated. The results optimized by response surface methodology indicated that the influence of single factor on the reduction efficiency followed the order: A: dosage of H₂SO₄ > C: reaction time > D: reaction temperature > B: current intensity. The reduction efficiency was hardly affected by current intensity, while it was increased with the increasing of reaction time and acid concentration. The reducing agent, Fe²⁺ an and extra free electron, acted as a reducing agent and could easily reduce hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium at high temperatures in an acidic medium. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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19 pages, 3433 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Effective Dye Degradation by Graphene Oxide Supported Manganese Oxide

by Hayarpi Saroyan, George Z. Kyzas and Eleni A. Deliyanni

Processes 2019, 7(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7010040 - 14 Jan 2019

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 6549

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) was used as a support for manganese oxide (MnO₂) for the preparation of a nanocomposite catalyst for the degradation of an azo dye, Reactive Black 5 (RB5). The nanocomposite was characterized for the structure by XRD, for the [...] Read more.

Graphene oxide (GO) was used as a support for manganese oxide (MnO₂) for the preparation of a nanocomposite catalyst for the degradation of an azo dye, Reactive Black 5 (RB5). The nanocomposite was characterized for the structure by XRD, for the morphology with SEM, and for the surface chemistry with FTIR and potentiometric titration measurements. The GO-MnO₂ nanocomposite presented a high catalytic activity for the degradation/oxidation of RB5 at ambient conditions, which was higher than that of the pure MnO₂ and could be attributed to the beneficial contribution of the manganese oxide and the graphene oxide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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21 pages, 4084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Textile Wastewater Treatment for Water Reuse: A Case Study

by Hua Yin, Peiwen Qiu, Yuange Qian, Zhuwen Kong, Xiaolong Zheng, Zhihua Tang and Huafang Guo

Processes 2019, 7(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7010034 - 11 Jan 2019

Cited by 68 | Viewed by 18498

Abstract

The reduced natural waters and the large amount of wastewater produced by textile industry necessitate an effective water reuse treatment. In this study, a combined two-stage water reuse treatment was established to enhance the quality and recovery rate of reused water. The primary [...] Read more.

The reduced natural waters and the large amount of wastewater produced by textile industry necessitate an effective water reuse treatment. In this study, a combined two-stage water reuse treatment was established to enhance the quality and recovery rate of reused water. The primary treatment incorporated a flocculation and sedimentation system, two sand filtration units, an ozonation unit, an ultrafiltration (UF) system, and a reverse osmosis (RO) system. The second treatment included an ozonation unit, a sand filtration unit, and UF and RO systems. The color removal rate increased with the increasing ozone dosage, and the relational expression between the ozone dosage and color removal rate was fitted. Ozonation greatly reduced the color by 92.59 and 97.27 times during the primary and second ozonation stages, respectively. RO had the highest removal rate. The combined processes showed good performance in water reuse treatment. The treated, reused water satisfied the reuse standard and surpassed the drinking water standard rates for chemical oxygen consumption (COD_cr), color, NH₃-N, hardness, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, turbidity, Fe³⁺, and Cu²⁺. The operating cost of reuse water treatment was approximately 0.44 USD·m⁻³. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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13 pages, 5563 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Method for the Process Division and Effect Evaluation of Coagulation Based on Particle Size Fractal Dimension

by Yuwen Zhu and Haoyu Li

Processes 2018, 6(12), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6120237 - 23 Nov 2018

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2933

Abstract

To divide, control, and predict the effects of the coagulation process in water treatment, a characteristic analysis of the change in particle size distribution (particle number and fractal dimension) during aided coagulation with hydrated MnO₂ was performed. The results showed that the [...] Read more.

To divide, control, and predict the effects of the coagulation process in water treatment, a characteristic analysis of the change in particle size distribution (particle number and fractal dimension) during aided coagulation with hydrated MnO₂ was performed. The results showed that the process of coagulation could be divided into three characteristic stages based on the first derivative of the particle size fractal dimension. In the primary stage, most of the microflocs aggregated to form small flocs; in the growth stage, most of the small flocs aggregated to form large flocs; and in the stable stage, some large flocs broke apart and reformed. The first derivative of the particle size fractal dimension had a good linear relationship with the coagulation time in the primary stage and growth stage, and its slope had a power function relationship with the particle number in settled water; the first derivative could thus be used to evaluate the coagulation effect. In the stable stage, the rate of change in particle size fractal dimension fluctuated along the fitted line, and the mean residual sum of squares had a linear relation with the particle number in settled water; therefore, this parameter could be used as an indicator of the coagulation effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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22 pages, 8867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation, Characterization, and Sludge Conditioning of Cationic Polyacrylamide Synthesized by a Novel UVA-Initiated System

by Qingqing Guan, Guocheng Zhu, Yi Liao, Jin Xu, Xiaoxu Sun, Fang Tian, Jiaxing Xu and Minghan Luo

Processes 2018, 6(12), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6120233 - 22 Nov 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3850

Abstract

Controlling the concentration of free radicals in polymerization systems is advantageous for preparing cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) with a high molecular weight and acceptable dissolvability. In this study, a novel ultraviolet (UVA)-initiated system characterized by an adjustable light intensity and a redox-azo complex initiator [...] Read more.

Controlling the concentration of free radicals in polymerization systems is advantageous for preparing cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) with a high molecular weight and acceptable dissolvability. In this study, a novel ultraviolet (UVA)-initiated system characterized by an adjustable light intensity and a redox-azo complex initiator was used to synthesize a CPAM flocculant named NP. Comparatively, another CPAM flocculant named SP with a stable UVA light intensity and a single initiator was prepared. Their chemical structure, morphology, and thermal stability were analyzed through instrumental analysis. ¹H NMR indicated that NP was successfully prepared, and a small fraction of a cationic homopolymer was mixed in the product. Polymerization conditions of NP were optimized, and polymerization mechanism was determined by investigating the effects of various parameters on intrinsic viscosity, conversion, and dissolvability. Results showed that the best performance was obtained at indices of 0.45 wt‰ redox initiator concentration, 0.2 wt‰ azo initiator concentration, 40.0 wt% cationic monomer, 3 wt‰ urea, and first- and second-stage light intensities of 8.5 and 13 mW/cm², respectively. The sludge conditioning performances of NP and SP were comparatively evaluated, and the mechanism was determined by examining sedimentation behavior and floc size distribution. High intrinsic viscosity, porous morphology structure, and mixed NP cationic homopolymer contributed to the improvement of sludge conditioning performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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15 pages, 2677 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fault Detection in Wastewater Treatment Systems Using Multiparametric Programming

by Ernie Che Mid and Vivek Dua

Processes 2018, 6(11), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6110231 - 20 Nov 2018

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4807

Abstract

In this work, a methodology for fault detection in wastewater treatment systems, based on parameter estimation, using multiparametric programming is presented. The main idea is to detect faults by estimating model parameters, and monitoring the changes in residuals of model parameters. In the [...] Read more.

In this work, a methodology for fault detection in wastewater treatment systems, based on parameter estimation, using multiparametric programming is presented. The main idea is to detect faults by estimating model parameters, and monitoring the changes in residuals of model parameters. In the proposed methodology, a nonlinear dynamic model of wastewater treatment was discretized to algebraic equations using Euler’s method. A parameter estimation problem was then formulated and transformed into a square system of parametric nonlinear algebraic equations by writing the optimality conditions. The parametric nonlinear algebraic equations were then solved symbolically to obtain the concentration of substrate in the inflow,

S_{c_{i n}}

, inhibition coefficient,

K_{i}

, and specific growth rate,

μ_{o}

, as an explicit function of state variables (concentration of biomass,

X

; concentration of organic matter,

S_{c}

; concentration of dissolved oxygen,

S_{o}

; and volume,

V

). The estimated model parameter values were compared with values from the normal operation. If the residual of model parameters exceeds a certain threshold value, a fault is detected. The application demonstrates the viability of the approach, and highlights its ability to detect faults in wastewater treatment systems by providing quick and accurate parameter estimates using the evaluation of explicit parametric functions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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11 pages, 708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alternative Approach to Current EU BAT Recommendation for Coal-Fired Power Plant Flue Gas Desulfurization Wastewater Treatment

by Jan Bogacki, Piotr Marcinowski, Maciej Majewski, Jarosław Zawadzki and Sridhar Sivakumar

Processes 2018, 6(11), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6110229 - 19 Nov 2018

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4527

Abstract

Fossil fuel combustion is a serious environmental problem. Significant quantities of flue gasses and wastewater, requiring further treatment, are produced. This article compares three wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater treatment methods: coagulation with precipitation using iron(III) ions—recommended by the European Union as [...] Read more.

Fossil fuel combustion is a serious environmental problem. Significant quantities of flue gasses and wastewater, requiring further treatment, are produced. This article compares three wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater treatment methods: coagulation with precipitation using iron(III) ions—recommended by the European Union as the best available technique (BAT)—and two alternative advanced oxidation processes (Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ and Fe⁰/H₂O₂). Both oxidation processes that were used met the technical FGD wastewater treatment requirements of the BAT. The best treatment effects, expressed as pollutants’ removal, were obtained for the Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ process for 150/300 mg/L reagent doses. It allows effective removal of boron up to 212 mg/L and heavy metals up to below the detection limit <0.010 mg/L for Pb and <0.005 mg/L for Cu. Therefore, the Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ process could be an option for FGD wastewater treatment as an alternative to the BAT recommended iron(III)-based coagulation with precipitation. Additionally, an analysis of variance was applied to check the significance of the two independent variables and their interactions. Statistical analysis confirmed high efficiency and applicability of treatment process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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12 pages, 3170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Statistical Analysis of Circulating Water Quality Parameters under Variable-Frequency Vertical Electromagnetic Fields

by Fang He and Jianguo Wang

Processes 2018, 6(10), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6100182 - 02 Oct 2018

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3002

Abstract

No unified electromagnetic anti-fouling mechanism is currently available. Most research has focused on the effects of structural parameters and water quality parameters on electromagnetic fields; variations in water quality parameters under the influence of electromagnetic fields have not been reported. A variable-frequency vertical [...] Read more.

No unified electromagnetic anti-fouling mechanism is currently available. Most research has focused on the effects of structural parameters and water quality parameters on electromagnetic fields; variations in water quality parameters under the influence of electromagnetic fields have not been reported. A variable-frequency vertical electromagnetic field is proposed in this study. Relationships between conductivity, pH value, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, fouling resistance, and magnetic acting time were carefully analyzed using statistical analysis. Results show that the conductivity difference was the most explanatory predictive variable on magnetic acting time in the multiple stepwise regression model. Magnetic acting time has a greater impact on conductivity than pH value and dissolved oxygen. Conductivity is used as an adaptive feedback control parameter for the optimum anti-fouling state. Fouling resistance on the heat-exchanging surface of the magnetic experiment was smaller than that of the contrast experiment. The anti-fouling efficiency in 1 kHz and 5 kHz magnetic and contrast experiments was 91.23% and 46.97%, respectively. Better anti-fouling performance was realized under the influence of low-frequency electromagnetic fields, confirming that physical water treatment is an effective and environmentally friendly method to eliminate heat exchanger fouling. This research serves as a reference for the development of an electromagnetic-adaptive closed-loop water treatment device. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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22 pages, 4411 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Organic Ligands on the Colloidal Stability and Removal of ZnO Nanoparticles from Synthetic Waters by Coagulation

by Rizwan Khan, Muhammad Ali Inam, Du Ri Park, Saba Zam Zam, Sookyo Shin, Sarfaraz Khan, Muhammad Akram and Ick Tae Yeom

Processes 2018, 6(9), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6090170 - 17 Sep 2018

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4839

Abstract

The large-scale production and usage of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) may lead to their post-release into the aquatic environment. In this study, the effect of hydrophobic/hydrophilic organic ligands on sorption and sedimentation of ZnO NPs has been systematically investigated. In addition, the [...] Read more.

The large-scale production and usage of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) may lead to their post-release into the aquatic environment. In this study, the effect of hydrophobic/hydrophilic organic ligands on sorption and sedimentation of ZnO NPs has been systematically investigated. In addition, the coagulation efficiency of ZnO NPs, Zn²⁺, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV₂₅₄ with varying ferric chloride (FC) dosages in synthetic waters were also evaluated. The results showed that the higher concentration of organic ligands, i.e., humic acid (HA), salicylic acid (SA), and L-cysteine (L-cys) reduced the ζ-potential and hydrodynamic diameter (HDD) of particles, which enhanced the NPs stability. The adsorption of organic ligands onto ZnO NPs was fitted with the Langmuir model, with maximum adsorption capacities of 143, 40.47, and 66.05 mg/g for HA, SA and L-cys respectively. Removal of up to 95% of ZnO NPs and Zn²⁺ was achieved in studied waters at the effective coagulation zone (ECR), above which excess charge induced by coagulant restabilized the NPs in suspension. Moreover, the removal rate of DOC and UV₂₅₄ were found to be higher in hydrophobic waters than hydrophilic waters. The width of ECR strongly depends on the characteristics of source water. The waters with hydrophobic ligand and higher UV₂₅₄ values require more coagulant than hydrophilic waters to achieve the similar ZnO NPs and Zn²⁺ removal. The results of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis of ZnO NPs composite contaminant flocs indicated that the combined effect of enmeshment and charge neutralization might be a possible removal mechanism. These findings may facilitate the prediction of fate, transport, and removal of ZnO NPs in the natural waters, and might contribute to risk assessment, as well as decision making about engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in aquatic systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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18 pages, 3406 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Basic Dye Removal with Sorption onto Low-Cost Natural Textile Fibers

by George Z. Kyzas, Evi Christodoulou and Dimitrios N. Bikiaris

Processes 2018, 6(9), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6090166 - 14 Sep 2018

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5909

Abstract

Over the last several years, the trend of researchers has been to use some very low-cost materials as adsorbents. For this purpose, some already commercially used bast fibers were selected as potential adsorbent materials to remove basic dye from synthetic effluents. The adsorption [...] Read more.

Over the last several years, the trend of researchers has been to use some very low-cost materials as adsorbents. For this purpose, some already commercially used bast fibers were selected as potential adsorbent materials to remove basic dye from synthetic effluents. The adsorption of basic yellow 37 dye was studied using three different bast fibers under the names of flax, ramie, and kenaf. Their morphological structure was examined using several techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), crystallinity, X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as those characterizations being a useful tool to propose a mechanism of the whole adsorption process. The adsorption evaluation was achieved by studying at first the pH (12) and temperature effects (25–55 °C). Two isotherm models (Langmuir and Freundlich) were also applied to the experimental equilibrium data revealing the superiority of ramie fibers (327, 435, and 460 mg·g⁻¹ (25 °C) for kenaf, flax, and ramie, respectively). The crucial adsorbent’s dosage was found to be 0.1 g per litre for all fibers, while the completed desorption study (eluant’s pH and reuse cycles) also confirmed the strong potential of these kinds of fibers as adsorbents. The latter may be attributed to the cellulosic content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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18 pages, 5007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modelling Nutrients and Organics Removal by Biological Slow Filtration in Micro-Polluted Water Source Treatment

by Chengjin Zhang, Jian He and Zheng Zheng

Processes 2018, 6(8), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6080128 - 15 Aug 2018

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3510

Abstract

The biological slow filtration (BSF) system as a simple and efficient environmental technology has been widely applied in treatment of ‘micro-polluted’ water. At present, many related studies have focused on the removal efficiency of biological indicators (such as bacteria and viruses). However, there [...] Read more.

The biological slow filtration (BSF) system as a simple and efficient environmental technology has been widely applied in treatment of ‘micro-polluted’ water. At present, many related studies have focused on the removal efficiency of biological indicators (such as bacteria and viruses). However, there is less research on the removal performance of nutrients and organics in the BSF system. In this paper, we employed a lab-scale biological slow filter to study the removal efficiency and degradation mechanism of nutrients and organics. We proved through adsorption of filter layer at the early running stage and biodegradation at the later stage, the BSF system could achieve effective removal of NH₃-N, TN, TP, COD_Mn and turbidity and the corresponding removal rates are 83.65%, 42.45%, 42.94%, 60.41% and 83.55%, respectively. Furthermore, we also explored the influence of four main factors (filtration rate, filter depth, hydraulic head and temperature) and their interactions on removal rates of nutrients and organics in the BSF system and obtained the optimal operating parameters as follows: filtration rate 0.1 m/h, filter depth 0.8 m, hydraulic head 0.64 m, temperature 26.06 °C. This study would provide a theoretical foundation for the actual application of biological slow filter in treatment of micro-polluted water in developing countries and offer an optimized basis for the design of operating conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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19 pages, 6584 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Characterization of Polyaluminum Titanium Silicate and its Performance in the Treatment of Low-Turbidity Water

by Lina Liao and Peng Zhang

Processes 2018, 6(8), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6080125 - 11 Aug 2018

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5012

Abstract

Using conventional coagulant, low turbidity water is difficult to achieve standard. This research uses aluminum chloride, titanium tetrachloride, and sodium silicate as raw materials for the preparation of polyaluminum titanium silicate chloride (PATC). PATC is used to treat low turbidity. The synthetic PATC [...] Read more.

Using conventional coagulant, low turbidity water is difficult to achieve standard. This research uses aluminum chloride, titanium tetrachloride, and sodium silicate as raw materials for the preparation of polyaluminum titanium silicate chloride (PATC). PATC is used to treat low turbidity. The synthetic PATC showed the best coagulating effect in treated water under the following experimental conditions: Reaction temperature of 50 °C, and n(Ti)/n(Al), n(-OH)/n(Ti+Al), and n(Si)/n(Ti+Al) were 0.3, 0.2, and 1.0, respectively. The species distribution and the transformation of PATC showed that the interaction between titanium tetrachloride, sodium silicate, and the hydrolysate of Al influenced the morphology distribution of Al. Temperature and -OH greatly affected the distribution of Alb in PATC. The analysis of infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction indicated that both titanium tetrachloride and sodium silicate had complex chemical reactions with aluminum chloride. Si-O-Ti and Si-O-Al produced by the reaction affected the PATC treatment of low-turbidity water. Scanning electron microscopy showed, that compared with polyaluminum chloride(PAC), the PATC cluster was more compact, showed greater pore structure, and presented better flocculation precipitation. The optimal reaction conditions were an initial turbidity of 10 nephelometric turbidity unit(NTU), PATC dosage of 9 mg/L, pH of 8 for the simulated water sample, stirring speed of 50 r/min, and settling time of 50 min, which were determined by Orthogonal experiment. The zeta potential of the reaction process was analyzed. In the treatment of low-turbidity water, PATC mainly functioned by adsorbing, bridging, and sweeping flocculation. Electrical neutralization played an auxiliary role. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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14 pages, 3613 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Treatment of Oil-Contaminated Water by Modified Polysilicate Aluminum Ferric Sulfate

by Zhaoyang You, Li Zhang, Shujuan Zhang, Yongjun Sun and Kinjal J. Shah

Processes 2018, 6(7), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6070095 - 20 Jul 2018

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4752

Abstract

In this experiment, a variety of inorganic materials were simply compounded with Polysilicate Aluminum Ferric Sulfate (PSAFS) to treat emulsified oil-contaminated water. Manganese sulfate (MnSO₄), magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄), and zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) were selected as the materials [...] Read more.

In this experiment, a variety of inorganic materials were simply compounded with Polysilicate Aluminum Ferric Sulfate (PSAFS) to treat emulsified oil-contaminated water. Manganese sulfate (MnSO₄), magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄), and zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) were selected as the materials to modify PSAFS in order to obtain a coagulant with good flocculation performance. During the preparation of modified PSAFS, metal manganese, magnesium, and zinc were introduced for modification, and four factors were used to optimize the best proportion of modifiers and PSAFS. The results showed that the order of demulsification and oil-removal ability is as follows: Mn-PSAFS (Mn-modified PSAFS) > Zn-PSAFS (Zn-modified PSAFS) > Mg-PSAFS (Mg-modified PSAFS) > PSAFS. Modified PSAFS was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). In the range of 604 cm⁻¹ to 1200 cm⁻¹, due to the complexation reaction between metal ions and polysilicic acid, the absorption peaks of the modified PSAFS and PSAFS were significantly different. SEM results revealed that the particles of the spatial network structure were fibrous and arranged more closely (0.5 mm × 50.0 mm) than others. This study provided that the modified PSAFS had good potential application in treating emulsified oily wastewater in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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14 pages, 2171 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis and Characterization of Ampholytic Flocculant CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC) and Its Flocculation Properties for Microcystis Aeruginosa Removal

by Lei Chen, Cuiyun Liu, Yongjun Sun, Wenquan Sun, Yanhua Xu and Huaili Zheng

Processes 2018, 6(5), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6050054 - 11 May 2018

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4693

Abstract

The ampholytic chitosan based flocculant carboxylated chitosan graft-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethylammonium chloride-dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC)) was synthesized by photo polymerization using carboxylated chitosan (CPCTS), 3-chloro-2-chloropropyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTA) and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (DMDAAC) as the cationic co-monomers. The effects of monomer concentration, the ratio of [...] Read more.

The ampholytic chitosan based flocculant carboxylated chitosan graft-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethylammonium chloride-dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC)) was synthesized by photo polymerization using carboxylated chitosan (CPCTS), 3-chloro-2-chloropropyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTA) and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (DMDAAC) as the cationic co-monomers. The effects of monomer concentration, the ratio of CPCTS and cationic monomers, cationic degree, initiator time, photoinitiator concentration, and pH value on the properties of CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC) were studied. The microcystis aeruginosa that was cultured in laboratory was used for CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC) flocculation tests. The effects of CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC) dosage, pH value and G value on flocculation performance were investigated. The maximum removal rate of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) that were obtained by CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC) were 98.8% and 96.5% under the conditions of dosage 4 mg/L, pH 7 and G value 200 s⁻¹, respectively. The flocculation experiments showed that chitosan-based flocculant CPCTS-g-P (CTA-DMDAAC) had better flocculation performance than commercially available flocculants cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM), Polyferric Sulfate (PFS), and polymeric aluminium (PAC). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research, Other

13 pages, 1693 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

From Microbubbles to Nanobubbles: Effect on Flotation

by George Z. Kyzas, Athanasios C. Mitropoulos and Kostas A. Matis

Processes 2021, 9(8), 1287; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9081287 - 26 Jul 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4172

Abstract

Attachment of particles and droplets to bubbles—the latter being of various fine sizes and created by different techniques (as described in detail)—forms the basis of flotation, a process which indeed was originated from mineral processing. Nevertheless, chemistry often plays a significant role in [...] Read more.

Attachment of particles and droplets to bubbles—the latter being of various fine sizes and created by different techniques (as described in detail)—forms the basis of flotation, a process which indeed was originated from mineral processing. Nevertheless, chemistry often plays a significant role in this area, in order for separation to be effective, as stressed. This (brief) review particularly discusses wastewater treatment applications and the effect of bubble size (from nano- to micro-) on the flotation process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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25 pages, 2710 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Development of Strategies for AOB and NOB Competition Supported by Mathematical Modeling in Terms of Successful Deammonification Implementation for Energy-Efficient WWTPs

by Mehdi Sharif Shourjeh, Przemysław Kowal, Xi Lu, Li Xie and Jakub Drewnowski

Processes 2021, 9(3), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9030562 - 23 Mar 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4074

Abstract

Novel technologies such as partial nitritation (PN) and partial denitritation (PDN) could be combined with the anammox-based process in order to alleviate energy input. The former combination, also noted as deammonification, has been intensively studied in a frame of lab and full-scale wastewater [...] Read more.

Novel technologies such as partial nitritation (PN) and partial denitritation (PDN) could be combined with the anammox-based process in order to alleviate energy input. The former combination, also noted as deammonification, has been intensively studied in a frame of lab and full-scale wastewater treatment in order to optimize operational costs and process efficiency. For the deammonification process, key functional microbes include ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anaerobic ammonia oxidation bacteria (AnAOB), which coexisting and interact with heterotrophs and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). The aim of the presented review was to summarize current knowledge about deammonification process principles, related to microbial interactions responsible for the process maintenance under varying operational conditions. Particular attention was paid to the factors influencing the targeted selection of AOB/AnAOB over the NOB and application of the mathematical modeling as a powerful tool enabling accelerated process optimization and characterization. Another reviewed aspect was the potential energetic and resources savings connected with deammonification application in relation to the technologies based on the conventional nitrification/denitrification processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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16 pages, 2703 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

A Mini Review on Antiwetting Studies in Membrane Distillation for Textile Wastewater Treatment

by Guang Yang, Jianhua Zhang, Mingguo Peng, Erdeng Du, Yong Wang, Guocheng Shan, Ling Ling, Hui Ding, Stephen Gray and Zongli Xie

Processes 2021, 9(2), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9020243 - 28 Jan 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3045

Abstract

The textile industry is an important contributor to the growth of the global economy. However, a huge quantity of wastewater is generated as a by-product during textile manufacturing, which hinders the ongoing development of textile industry in terms of environmental sustainability. Membrane distillation [...] Read more.

The textile industry is an important contributor to the growth of the global economy. However, a huge quantity of wastewater is generated as a by-product during textile manufacturing, which hinders the ongoing development of textile industry in terms of environmental sustainability. Membrane distillation (MD), which is driven by thermal-induced vapor pressure difference, is being considered as an emerging economically viable technology to treat the textile wastewater for water reuse. So far, massive efforts have been put into new membrane material developments and modifications of the membrane surface. However, membrane wetting, direct feed solution transport through membrane pores leading to the failure of separation, remains as one of the main challenges for the success and potential commercialization of this separation process as textile wastewater contains membrane wetting inducing surfactants. Herein, this review presents current progress on the MD process for textile wastewater treatment with particular focuses on the fundamentals of membrane wetting, types of membranes applied as well as the fabrication or modification of membranes for anti-wetting properties. This article aims at providing insights in membrane design to enhance the MD separation performance towards commercial application of textile wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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22 pages, 458 KiB

Open AccessReview

Adsorption as a Process for Produced Water Treatment: A Review

by Roghayeh Yousef, Hazim Qiblawey and Muftah H. El-Naas

Processes 2020, 8(12), 1657; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8121657 - 16 Dec 2020

Cited by 92 | Viewed by 14334

Abstract

Produced water (PW) is a by-product of oil and gas operations, and its production is foreseen to increase in the upcoming years. Such an increase is justified by various entities through their projection of the expected increase in the demand of oil and [...] Read more.

Produced water (PW) is a by-product of oil and gas operations, and its production is foreseen to increase in the upcoming years. Such an increase is justified by various entities through their projection of the expected increase in the demand of oil and gas. The treatment of produced water is a significantly growing challenge for the oil and gas industry that requires serious attention. The first part of this review will present the underlying issue of produced water and relevant practices. With adsorption being defined as the least expensive treatment method, the second part will introduce general adsorption principals. The third part will describe the recent applications of adsorption for the treatment of PW with more focus of categorizing the adsorbents as natural and non-natural adsorbents. The main aim of this review is to shed light on the recent research related to PW treatment using adsorption. This is performed to highlight the shortcomings in PW adsorption research and recommend research pathways that can help in developing the field further. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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22 pages, 1420 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustainable Environmental Management and Valorization Options for Olive Mill Byproducts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

by Adnan Khdair and Ghaida Abu-Rumman

Processes 2020, 8(6), 671; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8060671 - 05 Jun 2020

Cited by 94 | Viewed by 6713

Abstract

Cultivation of olive trees and olive oil production have been considered as a legacy for the Mediterranean region. This custom represents a very important benefit for many nations in terms of wealth and health. However, huge amounts of by-products and waste are generated [...] Read more.

Cultivation of olive trees and olive oil production have been considered as a legacy for the Mediterranean region. This custom represents a very important benefit for many nations in terms of wealth and health. However, huge amounts of by-products and waste are generated during olive oil production. This represents a serious environmental impact on land and water bodies if not properly handled. Olive oil extraction generates two waste streams, a solid waste called pomace and olive mill wastewater (OMWW), which has been considered as highly pollutant and phytotoxic waste. These wastes have high disposal costs and predominantly generated from small-scale enterprises that have limited financial resources to treat them properly before discharge to the environment. Besides being a serious environmental problem, OMWW has potential economic value that remains to be utilized such as: fertilizers, valuable antioxidants agents and fatty acids needed in human diet. Also, Olive pomace is a valuable renewable energy source with an energy density of 23 MJ/kg and has become an inexpensive alternative for fossil fuels. Aiming at adding value to the olive production sectors and potential valorization options for byproducts in the MENA region, international practices applied in olive mills wastes management’s and treatment methods used in major oil producing countries are presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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34 pages, 2795 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Petroleum Hydrocarbon Removal from Wastewaters: A Review

by Leili Mohammadi, Abbas Rahdar, Edris Bazrafshan, Hamid Dahmardeh, Md. Abu Bin Hasan Susan and George Z. Kyzas

Processes 2020, 8(4), 447; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8040447 - 10 Apr 2020

Cited by 79 | Viewed by 17469

Abstract

Oil pollutants, due to their toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity, are considered a serious threat to human health and the environment. Petroleum hydrocarbons compounds, for instance, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, are among the natural compounds of crude oil and petrol and are often found [...] Read more.

Oil pollutants, due to their toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity, are considered a serious threat to human health and the environment. Petroleum hydrocarbons compounds, for instance, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, are among the natural compounds of crude oil and petrol and are often found in surface and underground water as a result of industrial activities, especially the handling of petrochemicals, reservoir leakage or inappropriate waste disposal processes. Methods based on the conventional wastewater treatment processes are not able to effectively eliminate oil compounds, and the high concentrations of these pollutants, as well as active sludge, may affect the activities and normal efficiency of the refinery. The methods of removal should not involve the production of harmful secondary pollutants in addition to wastewater at the level allowed for discharge into the environment. The output of sewage filtration by coagulation and dissolved air flotation (DAF) flocculation can be transferred to a biological reactor for further purification. Advanced coagulation methods such as electrocoagulation and flocculation are more advanced than conventional physical and chemical methods, but the major disadvantages are the production of large quantities of dangerous sludge that is unrecoverable and often repelled. Physical separation methods can be used to isolate large quantities of petroleum compounds, and, in some cases, these compounds can be recycled with a number of processes. The great disadvantage of these methods is the high demand for energy and the high number of blockages and clogging of a number of tools and equipment used in this process. Third-party refinement can further meet the objective of water reuse using methods such as nano-filtration, reverse osmosis, and advanced oxidation. Adsorption is an emergency technology that can be applied using minerals and excellent materials using low-cost materials and adsorbents. By combining the adsorption process with one of the advanced methods, in addition to lower sludge production, the process cost can also be reduced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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21 pages, 1914 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Aeration Process in Bioreactors as the Main Energy Consumer in a Wastewater Treatment Plant. Review of Solutions and Methods of Process Optimization

by Jakub Drewnowski, Anna Remiszewska-Skwarek, Sylwia Duda and Grzegorz Łagód

Processes 2019, 7(5), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7050311 - 24 May 2019

Cited by 113 | Viewed by 15282

Abstract

Due to the key role of the biological decomposition process of organic compounds in wastewater treatment, a very important thing is appropriate aeration of activated sludge, because microorganisms have to be supplied with an appropriate amount of oxygen. Aeration is one of the [...] Read more.

Due to the key role of the biological decomposition process of organic compounds in wastewater treatment, a very important thing is appropriate aeration of activated sludge, because microorganisms have to be supplied with an appropriate amount of oxygen. Aeration is one of the most energy-consuming processes in the conventional activated sludge systems of wastewater treatment technology (may consume from 50% to 90% of electricity used by a plant), which makes it the most cost-generating process incurred by treatment plants. The paper presents the construction of aeration systems, their classification as well as parameters and factors that significantly affect the aeration process e.g., oxygen transfer efficiency, diffuser fouling, methods of dealing with diffuser fouling, diffuser selection. Additionally, there are briefly presented “smart control” systems in wastewater treatment and effect of application control strategy based on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system connected with the decrease in the energy consumption for aeration of bioreactors with activated sludge. It is noted that before the process is optimized, the system should be equipped with suitable metering devices. Only when relevant data is available, the improvements can be carried out. However, it’s important, that the operator should regularly maintain good condition and high efficiency of diffusers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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22 pages, 10746 KiB

Open AccessReview

Technology for the Remediation of Water Pollution: A Review on the Fabrication of Metal Organic Frameworks

by Yongning Bian, Nana Xiong and Guocheng Zhu

Processes 2018, 6(8), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6080122 - 08 Aug 2018

Cited by 54 | Viewed by 14533

Abstract

The ineffective control of the release of pollutants into water has led to serious water pollution. Compared with conditions in the past, the polluting components in aquatic environments have become increasingly complex. Some emerging substances have led to a new threat to the [...] Read more.

The ineffective control of the release of pollutants into water has led to serious water pollution. Compared with conditions in the past, the polluting components in aquatic environments have become increasingly complex. Some emerging substances have led to a new threat to the safety of water. Therefore, developing cost-effective technologies for the remediation of water pollution is urgently needed. Adsorption has been considered the most effective operational unit in water treatment processes and thus adsorption materials have gained wide attention. Among them, metal organic frameworks (denoted as MOFs) have been rapidly developed in recent years due to their unique physicochemical performance. They are characterized by larger porosity and larger specific surface area, easier pore structure designing, and comfortable structural modification. In many fields such as adsorption, separation, storage, and transportation, MOFs show a better performance than conventional adsorption materials such as active carbon. Their performance is often dependent on their structural distribution. To optimize the use of MOFs, their fabrication should be given more attention, without being limited to conventional preparation methods. Alternative preparation methods are given in this review, such as diffusion, solvent thermal, microwave, and ion thermal synthesis. Furthermore, developing functionalized MOFs is an available option to improve the removal efficiencies of a specific contaminant through pre-synthetic modification and post-synthesis modification. Post-synthesis modification has become a recent research hotspot. The coupling of MOFs with other techniques would be another option to ameliorate the remediation of water pollution. On one hand, their intrinsic drawbacks may be reduced. On the other hand, their performance may be enhanced due to their interaction behaviors. Overall, such coupling technologies are able to enhance the performance of an individual material. Because the excellent performance of MOF materials has been widely recognized and their developments have received wide attention, especially in environmental fields, in the present work we provide a review of fabrication of MOFs so as to motivate readers to deepen their understanding of the use of MOFs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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16 pages, 2669 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Flotation in Water and Wastewater Treatment

by George Z. Kyzas and Kostas A. Matis

Processes 2018, 6(8), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6080116 - 07 Aug 2018

Cited by 98 | Viewed by 24009

Abstract

Flotation constitutes a separation process that originated from mineral processing. Nowadays, wider applications have been found and compared to flotation for water and wastewater treatment. Stress in the present review paper was mainly applied to heavy metal ions recovery by flotation and the [...] Read more.

Flotation constitutes a separation process that originated from mineral processing. Nowadays, wider applications have been found and compared to flotation for water and wastewater treatment. Stress in the present review paper was mainly applied to heavy metal ions recovery by flotation and the respective mechanism followed, being either ion, precipitate, or sorptive flotation. In the latter case, the use of adsorbents is included (such as powdered activated carbon, zeolites, and goethite), as well as various biosorbents. The flotation of the following metals was reviewed: copper, zinc, nickel, lead, iron, chromium, arsenic, gold, and others. The bubble generation method could be applied for typical dispersed-air flotation column, electroflotation, or dissolved-air flotation; the latter being the most appropriate established technique in water treatment. The role of particle size (for example, studying flotation of salt-type mineral fines) was also examined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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16 pages, 4893 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Rice Husk Biochars Modified with Magnetized Iron Oxides and Nano Zero Valent Iron for Decolorization of Dyeing Wastewater

by Bao-Son Trinh, Phung T. K. Le, David Werner, Nguyen H. Phuong and Tran Le Luu

Processes 2019, 7(10), 660; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100660 - 27 Sep 2019

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4209

Abstract

This study investigated if biochar, a low-cost carbon-rich material, can be modified with reactive materials for decolorization of dyeing wastewater. Two types of rice husk biochars were produced by using different processes of gasification and pyrolysis in limited air condition. The biochars were [...] Read more.

This study investigated if biochar, a low-cost carbon-rich material, can be modified with reactive materials for decolorization of dyeing wastewater. Two types of rice husk biochars were produced by using different processes of gasification and pyrolysis in limited air condition. The biochars were first magnetized and then modified with nano-scale zero-valent iron (nZVI) to achieve the final products of magnetic-nZVI biochars. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the efficiency of the modified biochars for reducing color of the reactive dyes yellow (RY145), red (RR195), and blue (RB19) from dyeing solutions. Results showed that color removal efficiency of the modified biochars was significantly enhanced, achieving the values of 100% for RY145 and RR195 and ≥65% for RB19, while the effectiveness of the original biochar was significantly lower. In addition, with increasing dose of the modified biochars, the color removal efficiency increased accordingly. In contrast, when the dose of nZVI was increased beyond a certain value then its color removal efficiency decreased accordingly. It is reported that the magnetic-nZVI rice husk biochars effectively removed the reactive dyes. The impregnation of nZVI particles on the biochar surface spatially separates the nZVI particles, prevents its aggregation and therefore enhances the decolorization efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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9 pages, 684 KiB

Open AccessProject Report

Full-Scale Processing by Anaerobic Baffle Reactor, Sequencing Batch Reactor, and Sand Filter for Treating High-Salinity Wastewater from Offshore Oil Rigs

by Wenjie Zhang, Yuan Wei and Yue Jin

Processes 2018, 6(12), 256; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr6120256 - 09 Dec 2018

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4917

Abstract

High-salinity wastewater discharged from offshore oil rigs (WORS) is harmful to marine environments. Therefore, WORS should be properly treated before discharge. In this study, a full-scale anaerobic baffle reactor (ABR) + sequencing batch reactor (SBR) + sand filter (SF) process was used for [...] Read more.

High-salinity wastewater discharged from offshore oil rigs (WORS) is harmful to marine environments. Therefore, WORS should be properly treated before discharge. In this study, a full-scale anaerobic baffle reactor (ABR) + sequencing batch reactor (SBR) + sand filter (SF) process was used for the first time to treat WORS at an inshore treatment terminal. After seeding with residual sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment facility, the start-up of the ABR and SBR was accomplished in one month. During a steady running period, the ABR + SBR process showed stable performance in treating WORS. The results of microbial diversity indicated that Rhizobiales, Thermotogales, and Actinomycetales were the most abundant genera in the ABR sample, while Acidobacteria DRC31, Lactobacillales, and Bacillales prevailed in the SBR sample. The results showed that ABR + SBR is a reliable process for WORS treatment, with the treated WORS meeting the National Sewage Comprehensive Emission Standards (GB8978-1996). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Processes)

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