scholarly journals Inputs from wastewater treatment plant effluent influence the temporal variability of nutrient uptake in an intermittent stream

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Castelar ◽  
Susana Bernal ◽  
Miquel Ribot ◽  
Stephanie N. Merbt ◽  
Marta Tobella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Ammonium Concentration ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Wwtp Effluent ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) affect water chemistry and in-stream nutrient uptake capacity from receiving freshwaters, thus altering the amount and fate of nutrients exported. In Mediterranean regions, the dilution capacity of receiving streams to buffer the WWTP biogeochemical fingerprint can vary seasonally due to changes in hydrologic conditions. We assessed the temporal patterns and controls on nutrient uptake in an intermittent Mediterranean stream receiving WWTP effluent inputs. We compiled data on longitudinal profiles of ambient concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus along a 800 m reach on 47 sampling dates between 2001 and 2017 that cover a wide range of hydrological conditions. Data were used to estimate net nutrient uptake in the receiving stream. Ammonium concentration decreased along the reach in 72% of dates, and these decreases were coupled with increases of either nitrite or nitrate. This phenomenon suggests that the stream acted as a hot spot of nitrification. Conversely, concentration of phosphorus did not show any longitudinal pattern in 75% of dates, suggesting that uptake and release processes for this element were commonly counterbalanced. Finally, ammonium net uptake decreased when the stream had a low dilution capacity, suggesting that excess of available nutrients associated with WWTP inputs control de temporal variation of the bioreactive capacity of the receiving streams. Overall, this study suggests that water management should consider the biogeochemical interplay between WWTP operation and the functioning of receiving streams as a strategy to improve stream water quality in urban landscapes.

scholarly journals The Effect of the Effluent from a Small-Scale Conventional Wastewater Treatment Plant Treating Municipal Wastewater on the Composition and Abundance of the Microbial Community, Antibiotic Resistome, and Pathogens in the Sediment and Water of a Receiving Stream

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 865
Author(s):  
Kertu Tiirik ◽  
Hiie Nõlvak ◽  
Marika Truu ◽  
Angela Peeb ◽  
Margit Kõiv-Vainik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Discharge Point ◽  
Water And Sediment ◽  
Wwtp Effluent ◽  
Receiving Stream

The effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are major contributors of nutrients, microbes—including those carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)—and pathogens to receiving waterbodies. The effect of the effluent of a small-scale activated sludge WWTP treating municipal wastewater on the composition and abundance of the microbial community as well as the antibiotic resistome and pathogens in the sediment and water of the receiving stream and river was studied using metagenome sequencing and a quantitative approach. Elevated Bacteroidetes proportions in the prokaryotic community, heightened sulfonamide and aminoglycoside resistance determinants proportions, and an increase of up to three orders of magnitude of sul1–sul2–aadA–blaOXA2 gene cluster abundances were recorded in stream water and sediments 0.3 km downstream of a WWTP discharge point. Further downstream, a gradual recovery of affected microbial communities along a distance gradient from WWTP was recorded, culminating in the mostly comparable state of river water and sediment parameters 3.7 km downstream of WWTP and stream water and sediments upstream of the WWTP discharge point. Archaea, especially Methanosarcina, Methanothrix, and Methanoregula, formed a substantial proportion of the microbial community of WWTP effluent as well as receiving stream water and sediment, and were linked to the spread of ARGs. Opportunistic environmental-origin pathogens were predominant in WWTP effluent and receiving stream bacterial communities, with Citrobacter freundii proportion being especially elevated in the close vicinity downstream of the WWTP discharge point.

scholarly journals Intra- and Inter-Annual Variability in the Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen in an Urbanized River before and after Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades: Case Study in the Grand River (Southwestern Ontario)

Nitrogen ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-154
Author(s):  
Eduardo Cejudo ◽  
Madeline S. Rosamond ◽  
Richard J. Elgood ◽  
Sherry L. Schiff
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
River Discharge ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Ammonium Concentration ◽  
Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Annual Variability ◽  
Assimilation Capacity

External nitrogen (N) inputs originating from human activities act as essential nutrients accumulation in aquatic ecosystems or it is exported elsewhere, where the assimilation capacity is surpassed. This research presents a multi-annual case study of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in an urban river in Ontario (Canada), assessed changes in N downstream of the largest wastewater treatment plant (WTP) in the watershed. Changes in the DIN effluent discharge, in-river concentrations and loads were observed comparing the intra- and inter-annual variability (2010–2013) before, during and after WTP upgrades. These upgrades reduced the ammonium concentration in the river from 0.44 to 0.11 mg N-NH4+/L (year average), but the N load in the effluent increased. In the river, nitrate and ammonium concentrations responded to seasonal variability, being higher during the low temperature (>10 °C) and high flow seasons (spring and spring melt). Among years, changes in the DIN concentration are likely controlled by the effluent to river dilution ratio, which variability resides on the differences in river discharge between years. This suggest that the increasing trend in the DIN concentration and loads are the result of agricultural and urban additions, together with reduced N assimilation, in addition to N loads responding to variable river discharge. Finally, we propose monitoring both concentrations and loads, as they provide answers to different questions for regulatory agencies and water managers, allowing tailored strategies for different purposes, objectives and users.

scholarly journals The effect of purified sewage discharge from a sewage treatment plant on the physicochemical state of water in the receiver

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-284
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Kanownik ◽  
Agnieszka Policht-Latawiec ◽  
Magdalena Wiśnios
Keyword(s):  
Water Saturation ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Sewage Treatment Plant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Municipal Sewage ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Sewage Discharge ◽  
Physicochemical State

Abstract The paper presents changes in the contents of physicochemical indices of the Sudół stream water caused by a discharge of purified municipal sewage from a small mechanical-biological treatment plant with throughput of 300 m3·d−1 and a population equivalent (p.e.) – 1,250 people. The discharge of purified sewage caused a worsening of the stream water quality. Most of the studied indices values increased in water below the treatment plant. Almost a 100-fold increase in ammonium nitrogen, 17-fold increase in phosphate concentrations and 12-fold raise in BOD5 concentrations were registered. Due to high values of these indices, the water physicochemical state was below good. Statistical analysis revealed a considerable effect of the purified sewage discharge on the stream water physicochemical state. A statistically significant increase in 10 indices values (BOD5, COD-Mn, EC, TDS, Cl−, Na+, K+, PO43−, N-NH4+ and N-NO2) as well as significant decline in the degree of water saturation with oxygen were noted below the sewage treatment plant. On the other hand, no statistically significant differences between the water indices values were registered between the measurement points localised 150 and 1,000 m below the purified sewage discharge. It evidences a slow process of the stream water self-purification caused by an excessive loading with pollutants originating from the purified sewage discharge.

OPTIMIZING OPERATION OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS BY OFFLINE AND ONLINE COMPUTER SIMULATION

1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf Otterpohl ◽  
Thomas Rolfs ◽  
Jörg Londong
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Computer Work ◽  
Biological Phosphorus Removal ◽  
Wide Range

Computer simulation of activated sludge plant for nitrogen removal has become a reliable tool to predict the behaviour of the plant Models including biological phosphorus removal still require some practical experience but they should be available soon. This will offer an even wider range than today's work with nitrogen removal. One major benefit of computer simulation of wastewater treatment plants (WTP) is the optimization of operation. This can be done offline if hydrographs of a plant are collected and computer work is done with “historical” analysis. With online simulation the system is fed with hydrographs up to the actual time. Prognosis can be done from the moment of the computer work based on usual hydrographs. The work of the authors shows how accuratly a treatment plant can be described, when many parameters are measured and available as hydrographs. A very careful description of all details of the special plant is essential, requiring a flexible simulation tool. Based on the accurate simulation a wide range of operational decisions can be evaluated. It was possible to demonstrate that the overall efficiency in nitrogen removal and energy consumption of ml activated sludge plant can be improved.

scholarly journals Deciphering the Diversities of Astroviruses and Noroviruses in Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents by a High-Throughput Sequencing Method

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (20) ◽  
pp. 7215-7222 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Prevost ◽  
F. S. Lucas ◽  
K. Ambert-Balay ◽  
P. Pothier ◽  
L. Moulin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Human Population ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Enteric Viruses ◽  
Viral Diversity ◽  
Wwtp Effluent ◽  
Human Astroviruses

ABSTRACTAlthough clinical epidemiology lists human enteric viruses to be among the primary causes of acute gastroenteritis in the human population, their circulation in the environment remains poorly investigated. These viruses are excreted by the human population into sewers and may be released into rivers through the effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In order to evaluate the viral diversity and loads in WWTP effluents of the Paris, France, urban area, which includes about 9 million inhabitants (approximately 15% of the French population), the seasonal occurrence of astroviruses and noroviruses in 100 WWTP effluent samples was investigated over 1 year. The coupling of these measurements with a high-throughput sequencing approach allowed the specific estimation of the diversity of human astroviruses (human astrovirus genotype 1 [HAstV-1], HAstV-2, HAstV-5, and HAstV-6), 7 genotypes of noroviruses (NoVs) of genogroup I (NoV GI.1 to NoV GI.6 and NoV GI.8), and 16 genotypes of NoVs of genogroup II (NoV GII.1 to NoV GII.7, NoV GII.9, NoV GII.12 to NoV GII.17, NoV GII.20, and NoV GII.21) in effluent samples. Comparison of the viral diversity in WWTP effluents to the viral diversity found by analysis of clinical data obtained throughout France underlined the consistency between the identified genotypes. However, some genotypes were locally present in effluents and were not found in the analysis of the clinical data. These findings could highlight an underestimation of the diversity of enteric viruses circulating in the human population. Consequently, analysis of WWTP effluents could allow the exploration of viral diversity not only in environmental waters but also in a human population linked to a sewerage network in order to better comprehend viral epidemiology and to forecast seasonal outbreaks.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the efficiency of selected wastewater treatment plant

2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-180
Author(s):  
Tomáš Vítěz ◽  
Jana Ševčíková ◽  
Petra Oppeltová
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Ammonia Nitrogen ◽  
Total Efficiency ◽  
Treatment Efficiency ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Process

This paper is focused on primary, secondary, and total efficiency evaluation of the wastewater treatment process for chosen small wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located near the Moravian Karst. Eight wastewater samples were taken during one year in three sampling profiles of WWTP: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids (SS), pH, ammonia nitrogen (N-NH4), nitrite nitrogen (N-NO2), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3), inorganic nitrogen (Ninorg), total phosphorus (Ptotal). Treatment efficiency by reduction was calculated for all laboratory analyzed indicators and average values were determined for the whole period. Calculated treatment efficiency of indicators BOD, COD and suspended solids was compared with the permissible minimum treatment efficiency of discharged waste water by Government Regulation No. 61/2003 Coll., for the WWTP from 500 to 2 000 PE. Permissible minimum treatment efficiency is not legislatively determined for the primary and secondary level. The results of the work will be used especially to compare results with other similar works.Analyzed values ​​of parameters BOD, COD, suspended solids, N-NH4 at the outflow from wastewater treatment plant were compared with the permissible maximum values at the outflow of the WWTP which the municipality has an obligation to respect according to the decision issued by the District Environment Authority.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document