Micropollutants: a bottleneck in sustainable wastewater treatment

1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 13-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Janssens ◽  
T. Tanghe ◽  
W. Verstraete
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Threshold Values ◽  
Reclaimed Wastewater ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Drinking Water Production ◽  
Microbial Associations ◽  
Biotechnological Processes ◽  
Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

Every year a variety of xenobiotic chemicals as pesticides, dyes,… are introduced on a very large scale. The majority of these compounds have a rather poor biodegradability. Hence, fresh water resources become more and more contaminated with micro-quantities of these man-made pollutants. Moreover, some of these obscure pollutants may have the undesirable capability of having oestrogenic activity on various high forms of life. This paper deals with the problems of micropollutants in drinking water production and wastewater treatment. The biocatalytic properties of microorganisms can be limiting for several reasons such as lower threshold values for metabolism, insufficient free energy change or inadequate metabolic knowledge base in the microbial cell or community. The limiting biodegradative capacity of natural microbial associations necessitates the development of more integrated water treatment and management. Research is necessary on two levels i.e. the search for biotechnological processes able to remove such chemicals through engineering of pathways and microbial associations, and the need for reliable biosensors able to generate information on residual microorganics. Trends such as improved biocatalysis and accurate process control are of major significance. However, a clear-cut scientific and political endorsement of the necessity to use reclaimed wastewater is of prime importance to evolve towards sustainable water treatment and management.

Preparation and Application of Polymer-Metal Oxide Nanocomposites in Wastewater Treatment

2020 ◽  
pp. 83-102
Author(s):  
Victor Odhiambo Shikuku ◽  
Wilfrida N. Nyairo
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Metal Oxides ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Synthesis Methods ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Polymer Metal ◽  
Treatment Technologies ◽  
Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

The search for efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment technologies is a subject of continuing research. This is due to the emergence of new classes of water contaminants that are recalcitrant to the conventional wastewater treatment technologies and the stringent allowable limits for contaminant levels set by environmental management authorities. The chapter discusses the developments in synthesis methods and application of polymer-metal oxides as emerging facile materials for wastewater treatment. The varying uses of polymer-metal oxides for different processes in water treatment under varying operational conditions and their performance for different pollutants are critically analyzed. Their strengths and inherent limitations are also highlighted. The chapter demonstrates that polymer-metal oxides are facile low-cost and efficient materials and can be integrated in wastewater and drinking water treatment systems.

Preparation and Application of Polymer-Metal Oxide Nanocomposites in Wastewater Treatment

2021 ◽  
pp. 393-407
Author(s):  
Victor Odhiambo Shikuku ◽  
Wilfrida N. Nyairo
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Metal Oxides ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Synthesis Methods ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Polymer Metal ◽  
Treatment Technologies ◽  
Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

The search for efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment technologies is a subject of continuing research. This is due to the emergence of new classes of water contaminants that are recalcitrant to the conventional wastewater treatment technologies and the stringent allowable limits for contaminant levels set by environmental management authorities. The chapter discusses the developments in synthesis methods and application of polymer-metal oxides as emerging facile materials for wastewater treatment. The varying uses of polymer-metal oxides for different processes in water treatment under varying operational conditions and their performance for different pollutants are critically analyzed. Their strengths and inherent limitations are also highlighted. The chapter demonstrates that polymer-metal oxides are facile low-cost and efficient materials and can be integrated in wastewater and drinking water treatment systems.

Combined wastewater feed directly into final clarification – advantage for receiving rivers

2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 1621-1626
Author(s):  
P. Hartwig
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Volume Loading ◽  
Water Outflow ◽  
Large Scale Tests

With a view to a reduction of the discharge from combined water outflow, the increase of the influent to a wastewater treatment plant can be an efficient solution, for cases in which the discharge concentration of the wastewater treatment plant would not deteriorate significantly as a result. Through bypassing the aeration with combined water and a direct feed of the combined water into the final clarification (Mina-Process) the specific sludge volume loading, which is significant to the efficiency of the final clarification, will not be raised. But the adsorption capability of the aerated sludge, the sedimentation effect of the final clarification, and the partial recirculation over return-sludge can be used for an elimination of suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia and phosphate from the combined wastewater. In large-scale tests in Wilhelmshaven (160,000 PE), removal efficiencies for the elimination in the bypass of 75% of COD, 60% of ammonia and 89% of suspended solids were reached. In comparison with conventional procedures for combined water treatment (e.g. storage volumes, soil filter) the Mina-Process has the possibility to achieve a highly efficient and economical combined water treatment by using the capability of existing clarifiers.

A rapid small scale evaluation of ultrafiltration performance for surface water treatment at Alcantarilha's water treatment works (Algarve, Portugal)

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 199-206
Author(s):  
M. Ribau Teixeira ◽  
H. Lucas ◽  
M.J. Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Water Treatment ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Conventional Treatment ◽  
Apparent Molecular Weight ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Hydraulic Permeability ◽  
Scale Evaluation ◽  
Surface Water Treatment ◽  
Drinking Water Production ◽  
Pre Treatment

A rapid small-scale evaluation of ultrafiltration (UF) performance with and without physical–chemical pre-treatment was performed to up-grade the conventional treatment used for drinking water production in Alcantarilha's water treatment works, Algarve, Portugal. Direct UF and pre-ozonation/coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation/UF (O/C/F/S/UF) were evaluated using polysulphone membranes of different apparent molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) (15–47 kDa). The results indicated that (i) UF is an effective barrier against microorganisms, including virus larger than 80 nm; (ii) for surface waters with low to moderate SUVA values, direct UF performance is equivalent or better than the conventional treatment in terms of residual turbidity, while UV254 nm and TOC residuals require the use of O/C/F/S/UF; (iii) the permeate quality improves with the membrane apparent MWCO decrease, especially for the direct UF, although the conventional treatment performance is never reached using UF; (iv) membrane fouling and adsorption phenomena are more severe in direct UF than in O/C/F/S/UF sequence (pre-ozonation decreases the membrane foulants by decreasing their hydrophobicity) and these phenomena increase with the membrane hydraulic permeability and, particularly, with the membrane apparent MWCO.

Bottlenecks in the Implementation of On-Site Wastewater Treatment Plants on a Large Scale in The Netherlands

1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 291-298
Author(s):  
Frits A. Fastenau ◽  
Jaap H. J. M. van der Graaf ◽  
Gerard Martijnse
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Definition Of

More than 95 % of the total housing stock in the Netherlands is connected to central sewerage systems and in most cases the wastewater is treated biologically. As connection to central sewerage systems has reached its economic limits, interest in on-site treatment of the domestic wastewater of the remaining premises is increasing. A large scale research programme into on-site wastewater treatment up to population equivalents of 200 persons has therefore been initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment. Intensive field-research work did establish that the technological features of most on-site biological treatment systems were satisfactory. A large scale implementation of these systems is however obstructed in different extents by problems of an organisational, financial and/or juridical nature and management difficulties. At present research is carried out to identify these bottlenecks and to analyse possible solutions. Some preliminary results are given which involve the following ‘bottlenecks':-legislation: absence of co-ordination and absence of a definition of ‘surface water';-absence of subsidies;-ownership: divisions in task-setting of Municipalities and Waterboards; divisions involved with cost-sharing;-inspection; operational control and maintenance; organisation of management;-discharge permits;-pollution levy;-sludge disposal. Final decisions and practical elaboration of policies towards on-site treatment will have to be formulated in a broad discussion with all the authorities and interest groups involved.

Stirring and aeration system for the upgrading of small waste water treatment plants

1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Höfken ◽  
Katharina Zähringer ◽  
Franz Bischof
Keyword(s):  
Waste Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment Plants ◽  
Waste Water Treatment Plants ◽  
Basic Fluid ◽  
Aeration System ◽  
Technical Realization ◽  
Wide Range

A novel agitating system has been developed which allows for individual or combined operation of stirring and aeration processes. Basic fluid mechanical considerations led to the innovative hyperboloid design of the stirrer body, which ensures high efficiencies in the stirring and the aeration mode, gentle circulation with low shear forces, excellent controllability, and a wide range of applications. This paper presents the basic considerations which led to the operating principle, the technical realization of the system and experimental results in a large-scale plant. The characteristics of the system and the differences to other stirring and aeration systems are illustrated. Details of the technical realization are shown, which conform to the specific demands of applications in the biological treatment of waste water. Special regard is given to applications in the upgrading of small compact waste water treatment plants.

Design, Operating Results and Experiences of Two Large-Scale Treatment Plants with Biological Nitrogen and Phosphate Elimination

1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 225-232
Author(s):  
C. F. Seyfried ◽  
P. Hartwig
Keyword(s):  
Waste Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Waste Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Main Stream ◽  
Side Stream ◽  
Biological Nitrogen

This is a report on the design and operating results of two waste water treatment plants which make use of biological nitrogen and phosphate elimination. Both plants are characterized by load situations that are unfavourable for biological P elimination. The influent of the HILDESHEIM WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT contains nitrates and little BOD5. Use of the ISAH process ensures the optimum exploitation of the easily degradable substrate for the redissolution of phosphates. Over 70 % phosphate elimination and effluent concentrations of 1.3 mg PO4-P/I have been achieved. Due to severe seasonal fluctuations in loading the activated sludge plant of the HUSUM WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT has to be operated in the stabilization range (F/M ≤ 0.05 kg/(kg·d)) in order not to infringe the required effluent values of 3.9 mg NH4-N/l (2-h-average). The production of surplus sludge is at times too small to allow biological phosphate elimination to be effected in the main stream process. The CISAH (Combined ISAH) process is a combination of the fullstream with the side stream process. It is used in order to achieve the optimum exploitation of biological phosphate elimination by the precipitation of a stripped side stream with a high phosphate content when necessary.

scholarly journals Modelling and pH Control in Raceway and Thin-Layer Photobioreactors for Wastewater Treatment

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
María José Rodríguez-Torres ◽  
Ainoa Morillas-España ◽  
José Luis Guzmán ◽  
Francisco Gabriel Acién
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Thin Layer ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Ph Control ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
Control Algorithms ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Reduction Of Co2

One of the most critical variables in microalgae-related processes is the pH; it directly determines the overall performance of the production system especially when coupling with wastewater treatment. In microalgae-related wastewater treatment processes, the adequacy of pH has a large impact on the microalgae/bacteria consortium already developing on these systems. For cost-saving reasons, the pH is usually controlled by classical On/Off control algorithms during the daytime period, typically with the dynamics of the system and disturbances not being considered in the design of the control system. This paper presents the modelling and pH control in open photobioreactors, both raceway and thin-layer, using advanced controllers. In both types of photobioreactors, a classic control was implemented and compared with a Proportional–Integral (PI) control, also the operation during only the daylight period and complete daily time was evaluated. Thus, three major variables already studied include (i) the type of reactors (thin-layers and raceways), (ii) the type of control algorithm (On/Off and PI), and (iii) the control period (during the daytime and throughout the daytime and nighttime). Results show that the pH was adequately controlled in both photobioreactors, although each type requires different control algorithms, the pH control being largely improved when using PI controllers, with the controllers allowing us to reduce the total costs of the process with the reduction of CO2 injections. Moreover, the control during the complete daily cycle (including night) not only not increases the amount of CO2 to be injected, otherwise reducing it, but also improves the overall performance of the production process. Optimal pH control systems here developed are highly useful to develop robust large-scale microalgae-related wastewater treatment processes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document