scholarly journals Environmental Footprint of Wastewater Treatment: A Step Forward in the Use of Toxicological Tools

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6827
Author(s):  
Giorgio Bertanza ◽  
Jennifer Boniotti ◽  
Elisabetta Ceretti ◽  
Donatella Feretti ◽  
Giovanna Mazzoleni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Chemical Characterization ◽  
Antagonistic Effect ◽  
Chemical Parameters ◽  
Traffic Light ◽  
Endocrine Activity ◽  
Real Wastewater ◽  
Battery Of Bioassays

The assessment of the actual impact of discharged wastewater on the whole ecosystem and, in turn, on human health requires the execution of bioassays. In effect, based on the chemical characterization alone, the synergistic/antagonistic effect of mixtures of pollutants is hardly estimable. The aim of this work was to evaluate the applicability of a battery of bioassays and to suggest a smart procedure for results representation. Two real wastewater treatment plants were submitted to analytical campaigns. Several baseline toxicity assays were conducted, together with tests for the determination of endocrine activity, genetic toxicity and carcinogenicity of wastewater. A “traffic light” model was adopted for an easy-to-understand visualization of the results. Although the legal prescriptions of chemical parameters are fully complied with, bioassays show that a certain biological activity still residues in the treated effluents. Moreover, influent and effluent responses are not always appreciably different. Some tests employing human cells were revealed to be only partially adequate for environmental applications. An interesting and helpful development of the present approach would consist in the estimation of biological equivalents of toxicity, as shown for the estrogenic compound 17-β-estradiol.

scholarly journals Ultrafiltration Process in Disinfection and Advanced Treatment of Tertiary Treated Wastewater

Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 221
Author(s):  
Rafał Tytus Bray ◽  
Katarzyna Jankowska ◽  
Eliza Kulbat ◽  
Aneta Łuczkiewicz ◽  
Aleksandra Sokołowska
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Chemical Parameters ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
E Coli ◽  
The One ◽  
Physical And Chemical

The paper presents the results of research on the use of ultrafiltration, using membranes of 200 and 400 kDa separation, for disinfection of municipal treated wastewater. The research was conducted on a fractional technical scale using real municipal treated wastewater from two large wastewater treatment plants treating most of the wastewater over the one-million polycentric Gdańsk agglomeration (1.2 million inhabitants). UF 200 kDa and UF 400 kDa processes enabled further improvement of the physical and chemical parameters of treated wastewater. Total phosphorus (to below 0.2 mg/L–UF 200 kDa, 0.13 mg/L–UF 400 kDa) and turbid substances (to below 0.2 mg/L, both membranes) were removed in the highest degree. COD was reduced efficiently (to below 25.6 mgO2/L–UF 200 kDa, 26.8 mgO2/L–UF 400 kDa), while total nitrogen was removed to a small extent (to 7.12 mg/L–UF 200 kDa and 5.7 mg/L–UF 400 kDa. Based on the reduction of indicator bacteria; fecal coliforms including E. coli (FC) and fecal enterococci (FE) it was found that the ultrafiltration is an effective method of disinfection. Not much indicator bacterial were observed in the permeate after processes (UF 200 kDa; FC—5 CFU/L; FE—1 CFU/L and UF 400 kDa; FC—70 CFU/L; FE—10 CFU/L. However, microscopic analysis of prokaryotic cells and virus particles showed their presence after the application of both membrane types; TCN 3.0 × 102 cells/mL–UF 200 kDa, 5.0 × 103 cells/mL–UF 400 kDa, VP 1.0 × 105/mL. The presence of potentially pathogenic, highly infectious virus particles means that ultrafiltration cannot be considered a sufficient disinfection method for treated wastewater diverted for reuse or discharged from high load wastewater treatment plants to recreational areas. For full microbiological safety it would be advisable to apply an additional disinfection method (e.g., ozonation).

scholarly journals Preliminary Study of Sars-Cov-2 Occurrence in Wastewater in the Czech Republic

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hana Mlejnkova ◽  
Katerina Sovova ◽  
Petra Vasickova ◽  
Vera Ocenaskova ◽  
Lucie Jasikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Untreated Wastewater ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Polymerase Chain

The virus SARS-CoV-2, which has caused the recent COVID-19 pandemic, may be present in the stools of COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we aimed to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater for surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in the population. Samples of untreated wastewater were collected from 33 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of different sizes within the Czech Republic. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was concentrated from wastewater and viral RNA was determined using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 11.6% of samples and more than 27.3% of WWTPs; in some of them, SARS-CoV-2 was detected repeatedly. Our preliminary results indicate that an epidemiology approach that focuses on the determination of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater could be suitable for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in the population.

scholarly journals Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A Known but Underrated Pathway in Wastewater Treatment Plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12591
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Collivignarelli ◽  
Marco Carnevale Miino ◽  
Francesca Maria Caccamo ◽  
Chiara Milanese
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Chemical Characterization ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Sludge Properties ◽  
Collection Methods

Interest in the presence of microplastics (MPs) in wastewater has grown significantly in recent years. In fact, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent the last barrier before the discharge of MPs into an aquatic ecosystem. The research has highlighted how MPs are in part effectively removed from the waters and accumulated inside the sewage sludge (SeS) produced by the WWTP, being a cause for concern, especially in the case of agricultural reuse. This work aims to analyze the existing literature on the (i) methodical procedure for MPs analysis (thermal, spectroscopic, optical analyses), (ii) qualitative and quantitative presence of MPs in SeS, (iii) effect on sludge properties, and (iv) the possible accumulation in amended soils. Based on the results already obtained in the literature, this work aims to provide critical insights to stimulate interest in the topic and direct future research on aspects that should be deepened. In particular, it emerges that there is a clear need for standardization of the collection methods and the analytical techniques for identifying and quantifying MPs, since their physico-chemical characterization and the study on aging and on the response towards acid or basic pre-treatments are fundamental for the understanding of microplastics ecotoxicological potential.

scholarly journals The exploitation of swamp plants for dewatering liquid sewage sludge

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-116
Author(s):  
Jiří Šálek
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Main Attention ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Economic Exploitation ◽  
Rural Wastewater

The operators of little rural wastewater treatment plants have been interested in economic exploitation of sewage sludge in local conditions. The chance is searching simply and natural ways of processing and exploitation stabilized sewage sludge in agriculture. Manure substrate have been obtained by composting waterless sewage sludge including rest plant biomass after closing 6–8 years period of filling liquid sewage sludge to the basin. Main attention was focused on exploitation of swamp plants for dewatering liquid sewage sludge and determination of influence sewage sludge on plants, intensity and course of evapotranspiration and design and setting of drying beds. On the base of determined ability of swamp plants evapotranspiration were edited suggestion solutions of design and operation sludge bed facilities in the conditions of small rural wastewater treatment plant.

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