Chemical oxidation and reduction technologies for water and wastewater treatment: Current status, challenges, and future directions

Process Intensification in Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems

Wastewater treatment allows for the safe disposal of municipal and industrial wastewater to protect public health and the ecosystem[...]

Biochar technology in wastewater treatment: A critical review

Chapter 28 - Nanomembranes for ultrapurification and water treatment

Novel ferrate (VI) technology in water and wastewater treatment. A potential oxidant/disinfectant chemical reagent for water treatment is green chemical ferrate (VI) salt. In the present work, potassium ferrate was synthesized, purified and characterized by spectral studies. Water samples were collected from GUYSUCO (ECD), DDL (ECD), Lodge (Georgetown) and UG (ECD), Guyana. The water quality parameters used to examine water quality, pre- and post-treatment, were turbidity, pH, dissolved solids, total hardness, chemical oxygen demand and iron content. The pre- and posttreatment procedures were useful in determining the treatment potential of synthesized ferrates. Potassium ferrate was found to be more stable and effective in water treatment.

Electrochemical technologies in wastewater treatment

Nanoparticles represent a promising new technology for wastewater remediation, not only because of their high treatment efficiency, but also for their cost–effectiveness, as they have the flexibility for in situ and ex situ applications. In this chapter, we briefly introduced the main synthesis techniques for nanoparticle formation, their potential benefits in environmental clean-up, and their recent advances and applications in wastewater treatment. These advances range from the direct applications of synthesized nanoparticles as adsorbents for removing toxic contaminants or as catalysts to oxidize and break down noxious contaminants in wastewater, to integrating nanoparticles into conventional treatment technologies, such as the composite photocatalytic membrane that combine the separation technology with photocatalytic activity. Finally, the impact of nanoparticles on the environment and human health is briefly discussed.

Use of electromembrane technology for waste water treatment and modern acidic catalyst synthesis

One of the burning problems of our industrial society is the high consumption of water and the high demand for clean drinking water. Numerous approaches have been taken to reduce water consumption, but in the long run it seems only possible to recycle waste water into high quality water. It seems timely to discuss alternative water remediation technologies that are fit for industrial as well as less developed countries to ensure a high quality of drinking water throughout Europe. The present paper discusses a range of phytoremediation technologies to be applied in a modular approach to integrate and improve the performance of existing wastewater treatment, especially towards the emerging micro pollutants, i.e. organic chemicals and pharmaceuticals. This topic is of global relevance for the EU. Existing technologies for waste water treatment do not sufficiently address increasing pollution situation, especially with the growing use of organic pollutants in the private household and health sector. Although some crude chemical approaches exist, such as advanced oxidation steps, most waste water treatment plants will not be able to adopt them. The same is true for membrane technologies. Incredible progress has been made during recent years, thus providing us with membranes of longevity and stability and, at the same time, high filtration capacity. However, these systems are expensive and delicate in operation, so that the majority of communities will not be able to afford them. Combinations of different phytoremediation technologies seem to be most promising to solve this burning problem. To quantify the occurrence and the distribution of micropollutants, to evaluate their effects, and to prevent them from passing through wastewater collection and treatment systems into rivers, lakes and ground water bodies represents an urgent task for applied environmental sciences in the coming years. Public acceptance of green technologies is generally higher than that of industrial processes. The EU should stimulate research to upgrade existing waste water treatment by implementing phytoremediation modules and demonstrating their reliability to the public.

Catalysis interfaced multifunctional membranes for sustainable treatment of water and wastewater

In recent times, membrane technology has proven to be a more favorable option in wastewater treatment processes. Membrane technologies are more advantageous than conventional technologies such as efficiency, space requirements, energy, quality of permeate, and technical skills requirements. The forward osmosis (FO) membrane process has been widely applied as one of the promising technologies in water and wastewater treatment. Forward osmosis uses the osmotic pressure difference induced by the solute concentration difference between the feed and draw solutions. The proces requires a semi-permeable membrane which has comparable rejection range in size of pollutants (1 nm and below). This chapter reviews the application of FO membrane process in wastewater treatment. It considers the advantages and the disadvantages of this process.

Adsorption technology has been a focal point of water and wastewater treatment engineering research for over a century, yielding numerous scientific publications. These studies have primarily concentrated on developing efficient adsorbent materials, understanding adsorption mechanisms and characteristics, and investigating the removal of conventional or emerging pollutants. A common objective cited in most of these reports is the practical application of the adsorption process in municipal water or wastewater treatment plants, aiming to enhance water quality and safety. However, the majority of these studies overlook issues related to technology transfer, thereby widening the gap between academic recommendations and their practical implementation in industry. In this review, we trace the evolution of adsorption technology in water and wastewater treatment, evaluating its application viability and highlighting the approaches that hold the greatest promise for the future. Furthermore, we propose strategies for scientists and engineers dedicated to advancing research efforts that translate into industrially viable adsorption technologies for water treatment. While the practical effectiveness of adsorption technologies may not fully align with academic enthusiasm, this critical evaluation should not dismiss their potential as future technology since adsorption retains significant and distinct advantages that merit further exploration.

The activities of mining industries are attracting more scrutiny as the concern of limitations of conventional technology for wastewater treatment and the potential use of wastewater have resulted in accelerated attention in membrane technologies. The paucity of water and industrial environmental guidelines has resulted in the application of membrane technologies in wastewater treatment, especially in the mining industry. Although many conventional physical and chemical processes have been employed to treat acid mine drainage (AMD), they have, however, demonstrated low efficiency and high cost. Membrane technologies have proven to be an important part in the treatment of AMD in order to reduce water paucity. Apart from addressing water paucity, membrane technologies meet high-level application with respect to ease of use, adaptability and environmental impacts. This paper reviews the use of membrane in the published literature for the treatment of acid mine waters and, for the recovery of valuable metals from acid mine drainage effluents. The role of membrane technology in acid mine water treatment is discussed together with the factors that determine membrane performance for AMD treatment. The challenges of membrane technology in acid mine water treatment were reviewed and some solutions to the challenges are presented.

Yu, Z.; Wang, W.X.; Gao, H., and Liang, D.X., 2020. The application of preparation of titanium dioxide by microwave technology for water and wastewater treatment. In: Bai, X. and Zhou, H. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources, Environmental Protection, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 115, pp. 297-301. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.To solve the problems of agglomeration and low efficiency caused by heating in the traditional preparation of titanium dioxide, in this research, nanometer Titanium is prepared by microwave technology. First of all, the experimental materials, the equipment needed for the experiment, and the principles and characteristics of microwave technology are introduced in this study. The results show that the mesoporous titanium dioxide prepared by microwave technology in this research not only has a rough surface, but also has a large surface area and pore volume.

Implementations of new water infrastructure projects must overcome several challenges. Many difficulties are faced while introducing new and emerging technologies for water and wastewater treatment. These challenges stem from the irregular availability of (1) financial resources, (2) skilled personnel for planning, design, and operation, and (3) implementation agencies for executing the project works. Challenges are also faced because of inadequate institutional structures and the absence of facilitating government policies. Quite often societal acceptance is not guaranteed. In this chapter, we discuss various challenges one can expect while implementing new water infrastructure and adopting new technologies for water and wastewater treatment. We discuss infrastructure financing, resources required for implementation, and institutional and policy framework. The importance of social acceptance is also stressed.