Wastewater Characteristics Research Articles

Treatment of agricultural wastewater using microalgae: A review.

The rapid development of agriculture has led to a large amount of wastewater, which poses a great threat to environmental safety. Microalgae, with diverse species, nutritional modes and cellular status, can adapt well in agricultural wastewater and absorb nutrients and remove pollutants effectively. Besides, after treatment of agricultural wastewater, the accumulated biomass of microalgae has broad applications, such as fertilizer and animal feed. This paper reviewed the current progresses and further perspectives of microalgae-based agricultural wastewater treatment. The characteristics of agricultural wastewater have been firstly introduced; Then the microalgal strains, cultivation modes, cellular status, contaminant metabolism, cultivation systems and biomass applications of microalgae for wastewater treatment have been summarized; At last, the bottlenecks in the development of the microalgae treatment methods, as well as recommendations for optimizing the adaptability of microalgae to wastewater in terms of wastewater pretreatment, microalgae breeding, and microalgae-bacterial symbiosis systems were discussed. This review would provide references for the future developments of microalgae-based agricultural wastewater treatment.

Detection and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in Korean municipal wastewater facilities and characterization of environmental factors influencing wastewater-bound SARS-CoV-2

Nationwide wastewater was analyzed during COVID-19 surges. Sample processing and SARS-CoV-2 detection were optimized. Virus non-infectivity was validated. Rose with local COVID-19 spikes. Temperature and water quality impact modeling.

Reduction of COD values of wastewater from the production of energy-saturated materials

The initial physico-chemical characteristics of wastewater of chemical production of special-purpose substances have been studied. Several neutralizing agents have been investigated and the final parameters of the wastewater under study have been determined. Experiments on adsorption wastewater treatment have been carried out. The cleaning efficiency was at least 91%.

Evaluation of physical and chemical characteristics of wastewater and sludge of Zahedan urban wastewater treatment plant for reuse

Following the water shortage in the world, the use of wastewater as a sustainable resource has been considered in large volume. The study conducted to evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics of the wastewater and sludge of the Zahedan urban wastewater treatment plant showed that the wastewater and sludge treatment system of the treatment plant has high efficiency and effectiveness in removing the investigated parameters. The investigated parameters in the effluent included Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and Total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, temperature, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, pH, zinc, cobalt, lead and copper. Also, the investigated parameters in the sludge included Mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), Mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS), pH, electrical conductivity and heavy metals. The results showed that the average concentration of metals in the treated effluent is Zn > Mn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > Cd ،and Chemical oxygen demand and Biochemical oxygen demand in the effluent of this treatment plant are on average 171 and 44.4 mg/L, respectively, and its discharge in surface water is limited, but it can be applied for agriculture. Also, the purified sludge had the necessary standards and could be used as soil or household fertilizer and compost for agricultural land.

Model assessment of energy recovery potential from textile wastewater by high-rate membrane activated sludge process - Benchmarking against sewage

The study evaluated the energy recovery potential of denim processing wastewater when treated by a membrane activated sludge, (MAS), implementing a specific model derived for this configuration. Emphasis was also placed upon particle size distribution (PSD) analysis. The results were benchmarked against sewage. They revealed an energy conservation rate of around 50 % for denim wastewater for super-fast operation at sludge age (θX) 1.0–2.0 d, declining to 40 % for high-rate operation at sludge age 3.0–4.0 d. The corresponding rates were higher for sewage, indicating that energy conservation was not a function of wastewater strength, but depended more on the PSD of COD. The results revealed that MAS was the best option for energy conservation, which was optimized when it was operated at super-fast mode (θX < 2.0 d). They also showed that the conventional activated sludge (AS) system with gravity settling had inherent drawbacks, because stability of operation necessary to ensure energy conservation and effluent quality at this operation range cannot be maintained. PSD analysis should be recognized and implemented as a new and indispensable tool for wastewater characterization.

Comparing the Performance of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Algorithms in Wastewater Treatment Process

This study assessed the performance of single and modified algorithms based on machine learning and deep learning for wastewater treatment process. More specifically, this study adopted support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN) for machine learning as well as long short-term memory (LSTM) for deep learning. The performance of these (single) algorithms were compared with that of modified ones processed through hyperparameter tuning, ensemble learning (only for machine learning), and multi-layer stacking (i.e., two layers of LSTM units). The daily effluent of wastewater treatment process observed between 2017 and 2022 in the Cheong-Ju National Industrial Complex was used as input to all tested algorithms, which was evaluated with respect to mean squared error. For the model performance evaluation, discharge and biochemical oxygen demand are selected as dependent variables out of nine measured parameters. Results showed that the performance of any machine learning algorithms was superior to their competitor LSTM. This is mainly attributed to a small amount of input data provided to the LSTM algorithm and unstable effluent wastewater characteristics. Meanwhile, hyperparameter tuning improved the performance of all tested algorithms. However, ensemble learning for machine learning and two-layer stacking for LSTM generally resulted in performance degradation as compared to that of single algorithms, regardless of dependent variables. Therefore, this calls for a careful design and evaluation of modified algorithms, specifically for model architecture and performance improvement processes.

Investigation of the Aging Effect of Bio-Coagulant for Oily Wastewater Treatment

The separation of oily wastewater is one of the main processes in the water treatment field. A biological approach that can replace the use of chemical coagulants hazardous to human health is an efficient solution in treating oily wastewater. However, bio- coagulants have a time limit that can affect their effectiveness in treating oily wastewater. Thus, this paper presents research for the aging effect of bio-coagulant for treating oily wastewater. In this study, G-Treat was used as the bio-coagulant, which was produced from chitosan powder, acetic acid, and deionized water. The experimental procedure started by filling 500 mL of oily wastewater into a beaker. Next, 10 wt. % of G- Treat was added into the beaker for the jar test, which was mixed for 30 min at 150 rpm, followed by 2 h settling time. Then, the mixture was separated using filter paper. The analysis of oily wastewater characteristics was conducted using five types of analyses, which are pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), total sus- pended solids (TSS), and oil and grease (O&amp;G) under the parameters of days (0–7 days), weeks (0–6 weeks), and months (0–3 months). From the result, the best performance of G-Treat was achieved at the optimum parameters during week 2, with 33.16%, 65.75%, 35.73%, 28.58%, and 0% removal of pH, COD, BOD, TSS, and O&amp;G, respectively. In conclusion, the studied bio-coagulant demonstrated higher removal of pH, COD, BOD, TSS, and O&amp;G at optimum parameters, and eventually, the level of effectiveness will drop.&#x0D;

Feasibility Study on Removal of Contaminants using Organic Adsorbents from Industrial Waste Water

Water is important for the survival of human beings. If water contains undesirable particles it will become unfit for our purposes and hence it is necessary to be removed. Water purification is the process of removing physical, chemical and biological contaminants from water. There are various methods in purification of water, but may not be economically feasible. Naturally available herbs have best anti-microbial property, which may restricts the growth of microorganisms and purify water at lower cost. The type of purification can be economically done for waste water from chemical industry. In this research study, the contaminants removal from chemical industry waste water is explored using natural organic adsorbents such as Neem leaf, Curry leaf, and Banana peel powder. These adsorbents are used to reduce pollutants such as oil and grease from the waste water. The purify level of waste water can be found out by conducting various experimental tests for different parameters. The obtained test results are then compared with initial test result to find out which all waste water characteristics had been changed by the use these low cost organic adsorbents.

Innovative approach for predicting biogas production from large-scale anaerobic digester using long-short term memory (LSTM) coupled with genetic algorithm (GA)

An artificial neural network (ANN) model called long-short term memory (LSTM), coupled with a genetic algorithm (GA) for feature selection, was used to predict biogas production of large-scale anaerobic digesters (ADs) of Tehran South Wastewater Treatment Plant (Iran), with a biogas production of approximately 30,000 Nm3/d. In order to employ the real conditions, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the ADs (21 days) was considered as the LSTM look-back window. To evaluate the model predictions, three different scenarios were defined. In the first scenario, the model predicted the produced biogas by using raw wastewater characteristics and reached the coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.84. The GA selected four out of eleven parameters of raw wastewater, including loads of BOD5, COD, TSS, and TN (kg/d), as the most informative data for the model. In the second scenario, the model predicted the produced biogas by employing the data of the thickened sludge streams entering the ADs and yielded a higher accuracy (R2 = 0.89). In this scenario, GA selected two out of six parameters of the sludge streams, including total flow rate (m3/d) and average solids content (w/w%). Finally, in the third scenario, by putting the parameters of the two previous scenarios together, the model's prediction accuracy increased slightly (R2 = 0.90). The results demonstrated that the GA-LSTM modeling technique could achieve reliable performance in predicting biogas production of large-scale ADs by including HRT in modeling procedure. It was also found that the raw wastewater characteristics severely affect AD behavior and can be successfully used as the input data of the AD models.

SIGNIFICANCE OF CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS IN COMBATING POLLUTANTS FROM WASTEWATER: A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE

Water contamination is the greatest hazard to public health. Addressing water scarcity and protecting accessible water sources necessitates the effective treatment of wastewater. This makes the use of sustainable solutions such as constructed wetlands (CWs) essential. CWs leverage natural processes involving wetland vegetation, soils, and microbial communities. This study evaluates the efficiency of a horizontal sub-surface flow CW, established with local plants at Hudiara drain, in removing pollutants such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Turbidity, Nitrates, Phosphates, and pH, across different months. The study reveals that while temperature and precipitation rates influence the CW's efficacy, the linear regression model indicates a strong correlation between phosphorus and BOD levels with precipitation. However, nitrates are sensitive to temperature, and turbidity is influenced by both temperature and precipitation within certain limits. Additional factors impacting CW performance include wastewater characteristics, design flow, and wetland location. When compared with Pakistan Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS), it is concluded that CWs are effective in wastewater treatment. By constructing CWs along the banks of wastewater drains, treated water from the outlet chamber can be collected and redirected, offering a viable solution to water scarcity challenges.

Toxicity and chemical characterization of shale gas wastewater discharged to the receiving water: Evidence from toxicity identification evaluation

Flowback and produced water (FPW) generated from shale gas extraction is a complex mixture consisting of injected drilling fluid, deep formation water, and byproducts of downhole reactions. Limited knowledge is available regarding the impact of discharged FPW on surface water in China. With the development of shale gas exploitation, this emphasizes an urgent need for comprehensive assessments and stringent regulations to ensure the safe disposal of shale gas extraction-related wastewater. Herein, we explored potential impacts of treated shale gas wastewater discharged into a local river in southwest China through toxicity identification evaluation (TIE). Results revealed that organics and particulates significantly contributed to the overall toxicity of the treated FPW wastewater. Through target and suspect chemical analyses, various categories of organic contaminants were detected, including alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, biocides, phenols, and phthalates. Furthermore, non-target analysis uncovered the presence of surfactant-related contaminants in tissues of exposed organisms, but their contribution to the observed toxicity was unclear due to the lack of effect data for these compounds. Higher toxicity was found at the discharge point compared with upstream sites; however, the toxicity was rapidly mitigated due to dilution in the receiving river, posing little impact on downstream areas. Our study highlighted the importance of monitoring toxicity and water quality of FPW effluent even though dilution could be a viable approach when the water volume in the discharge was small.

Efficiency of wastewater treatment from environmental laboratory of science and technology, RMUTP using ozonation

Wastewater from the laboratory in the Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon is a source of pollution without any treatment. Researchers realized that it would become an environmental problem in the future. For this reason, wastewater treatment from water laboratory would be studied using ozonation process because the researchers want to use the existing equipment in the laboratory and a simple technique that the students can do. This aims to treat the wastewater until it passes the water standard. The laboratory's wastewater characteristics were unclear based on the study. The pH values measured were 8.15, 3.35, and 2.49, respectively. COD levels were monitored of 10,480, 2,400, and 3,040 mg/L, while the measured BOD values were 4,649, 1,683, and 2,200 mg/L, respectively. Additionally, the SS concentrations were 682, 788, and 548 mg/L, respectively. Because of these characteristics using only the biodegradation process didn’t work. The ozonation techniques were a good option following the research objective. The results showed that the suitable condition for the ozonation process was pH6 and the optimal time was 40 minutes. Because after 40 minutes the COD removal increase only 5% but after 60 minutes the ozonation had no effect on COD removal. This condition was applied before using biological treatment via a sequence batch reactor (SBR). Using microorganisms and 8 hours of aeration via SBR, the efficiency of COD BOD and SS removal was only 41.66, 0 and 71.82 percent, respectively. Filling ozone in rate 0.25 gram/hour/liter wastewater with SBR reactor, the wastewater treatment efficiency increased. It can remove COD, BOD and SS of 63.15, 50.00 and 72.63 percent, respectively. The advantage of this research was that the ozone generator can be applied for wastewater treatment without additional costs.

Detailed investigation of bio-foam characteristics of piggery wastewater reveals long chain fatty acids-dominated foaming mechanisms

Biological foam has seriously troubled the wastewater treatment process and brings significant challenges to effluent quality, process efficiency, and operation safety. This study systematically analyzed the characteristics of biological foam from three typical piggery wastewater treatment stations, identified the key substances causing biological foam, and revealed potential foaming mechanisms. Foaming characteristics evaluation indicated that, for piggery wastewater, the low surface tension (58.9– 69.7 mN·m−1) was the crucial factor leading to strong foaming capacity (r = −0.761), and high viscosity (0.24– 0.7 Pa·s) and zeta potential (−10.4 ∼ −15.3 mV) increased the foam stability (r = 0.857, −0.767, respectively). Multidimensional correlation analysis revealed that the long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) in the influent of piggery wastewater were the key leading to the foaming issue, and their influences had two paths: the decrease of surface tension caused by LCFAs could directly induce a stronger foaming capacity (physicochemical path); moreover, LCFAs favored the enrichment of non-filamentous foam-related microbes (abundance >3.3 %) like Hydrogenophaga and Pseudomonas spp. to secrete more extracellular polymeric substances, increasing the viscosity and zeta potential to maintain the foam stability (biological paths). Based on the revealed foaming mechanism dominated by LCFAS, this study provided novel insight and valuable guidance for efficient and safe treatment of piggery wastewater.

Wastewater Treatment Using Shear Enhanced Flotation Separation Technology: A Pilot Plant Study for Winery Wastewater Processing

The agricultural sector is one that requires and consumes enormous amounts of fresh water globally. Commercial wine production in particular uses large volumes of fresh water and, through various processes, generates significant quantities of wastewater. The wastewater produced by wineries typically exhibits elevated levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), an acidic pH, and varying salinity and nutrient contents. The overall characteristics of winery wastewater indicate that it is a potential environmental hazard if not processed and disposed of appropriately. Due to significant variations in wastewater contaminant levels among wineries, the implementation of a universally applicable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable waste management system seems practically unattainable. This study investigated the design, fabrication, and modification of a shear enhanced flotation separation (SEFS) pilot plant to be used as a primary treatment stage during winery wastewater processing. This technology combines the synergistic advantages of hydrodynamic shear, coagulation, flocculation, and dissolved air flotation. To date, there have been only limited publications on the feasibility and application of hydrodynamic shear and its potential to assist with coagulation/flocculation and flotation efficiencies specifically for winery wastewater treatment. The results obtained indicate that the SEFS pilot plant may well be able to process winery wastewater to a quality level where reuse of the water for irrigation of crops may be considered.

Spent Bleaching Earth sebagai Adsorben untuk Menyisihkan Krom dan Warna pada Limbah Cair Batik

Environmental pollution by heavy metals, including chromium, is a common issue, particularly in the batik industry. Chromium, although essential, can become a hazardous substance in its +6-oxidation state. This research aims to investigate the use of spent bleaching earth as an adsorbent to remove chromium ions (Cr) and color from batik industry wastewater. The study consists of two main phases: a preliminary study and the main research phase. In the preliminary phase, the initial characteristics of batik wastewater were tested, and a coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation process was performed to reduce parameters that could interfere with the adsorption process. The primary adsorbent material used was spent bleaching earth, with a comparative adsorbent consisting of pure bleaching earth and powdered activated carbon. In the main research phase, the treated wastewater was flowed into an adsorption reactor. Variables varied included flow rate (7 mL/minute and 15 mL/minute) and adsorbent mass (30 grams and 50 grams). The analysis revealed that lower flow rates and greater adsorbent masses increased adsorption efficiency. Adsorption capacity was calculated using the Thomas mathematical model. Spent Bleaching Earth proved to be effective in adsorbing chromium ions (Cr) and color, with an adsorption capacity exceeding 85%.

Robust calculus for biotransformation in wastewater generalised across thousands of chemicals and conditions

Environmental context Decades of research tried to understand the inherent complexity of biodegradation of contaminants. We describe calculus of biodegradation driven by bioavailability, redox, geometry and acclimation (adaptation) of microbiota. We tested predictions for thousands of contaminants across wastewater treatment plants, explaining up to 70% of the variance in observations. This competes with more intensive methods, and enables more efficient monitoring, experimentation and data interpretation. Rationale Release of harmful contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the environment prompts possible adverse toxicological effects. Increasing population, water use and process wastewater generation require more efficient removal of contaminants that allows for effluent discharge within environmental regulatory limits. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can remove hazardous contaminants, limiting unwanted release. Fine-tuning WWTP settings to fit the location, time, season, wastewater type, etc. may enhance removals to reduce CEC concentrations and toxic pressures. Methodology For this purpose, we need robust tools to calculate removal efficiencies. We studied influences of operational settings and CEC properties on their removal in WWTPs. For this purpose, we parameterised thermochemical properties of CECs: for their (1) speciation and acidification, (2) (re/im)mobilisation due to (de)sorption into solid/water, (3) redox-mediated biotransformation and (4) acclimation of biomass so to utilise metabolic pathways for biotransformation. By combining these parameters, we developed an energy-based framework for calculating biotransformation rates. Results We evaluated our calculus using removal efficiency (%) data for 373 measurements of 60 CECs in 14 different Dutch WWTPs and an additional 667 CECs in 49 WWTPs across the world. Our prediction precision, R2 ≈ 0.65 (P &lt; 10−5), captures influences of wastewater characteristics (multiple measurements for each WWTP). It is higher than R2-values of modelling approaches currently available. Our model explains CEC removal with appreciative certainty. We identified outliers during evaluation. These outliers were attributed mostly to back-transformation and uncertainty in long-term background concentrations of contaminants, causing consequent acclimation of microbial consortia. Discussion Biodegradability and CEC-degrading biomass can be estimated from concentration and environmental residence time. Our framework and underlying parametrisations have a mechanistic basis, utilising simple WWTP operational information (CEC concentration, temperature, suspended solids concentration, oxygen demand, etc.). Thereby, our work has wide potential for implementation. Our approach can supplement current fate assessment for CECs for improved environmental risk assessments. We conclude by discussing the potential for removal enhancement.

Characterizing and optimizing adsorption for olive mill wastewater processing in Loukkos, Morocco.

The present research consists of studying the characterization and treatment of the olive mill wastewater (OMWW) resulting from the olive industries of the region of Loukkos, Morocco. According to the national plan for green Morocco, the annual volumes of OMWW discharges increase with the expansion of the areas of olive plantations compared to agricultural activities. The study of the organic, mineral, and microbiological composition of the obtained OMWW showed that they are rich in microbiological (FMAT, Let M., and B.L.), mineral (total Kjeldhal nitrogen, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, sodium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, zinc, manganese, and lead ions), and organic (COD, BOD5, and polyphenols) micropollutants with very high percentages that are higher than the standards in force. The treatment used in this study is the combined process of aerated lagooning/adsorption using powdered activated carbon after optimization of the experimental parameters (mass concentration of activated carbon (AC) and agitation rapidity (Ar)) by experiment design method. The obtained physicochemical parameters, such as pH, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), rate of discoloration, and polyphenol content of raw OMWW, were 4.87, 0.63, 80.3, 0.8, and 1.45 g/l, respectively. The results of these parameters for the treated OMWW were obtained in the order of 6.10, 0.22, 28, 0.28, and 0.44 g/l for pH, TSS, COD, discoloration rate, and polyphenol content, respectively. These results show that the proposed treatment significantly reduced acidity, TSS, COD, discoloration rate, and polyphenol contents, with a performance of about 25.26, 65, 65.13, 65, and 69.65%, respectively. This indicates that there is significant performance in the processing of exploited OMWW.

Perencanaan Pengolahan Air Limbah Domestik (Black Water)

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of blackwater wastewater produced by the Darul Faqih Simbo Qur'an Islamic Boarding School and to design a blackwater wastewater treatment plant at the Darul Faqih Simbo Qur'an Islamic Boarding School. The method used is laboratory tests and making blackwater waste treatment plans. The results obtained are the existing condition of blackwater wastewater treatment at the Darul Faqih Simbo Qur'an Islamic Boarding School does not yet have processing that meets the standards and characteristics of blackwater wastewater at the Darul Faqih Simbo Qur'an Islamic Boarding School after laboratory tests there are three parameters that exceed wastewater quality standards including TSS, BOD, and Ammonia parameters. While the calculation of wastewater discharge is 10 m3/day with the dimensions of the planned blackwater wastewater treatment building consisting of the first settling basin with dimensions of 17.25 m3, the second settling basin with dimensions of 10.35 m3, an equalization basin with dimensions of 5.52 m3, and a filter basin with dimensions of 8.28 m3.

Progress in agricultural waste derived biochar as adsorbents for wastewater treatment

The wastewater generated from diverse human activities needs to be treated, restore, and reused. Researchers have moved from the deployment of synthetic absorbents to manufacturing adsorbents from waste biomass for the elimination of contaminants from wastewater. The deployment of biochar constructed from agricultural waste has elicited significant devotion due to its ready availability, accessibility, low cost, ease of preparation, and environmental sustainability. This review presents developments in the utilization of biochar obtained from agricultural waste for the remediation of domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, agricultural wastewater, and stormwater. Discussions on the classification, composition, and characteristics of agricultural waste, techniques for biochar production, and characteristics of wastewater as well as the outcomes of the deployment of biochar in the decontamination of wastewater were highlighted. The study concludes that, notwithstanding the identified environmental, social, economic, and infrastructural challenges, biochar constructed from agricultural waste is an effective, efficient, easy to use, and eco-friendly adsorbent for the decontamination of wastewater. Agricultural waste-derived biochar removes contaminants from wastewater and safeguards aquatic ecosystem and contributes to availability of safe water. Future research directions on innovative and more effective avenues for the application of biochar developed from agricultural waste for wastewater treatment are suggested. The outcome of this review will stimulate renewed interests in using readily available and eco-friendly materials in wastewater remediation.

Water saving potential at small enterprise: case study Mandhegani eco-print Surabaya

Mandhegani eco-print is one of the small enterprises at Kalidami, Surabaya. Eco-printing is a textile design method that involves imprinting plant parts onto fabric using natural dyes. Eco-print process consumes water from preparing plant materials to finishing fabrics but there is no research conducted on the usage of water in the eco-print process and the water-saving potential. The objectives of the research were to estimate the water usage at the eco-print process and the characteristics of eco-print wastewater. The sampling of wastewater and interviews with the handicrafters were conducted to quantify the water usage at every step of the eco-print process. The results of the study showed that with the mirroring method, the total water usage was 11 liters for 6 meters of fabric. The characteristic of wastewater at the scouring phase was BOD 180 ppm, COD 747.78 ppm, and TSS 1900 ppm. The first mordanting stage: BOD 620 ppm, COD 1382.76 ppm, and TSS 61980 ppm. At the second mordanting was BOD 80 ppm, COD 192.18 ppm, TSS 9300 ppm, and total Fe 0.97 ppm. The water-saving potential could be up to 30% if the enterprise managed the water usage at the mordanting and mordan-in step of the process.