Effluent Turbidity Research Articles

Practical implications of adding powdered activated carbon in advanced wastewater treatment for process and plant design

ABSTRACT The addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) in advanced wastewater treatment is increasingly recognized for its effectiveness in removing micropollutants from secondary effluents. This study investigates the implications of PAC dosing on treatment performance, particularly in terms of natural and effluent organic matter (OM) removal, turbidity reduction, and sludge characteristics. Results indicate that while PAC incorporation significantly enhances the adsorption of OM, it necessitates higher coagulant dosages to achieve comparable or improved turbidity levels. The study also reveals that lower pH levels facilitate the removal of OM, thereby increasing the availability of adsorption sites on PAC for micropollutants. Moreover, PAC addition results in the formation of larger, denser flocs that settle faster, leading to a reduction in sludge volume by approximately 20%. However, the increased coagulant demand and the subsequent rise in sludge volume highlight the need for the optimized process design to balance treatment efficiency with operational costs. This research provides valuable insights for the design and operation of wastewater treatment plants, emphasizing the importance of tailored coagulant dosing and process adjustments when integrating PAC into existing treatment frameworks.

Constructing a visual detection method for coagulation effect based on image feature machine learning

The coagulation process is influenced by several factors, including turbidity, temperature, pH, and hydraulic conditions. Consequently, optimizing the dosage of coagulants is often time-consuming and challenging. To quickly evaluate coagulation efficacy and optimize coagulant dosage, this study utilized a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to analyze the accuracy of effluent turbidity predictions from floc images at different time intervals. Python OpenCV was employed to develop a program that extracts macro features (e.g., texture) and micro features (e.g., particle size distribution) from the images, and these feature parameters were analyzed using a BP-ANN model. The results of the CNN analysis indicated that the middle to late stages of flocculation are the optimal periods for predicting effluent turbidity, with the highest prediction accuracy of 99.81 % achieved during the middle stage of flocculation. The BP-ANN analysis demonstrated that particle size distribution effectively represents the microscopic characteristics of flocs, achieving a maximum prediction accuracy of 96.94 % in the middle stage of flocculation. Furthermore, combining macroscopic and microscopic features yielded a prediction accuracy of 99.44 % at the end of flocculation using BP-ANN. These findings suggest that machine learning techniques applied to floc images can effectively predict effluent turbidity, offering valuable insights for future water quality prediction and the development of flocculation kinetics models.

Sustainable control of microplastics in wastewater using the electrochemically enhanced living membrane bioreactor

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges are major contributors to the release of microplastics (MPs) into the environment. This research work aimed to assess the performance of the novel living membrane bioreactor (LMBR), which utilizes a biological layer as a membrane filter for the removal of polyethylene (PE) MPs from wastewater. The impact of an intermittently applied low current density (0.5 mA/cm2) on the reduction of MPs in the electrochemically enhanced LMBR (e-LMBR) has also been examined. The reactors were also compared to a conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR) and an electro-MBR (e-MBR). 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) was implemented for the MPs detection and quantification in terms of mass per volume of sample.The LMBR and MBR achieved comparable mean PE MPs reduction at 95% and 96%, respectively. The MPs mass reduction in the e-LMBR slightly decreased by 2% compared to that achieved in the LMBR. This potentially indicated the partial breakdown of the MPs due to electrochemical processes. Decreasing and inconsistent NH4-N and PO4-P removal efficiencies were observed over time due to the addition of PE MPs in the MBR and LMBR. In contrast, the integration of electric field in the e-MBR and e-LMBR resulted in consistently high values of conventional contaminant removals of COD (99.72–99.77 %), NH4-N (97.96–98.67%), and PO4-P (98.44–100.00%), despite the MPs accumulation.Integrating electrochemical processes in the e-LMBR led to the development of a stable living membrane (LM) layer, as manifested in the consistently low effluent turbidity 0.49 ± 0.33 NTU. Despite the increasing MPs concentration in the mixed liquor, applying electrochemical processes reduced the fouling rates in the e-LMBR. The e-LMBR achieved comparable efficiencies in contaminant reductions as those observed in the e-MBR, while using a low-cost membrane material.

Development of a limestone-based ballasted material for enhanced co-removal of turbidity and fluoride from coal mine water: An efficacy study

The rapid progression of coal mining technology in recent years has resulted to the discharge of mine water with excessively high levels of turbidity and fluoride, presenting a complex contamination issue. This study develop an innovative limestone-based ballasted material, integrating it with ballasted flocculation technology. The synergistic effects of surface flocculation and adsorption have enabled the simultaneous and efficient removal of high concentrations of turbidity and fluoride. The influence of various parameters, including the dosage of the coagulant, flocculant, ballasted material, and the stability under long-term continuous operation, on the performance of this new technology was investigated. Findings indicate that an increase in the dosage of the coagulant, polyaluminum chloride (PAC), positively affects the removal of turbidity and fluoride ions, with an optimal dosage of 60 mg/L. The addition of polyacrylamide (PAM) showed that both conventional and ballasted coagulation techniques exhibit an initial increase followed by a decrease in turbidity removal efficiency, and an ascending trend in fluoride removal efficiency, with an optimal PAM dosage of 1.0 mg/L. The dosage of the new ballasted material was determined based on the initial water turbidity and fluoride concentrations, an increase in its dosage led to a progressive reduction in effluent turbidity and a corresponding increase in fluoride removal. A 30-day continuous operation confirmed the stability of the new process, with a treatment cost of approximately 2.67 $/t. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm equation provided satisfactory fits to the treatment data, suggesting that both conventional and ballasted coagulation involve a combination of surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion mechanisms for the removal of turbidity and fluoride.

Optimization of calcined eggshell as an effective coagulant for treating colloidal particles in complex effluents in the CPCP industry: mechanistic insights, scale-up design, and comparative analysis with alum

Highly turbid industrial effluent poses significant challenges to environmental sustainability. In this study, we investigated the optimal aggregation kinetics for the removal of colloidal and turbid particles in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products (CPCP) industrial effluent using calcined eggshell (CES) and industrial-grade aluminum sulfate as flocculants. The effluent characteristics were determined following ASTM specifications, and process optimization was carried out using a response surface design approach. The optimal operating conditions at a settling time of 3 min were found to be pH 8, 0.2 g/L dosage of CES, pH 10, and 0.3 g/L of alum dosage. The flocculation efficiencies of CES and alum were found to be 80% and 78%, respectively, demonstrating the effectiveness of both flocculants in removing colloidal particles and reducing turbidity in CPCP effluent. Mechanistic studies revealed that CES achieved particle removal through enmeshment and inter-particle bridging with a significant aggregation rate (1.3 × 10−7) and a lower floc breakup tendency (2.8 × 10−14) compared to alum-sweep flocculation. The hydrodynamics at a velocity gradient of 269s−1 ≤ G ≤ 29s−1 indicated spontaneous agglomeration within a flocculation period of ≤10 min, indicating rapid and efficient particle removal. The findings of this study justify the use of CES as a sustainable and effective option for the removal of colloid/turbid particles from CPCP effluent. The optimized operating conditions and mechanistic insights into the flocculation process contribute to establishing an optimized sedimentation geometry, with specified aspect ratio, detention time, hypothetical settling, and sludge depth for CES, ensuring the favorable stability of the finished CPCP effluent before discharge.

Energy-saving analysis of desalination equipment based on a machine-learning sequence modeling

Abstract To control water quality and seawater desalination dosage, modeling the coagulation process of saltwater is crucial. With a focus on the features of seawater coagulation with a long lag, a machine-learning sequence-based modeling approach is suggested. The link between influent and effluent turbidities, flow rates, flocculant and coagulant dosages, and other parameters is modeled using structured units such as a gate recurrent unit encoder and a linear network decoder. The model’s validity is confirmed by numerical experiments based on real operating data, which also offer a solid foundation for managing flocculant and coagulant assistance reduction.

Pre-coating of stainless-steel mesh support material with wastewater treatment plant sludges in a dynamic membrane filtration process

This study focuses on wastewater treatment plant sludges to be deposited on large aperture meshes. In a column reactor that is filled with treatment plant sludges, a series of batch experiments were performed with varying sizes of stainless-steel mesh modules (75 to 300 μm) as a support media to form a dynamic membrane. Primary, secondary, and polyelectrolyte-added sludges were used both individually and in combination to investigate the performance (filterability, permeate quality, and dynamic layer formation ability) of the varying pore-size meshes at high fluxes. The results were superior when primary and secondary sludges were combined in the creation of a dynamic cake layer, as opposed to individual sludge usage. Mesh sizes were shown to have no effect on performance, providing turbidity of <10 NTU for a short duration (10 min) of filtration. Cake formation rates were calculated as 23.0 NTU/min, 19.48 NTU/min, 7.62 NTU/min, and 6.94 NTU /min for 100, 150, 200, and 300 μm support meshes, respectively. For the first time in literature, effluent water turbidity decreases to <5 NTU for 300 μm support mesh at high fluxes. Scanning electron microscope images showed that fibers that may originate from the primary sludge could enhance the formation of stable cake layer. This study is important for creating high-performing dynamic membrane filtration on large aperture meshes, which can be used as a cost-effective and reliable filter for wastewater treatment.

Holistic evaluation of inlet protection devices for sediment control on construction sites

To address the deleterious impacts of excess soil erosion from the construction sites, the United States Clean Water Act requires that erosion and sediment control measures (ESCs) be implemented on construction projects disturbing more than 0.4 ha. Inlet protection devices (IPDs) are a common ESC utilized on construction projects to reduce the amount of sediment entering storm sewers. In Ohio, regulatory agencies use approved, non-proprietary IPDs made from commonly available materials (e.g., silt fence, geotextile, lumber, and aggregate) to mitigate sediment on construction projects; however, these IPDs often rely on extended ponding to remove sediment and require frequent maintenance making these unsuitable for road construction projects. Commercially manufactured (i.e., proprietary) IPDs which rely on filtration to quickly dewater following rainfall may prove more practical for road construction projects. However, little research which quantitatively compares the holistic performance of these two types of IPDs in field settings has been performed to date. To address this knowledge gap, the performance of 24 proprietary IPDs was evaluated at field-scale using simulated construction site runoff and compared to three non-proprietary IPDs currently approved for use in Ohio. Bypass flows, which typically occurred due to poor IPD fit to standard drainage inlets used in Ohio transportation settings, significantly increased effluent total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity compared to tests of IPDs where bypass did not occur. Overflow, or intentional bypass around primary IPD flow pathways during high flows, did not significantly impact effluent water quality. Despite differences in treatment mechanisms (i.e., sedimentation versus filtration), the water quality performance of non-proprietary and proprietary IPDs were not statistically different, indicating comparable sediment removal was provided by both categories. Findings from this research can provide design engineers and state regulatory agencies the necessary tools to evaluate IPD performance in road construction settings and, ultimately, alleviate the impact of excess sediment discharged from construction sites.

Response Surface Methodology Approach to Optimize Parameters for Coagulation Process Using Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC)

Coagulation is a process affected by multiple variables, nonlinear mapping and multiple perturbations. In order to realize the precise dosage of flocculants, polyaluminum chloride (PAC) was taken as the research object to explore the effects of temperature, water turbidity, pH and CODMn on the dosage of PAC and coagulation effect. A response surface methodology (RSM) experiment was carried out based on a single-factor experiment. The turbidity, pH and dosage of a single parameter, as well as the interaction term and secondary term, all have significant influence on coagulation effect. The optimal reaction conditions were calculated using Design-Expert software: pH, 7.48; turbidity, 14.59 NTU; dosage, 24.01 mg/L; and the error between the experimental value and the predicted value, 4.08%. Establishing a model with residual turbidity as a consideration index can help to calculate the optimal dosage of PAC, which is conducive to a reasonable and accurate control of the dosage of PAC in the coagulation process, so as to achieve the goal of low turbidity of effluent and low production cost.

Co-occurrence of simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal and in-situ sludge separation in a novel single unit combined airlift bioreactor (CALBR) for milk processing wastewater treatment

Combined anaerobic-aerobic bioreactors offer considerable potential for treating different industrial wastewaters. However, difficulty in maintaining a stable coexistence of anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic microbial communities and the necessity of space-consuming external settlers remain as crucial drawbacks associated with these systems. In this study, an innovative single stage combined airlift bioreactor (CALBR) comprising multiple bioreactors (anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic) and an internal settler (a rotating spiral separator for in-situ separation of biomass) was exploited to achieve simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal from milk processing wastewater (MPW). Results demonstrated that the anaerobic pre-treatment zone made a substantial contribution towards COD and TN removal. Successful biomass separation and high effluent quality revealed that the rotating spiral separator can be used as a coupled clarifier to sustain higher biomass concentration through boosting the sludge compressibility and settleability which further upgrades the overall treatment bioprocess. sCOD removal, TN removal, SVI, and effluent turbidity of ˃96%, ˃75%, ˂90 mL/g, and ˂10 NTU were reached, respectively under optimum condition. The outcomes suggested that the novel CALBR is a promising technology which has a great potential to be transferred into practical implementation for high-rate combined biological wastewater treatment and sludge separation.

Effects of salinity on glycerol conversion and biological phosphorus removal by aerobic granular sludge

Industrial wastewater often has high levels of salt, either due to seawater or e.g. sodium chloride (NaCl) usage in the processing. Previous work indicated that aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is differently affected by seawater or saline water at similar osmotic strength. Here we investigate in more detail the impact of NaCl concentrations and seawater on the granulation and conversion processes for AGS wastewater treatment. Glycerol was used as the carbon source since it is regularly present in industrial wastewaters, and to allow the evaluation of microbial interactions that better reflect real conditions. Long-term experiments were performed to evaluate and compare the effect of salinity on granulation, anaerobic conversions, phosphate removal, and the microbial community. Smooth and stable granules as well as enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) were achieved up to 20 g/L NaCl or when using seawater. However, at NaCl levels comparable to seawater strength (30 g/L) incomplete anaerobic glycerol uptake and aerobic phosphate uptake were observed, the effluent turbidity increased, and filamentous granules began to appear. The latter is likely due to the direct aerobic growth on the leftover substrate after the anaerobic feeding period. In all reactor conditions, except the reactor with 30 g/L NaCl, Ca. Accumulibacter was the dominant microorganism. In the reactor with 30 g/L NaCl, the relative abundance of Ca. Accumulibacter decreased to ≤1 % and an increase in the genus Zoogloea was observed. Throughout all reactor conditions, Tessaracoccus and Micropruina, both actinobacteria, were present which were likely responsible for the anaerobic conversion of glycerol into volatile fatty acids. None of the glycerol metabolizing proteins were detected in Ca. Accumulibacter which supports previous findings that glycerol can not be directly utilized by Ca. Accumulibacter. The proteome profile of the dominant taxa was analysed and the results are further discussed. The exposure of salt-adapted biomass to hypo-osmotic conditions led to significant trehalose and PO43−-P release which can be related to the osmoregulation of the cells. Overall, this study provides insights into the effect of salt on the operation and stability of the EBPR and AGS processes. The findings suggest that maintaining a balanced cation ratio is likely to be more important for the operational stability of EBPR and AGS systems than absolute salt concentrations.

Beyond feast and famine: Cultivating hydrodynamic oxygenic photogranules with better performances under permanent feast regime

Oxygenic photogranules (OPGs) are currently obtained in permanent famine or cyclic feast-famine regimes. Whether photogranulation occurs under a permanent feast regime and how these regimes impact OPGs are unknown. Herein, the three regimes, each applied in two replicate hydrodynamic reactors, were established by different feeding frequencies. Results showed that OPGs were successfully cultivated in all regimes after 24–36 days of photogranulation phases with similar microbial community functions, including filamentous gliding, extracellular polymeric substances production, and carbon/nitrogen metabolism. The OPGs were then operated under the same sequencing batch mode and all achieved efficient removal of chemical oxygen demand (>91 %), ammonium (>96 %), and total nitrogen (>76 %) after different adaptation periods (19–41 days). Notably, the permanent feast regime obtained OPGs with the best physicochemical properties, the shortest adaptation period, and the lowest effluent turbidity, thus representing a novel means of hydrodynamic cultivating OPGs with better performances for sustainable wastewater treatment.

Hydrodynamic cultivation of aeration-free oxygenic photogranules is favored by sufficient amounts of organic carbon

Oxygenic photogranules (OPGs) have great potential for the aeration-free treatment of various wastewater, however, the effects of wastewater carbon composition on OPGs remain unknown. This study investigated the hydrodynamic photogranulation in three types of wastewater with the same total carbon concentration but different inorganic/organic carbon compositions, each operated at two replicated reactors. Results showed that photogranulation failed in reactors fed with only inorganic carbon. In reactors with equal inorganic and organic carbon, loose-structured OPGs formed but then disintegrated. Comparatively, reactors treating organic carbon-based wastewater obtained regular and dense OPGs with better settleability, lower effluent turbidity, excellent structural stability, and higher carbon assimilation rate. Sufficient amounts of organic carbon were crucial for the formation and stability of OPGs as they promoted the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the growth of filamentous cyanobacteria. This study provides a basis for the startup of OPGs process and facilitates its large-scale application.

Pilot studies for the application of triple media filtration at Morton Jaffray Water Works, Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract Lake Chivero, Harare's main source of raw water for drinking water, is algae infested thus affecting water treatment processes at Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Works (MJWTW). Consequently, several challenges have been encountered including frequent filter backwashing, leading to a reduced plant output. In this study, the potential of substituting single-media filters (currently used at MJWTW) with triple-media filters was investigated. This was done using pilot filters of a single-media filter (SMF) and a triple-media filter (TMF) and piloted using clarified water from MJWTW. Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, and temperature were the water quality parameters that were monitored. Headloss and flow rate were the filter operation parameters that were monitored. Both water quality and operational parameters were monitored at hourly intervals until one filter reached the maximum allowable headloss or turbidity limit. The variation in effluent turbidity, TDS, EC, and pH between the filters was insignificant. Nevertheless, the headloss development for the TMF was significantly slower than that of the SMF resulting in the SMF reaching the maximum headloss earlier. Therefore, the TMF performed better overall. Therefore, the adoption of TMF could result in a longer filter run and improve filtration and water production at MJWTW.

Evaluation of operational efficiency and performance for a water treatment plant

The current study presents a comprehensive analysis of the operational efficiency and performance evaluation of the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant over the period from 1999 to 2018. By focusing on the removal efficiencies of few parameters including iron (Fe), turbidity, and E. coli, the study provides valuable insights into the plant's ability to treat water effectively and produce high-quality drinking water. Leveraging data analysis techniques and computational tools, the research also explores the forecasting of water quality parameters beyond the study period, enhancing predictive capabilities for monitoring and managing water quality in the future. The Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant (WTP) has a daily capacity of 75 Ml it supplies water to the surroundings. Its intricate treatment process, featuring chemical dosing, clarification, filtration, and disinfection, operates harmoniously. The plant consistently exceeded global standards. Effluent turbidity consistently met stringent World Health Organization/South African National (WHO/SANS) discharge standards at ≤ 1 NTU. The turbidity removal efficiencies ranged from 65.88 to 99.61 % on average over the period from 1999 to 2018. Iron removal also adhered to WHO/SANS criteria, registering ≤ 2 mg/L. The removal efficiencies have ranged from 82 to 99% on average for the same period. Most impressively, E. coli removal efficiency maintained a flawless 100 % for the same period, indicating a pathogen-free effluent throughout the period, with a steady annual average of 0 MPN/100 m, some challenges have occurred including the contamination of the freshwater from the dam, the limited data availability, and issues related to sustainability and compliance. These challenges were overcome by using advanced tools for data analyses such as R package, developing a performance evaluation framework and establishing recommendations for the adoption of innovative technologies, and improvements in operation and maintenance practices. Overall, this study makes significant contributions to the field of wastewater treatment and water quality management, advancing our understanding of sustainable water resource management and environmental protection.

Concurrent removal of carbon and nutrients in a one-stage dual internal circulation airlift A2O bioreactor from milk processing industrial wastewater: Process optimization, sludge characteristics and operating cost evaluation

In this work, a one-stage dual internal circulation airlift anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic (DCAL-A2O) bioreactor was continuously operated for concurrent removal of nutrients and organics from milk processing wastewater (MPW). Special configuration of the airlift A2O bioreactor created possibility of the formation of desired anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic zones in a single unit. The process functionality of the bioreactor was examined under three influential operating variables i.e. hydraulic retention time (HRT; 7–15 h), air flow rate (AFR; 1–3 L/min) and aerobic volume ratio (AVR; 0.324–0.464). The optimum region was identified at HRT of 13h, AFR of 2L/min and AVR of 0.437, leading to TCOD, TN and TP removal efficiency of 94.5 %, 59.6 %, and 62.2 %, respectively, and effluent turbidity of 8 NTU. The impact of feed biodegradability on the process performance of the bioreactor treating the MPW, soft drink wastewater (SDW) and soybean oil plant wastewater (SOW) was also assessed. From the results, the feed characteristics affected significantly the nutrients removal. Moreover, the feeding location played an effective role in the nutrient removal while treating the MPW at optimum operating conditions. In this study, the change in residual organic matters as soluble microbial products (SMP) was monitored at various operating conditions. In addition, the impact of SMP extracted from sludge, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) comprising of loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) was analyzed on sludge characteristics as bio-flocculation and settleability properties. According to the obtained data, the increase in operating variables led to the reduction in contents of effluent SMP, sludge SMP, LB-EPS, turbidity, and SVI, thereby, the enhancement in the sludge characteristics. Meanwhile, analysis of microbial communities verified the presence of various functional bacterial species. The cost operating evaluation confirmed the cost effectiveness of the airlift A2O bioreactor in reduction of energy consumption for the MPW treatment.

Optimization model of process parameters for waterworks based on CNN-ISSA-BiGRU

After conducting an extensive investigation into the current situation of Chinese water supply plants, it was imperative to systematically optimize the critical operational parameters of various treatment units using a machine learning approach. This holistic optimization aimed to reduce operational costs and ensure the desired effluent quality. This work explored the impact of key process parameters on turbidity and CODMn through a pilot experiment, and a CNN-ISSA-BiGRU model was introduced for predicting the optimization of process parameters in water treatment plants. The CNN layer played a crucial role in preprocessing the original data and extracting short-term relationships within the dataset. The ISSA layer was responsible for optimizing the parameters of the BiGRU layer, and the BiGRU layer focused on the bi-directional prediction of data, fully extracting features between input variables. The application of the CNN-ISSA-BiGRU model to actual water plant operations led to a significant reduction in operation costs, up to 17.1%. Furthermore, a correlation analysis of pilot experiment data was conducted to determine the relative importance of each parameter on effluent quality. The results indicated that coagulant dosage had the greaexperiment impact on effluent turbidity, while disinfectant dosage had the utmost effect on CODMn. This comprehensive analysis provided valuable guidance for environmental regulators and operators, offering insights into the mechanisms that govern water treatment processes and aiding in the optimization of plant operations.

The Role of Effluent Analysis and Culture in Diagnosis and Monitoring of Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) is one of the available renal replacement therapy options for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). One of the most common complications of PD is peritonitis. A 13-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital due to cloudy effluent and abdominal pain four days before admission. He was diagnosed with ESRD in 2015 and has undergone Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) since 2017. The physical examination findings were as follows: the temperature was 36.6 C, the conjunctiva was anemic, the abdomen was tender, and both of the lower extremities were edematous. Peritoneal dialysis effluent analysis showed yellow and turbid effluent with a leukocyte count of 13.346 cells/µL and polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells predominance (69.3%), effluent and serum urea of 221 and 243 mg/dL, effluent and serum creatinine of 16.7 and 18.26 mg/dL, respectively. Effluent Gram stain showed increased leukocytes without bacteria, while effluent culture showed the growth of Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. According to the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis 2022 guidelines, all criteria for infective peritonitis in this patient were met: clinical features (turbid effluent and abdominal pain), increased cell count (&gt;100 cells/µL) with PMN &gt;50%, and positive effluent culture. The patient was administered intravenous Ampicillin-Sulbactam based on the effluent culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Serial effluent analyses suggested a return-to-normal trend in leukocyte and PMN counts. After 18 days of hospitalization, the patient was allowed to discharge based on clinical and laboratory improvements.

A Prospective Clinical Study to EvaluAte the AbiliTy of the CloudCath System to Detect Peritonitis During In-Home Peritoneal Dialysis (CATCH)

Peritonitis is the leading complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Patients are instructed to seek care promptly for signs (cloudy effluent) or symptoms (abdominal pain), and earlier treatment improves outcomes. The CloudCath Peritoneal Dialysis Drain Set Monitoring (CloudCath) system monitors turbidity in dialysis effluent and sends notifications of changes signaling possible peritonitis. We conducted this single-arm, open-label, multicenter study of CloudCath system use during PD. We deactivated system notifications to participants and investigators, who followed standard-of-care for peritonitis signs and symptoms. Effectiveness endpoints measured time between CloudCath system notifications and peritonitis events using International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) criteria. Two hundred forty-three participants used the CloudCath system for 178.8 patient-years. Of 71 potential peritonitis events, 51 events (0.29 per patient-year) met ISPD white blood cell (WBC) count criteria. The system triggered notifications for 41 of 51 events (80.4%), with a median lead time of 2.6 days (10%-90% range, -1.0 to 15.7; P< 0.0001). Excluding 6 peritonitis events that occurred when the system was not in use, the system triggered notifications for 41 of 45 events (91.1%), with a median lead time of 3.0 days (10%-90% range, -0.5 to 18.8; P< 0.0001). Of the 0.78 notifications per patient-year, the majority were peritonitis events or nonperitonitis events such as exit site and tunnel infections or catheter/cycler issues. The CloudCath system detected peritonitis events during PD several days earlier than the current standard-of-care and has the capacity to send notifications that could expedite peritonitis diagnosis and treatment.

The efficiency of polyaluminum chloride and anionic polyacrylamide in removing the hot rolling steel factory effluent turbidity

The efficiency of polyaluminum chloride and anionic polyacrylamide in removing the hot rolling steel factory effluent turbidity