Field Of Environmental Engineering Research Articles

High electricity generation and exhaust gas treatment enhancement using a microbial fuel cell of biological cathode equipped with conductive packing materials

Biotrickling filters (BTFs) designed for the treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have attracted much attention in the field of environmental engineering. As one of the main pollutants in VOCs, xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon that poses a threat to human health. In this study, a biotrickling filter-microbial fuel cell (BTF-MFC) system was constructed to treat p-xylene by using a BTF filled with conductive packing materials as the biocathode for microbial fuel cell (MFC). The BTF-MFC showed good p-xylene removal performance even at high inlet concentrations. The elimination capacity reached 27.67 g/m3h at a 400 s empty bed residence time, and the removal efficiency reached 98.31% at a 300 s empty bed residence time. The conductive packing materials added to the BTF-MFC effectively promoted bacterial colonization, which as a result promoted p-xylene degradation and increased power output. The output voltage reached 725 mV, with a power density of 3.50 W/m2. The abundance of the genera Hydrogenophaga, Flavihumibacter, Chryseobacterium, and Mycobacterium, which have an excellent degradation capacity for aromatic compounds, increased during BTF-MFC operation.

Preface: 3rd International Conference on Green Environmental Materials and Food Engineering (GEMFE 2023)

We gratefully acknowledge the presence of all participants on the 2023 3rd International Conference on Green Environmental Materials and Food Engineering (GEMFE 2023), which was successfully held during November 25-26, 2023 in Rome, Italy. GEMFE 2023 aimed to provide a platform for experts, scholars, engineers, technicians, and R&D personnel to share scientific research results and cutting-edge technologies, understand academic development trends, broaden research ideas, strengthen academic research, and promote cooperation in the industrialization of academic results.
 GEMFE 2023 will bring together innovative academics and industrial experts in the fields of environmental engineering, energy technology, green materials, chemical science, agricultural technology, and food engineering to a common forum. About 80 participants from academic, high-education institutes, and other organizations took part in the conference. The conference model was divided into two sessions, including oral presentations and keynote speeches. In the first part, some scholars, whose submissions were selected as the excellent papers, were given 10 minutes to perform their oral presentations one by one. Then in the second part, keynote speakers were each allocated 30-40 minutes to hold their speeches.
 I would like to express special gratitude to members of the conference committee and organizers of the conference. I would also like to thank the reviewers for their valuable time and advice which helped in improving the quality of the papers selected for presentation at the conference and for publication in the proceedings.
 GEMFE 2023 Conference Organizing Chair
 Rome, Italy

A comprehensive review on the application of semiconducting materials in the degradation of effluents and water splitting.

In this comprehensive review article, we delve into the critical intersection of environmental science and materials science. The introduction sets the stage by emphasizing the global water shortage crisis and the dire consequences of untreated effluents on ecosystems and human health. As we progress into the second section, we embark on an intricate exploration of piezoelectric and photocatalytic principles, illuminating their significance in wastewater treatment and sustainable energy production. The heart of our review is dedicated to a detailed analysis of the detrimental impacts of effluents on human health, underscoring the urgency of effective treatment methods. We dissected three key materials in the realm of piezo-photocatalysis: ZnO-based materials, BaTiO3-based materials, and bismuth-doped materials. Each material is scrutinized for its unique properties and applications in the removal of pollutants from wastewater, offering a comprehensive understanding of their potential to address this critical issue. Furthermore, our exploration extends to the realm of hydrogen production, where we discuss various types of hydrogen and the role of piezo-photocatalysis in generating clean and sustainable hydrogen. By illuminating the synergistic potential of these advanced materials and technologies, we pave the way for innovative solutions to the pressing challenges of water pollution and renewable energy production. This review article not only serves as a valuable resource for researchers and scholars in the fields of material science and environmental engineering but also underscores the pivotal role of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex global issues.

Study and application of biopolymers in the field of agricultural and environmental engineering: review

At present, a reduction in the production of materials that affect the environment is necessary. An example is conventional plastics that, when used and discarded incorrectly, harm ecosystems, a situation that focuses scientific research on the study of biopolymers as a sustainable alternative, that is, because they are compounds extracted from nature with properties biodegradable, antimicrobial activity and low toxicity, among others; which makes them suitable for different applications. Natural polymers have been used for several years in fields of medical and pharmaceutical science, due to the versatility of their mechanical, biodegradable and biocompatible qualities for the agro-industrial and agricultural fields. These biomaterials have been adapted to partially or gradually replace petroleum-based polymers in applications or uses such as food packaging, additives, water treatment, fertilizers, industrial plastics, absorbent materials, and biosensors. In this review, a detailed bibliographic analysis of the characteristics and applications of biopolymers in the field of agricultural and industrial engineering was carried out.

The ultramicropore biochar derived from waste distiller’s grains for wet-process phosphoric acid purification: Removal performance and mechanisms of Cr(VI)

Solid waste and heavy metal pollution are long-term and challenging subjects in the field of environmental engineering. In this study, we propose a sustainable approach to “treating waste with waste” by utilizing the ultramicropore biochar derived from solid waste distiller’s grains as a means to remove Cr(VI) from simulated wastewater and wet phosphoric acid. The biochar prepared in this research exhibit extremely high specific surface areas (up to 2973 m2/g) and a well-developed pore structure, resulting in a maximum Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of 426.0 mg/g and over 99% removal efficiency of Cr(VI). Furthermore, the adsorbent can be reused for up to eight cycles without significant reduction in its Cr(VI) adsorption performance. Mechanistic investigations suggest that the exceptional Cr(VI) adsorption capacity can be attributed to the synergistic effect of electrostatic interaction and reduction adsorption. This study offers an alternative approach for the resource utilization of solid waste distiller’s grains, and the prepared biochar holds promise for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater and wet-process phosphoric acid.

A Review of the Latest Advances in Nanoparticle-Mediated Processes for Hexavalent Chromium Remediation from Water Bodies.

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a well-known carcinogen, and hence its removal from aqueous media is an important area of research in the field of environmental engineering. Adsorptive removal and catalytic reduction are the two most common techniques applied for this purpose. In this regard, nanoparticle-mediated technology has contributed significantly. In the current review article, a systematic investigation has been carried out to find the latest developments that took place in the domain of Cr(VI) removal by nanotechnology. The major portion deals with the advancement and application of the new-age materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), g-C3N4, MXenes, zero-valent iron (ZVI), and their composites, for the Cr(VI) remediation purpose. Various interesting mechanisms, as proposed by different research groups, have been covered. Applications of the nanocomposites in the real wastewater scenario have also been highlighted. Different characterization techniques often conducted in order to get insight into Cr(VI) removal process have been mentioned. Some patents related to this field have been discussed. Lastly, the future scope of the nanomaterials, current challenges, feasibility of using these nanomaterials in large-scale treatment plants, etc., have been addressed before concluding the article.

Nanotechnology for Sustainable Environmental Applications

Abstract: Nanotechnology is a captivating scientific field with numerous practical applications. The study of nanomaterials and their unique and enhanced capabilities has prompted extensive research into their diverse uses, spanning disciplines from biology and materials science to chemistry and physics. Nanotechnology is expected to play a crucial role in addressing environmental challenges such as sensing, monitoring, mitigation, and power generation. However, it is important to consider the potential environmental impact of nanotechnology, although the specific pathways of such impact have yet to be fully defined. The utilization of nanomaterials in instruments, gadgets, equipment, and other products, as well as the energy required for their production and operation, directly and indirectly influence our environment. In both cases, it is desirable to minimize their impact. Additionally, advancements in nanoscale catalysts, inline and remote detectors, and nano-chemical reactors hold promise for the detection and mitigation of low-level contaminants. Therefore, this chapter focuses on exploring the foundational concepts of nanoscience and nanotechnology as they relate to the field of environmental engineering.

Preface: 2nd International Conference on Environment Engineering, Nanomaterials and Chemical Technology (EENCT 2023)

2023 2nd International Conference on Environment Engineering, Nanomaterials and Chemical Technology (EENCT 2023) was successfully held during September 16-17, 2023 in Miami, USA. The conference invited scholars and experts in the fields of environmental engineering, ecosystems, biotechnology, nanomaterials, and chemical technology from various universities to participate in the review and guidance of this conference. EENCT 2023 aims to provide an international cooperation and exchange platform for experts and scholars to share their research achievements, discuss the key challenges and research directions, and jointly promote the industrialization cooperation and continuous innovation. This collection of proceedings compiles oral and paper presentations submitted by the authors and scrutinized by the special committee.
 The opening ceremony was held in the main venue and a speech was delivered by the invited speaker. After the main venue, we divided the invited authors into 2 groups. Each author spoke for about 10-15 minutes on detailed material in the slides, with the same amount of time set aside for questions and discussion. This conference has brought together many excellent works and the latest ideas and concepts. We wish to thank all authors and participants for providing their valuable contributions for this proceeding as well as the reviewers for their constructive recommendations and criticism aiding to improve the presented articles.
 With our best regards,
 Conference Organizing Chair
 Miami, USA

Social imaginaries methods and socio-engineering competences in sustainable river management (a case study in the living lab Upper Citarum)

The Living Lab approach has become popular and developed in the past decade. It could provide a configuration to pursue a shared vision of integrated water resources management of the Citarum River in West Java - Indonesia. The multi-stakeholder situation and the growing recognition of interdependencies among stakeholders foster the complexity of addressing sustainable river management for the Upper Citarum River. To gain insights on essential competencies and adaptations in higher education curricula, the Environmental Engineering Department of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering-ITB, Telkom University Indonesia, and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands, joined hands in a collaborative research project. This study aims to develop a socio-engineering aspect for sustainable river water quality management in the Environmental Engineering Field and Curricula. The methods used are social imaginaries of Participatory Mapping and a Poetry Route that allowed the involved river bank communities to activate their role and take positions in the living lab. Institutional stakeholders, acting in a facilitating role, learned to gain and share information from and with the community. The result concludes that social imaginaries methods enable a new perspective in developing community-based programs and advocate further exploring the socio-engineering competencies of environmental professionals.

Biomineralization and Characterization of Calcite and Vaterite Induced by the Fungus Cladosporium sp. YPLJS-14

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) by the urease-producing bacteria has wide applications in the field of geology and environmental engineering. Compared to bacteria, fungi usually possess more tolerance to high salts and heavy metals, enabling MICP induced by the urease-producing fungi to be applied to harsh environments. In this study, the carbonate minerals, induced by the urease-producing fungi isolated from marine sediments, were investigated. One of the urease-producing fungi, designated as YPLJS-14, was identified with the high efficiency of precipitating calcium carbonate. The ITS sequence of YPLJS-14 revealed that it belongs to the genus of Cladosporium. The precipitates induced by this strain were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, SAED, and FTIR, respectively. The results show that the mineral phase of fungal precipitates is composed of calcite and vaterite. SEM, TEM, and SAED confirm that the minerals in rhombohedral morphology are calcite and the spherical minerals are vaterite. Thermogravimetric and derivative thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) analyses show that vaterite is a thermodynamically unstable mineral phase compared to calcite and easily decomposes at lower temperatures. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the mineralization mechanism of the urease-producing fungi and the potential applications in environmental engineering.

BNSL GOBNILP algorithm in application to damage intensity prognostic system to RC multistorey residential buildings subjected to negative impacts of the industrial environment of mines

Paper presents a method of predicting the damage intensity of multifamily prefabricated RC buildings located in the range of impacts of the industrial environment of mines. The research studied the effects of mining impacts in the form of large-scale continuous ground deformation and mining tremors. For this purpose, in-situ data collected in the database was used. Additional information in the database included: structural and material features, quality of maintenance and durability of the analysed buildings. Finally, a predictive model represented by an optimal Bayesian network structure was created. To obtain the optimal topology of the DAG network structure, a Bayesian network learning algorithm from data GOBNILP was adapted. According to this algorithm, the optimisation process was carried out through Gurobi Optimizer. Thus, the conducted analyses represent the first time the above-mentioned approach has been applied in the interdisciplinary field of civil and environmental engineering. As part of the analyses, the available metric scores were verified and multiple network structures were examined according to their complexity. This made it possible to select the best Bayesian network in terms of generalizing the knowledge acquired while learning its structure. The possibility of using the obtained model for issues of diagnosis of damage causes and their prediction was also presented.

A Novel Efficient Method of Estimating Suspended‐To‐Total Sediment Load Fraction in Natural Rivers

AbstractSediment transport load monitoring is important in civil and environmental engineering fields. Monitoring the total load is difficult, especially because of the cost of the bed load transport measurement. This study proposes estimation models for the suspended‐to‐total load fraction using dimensionless hydro‐morphological variables. Two prominent variable combinations were identified using the recursive feature elimination for support vector regression (SVR): (a) width‐to‐depth ratio, dimensionless particle size, flow Reynolds number, densimetric Froude number, and falling particle Reynolds number, and (b) flow Reynolds number, Froude number, and densimetric Froude number. The explicit relations between the suspended‐to‐total load fraction and the two combinations were revealed by two modern symbolic regression methods: multi‐gene genetic programming and Operon. The five‐variable SVR model showed the best performance. Clustering analyses using a self‐organizing map and Gaussian mixture model, respectively, identified the underlying relationships between dimensionless variables. Subsequently, the one‐at‐a‐time sensitivity of the input variables of the empirical models was investigated. The suspended‐to‐total load fraction is positively related to the flow Reynolds number and is inversely related to the densimetric Froude number. The models developed in this study are practical and easy to implement in other suspended sediment monitoring methods because they only require basic measurable hydro‐morphological variables, such as velocity, depth, width, and median bed material size.

Advancing circular economy in industrial chemistry and environmental engineering: Principles, alignment with United Nations sustainable development goals, and pathways to implementation

This groundbreaking review explores the crucial role of the circular economy in industrial chemistry and environmental engineering. It surpasses a mere examination of principles and methods, delving into the profound significance and urgency of this transformative shift. By analyzing key elements such as resource efficiency, waste valorization, sustainable product design, industrial symbiosis, and policy integration, the study highlights the power of collaboration, technological advancements, and extensive literature research. It reveals the remarkable alignment between the circular economy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing how circular practices promote resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable production and consumption patterns, thus driving progress across multiple SDGs. With a specific focus on responsible consumption and production, clean energy, innovative industrial practices, climate action, ecosystem protection, water resource management, job creation, economic growth, sustainable urbanization, and collaboration, the review provides a comprehensive roadmap for adopting circularity. Its practical recommendations cover sustainable material selection, resource efficiency, closing loop, digitalization, and robust policy support. In addition, it emphasizes the paramount importance of collaboration, stakeholder engagement, education, capacity building, circular supply chain management, and effective policy frameworks in spearheading circular economy initiatives. Drawing inspiration from diverse circular economy models and compelling case studies in industrial chemistry, the study highlights the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, ensuring both sustainability and positive societal impact. This comprehensive review serves as a guiding light, demonstrating the immense potential of the circular economy in driving sustainable development. It offers actionable guidance for implementing circular practices, empowering professionals to make tangible contributions to a more sustainable future. Additionally, it serves as a foundational piece, fueling the advancement of knowledge, inspiring further research, and propelling remarkable progress in the ever-evolving fields of industrial chemistry and environmental engineering.

Investigation of proteinaceous algal biomass as a drilling fluid component

This study represents the first investigation into the potential of Spirulina algae proteins as drilling fluid constituents to address the problems of the environmental impacts of the petroleum industry. Algae protein is a common waste product from many bioprocessing operations including biofuel production, so this work also presents a solution to a waste utilization problem for bioprocessing industries. As such, this technology could create an important coproduct for bioprocessing industries while providing more sustainable and environmentally-benign drilling fluids for the petroleum industry. Algae biomass was hypothesized to serve as a bentonite replacement or as an additive that could improve drilling fluid performance by reducing fluid loss via permeation, and/or improvement of lubricity via reduction in coefficient of friction. Measurements were taken in accordance with API RP 13B-1 using an OFITE viscometer, OFITE 4-Unit HTHP Filter Press, and OFITE extreme pressure and lubricity tester. The rheological tests include viscosity, yield stress, and gel strength. Key findings include a friction reduction of up to 27% and a standard fluid loss as low as 13.5 mL. The biomass was able to increase the viscosity of the drilling fluids and exhibited a shear-thinning rheology with yield points exceeding 40 lbf/ft2. The rheology was fitted to the Bingham plastic model and the Herschel-Bulkley model. These findings have potential impacts in the fields of petroleum, chemical, environmental, and material engineering. It is concluded that Spirulina biomass is a good potential additive for decreasing fluid loss and improving the lubricity of drilling fluids, but it will not suffice as a bentonite replacement.

A window into the academic term control mechanism: a thorough presentation of processed terms in the process of completing an environmental science dictionary

AbstractThe evaluation and improvement of scientific terminology translation plays a crucial role in consistently and accurately communicating knowledge at an academic level as well as in applying this theoretical knowledge in practice. This becomes even more important in countries such as Greece where the majority of scientific innovations originate from other, predominately English-speaking, countries. Consequently, the dissemination of this knowledge must go through a translation process. Within this context, the author is conducting postdoctoral research in the academic field of Environmental Engineering and Hydraulics in the School of Engineering of the AUTh, Department of Civil Engineering. The research focuses on evaluating English to Greek handbooks in the academic field of Environmental Engineering and Hydraulics by using a translation control mechanism based on seven variables firstly derived from the studies of Belgian translatologist Dirk Delabastita. The outcomes so far highlighted the quality of academic and translation work, but also identified a number of translation ambiguities, different semantic variations of terms within the source text in relation to their context, the complete absence of certain terms in the translated text, and the use of an incorrect term’s translation. The evaluation of all these cases constitutes a comprehensive decision-making process that can be applied by any translator of technical texts. This process involves first evaluating the translated texts in their mother tongue and then suggesting enhanced term translations, ultimately contributing to the establishment of a more cohesive scientific consensus in Environmental Engineering terminology to implement the optimal utilization of scientific environmental methods by the Greek academic community to protect the environment, particularly in the highly sensitive Eastern Mediterranean region. Moreover, this process represents an initial step toward creating a state-of-the-art tool in teaching technical translation and lexicography to Environmental Engineering students as well as introducing foreign terminology to students in the faculty of engineering and the schools of English language and literature in the department of translation and intercultural studies, with specialization in technical translation.

Study on Shear Behavior and Mechanism Based on Shear Functional Unit of Loess Microstructure

The structural specificity and hydrological sensitivity of loess have a strong impact on its long-term stability and safety. This topic is being actively researched and focuses on the macromechanical behavior of the shear strength of loess disturbed and its micromechanisms from the perspective of the dry–wet cycle (especially involving soluble salt erosion). In this paper, the correlation between micro-structural shear functional units and macroscopic degradation behavior was established by combining the changes in physicochemical properties of mass loss, surface cracking, strength deterioration, and structural disturbance of the loess with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microscopic images in different dry–wet cycles and different salt contents. Results revealed that with the increase in dry–wet cycles and salt content, the mass loss of soil deteriorated and the surface crack rate increased. The cohesion of soil showed an overall decreasing trend, which decreased more obviously in the early stage of the dry–wet cycle, followed by a slow decrease, and tended to be constant after nine dry–wet cycles. However, the internal friction angle increased and then decreased during the whole cycle, and its value generally changed little. According to the deterioration and decay of shear strength, it can be concluded that the structural disturbance of loess increased with the increase in dry–wet cycles and salt content. At the same time, further linear quantization fitting of the structural disturbance parameters showed that the structural parameters had a positive correlation with salt content and a power function with dry–wet cycles, where dry–wet cycles seemed to play a dominant role in the loess structural deterioration rather than salt content. The microscopic study demonstrates that the dry–wet cycles and salt content do not directly affect the cohesion and internal friction angle of soil but change the basic shear structural unit of aggregate and then cause an essential impact on c and φ, which in turn have an essential impact on soil strength attenuation. This paper not only helps to elucidate the essence of water–soil–salt structural interactions but also provides theoretical references for sustainable development research in environmental engineering, geological engineering, and other related fields.

4th International Conference on Green Environmental Engineering and Technology (ICONGEET2022) November 17-18, 2022 · Seoul, South Korea

Preface The 4th International Conference on Green Environmental Engineering and Technology (IConGEET 2022) was a hybrid conference and physically took place in Seoul, Korea on 17-18th November 2022. IConGEET2022 was jointly organised with the 4th International Conference on Green Engineering and Technology (IConGeTech2022). The conference was organized by the Sustainable Environmental Research Group (SERG), Centre of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology (CEGeoGTech), Universiti Malaysia Perlis. The conference received international and local collaboration, support and participation from the National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection (INCDPM) Romania, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam as well as local universities in Malaysia.It brought together researchers, practitioners, engineers and students worldwide in hope to extend networking, integrate knowledge and exchange ideas among participants. This year, the theme “Driven Technologies toward Sustainable Environment” is driving exciting breakthroughs to help sustaining our planet. Overcoming the engineering challenges of high performance, interoperability and security is critical to delivering next-generation solutions for decreasing emissions, minimizing waste and preventing pollution. Over 70 distinguish researchers, practitioners, engineers and students from across the country have presented their current and intriguing research in the scope of civil and environmental technologies and management, which evolved around five major areas: water and wastewater technology, green technology, air pollution and climate change, environmental management and protection as well as environmental sustainability and development.The conference has gained incredible success due to collective efforts from the organizing committees, the co-organizers, the reviewers, presenters, and all participants. We would like to thank all the reviewers involved in ensuring each contributed paper were refereed and accepted based on interests, relevance, innovation and pure contribution towards environmental engineering and technology fields. Putting together, the success of the conference is a team effort. I am grateful to all the committee members who worked very hard to make this event a successful one. Finally special thanks go to the Universiti Malaysia Perlis for the continuous support throughout the conference event.List of Editors, Organisers, Committee, Organizing & Technical Committee are available in the pdf.

Toxicity assessment of sanitary landfill leachate before and after Fenton treatment process

Sanitary landfills are widely accepted and promoted as the environmentally friendly way to properly dispose of solid waste. However, a harmful aspect is the leachate generation and management, which are currently recognized as one of the greatest challenges in the environmental engineering field. Due to the high leachate recalcitrance, Fenton treatment has been accepted as a viable and efficient treatment process, which significantly reduces the organic matter: 91 % of COD; 72 % of BOD5; and 74 % of DOC. However, the acute toxicity of leachate must be assessed, mainly after the Fenton process, with the view of performing a low-cost biological post-treatment of the effluent. Despite the high redox potential, degrading 185 organic chemicals compounds identified in raw leachate, the present work reports a removal efficiency of almost 84 %, counting 156 organic compounds removed, and almost 16 % of persistent compounds. After Fenton treatment, 109 organic compounds were identified, beyond the persistent fraction of almost 27 %, wherein 29 organic compounds remained unchanged after Fenton treatment, counting 80 new short chain and lower complexity organic compounds formed. Despite the biogas production ratio increase (3–6 times), and significant enhancement of the biodegradable fraction susceptible to oxidation in respirometric test, a higher reduction in the oxygen uptake rate (OUR) was identified after Fenton treatment due to persistent compounds and their bioaccumulation. Additionally, the D. magna bioindicator parameter indicated that treated leachate is three times more toxic than raw leachate.

Bioaugmentation of woodchip bioreactors by Pseudomonas nicosulfuronedens D1-1 with functional species enrichment

A novel heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) bacterium D1-1 was identified as Pseudomonas nicosulfuronedens D1-1. Strain D1-1 removed 97.24%, 97.25%, and 77.12% of 100 mg/L NH4+-N, NO3−-N, and NO2−-N, with corresponding maximum removal rates of 7.42, 8.69, and 7.15 mg·L−1·h−1, respectively. Strain D1-1 bioaugmentation enhanced woodchip bioreactor performance with an average NO3−-N removal efficiency of 93.8%. Bioaugmentation enriched N cyclers along with increased bacterial diversity and predicted genes for denitrification, DNRA (dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium), and ammonium oxidation. It also reduced local selection and network modularity from 4.336 to 0.934, resulting in predicted nitrogen (N) cycling genes shared by more modules. These observations suggested that bioaugmentation could enhance the functional redundancy to stabilize the NO3−-N removal performance. This study provides insights into the potential applications of HN-AD bacteria in bioremediation or other environmental engineering fields, relying on their ability to shape bacterial communities.

Intelligent Fuzzy Models: WM, ANFIS, and Patch Learning for the Competitive Forecasting of Environmental Variables

This paper focuses on the application of fuzzy modeling methods in the field of environmental engineering. Since predicting meteorological data is considered to be a challenging task, the current work aimed to assess the performance of various fuzzy models on temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed forecasting. The models studied were taken from the fuzzy systems literature, varying from well-established to the most recent methods. Four cases were considered: a Wang–Mendel (WM)-based fuzzy predictive model, an adaptive network fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), a fuzzy system ensemble, and patch learning (PL). The prediction systems were built from input/output data without any prior information, in a model-free approach. The ability of the models to display high performance on complex real datasets, provided by the National Observatory of Athens, was demonstrated through numerical studies. Patch learning managed to not only display a similar approximation ability to that of strong machine learning models, such as support vector machines and Gaussian processes, but also outperform them on the highly demanding problem of wind speed prediction. More accurately, as far as wind speed prediction is concerned, patch learning produced a 0.9211 root mean squared error for the training data and a value of 0.9841 for the testing data. The support vector machine provided a 0.9306 training root mean squared error and a 0.9891 testing value. The Gaussian process model resulted in a 0.9343 root mean squared error for the training data and a value of 0.9861 for the testing data. Finally, as shown by the numerical experiments, the fuzzy system ensemble exhibited the highest generalisation performance among all the intelligent models.