Chemical Oxygen Demand Removal Rate Research Articles

Catalytic ozone oxidation performance of Fe-Ce@γ-Al2O3 in reverse osmosis concentrate treatment

The reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) produced in the process of textile wastewater treatment has a high salt content, posing a significant environmental threat. In this study, catalytic ozone oxidation was used to treat ROC, which initially had a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 127.38 mg/L. The Fe-Ce@γ-Al2O3 catalysts had the best performance under the Fe/Ce doping ratio of 3:1, calcination temperature of 500 °C with calcination time of 4 h. SEM and XRD analyses confirmed the successful loading of Fe and Ce on γ-Al2O3. The catalytic ozone oxidation conditions were optimized by the response surface method (RSM). Under the optimal reaction conditions (catalyst dosage of 139.07 g/L, ozone ventilation rate of 1.65 L/min, and initial pH of 9.86), the actual COD removal rate reached 89.21 %. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy was used to analyze the degradation mechanism of dissolved organic matter (DOM) during the treatment of ROC. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum (3DEEM) results demonstrated the obvious degradation of DOM in ROC after the catalytic ozone oxidation treatment. The COD removal rate remained at approximately 80 % after 10 recycles, indicating that the Fe-Ce@γ-Al2O3 catalyst had good catalytic stability and reusability. In summary, the Fe-Ce@γ-Al2O3 catalysts demonstrate sustained practical effectiveness and high catalytic efficiency, making them suitable for the treatment of ROC.

Application of electrochemical flow-through oxidation technology in the treatment of concentrated water from nanofiltration and reverse osmosis in the coal chemical industry

In the coal chemical industry, the concentrated waters produced by nanofiltration and reverse osmosis are usually evaporated and crystallized. During the evaporation crystallization process, high COD levels can lead to problems such as the entrainment of liquid droplets and excessive amounts of mother liquor. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop efficient, stable, and engineering-applicable organic matter degradation technologies before the evaporation crystallization process. In this study, Ti-ENTA/SnO2-Sb and GF-5 were combined as cathodes to form an electrochemical flow-through oxidation system to treat nanofiltration concentrate (NFCs) and reverse osmosis concentrate (ROCs). The experimental results show that within the current density range of 10–20 mA·cm−2, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates of NFCs and ROCs are 55.3 %–85.2 % and 49.9 %–93.6 %, respectively. And the oxidation system can be used stably for a long time, fully meeting the practical application needs. In addition, this article further analyzed the effects of current density, initial organic matter concentration, pH value, and electrode spacing on COD removal. The results indicate that the COD removal efficiency is mainly affected by current density and initial organic matter concentration. Finally, a comprehensive comparison was made on the efficiency and cost of various advanced oxidation technologies in treating wastewater. The results indicate that the electrochemical flow-through oxidation system has significant cost advantages. The cost of processing NFCs and ROCs per cubic meter is $0.96 and $1.23, respectively. These findings indicate that the electrochemical flow-through oxidation system proposed is an advanced oxidation technology with economic benefits and practical application prospects.

Study on the characteristics of cavitation and COD removal of an addendum rotational hydrodynamic cavitation reactors

AbstractThis paper presented an addendum rotational hydrodynamic cavitation reactors (ARHCR) that enabled circumferential shear cavitation, axial cavitation, and the Venturi effect, thus increasing cavitation efficiency. The experiments on hydroxyl (·OH) release and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal demonstrate the feasibility of cavitation performance characterization and COD removal rate. The findings indicate that the COD removal rate can reach a maximum value of 28% or 30% with an increase in flow rate or rotating speed, respectively. Specifically, the maximum values were achieved at a rotation speed of 2,500 rpm or a flow rate of 1.0 m3·h−1. Based on the mechanism of the addendum cavitation, the wedge angles, and the crucial structural parameters, were examined for optimizing cavitation performance. The results revealed that the cavitation number and cavitation bubble were significantly influenced by wedge angles, as well as the efficiency of cavitation energy. The mechanical shear of fluid was enhanced by wedge angles, resulting in constant compression and release of fluid with increased kinetic energy. This led to stronger effects on bulge blocks, and the formation of vortexes that rebounded constantly, resulting in lower pressure areas and expanded regions of cavitation. Among the wedge angles tested, the wedge angle of 15° exhibited the highest cavitation bubbles with a maximum value of 46%. This was 31% higher than the grooves‐type cavitator reported. Furthermore, the cavitation performance was extremely improved with a wedge angle of 15°, as corresponding with the maximum efficiency of cavitation energy. These explorations provide references for the removal of COD in industrial and agricultural wastewater, as well as the development of novel reactors for wastewater treatment.

Light Intensity Effects on Bioproduct Recovery from Fuel Wastewater Using Purple Phototrophic Bacteria in a Hybrid Biofilm-Suspended Growth System.

This research looked at how three different light intensities (1600, 4300, and 7200 lx) affect the biomass development, treatment of fuel synthesis wastewater and the recovery of valuable bioproducts between biofilm and suspended growth in a purple-bacteria enriched photobioreactor. Each condition was run in duplicate using an agricultural shade cloth as the biofilm support media in a continuously mixed batch reactor. The results showed that the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate (56.8 ± 0.9%) was found under the highest light intensity (7200 lx), which also led to the most biofilm formation and highest biofilm biomass production (1225 ± 95.7 mg). The maximum carotenoids (Crts) and bacteriochlorophylls (BChls) content occurred in the suspended growth of the 7200 lx reactor. BChls decreased with light intensity in suspended growth, while in biofilm both Crts and BChls were relatively stable between light conditions, likely due to an averaging effect as biofilm thickened at higher light intensity. Light intensity did not affect protein content of the biomass, however, biofilm showed a lower average (41.2% to 43.7%) than suspended biomass (45.4% to 47.7%). For polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) the highest cell concentration in biofilm occurred at 1600 lx (11.4 ± 2.4%), while for suspended growth it occurred at 7200 lx (22.7 ± 0.3%), though total PHB productivity remained similar between reactors. Shading effects from the externally located biofilm could explain most variations in bioproduct distribution. Overall, these findings suggest that controlling light intensity can effectively influence the treatment of fuel synthesis wastewater and the recovery of valuable bioproducts in a biofilm photobioreactor.

Synergistic Modification of Ti/PbO2 Electrodes with Metal Ions (Nd, Al, Bi) and STAB Surfactant for Electrocatalytic Treatment of Desulfurization Wastewater

In this study, PbO2 electrodes are modified by co-doping with different metallic elements (Nd, Al, Bi) and stearyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (STAB) using the electrodeposition method. The modified electrodes, designated as Ti/PbO2-Nd-STAB, Ti/PbO2-Al-STAB, and Ti/PbO2-Bi-STAB, are then applied in the electrochemical degradation of desulfurization wastewater. The surface morphology, crystal structure, and elemental valence of the prepared electrodes are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Their electrochemical performance and stability are assessed by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and accelerated life testing (ALT). The results reveal that modification with metallic elements and STAB significantly enhances the physicochemical and electrocatalytic performance of the Ti/PbO2 electrode. Among the modified electrodes, the Ti/PbO2-Nd-STAB electrode exhibits the most compact and homogeneous surface morphology, the highest oxygen evolution potential (OEP, 2.33V vs. SCE), the lowest chlorine evolution potential (CEP, 1.44V vs. SCE), the largest electrochemically active surface area, the lowest charge transfer resistance, the highest electrochemical stability, and a prolonged accelerated life (65h, which is 17h longer than that of the unmodified electrode). Further, the optimal electrochemical oxidation process parameters for desulfurization wastewater are determined as follows: current density = 50mA/cm2, temperature = 35 ℃, electrode spacing = 3.0cm, and stirring rate = 300rpm. After 300min of electrolysis, the Ti/PbO2-Nd-STAB electrode achieves a Cl− removal rate of 86.9% and a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 71.2%. After 10 cycles, the Cl− and COD removal rates decrease by 2.8% and 1.8%, respectively. Besides, Tafel curve analysis indicates that the chlorine evolution reaction follows the Volmer-Tafel mechanism, with the recombination of adsorbed Cl− ions on the surface oxidation film being the rate-determining step. Overall, the Ti/PbO2-Nd-STAB anode exhibits immense application potential in the treatment of desulfurization wastewater.

Olive mill wastewater treatment using coagulation/flocculation and filtration processes

Olive mill wastewater (OMWW), a pollutant resulting from the olive oil industry, poses a serious ecological challenge due to its high pollution load. This effluent is highly concentrated in chemical oxygen demand (COD), which is 200 times higher than that of sewage wastewater. Moreover, OMWW is characterized by a strong acidity, high content of fatty matter, and high concentration of phenolic compounds.In this study, coagulation/flocculation and filtration processes were investigated in order to decrease the pollution load of OMWW for potential reuse in olive orchard irrigation. First, two successive coagulation/flocculation steps were applied to a centrifuged OMWW. Lime and aluminum sulfate (alum) were used as coagulants by testing different concentrations in order to select optimal conditions. Then, the efficiency of various filtration systems using activated carbon and/or natural materials (olive stones, olive leaves, sand, celite, and gravel) was tested. pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total solid (TS), and COD were measured before and after each treatment step (coagulation or filtration). Five phenolic compounds were monitored before and after applying the selected treatment steps under optimal conditions. The quantification and valorization of the sludge derived from coagulation/flocculation were also performed.During the first coagulation/flocculation step, the results showed that the application of 8 g/L of lime combined with 7 g/L of alum allows the removal rates for EC, TS, and COD of approximately 10%, 41%, and 48%, respectively. While the application of 5 g/L of lime and 4 g/L of alum during the second coagulation/flocculation step allows for lower reductions rates for TS (37%) and higher reduction rates for COD (67%). In addition, the resulting sludge showed its potential usage as a solid alternative fuel with a calorific value of 3295.79 cal/g. Moreover, filtration using activated carbon and gravel was found to be the optimum filtration system. The reduction rates were 51%, 37%, and 26% for EC, TS, and COD, respectively.Finally, the combination of coagulation/flocculation and filtration allows the substantial elimination of the studied phenolic compounds with global reduction yields of 97% for vanillyl alcohol, 92% for tyrosol, and 91% for vanillic acid and p-coumaric acid.Besides, Mediterranean countries are suffering from water shortages and the majority of olive mill trituration units are known for their artisanal types thus facing economic challenges. This research suggests a practical treatment process and the final effluent can be used to irrigate olive orchards at a rate of 170 m3 per hectare.

Experimental study on the treatment of high COD metal degreasing cleaning wastewater by coagulation and two-stage Fenton oxidation

ABSTRACT In this study, based on the water quality characteristics of metal degreasing cleaning wastewater, wastewater treatment by coagulation combined with two-stage Fenton oxidation was proposed. The results showed that when the dosage of polyaluminium chloride (PAC) was 5 g/L and the dosage of cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) was 8 mg/L, with an initial pH of 8, rapid stirring at 350 rpm for 3 min followed by slow stirring at 200 rpm for 15 min, the optimal removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in metal degreasing cleaning wastewater reached 74.08%. Primary Fenton oxidation is mainly aimed at decomposing macromolecular long-chain pollutants and removing some pollutants. The highest COD removal rate was achieved at 95.07% when the dosage of H2O2 was 4 mol/L, the dosage of FeSO4 was 40 g/L, the oxidation lasted for 60 min, the initial pH was 2, the effluent pH was 8, and the settling time was 90 min. The two-stage Fenton oxidation process provided further advanced treatment. With a reagent ratio of 1:0.5, the effluent COD concentration was reduced to 457 mg/L, meeting the third-class standard of the ‘Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard’ (GB 8978 − 1996).

Electrochemistry enhanced multi-stage biological contact oxidation treating sulfamethoxazole wastewater: Performance, degradation pathway and microbial community

Clean and economical techniques are in urgent need for improving antibiotics removal from wastewater. In this study, a multi-stage bio-contact oxidation reactor (BCOR) was constructed and further enhanced by electrochemistry to treat sulfamethoxazole (SMX) wastewater. The stimulatory effects of the electrochemistry were investigated together with the succession of microbial communities as well as the possible conversion pathways of SMX. The results showed that the SMX and chemical oxygen demand removal rates reached up to 92.96 ± 0.62 % and 91.42 ± 0.82 % at electric current density of 2.0 mA/cm2. Electrochemistry enhancement induced bone cleavage and oxidation transformation pathways of SMX while reduced the toxicity of degrading intermediates. Moreover, electrochemistry enhancement stimulated the growth of Klebsiella and Rhodobacter as well as the fermentation, chemoheterotrophy and aerobic_chemoheterotrophy functions which further promoted the SMX removal. This study revealed the biochemical removal mechanisms of SMX degradation and manifested the feasibility of combing electrochemistry with BCOR to treat antibiotics wastewater with low energy consumption.

Preparation and performance of catalyst for organic peroxide wastewater treatment

To improve the oxidation pretreatment efficiency of wastewater from organic peroxides, a catalyst (CeO2-C catalyst) was developed using the calcination method with ceramic particles as the support. The crystalline structure and elemental composition of the CeO2-C catalyst were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). This study explored the effects of CeO2 mass ratio, calcination temperature, and calcination time on the performance of the catalyst. The optimal preparation conditions were established through orthogonal experiments. Additionally, the synergistic effect of the catalyst on the ozone oxidation treatment of peroxide wastewater was investigated. The results indicated that the optimal preparation parameters were a CeO2 mass ratio of 4 %, a calcination temperature of 500 °C, and a duration of 5 h, respectively. After five cycles of reuse, the catalytic activity slightly decreased but remained relatively stable. With an ozone flow rate of 6 L/min, the CeO2-C/ozone catalytic oxidation process achieved a Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal rate of 28.11 % in wastewater, and the B/C (the ratio of BOD concentration to COD concentration) of wastewater improved from 0.093 to 0.152. The calcination method proved effective for preparing the CeO2-C catalyst, which demonstrated significant catalytic performance and held promising application prospects in the oxidation pretreatment of organic peroxide wastewater.

Enhancing microbial fuel cell performance with free-standing three-dimensional N-doped porous carbon anodes

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) utilize microorganisms as catalysts to transform the chemical energy to electrical power. However, the practical application of MFCs is currently impeded by low power output, which is caused by insufficient microbial colonization on the anode, slow extracellular electron transfer at the microbe-anode interface, and low oxygen reduction reaction catalytic efficiency at the cathode. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous anode of Carbonization-CTS-MF/rGOtempreture (CCMF/rGOT) by pyrolyzing crosslinked composite of melamine formaldehyde resin (MF), chitosan (CTS) and graphene oxide (GO). The macroporous anode provides a biocompatible surface for exoelectrogens and 3D electron transfer pathways. In addition, an appropriate balance of graphitic-N and pyrrolic-N content optimizes both conductivity and the number of active sites, thereby synergistically enhancing extracellular electron transfer (EET) efficiency. Therefore, the power density of CCMF/rGO1000 anode is 11.28 W/m3, which surpasses the CCMF1000 anode without 3D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) conductive network (10.04 W/m3), and traditional carbon cloth anode (4.36 W/m3). Moreover, the anode runs stably for more than 200 days with a maximum operating voltage of 0.69 V, which achieves chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 95.4 %. This work provides a promising strategy to prepare a free-standing 3D anode with enriched exoelectrogens and enhanced EET to improve the MFCs performance.

Simplification and simulation of evaluation process for low efficiency constructed wetlands based on principal component analysis and machine learning

The existing performance evaluation process of constructed wetlands (CWs) is complex, with shortcomings in both simplification of method and construction of simulation model, especially for low-efficiency CWs (LECWs, with an average close-degree calculated by the entropy weight method being <0.6). This study presents a case study of LECWs in the Ningxia region (comprising 13 subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SSF CWs) and 7 surface flow constructed wetlands (SF CWs)), employs the entropy weight method (EWM) to construct an evaluation of CW operational efficiency, simplifies evaluation indicators through principal component analysis (PCA), develops two random forest (RF) models to validate the rationality of the simplified indicators, and establishes simulation models by logistic regression (LR). The results demonstrate that the evaluation indicators of CWs can be simplified to chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN), with no significant difference observed between the evaluation results and the original model (P < 0.05), thereby indicating reliability. Moreover, the simulation model performs well with R2 values for fitting SSF CWs and SF CWs exceeding 0.8. According to the simulated results of the model, the operational efficiency of LECWs is more significantly affected by the COD removal rates compared to the TN removal rates. In comparison to influent with 0 < COD/TN < 3 and 5 < COD/TN < 8, the operational efficiency of SSF CWs and SF CWs is optimal when COD/TN is between 3 and 5. These research findings may provide valuable support for streamlining evaluation processes and daily management for LECWs.

A Novel Algal–Algal Microbial Fuel Cell for Enhanced Chemical Oxygen Demand Removal

To enhance the removal of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) by microalgae, this study constructed a novel microalgae–microalgae microbial fuel cell system (AA-MFC). It investigated the coupling relationship between the COD treatment efficiency at the anode and the production of high-value microalgal products at the cathode, as well as explored the effects of different initial inoculum densities and light–dark cycles. The experiment first measured the operational performance of the newly constructed AA-MFC in open-circuit and closed-circuit modes, demonstrating that this novel AA-MFC could start up rapidly within 32 h and operate stably. The results showed that the AA-MFC enhanced the removal of COD and the growth of microalgae biomass at the anode while maintaining stable power generation. When the initial inoculation density of the anode was 1.2 × 108 cell/cm2 and the light–dark cycle time was 18:6 h, the AA-MFC had the most obvious promoting effect on the COD removal of the anode. Compared with normal culture conditions, the COD removal rate increased by 26.0% to 96.1%. These results indicate that the AA-MFC can not only effectively remove pollutants, but also promote the accumulation of high-value microalgae biomass.

Treatment of high-concentration semi-coke wastewater by phenolic condensation and persulfate oxidation

In this study, the combined process of phenolic condensation-persulfate(PS) advanced oxidation was adopted to treat semi-coking wastewater. Using the phenolic condensation method as a pretreatment unit to remove phenolic substances for the preparation of phenol-formaldehyde resins, and using an aerated/PS/pyrite oxidation system as a deep treatment unit to remove chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) from the wastewater. Analysis and characterization of phenol-formaldehyde resin, organic compounds in wastewater, and pyrite using FT-IR, TG-DTG, GC-MS, and XPS techniques. The results showed that under the conditions of adding 1.8vt % formaldehyde, pH 10.5, reaction temperature 95 ℃ and reaction time 3 h, the removal rates of volatile phenol, COD and NH3-N in semi-coke wastewater were 97.54 %, 41.14 % and 56.50 %, and the yield of phenolic resin was 6.62 g/L. Subsequently, treated with an aerated/PS/pyrite system, the PS concentration 0.4 mol/L, the pyrite dosage 15 g/L, the pH 3, the temperature 65 ℃, and the aeration 3 h, the removal rates of COD and NH3-N are 99.20 % and 86.80 %. In the phenolic condensation process, phenolic substances in semi-coke wastewater generate phenoxy anions under the influence of OH-, which undergo addition reactions with formaldehyde to produce hydroxymethyl phenol. Hydroxymethyl phenol further undergoes condensation reactions with other phenolic substances and itself to form phenolic resin, while amide compounds are generated through reactions between ammonia nitrogen and carboxylic acid substances. In the aeration/PS/pyrite system, Fe2+ released from pyrite oxidation activates PS to produce SO4•− and O2•−. The contribution of free radical oxidation and decomposition of pollutants such as phenols, amides, and NH3-N in wastewater is 84.60 %. Specifically, SO4•− oxidation contributes 61.54 %, while O2•− accounts for 22.21 %. Amide compounds and phenolic substances in the wastewater are oxidized, leading to ring opening and chain scission, resulting in the formation of alkane compounds.

Effect of plant species on wastewater treatment performance of a subsurface vertical-flow constructed wetland with step-feeding at low temperature

To improve the treatment performance of constructed wetlands under low-temperature conditions, this study investigated the effects of plant species on wastewater treatment performance at low temperature and the associated microbiological characteristics in a subsurface vertical-flow constructed wetland (VFCW) with step-feeding. The results showed that the redox microenvironment in the VFCW filter with step-feeding could be restored and optimized by planting appropriate species that can tolerate low temperature, ensuring a high nitrification performance for the system. Correspondingly, the abundance and activity of three functional microbes (namely nitrifiers, denitrifiers, and anammox bacteria) increased to different degrees in the system, eventually ensuring ideal nitrogen removal by the VFCW. Compared with the VFCW planted with Phragmites australis and Acorus gramineus, the operation performance of the VFCW planted with Iris wilsonii could be recovered at low temperature, and its chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and ammonium nitrate removal rates could respectively reach 95.7%, 99.2%, 93.0%, and 94.4%, respectively. Moreover, nitrogen removal in the system relied on the nitrification/denitrification and partial denitrification - anaerobic ammonium oxidation processes. Nitrosomonas, Nitrospira, Thauera, and Candidatus Brocadia were the four dominant bacterial genera in the filter layer.

Experimental study on surface optimization of dosage in magnetic coagulation process for enhancing primary treatment of urban sewage

This work aims to investigate the minimum dosage required to achieve optimal removal of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the Chemical Enhanced Primary Treatment (CEPT) process using magnetic coagulation technology. A response surface methodology was adopted to generate multiple regression models to optimize the dosages of three types of coagulation, i.e., polyaluminum chloride (PAC), polyacrylamide (PAM), and magnetic medium Fe3O4 particles (MP), based on the removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and total phosphorus (TP). The results showed that the regression models could predict results well with actual engineering results. Compared to the traditional coagulation process, the synergistic enhancement of PAC+PAM+MP in the CEPT process significantly improved the treatment effects. Based on the COD removal rates, PAC performed better than MP, followed by PAM; likewise, for the NH3-N and TP removal rates, PAC outperformed PAM, followed by MP. The optimized PAC, PAM, and MP dosages were 135.87, 1.51, and 108.36 mg/L, respectively, reaching 92.27 % COD, 71.98 % NH3-N, and 91.33 % TP removal rates with less than 5 % errors compared to the experimental verification results. These optimization models offer a practical and cost-saving reference for enhancing the primary treatment effect on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus removal using PAC+PAM+MP.

Chemical structure dependent electrochemical degradation of antibiotics using Boron-doped Diamond Electrodes

The electrochemical degradation of Amoxicillin (AMOX), Ciprofloxacin (CIP), and Streptomycin (STR) utilizing Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes (BDD) was explored under varying levels of applied electrical current density and initial buffer acidity. These pharmaceuticals were carefully selected to showcase the efficiency of electrochemical oxidation across different major chemical structure antibiotic families. The results demonstrated a positive correlation between higher applied current density and the elimination of antibiotics, as well as enhanced chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate. However, a negative impact was observed on the specific energy consumption (SEC). Notably, the highest antibiotics and COD removal efficiencies, along with the lowest SEC, were achieved at an applied current density of 45 mA/cm2. Furthermore, the investigation highlighted the significant influence of the chemical structure of the selected antibiotics on their degradation process. At a current density of 15 mA/cm2 and after 24 minutes of treatment, the degradation order was found to be AMOX > CIP > STR, with respective antibiotic removal efficiencies of 98.5 %, 87.8 %, and 81.1 %. Similarly, after 90 minutes of treatment, the COD degradation efficiency followed the order AMOX (50.4 %) > CIP (47.3 %) > STR (44.6 %), accompanied by decreasing levels of specific energy consumption, measuring 59, 61, and 67 kWh/kg COD, respectively, with an average current efficiency of 23–26 %. The pH had a significant effect on the streptomycin degradation rate, while it had a negligible impact on the degradation rate of ciprofloxacin. These findings shed light on the critical role of the pharmaceuticals' chemical structures and environmental conditions in governing the efficiency of their electrochemical degradation.

Application of multi index comprehensive evaluation method in the selection of wastewater treatment processes

The study comprehensively evaluates various wastewater treatment processes by using Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify the optimal method for wastewater treatment. To conduct this evaluation, six key indicators were identified and used for assessment: five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) removal rate, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate, ammonia nitrogen removal rate, total nitrogen removal rate, total phosphorus removal rate, and suspended solid removal rate. Initially, GRA was employed to calculate the grey relational degree of each treatment process based on the weights of the indicators, and the treatment processes were then ranked and analyzed according to these degrees. Subsequently, AHP was applied to construct a judgment matrix, determine the weights of each indicator, and ensure the matrix's rationality through consistency testing. The study reveals significant differences in the performance of various wastewater treatment processes among the indicators, with the Modified A2/O+AO process showing the highest comprehensive performance in the evaluation. The findings provide a scientific basis for improving efficiency, reducing pollution, and guiding policy and technological development.

Comprehensive analysis reveals the differentiated influential mechanism of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics on core microbial metabolisms and functional genes in an adsorption-biological coupling wastewater treatment system

The effects of different types of microplastics (MPs) on the wastewater treatment efficiency of an adsorption-biological coupling system were investigated. The distribution of the microbial community and metabolic pathways in the coupled system were also analyzed. Biodegradable polybutylene succinate microplastics (PBS MPs) were added to reactor A, while non-biodegradable polystyrene microplastics (PS MPs) was added to reactor B. The average chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates in reactor A with 0, 50, and 100 mg/L of MPs were 95.34 %, 89.13 %, and 86.08 %, respectively; the average COD removal rates in reactor B were 96.84 %, 88.43 %, and 87.02 %, respectively. The average total phosphorus (TP) removal rates in reactor A were 74.14 %, 38.94 %, and 36.45 %, respectively, while those in reactor B were 71.73 %, 39.50 %, and 33.09 %, respectively. In the two reactors, Proteobacteria had the highest relative abundance (53 %–62 %), followed by Actinobacteria. PS MPs inhibited the expression of quorum sensing genes by influencing SecA and SecY. Horizontal transfer genes illustrated that both MPs led to up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related functional genes. During glycolysis, the abundances of glucokinase (GLK), pyruvate kinase (PK), and phosphofructokinase (PFK) in reactor A were 0.0179 %, 0.0133 %, and 0.0387 % higher than that in reactor B, respectively. Meanwhile, in nitrogen metabolism, the abundance of key genes such as nasA (A: 40.8 % B: 37.9 %) was greater in reactor A than in reactor B.

Carbon capture characteristics and mechanisms of municipal wastewater treatment using coagulation-enhanced HRCS system

This study optimized coagulation in HRCS systems for municipal wastewater treatment, investigating coagulant dosage effects on carbon capture and microbial communities. Real wastewater testing in coagulation-enhanced HRCS (CE-HRCS) systems further revealed carbon capture efficiency and microbial mechanisms, enhancing resource utilization. The results demonstrated that with a coagulant dosage of 20 mg/L, the combined proportion of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, the pivotal bacteria for carbon capture, exceeded 90 %. This dosage achieved a maximum sludge extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content of 150 mg/g VSS and a carbon capture efficiency of 83 %. Upon transitioning to real municipal wastewater, while the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate slightly dipped to approximately 80 %, the carbon capture rate remained robust at 63 ± 2 %, down from 70 %. The EPS content stabilized at 138 ± 2 mg/g VSS, indicating a satisfactory carbon capture efficiency for practical municipal wastewater treatment. Moreover, the microbial population in the CE-HRCS system exhibited an increase in species richness and diversity. Although the proportion of Proteobacteria declined from 83 % to 62 %, the presence of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota increased, with carbon degradation-related functional bacteria continuing to dominate. This study offers valuable insights and new guidance for enhancing carbon capture from municipal wastewater using CE-HRCS technology.

Study of an electrochemical system with dual cathodes for the treatment of mariculture wastewater

The salinity properties of mariculture wastewater make it a suitable candidate for electrochemical treatment. In this study, an electro-Fenton synergistic electrocatalytic system was developed using a mixed metal oxide anode, often called Dimensionally Stable Anodes (DSA), and dual cathodes, an iron-carrying activated carbon sheet as the first cathode and a stainless-steel plate as the second cathode, to treat mariculture wastewater. The reaction conditions of the system were investigated and optimized. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate reached 100 % after 80 min under the optimal conditions: an applied voltage of 3.39 V, a plate spacing of 1.07 cm, and an aeration rate of 34.84 L·h−1. The system effectively removed COD and nitrogen from mariculture wastewater. Analyses using GC–MS, UV–visible spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the system could degrade macromolecular organic pollutants in the wastewater. Mechanistic studies revealed that active chlorine and hydroxyl radicals play crucial roles in pollutant removal. The dynamic operation study indicated that the optimal operating conditions included a vertical water flow direction through the electrodes, and a flow rate of 10 mL·min−1. The oxidant reuse experiment determined a reflux ratio of 1:1 and a reaction time of 60 min, achieving effluent COD and NH3-N concentrations that met the primary discharge standards. The study on residual chlorine removal showed that the input amount of sodium thiosulfate was 0.36 kg, with a treatment cost of 0.32 yuan per ton of water, and the treated effluent met the discharge standards. These results provide a reference for the industrial application of electrochemical methods in treating mariculture wastewater.