Wastewater Treatment Research Articles

The efficacy of wastewater treatment plant on removal of perfluoroalkyl substances and their impacts on the coastal environment of False Bay, South Africa

AbstractPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), which have their origins in both industrial processes and consumer products, can be detected at all treatment stages in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Quantifying the emissions of PFAS from WWTPs into the marine environment is crucial because of their potential impacts on receiving aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the levels of five PFAS were measured in both influent and effluent sewage water samples obtained from a municipal WWTP, the discharges of which flow into False Bay, on the Indian Ocean coast of Cape Town, South Africa. Additionally, seawater, sediment, and biota samples from eight sites along the False Bay coast were also analysed. Results showed high prevalence of PFAS in the different environmental matrices. Perfluorononanoic acid was most dominant in all these matrices with maximum concentration in wastewater, 10.50 ng/L; seawater, 18.76 ng/L; marine sediment, 239.65 ng/g dry weight (dw); invertebrates, 0.72–2.45 µg/g dw; seaweed, 0.36–2.01 µg/g dw. The study used the chemical fingerprint of five PFASs detected in WWTP effluents to track their dispersion across a large, previously pristine marine environment and examined how each chemical accumulated in different marine organisms. The study also demonstrates that primary and secondary wastewater treatment processes cannot fully remove such compounds. There is thus a need to improve effluent quality before its release into the environment and promote continuous monitoring focusing on the sources of PFAS, including their potential transformation products, their environmental fate and ecological risks, particularly in areas receiving effluents from WWTP.

Microalgae-Assisted Treatment of Wastewater Originating from Varied Sources, Particularly in the Context of Heavy Metals and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

The increasing prevalence of heavy metals and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater (WW) raises serious environmental and public health concerns. This study investigates the efficiency of the microalgal strain Chlorella vulgaris EV-465 in treating wastewater and evaluates the antibiotic resistance profile of bacterial strains obtained from WW samples. Chlorella vulgaris EV-465 was used to treat four types of wastewater—domestic, municipal, hospital, and industrial wastewater—through 21 days of incubation. The findings demonstrated pH stabilization and significant decreases in nutrients (total nitrogen—TN, total phosphorus—TP), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), heavy metal (HM) concentrations, and bacterial count. Copper (Cu) showed the highest reduction, decreasing by 80% in industrial wastewater within 14 days, while lead (Pb) proved more resistant to removal, with only a 50% decrease by day 21. Additionally, the algae decreased bacterial counts, lowering colony-forming units (Log CFU/mL) from 9.04 to 4.65 in municipal wastewater over the 21-day period. Antibiotic susceptibility tests for isolated bacterial strains revealed high levels of resistance, with seven out of nine bacterial strains exhibiting multidrug resistance. Notably, Enterococcus faecium (PBI08), Acinetobacter baumannii (YBH19), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NBH16) displayed resistance to all nine antibiotics tested. Among the tested antibiotics, Ciprofloxacin showed the highest efficacy, with 66% susceptibility of tested bacterial strains. Cluster and phylogenetic analyses showed that the majority of the isolated bacterial strains belonged to the genera Pseudomonas and Escherichia, highlighting their genetic diversity and varied resistance mechanisms.

‘Yes, we care’: pro-environmental social identity framing to promote acceptance of decentralized wastewater treatment systems

ABSTRACT Decentralized wastewater treatment systems can help mitigate the water crisis. Their successful implementation depends not only on their technological design but also on the level of public support. We aim to assess how a pro-environmental social identity framing in which we present a decentralized wastewater treatment system as an environmentally responsible neighborhood initiative may increase public support of these systems. Two experimental studies examined the impact of pro-environmental social identity framing on public acceptance of decentralized wastewater systems in Groningen (the Netherlands) (n = 92) and Santiago de Compostela (Spain) (n = 208). As expected, pro-environmental social identity framing increased public acceptance in both studies, irrespective of the extent to which people identify with their neighborhood. Specifically, participants in the pro-environmental social identity framing condition displayed more positive attitudes, more positive and less negative emotions, and higher voting intentions toward the decentralized wastewater systems compared to those in the control condition. These results suggest that connecting such systems to shared neighborhood identities can be an effective strategy for overcoming barriers to their implementation. Our study offers valuable insights for policymakers, community leaders, and environmental advocates to craft messages to promote the adoption of decentralized wastewater systems.

Adsorption Properties of Fishbone and Fishbone-Derived Biochar for Cadmium in Aqueous Solution

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in aquatic ecosystems is a serious global environmental issue. Biochar derived from agricultural wastes has recently attracted remarkable attention as it is used as an absorbent in combating heavy metal contamination of water bodies. In the present study, the absorption efficacy of fish bone (FBM) and fishbone-derived biochar prepared at 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, and 800 °C (referred to as B200, B400, B600, and B800, respectively) for the Cd ion (Cd2+) in aqueous solution was investigated. The results showed that high-temperature pyrolysis could optimize the pore structure and specific surface area of FBM, and Cd2+ successfully adsorbed onto FBM and fishbone-derived biochar. High-temperature pyrolysis significantly increased the FBM adsorption capacity for Cd2+ by 49.5–135.1%, with the optimal pyrolysis temperature being 600 °C. Furthermore, the kinetic data of FBM and fishbone-derived biochar for Cd2+ were in better alignment with the pseudo-second-order model, their adsorption isotherms were better in accordance with the Langmuir models, and the thermodynamic analysis showed that the adsorption process was monolayer and favorable adsorption. Moreover, the potential adsorption mechanisms of Cd2+ on FBM and fishbone-derived biochar might be related to pore filling, ion exchange, complexation with oxygen functional groups, and precipitation with the minerals on the biochar surface. Fishbone-derived biochar has significant potential for wastewater treatment and agricultural waste applications.

SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in US wastewater: Leading indicators and data variability analysis in 2023–2024

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) has become a powerful tool for assessing disease occurrence in communities. This study investigates the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in the United States during 2023–2024 using wastewater data from 189 wastewater treatment plants in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and pepper-mild mottle virus normalized SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration data were compared with COVID-19 hospitalization admission data at both national and state levels. We further investigate temporal features in wastewater viral RNA abundance, with peak timing and cross-correlation lag analyses indicating that wastewater SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations precede hospitalization admissions by 2 to 12 days. Lastly, we demonstrate that wastewater treatment plant size has a significant effect on the variability of measured SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations. This study highlights the effectiveness of WBE as a non-invasive, timely and resource-efficient disease monitoring strategy, especially in the context of declining COVID-19 clinical reporting.

Enhanced industrial wastewater monitoring: method development for non-target screening of highly polar substances using ZIC-HILIC-HRMS.

Non-target screening (NTS) plays a major role in the monitoring and management of water bodies. While the NTS of moderate to non-polar substances is well-established, the screening of highly polar chemicals remains challenging. In this study, a robust separation method for highly polar substances using zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (ZIC-HILIC-HRMS) was developed. This method was specifically designed for the NTS of industrial wastewater, with the objective of capturing a wide range of polar contaminants in each acquisition run. Method validation included assessing key parameters such as repeatability, reproducibility, linearity, and limit of detection (LOD). For repeatability and reproducibility, the average %RSD of intensity and retention time across all substances in different matrices-solvent, influent, and effluent-remained below 6% and 1%, respectively (n = 10). The method demonstrated good linearity (R2 > 0.99) for 75% of the substances, while LODs varied between 0.1 and 40µg/L depending on the compound tested. The method was then applied for NTS analysis of untreated wastewater at various locations within a chemical industrial park. Additionally, the overall influent and effluent of an industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were monitored over a 10-day period. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to interpret the data, identifying irregularities in the wastewater content. Moreover, the method demonstrated the WWTP's ability to achieve an average removal efficiency of approximately 90% for this category of substances in this period, while also detecting their degradation products in the effluent. Finally, the method was successfully integrated into the daily monitoring routine of the WWTP, ensuring continuous surveillance and improved management of wastewater treatment processes.

An Investigation of the Batch Adsorption Capacity for the Removal of Phosphate from Wastewater Using Both Unmodified and Functional Nanoparticle-Modified Biochars

One of the most widely employed methods for adsorption is the utilization of biochar produced during pyrolysis. Biochar has attracted considerable attention due to its oxygen-containing functional groups and relatively high specific surface area. In alignment with the principles of cleaner production, the sludge generated from sewage treatment plants is typically classified as waste. However, it can be effectively repurposed as an adsorbent following pyrolysis and subsequent nanoparticle modification. This environmentally friendly approach presents an ecological alternative to conventional water treatment methods. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of batch adsorption for the removal of phosphate from wastewater using both unmodified and modified sewage sludge biochars (SSBs) that were produced at various temperatures (300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C) and modified with zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI-SSB300, nZVI-SSB400, nZVI-SSB500, and nZVI-SSB600). The findings indicate that biochar modified with functional nanoparticles is a highly effective adsorbent for the removal of phosphate from wastewater. As demonstrated by the research results, the adsorption capacity of modified biochar is approximately 3 to 3.5 times greater than that of the unmodified variants. The phosphate removal efficiency with modified biochars was optimal with nZVI-SSB600. In experiments with a phosphate concentration (25 mg/L), the modified sorbent biochar exhibited an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 23.74 mg/g, translating to a phosphate removal efficiency of 60%. Under similar test conditions, at an initial phosphate concentration of 50 mg/L, the adsorption capacity improved to 25.67 mg/g (75% efficiency); at 75 mg/L, it reached 27.97 mg/g (80%); at 100 mg/L, it was 28.44 mg/g (85%); and at 125 mg/L, it achieved 29.48 mg/g (89%). The models confirmed the observed adsorption behavior, yielding a maximum phosphate adsorption capacity (qe) of 19.00 mg/g for the 600 °C pyrolysis of modified biochar at the primary phosphate concentration (25 mg/L). Furthermore, this study indicates that the influence of solution pH on phosphate adsorption remains stable and maximal (nZVI-SSB600, ranging from 16.87 to 20.46 mg/g) within the pH range of 3 to 8. On average, the modified biochar (nZVI-SSB) demonstrated 20 to 30% superior adsorption performance compared to the unmodified biochar (SSB). Additionally, significant differences were noted between various ambient temperatures, ranging from 5 °C to 25 °C. As the ambient temperature increased, the sorption capacity of the adsorbent exhibited a considerable improvement. With a primary concentration of phosphate (100 mg/g) at 5 °C, the adsorption capacity of nZVI-SSB600 was measured at 7.99 mg/g; this increased to 14.33 mg/g at 10 °C, 21.79 mg/g at 20 °C, and 28.44 mg/g at 25 °C. This research highlights the potential application of biochar in wastewater treatment for phosphate removal, simultaneously enabling the effective utilization of generated sewage sludge waste through pyrolysis and coating with zero-iron nanoparticles, resulting in a sustainable solution.

Multifunctional Copper Sulfide Urchin‐Like Nanostructures for Adsorption and Photocatalysis of Water Contaminants

AbstractWe reported here a one‐step chemical route to prepare nanocomposites comprising CuS nanophases supported on GO sheets with magnetic properties. The synthesis reported here combines such materials in single‐nanostructures that show morphological features well‐suited for wastewater treatment. The photocatalytic performance of CuS/GO nanocomposites was first investigated towards the removal of a common organic dye (rhodamine B) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), which is an antibiotic considered a water contaminant of emerging concern. The RhB and SMX adsorption efficiency of CuS/GO and Fe3O4/GO/CuS hybrids, as well as of CuS particles, was significantly higher than GO or Fe3O4/GO. Overall, the CuS‐based magnetic and CuS/GO hybrids have shown the capacity to uptake more than 80 % of RhB or SMX, after 120 minutes. Under blue‐led irradiation, almost complete degradation of RhB was achieved in the presence of CuS/Fe3O4/GO, after 180 minutes; and higher than 85 % degradation of SMX, after 240 minutes of irradiation. The photocatalytic behaviour of nanocomposites was best described by the first–order kinetic model, for which k values for degradation of RhB and SMX followed the order: CuS/Fe3O4/GO>CuS/GO>CuS. The tricomponent CuS/Fe3O4/GO can be easily recovered after use and be reused maintain their high photocatalytic performance, thus providing a sustainable and cost‐effective hybrid solution for water treatment.

Bioplastic’s Valorisation by Anaerobic Co-Digestion with WWTP Mixed Sludge

Bioplastics are designed to degrade at the end of their lifecycle, but effective management of their end-of-life phase and integration into existing organic waste management systems remain significant challenges. Some bioplastics decompose under anaerobic conditions, with the anaerobic digestion (AD) process being a potential solution for their disposal. AD is a promising technology for valorising organic wastes, enabling biomethane production, reducing carbon footprints, and promoting product circularity. This study focuses on evaluating the continuous co-digestion of bioplastics with mixed sludge from an urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was the selected bioplastic, as various studies have reported its high and rapid degradation under anaerobic mesophilic conditions. PHB’s biodegradability under typical WWTP anaerobic digestion conditions (35 °C, 20-day retention time) was assessed in batch tests and the results indicate that PHB degradation ranged from 68 to 75%, depending on particle size. To further explore the potential of AD for PHB valorisation, the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of PHB with WWTP sludge was tested on a continuous laboratory scale using two digesters: a conventional digester (CSTR) and an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). The results indicated complete degradation of PHB, which led to higher biomethanisation percentages in both digesters, rising from 58% to 70% in the AnMBR and from 44% to 72% in the CSTR. The notable increase observed in the CSTR was attributed to changes in microbial populations that improved sludge biodegradability.

Enrichment and catalysis effect of 2D/2D g-C3N4/Ti3C2 for promoting organic matter degradation and heavy metal reduction in plasma systems: Unveiling the promotion and redox mechanism.

This work proposes a novel plasma-assisted 2D/2D g-C3N4/Ti3C2 system for treatment of organics-heavy metals composite wastewater. Unlike traditional materials in plasma system, 2D/2D g-C3N4/Ti3C2 not only improved the mass transfer efficiency of plasma by gathering both reactive species and pollutants onto the surface, but also induced photocatalytic reactions. Besides, the higher specific surface area and faster carrier separation rate can enhance the oxidation and reduction activity, and then promoted organic matter degradation and heavy metal reduction. Remarkably, the removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Cr(VI) increased by 16.5% and 73.1% respectively when introducing 2D/2D g-C3N4/Ti3C2. Roles of·OH,·H,·O2-, 1O2, e-, and h+ in SMX oxidation and Cr(VI) reduction are clarified. The primary aggregated·OH and 1O2 dominate the degradation of SMX. The influencing factors, synergistic mechanism between plasma and catalyst, and redox mechanism were clarified. This work provides a breakthrough idea for treatment of organics-heavy metals composite wastewater.

Native microorganisms for sustainable dye biodegradation in wastewaters from jeans finishing.

The textile mill is one of the most water-consuming industries. Wastewater production is very high, and among the main generated pollutants are dyes. In particular, jeans finishing, which is performed all over the world, generates wastewater with indigo dye that has to be eliminated before discharge. This work studies the biological treatment of this type of wastewater using native microorganisms, i.e., without the need for external seed sludge to start-up the process. Two strategies for starting up the biological treatment using laboratory sequencing batch reactors have been compared: the addition of seed sludge from a biological reactor of a wastewater treatment plant and the non-addition of seed sludge, which means that native microorganisms (those in wastewater coming from the industry facilities) are responsible for COD and color degradation. Special attention is paid to biomass shift in both reactors, analyzing both bacterial and fungal populations. Results yielded more than 90% of COD and color removal after 25days in both reactors. MLSS increased in both reactors during the operation, reaching very similar values (around 1840mg/L). Rozellomycota was the predominant phylum in the reactors. Concerning bacteria, Planctomycetota abundance increased considerably in both reactors, which shows the important role of these bacteria in the treatment. It can be concluded that the lower bacterial diversity in the native population in comparison with the seeded sludge was shifting to a higher microbial diversity during the process, achieving a similar microbial population in reactors. It implies that it is not necessary to either work with isolated cultures or seeded sludge, which leads to a simpler and more sustainable solution for textile wastewater treatment in areas all over the world.

UTILIZATION OF CASSAVA PEEL AND CHITOSAN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEL AS A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR DOMESTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Water pollution is a significant environmental issue, especially in developing countries where domestic wastewater often contains a high concentration of pollutants, posing risks to public health and the environment. Hydrogel from cassava peel and chitosan shows promise as a bioadsorbent for domestic wastewater treatment, but its capacity and optimal production temperature have not been fully studied. The study aimed to investigate the characteristics of hydrogel from cassava peel and chitosan, the optimal temperature for hydrogel production, and the efficacy of hydrogel as a bioadsorbent for domestic wastewater treatment. The study involved four stages: cellulose isolation, hydrogel preparation, wastewater treatment experimentation, and data analysis. The results showed that chitosan hydrogel synthesized at 750C had superior efficiency, achieving an optimal outcome of 88% in the treatment of household wastewater using a triad of chitosan hydrogel pellets. The degree of cross-linking in chitosan hydrogel diminished with an increase in heating temperature

Exploring the Mechanism for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Oxytetracycline in Water using TiO2 and Supplementary Oxidants

The persistent presence of antibiotics in wastewater, exemplified by oxytetracycline (OTC), poses environmental risks, necessitating robust removal strategies. This study investigates the effectiveness of photocatalysis utilizing TiO2 (P25) treated at various temperatures, combined with different oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium peroxydisulfate (PDS), potassium peroxomonosulfate (PMS) under diverse experimental conditions. The research systematically explores the impact of temperature, pH, and oxidant concentration on the efficiency of OTC degradation. Our findings reveal that the combination of P25/500, PDS, UV irradiation, and stirring demonstrates superior OTC degradation, surpassing 99% efficiency after 180 min. Optimal pH conditions are identified, emphasizing the importance of balancing acidity for enhanced performance. The study also provides insights into the optimal PDS concentration, indicating a threshold beyond which further increases yield diminishing returns. Mechanistic understanding is enhanced through scavenger experiments, elucidating the pivotal role of reactive oxygen species, particularly O2•−, in the photocatalytic process. This research offers a practical framework for TiO2-based photocatalysis in wastewater treatment, emphasizing tailored conditions for efficient antibiotic removal. The outcomes contribute valuable insights to the development of sustainable wastewater treatment protocols targeting antibiotic pollutants.

Sequential anaerobic–intermittently aerated treatment of textile and domestic wastewater

Sequential anaerobic–intermittently aerated treatment of textile and domestic wastewater

Revolutionizing dairy waste: emerging solutions in conjunction with microbial engineering.

The dairy industry is grappling with significant challenges in managing effluent due to environmental concerns and stringent regulatory demands, necessitating innovative solutions. The paper investigates how microbial engineering is transforming the treatment of dairy wastewater, offering advanced methods to minimize environmental impact and enhance sustainability. It delves into the current challenges faced by the dairy industry, such as regulatory compliance and the limitations of traditional treatment technologies, and introduces microbial engineering as a promising solution for effluent management. Microbial engineering leverages genetic engineering techniques and microorganisms to enhance the efficiency of treatment processes like bioaugmentation and bioremediation. The environmental and economic benefits of microbial engineering, highlighting its potential to reduce pollution and lower operational costs for the dairy industry. The specific figures can vary based on factors like farm size and location, studies suggest that microbial engineering can reduce wastewater pollution by up to 50% and nutrient runoff by 30%. It also identifies key challenges and there are still areas including strains for specific pollutants (drugs, hormones), enhance degradation pathways, and increase microbes' stability (stress tolerance, long-term viability) that require further innovation to maximize its benefits. Through case studies and success stories, the paper demonstrates practical applications of microbial engineering in managing dairy effluent, illustrating how it can revolutionize industrial practices for a more sustainable future.

Constructed wetlands using recycled aggregates for the improved treatment of tailwater.

Recycled aggregates from the construction industry could be effective materials for constructed wetland (CW) wastewater treatment systems. However, whether the plants or which kinds of plants can survive in CWs with recycled aggregates or not is still scarce and urgent to study. The effects of different plant species, and several operation parameters on tailwater treatment from the sewage plants by CWs with different substrates (mixed construction recycled aggregate [MCRA], red brick [RB], and gravel) are systemically studied. The results showed that the average removal efficiencies of the chemical parameters in MCRA-CWs with seven plants, such as Cyperus alternifolius, were higher than those of RB-CWs and Gravel-CWs. In the MCRA-CWs, the average removal efficiencies of Typha orientalis, Cyperus alternifolius, and Phragmites australis were 77.58%, 75.09%, and 73.16%, respectively, which were higher than those of the other plants. Meanwhile, Proteobacteria had the highest relative abundances in MCRA and RB at 54.98% and 69.22%, respectively, whereas Cyanobacteria (35.21%) were the most abundant in the gravel. The influence of season on water purification was significant (p<0.05) in the MCRA. Overall, water quality purification was dependent on season, HRT, and C/N, which accounted for 86.1%, 13%, and 7.1%, respectively. The highest average removal efficiencies of the MCRA-CWs were 71.98% (COD), 85.58% (NH4+-N), 95.01% (TN), and 84.11% (TP) when the HRT was 3d and C/N ratio was 2.5 in the summer. This indicates that treated recycled construction aggregates could be used as substrates in CWs and have both wastewater purification and environmental improvement effects, thus achieving the purpose of "treating the wastes with wastes".

Occurrence, Fate, and Removal of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Small- and Large-Scale Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities in the United States

Occurrence, Fate, and Removal of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Small- and Large-Scale Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities in the United States

Numerical Prediction of Solid Particle Erosion in Jet Pumps Based on a Calibrated Model

Jet pumps are widely used in petrochemical processes, nuclear cooling, and wastewater treatment due to their simple structure, high reliability, and stable performance under extreme conditions. However, when transporting solid-laden two-phase flows, they face severe erosion problems, leading to reduced efficiency, malfunctions, or even failure. Therefore, optimizing jet pump performance and extending its service life is crucial. In this study, an experimental platform was established to conduct experiments on wall erosion in jet pumps. The CFD-DEM method was used to simulate the solid–liquid two-phase flow in the jet pump, comparing six erosion models for predicting erosion rates. The Grey Wolf Optimization algorithm was applied to calibrate model coefficients. The results indicate that the Neilson erosion model shows the best consistency with the experimental results. The inlet flow rate significantly influenced the erosion rates, while the flow rate ratio had a smaller effect. The particle concentration exhibited a nonlinear relationship with erosion, with diminishing impact beyond a certain threshold. As the factors varied, the erosion distribution tended to be uniform, but high erosion areas remained locally concentrated, indicating intensified localized erosion.

Application of Pan-Viral Metagenomic Sequencing on United States Air Force Academy Wastewater to Uncover Potential Causes of Acute Gastroenteritis.

Wastewater surveillance is an important technique to monitor public health and is being studied extensively for pandemic prevention, force health protection and readiness, and as a potential early warning system for chem-bio defense. Wastewater surveillance has traditionally relied on techniques such as quantitative PCR or targeted sequencing, both of which are microbe- or disease-specific tools. Newer pan-viral metagenomics strategies may provide higher specificity for pathogens of interest, resulting in a lower false negative rate and reduced sequencing of undesired background nucleic acids. One such system, VirCapSeq-VERT, has been developed to targetall vertebrate virus pathogens; until recently, its application has been limited to clinical samples. The objective of this study was to use VirCapSeq-VERT to interrogate wastewater samples from the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, Colorado, to determine its utility in assessing complex samples and its potential application in public health surveillance. Biweekly samples were analyzed from February 2022 through May 2023. Samples were collected from the wastewater treatment facility at USAFA before treatment and stored at -20 °C until total nucleic acid (tNA: DNA and RNA) extraction. tNA was then subject to the probe-based capture system, VirCapSeq, and run through a collection of public bioinformatics pipelines to identify captured viral pathogens and perform phylogenetic analysis. It was determined by the USAFA IRB that the study was non-human subject research and was deemed exempt. In total, 68 families of viruses were identified, comprising thousands of individual strains. This study focused on viruses responsible for gastrointestinal dysfunction as a test of the use of the VirCapSeq-VERT to identify human pathogenic viruses within a complex and highly enriched biological sample. Four enteric viruses dominated the wastewater samples, with Adenoviridae most prevalent before the cadet winter recess (December 17, 2022-January 4, 2023) and Astroviridae most abundant thereafter. Although gastroenteritis outbreaks at USAFA are commonly attributed to norovirus because of clinical presentation and the acute nature of the illness-often diagnosed and treated without confirmatory stool testing-this virus was not found in high prevalence in these wastewater samples. Among adenoviruses, F serotype 41 predominated, suggesting a role in gastrointestinal infections among the cadet population. Phylogenetic investigation of adenovirus and norovirus exposed common variants with seasonal distributions. These findings may prompt correlational studies to assess the clinical predictive capability of VirCapSeq-VERT and to determine the utility of wastewater monitoring as an outbreak early warning system.

Blockchain-enabled integrated three-layer bio-circular economy model with wastewater treatment, emissions, and controlled cheese spoilage

ABSTRACT Regulatory and market forces compel companies to integrate transparency and sustainability into their operations. In response to the pressing need, the study proposes a blockchain-enabled, sustainable, integrated three-layer inventory model for the cheese industry under carbon cap-and-trade policy. The ultimate aim is to maximize the integrated total profit of the system with optimal investment in green technology. Prior studies have neglected to account for blockchain costs and spoilage rate control, whereas our findings demonstrate that strategic investments in preservation technology yield substantial reductions in spoilage rates. Results indicate that the downstream end of the supply chain, retail, also plays a crucial role in maintaining total profitability, indicating the significance of collective inventory management along with sustainability initiatives. This study concludes that technology-driven sustainability initiatives, coupled with effective spoilage management, can optimize sustainability outcomes in the cheese supply chain without compromising financial performance.