Effect of hydraulic retention time on the performance of trickling photo-bioreactor treating domestic wastewater: Removal of carbon, nutrients, and micropollutants

Effects of stratified microbial extracellular polymeric substances on microalgae dominant biofilm formation and nutrients turnover under batch and semi-continuous operation

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are well-acknowledged to accelerate microalgal biofilm formation, yet specific role of stratified EPS is unknown. Bacterial biofilm stratified EPS could enrich phosphorus, whether microalgal biofilm stratified EPS could also realize phosphorus or nitrogen enrichment remains unclarified. This study investigated microalgae dominant biofilm growth characteristics and nutrients removal via inoculating microalgae and stratified bacterial EPS at various microalgae:bacteria ratios. Soluble-EPS favored biofilm establishment and chlorophyll synthesis, while loosely-bound (LB-EPS) and tightly-bound EPS (TB-EPS) improved phosphorus removal, and optimum microalgae:bacteria cell count ratio was 1:0.5. Under semi-continuous operation, stable and efficient nutrients removal was observed at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 days. Both nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment by TB-EPS over LB-EPS (respectively up to 7.9 and 23.8 times) were innovatively discovered, with enhanced nutrients turnover efficiency at higher HRTs. This study provided direct evidences regarding the role of stratified EPS on microalgal biofilm development and nutrients turnover.

Synthesis of algal-bacterial sludge activated carbon/Fe3O4 nanocomposite and its potential in antibiotic ciprofloxacin removal by simultaneous adsorption and heterogeneous Fenton catalytic degradation

The extensive use of pharmaceuticals has increased their presence in the environment, posing significant ecological and public health concerns. The current study reports the magnetic nanocomposite (M-ABAC) synthesis using the algal-bacterial sludge as the precursor for activated carbon and evaluates its potential in fluoroquinolone antibiotics removal. The activated carbon from algal-bacterial sludge was composited with Fe3O4 nanoparticles using the co-precipitation method. The M-ABAC was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). M-ABAC was employed for antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal by combined adsorption and heterogenous Fenton degradation. The adsorption studies reveal that the Langmuir isotherm best fits the experimental data, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 81.6 mg/g. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model well describes adsorption kinetics. Fenton catalytic degradation was performed using H2O2 as the activating agent. The optimal H2O2 dosage was observed to be 10 mM. A CIP adsorptive removal efficiency of 75% was observed at 2 g/L dosage of M-ABAC in a 200 ppm CIP solution. Simultaneous adsorption and Fenton catalytic degradation further enhanced the removal efficiency to 92%. Radical scavengers experiment revealed that the hydroxyl radical (•OH) was the dominant reactive oxidation species. The degradation products of the CIP were identified using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (LC-QTOF-MS). The possible CIP degradation mechanisms include decarboxylation, piperazine moiety degradation, defluorination, and hydroxylation.

Methods for the separation of hydraulic retention time and solids retention time in the application of photosynthetic microorganisms in photobioreactors: a review

Photosynthetic microorganisms have a wide range of biotechnical applications, through the application of their versatile metabolisms. However, their use in industry has been extremely limited to date, partially because of the additional complexities associated with their cultivation in comparison to other organisms. Strategies and developments in photobioreactors (PBRs) designed for their culture and applications are needed to drive the field forward. One particular area which bears examination is the use of strategies to separate solid- and hydraulic-residence times (SRT and HRT), to facilitate flow-through systems and continuous processing. The aim of this review is to discuss the various types of PBRs and methods which are currently demonstrated in the literature and industry, with a focus on the separation of HRT and SRT. The use of an efficient method of biomass retention in a PBR may be advantageous as it unlocks the option for continuous operation, which may improve efficiency, and improve economic feasibility of large-scale implementation of photosynthetic biocatalysts, especially where biomass is not the primary product. Due to the underexplored nature of the separation of HRT and SRT in reactors using photosynthetic microorganisms, limited literature is available regarding their performance, efficiencies, and potential issues. This review first introduces an overview into photosynthetic microorganisms cultivated and commonly exploited for use in biotechnological applications, with reference to bioreactor considerations specific to each organism. Following this, the existing technologies used for the separation of HRT and SRT in PBRs are explored. The respective advantages and disadvantages are discussed for each PBR design, which may inform an interested bioprocess engineer.

Fate of pesticides in agricultural runoff treatment systems: Occurrence, impacts and technological progress

The levels of pesticides in air, water, and soil are gradually increasing due to its inappropriate management. In particular, agricultural runoff inflicts the damages on the ecosystem and human health at massive scale. Present study summarizes 70 studies in which investigations on removal or treatment of pesticides/insecticides/herbicides are reported. A bibliometric analysis was also done to understand the recent research trends through the analysis of 2218 publications. The specific objectives of this study are as follows: i) to inventorize the characteristics details of agriculture runoff and analyzing the occurrence and impacts of pesticides, ii) analyzing the role and interaction of pesticides in different environmental segments, iii) investigating the fate of pesticides in agriculture runoff treatment systems, iv) summarizing the experiences and findings of most commonly technology deployed for pesticides remediation in agriculture runoff including target pesticide(s), specifications, configuration of technological intervention. Among the reported technologies for pesticide treatment in agriculture runoff, constructed wetland was at the top followed by algal or photobioreactor. Among various advanced oxidation processes, photo Fenton method is mainly used for pesticides remediation such as triazine, methyl parathion, fenuron and diuron. Algal bioreactors are extensively used for a wide range of pesticides treatment including 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, alachlor, diuron, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, and imidacloprid; especially at lower hydraulic retention time of 2-6 h. This study highlights that hybrid approaches can offers potential opportunities for effective removal of pesticides in a more viable manner.

Microalgae-based domestic wastewater treatment: a review of biological aspects, bioremediation potential, and biomass production with biotechnological high-value

This review aims to perform an updated bibliographical survey on the cultivation of microalgae in domestic wastewater with a focus on biotechnological aspects. It was verified that the largest number of researches developed was about cultures in microalgae-bacteria consortium and mixed cultures of microalgae, followed by researches referring to the species Chlorella vulgaris and to the family Scenedesmaceae. According to published studies, these microorganisms are efficient in the biological treatment of domestic wastewater, as well as in the production of high value-added biomass, as they are capable of biosorbing the organic and inorganic compounds present in the culture medium, thus generating cells with high levels of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These compounds are of great importance for different industry sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, food, and also for agriculture and aquaculture. In addition, biomolecules produced by microalgae can be extracted for several biotechnological applications; however, most studies focus on the production of biofuels, with biodiesel being the main one. There are also other emerging applications that still require more in-depth research, such as the use of biomass as a biofertilizer and biostimulant in the production of bioplastic. Therefore, it is concluded that the cultivation of microalgae in domestic wastewater is a sustainable way to promote effluent bioremediation and produce valuable biomass for the biobased industry, contributing to the development of technology for the green economy.

Recent advances in the biological treatment of wastewater rich in emerging pollutants produced by pharmaceutical industrial discharges

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products present potential risks to human health and the environment. In particular, wastewater treatment plants often detect emerging pollutants that disrupt biological treatment. The activated sludge process is a traditional biological method with a lower capital cost and limited operating requirements than more advanced treatment methods. In addition, the membrane bioreactor combines a membrane module and a bioreactor, widely used as an advanced method for treating pharmaceutical wastewater with good pollution performance. Indeed, the fouling of the membrane remains a major problem in this process. In addition, anaerobic membrane bioreactors can treat complex pharmaceutical waste while recovering energy and producing nutrient-rich wastewater for irrigation. Wastewater characterizations have shown that wastewater's high organic matter content facilitates the selection of low-cost, low-nutrient, low-surface-area, and effective anaerobic methods for drug degradation and reduces pollution. However, to improve the biological treatment, researchers have turned to hybrid processes in which all physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods are integrated to remove various emerging contaminants effectively. Hybrid systems can generate bioenergy, which helps reduce the operating costs of the pharmaceutical waste treatment system. To find the most effective treatment technique for our research, this work lists the different biological treatment techniques cited in the literature, such as activated sludge, membrane bioreactor, anaerobic treatment, and hybrid treatment, combining physicochemical and biological techniques.

Optimization on structure and operation parameters of biofilter for decentralized sewage treatment

Aiming for treating decentralized domestic wastewater in rural China, this study evaluates the effects of ceramsite size and structure, and water recirculation parameters, upon the performance of recirculating biofilter (RBF). RBF shows stable capability of chemical oxygen demand (COD) remediation and ammonia nitrification. In addition, the microbial flora and structures of the various layers in the system are analyzed via high-throughput sequencing in order to study the microbial diversity. The results indicate that while the ceramic particle size has no significant influence on the COD remediation capacity, the ceramics with smaller particle sizes exhibit better ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) removal ability, with a first-order linear relationship between the influent ammonia nitrogen load and the effluent NH₄⁺-N concentration in RBF (R² > 0.64). An increased hydraulic load and intermittent operation are shown to deteriorate the water quality with respect to NH₄⁺-N, while an increased recirculation ratio increases the removal rate of NH₄⁺-N from the effluent. Further, the water distribution time has a stronger effect upon the NH₄⁺-N concentration in the effluent than does the recirculation ratio. Moreover, the microbial structure of the multi-layer recirculating trickle biofilter varies significantly during the process. The results indicate that a high recirculation ratio, long water distribution time, and multi-layer structure will be beneficial for improving the pollutant treatment capacity of RBF.

Effects of high-strength landfill leachate effluent on stress-induced microalgae lipid production and post-treatment micropollutant degradation

This research investigates the effects of landfill leachate effluent concentrations from moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) on stress-induced Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus armatus lipid production and post-treatment micropollutant degradation. The effluent concentrations were varied between 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (v/v). The landfill leachate influent was treated using two-stage moving bed biofilm reactor under 24 h and 18 h hydraulic retention time (HRT). The results indicated that the effluent concentration was positively correlated with the stress-induced microalgae lipid production in the post-treatment of residual micropollutants. C. vulgaris and S. armatus completely remove residual micropollutants in the effluent. The superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity were positively correlated with the cellular lipid content. The lipid content of C. vulgaris and S. armatus cultivated in the 18 h HRT effluent were 31-51% and 51-64%, while those in the 24 h HRT effluent were 15-16% and 5-19%. The optimal condition of microalgae cultivation for the post-treatment of residual micropollutants was 50-75% (v/v) effluent concentrations under 18 h HRT, achieving the highest lipid production of 113-116 mg/L for C. vulgaris and 74-75 mg/L for S. armatus. Essentially, the MBBR landfill leachate effluent holds promising potential as a substrate for microalgae lipid production.

A comprehensive review on the use of algal-bacterial systems for wastewater treatment with emphasis on nutrient and micropollutant removal

The scarcity of water resources and environmental pollution have highlighted the need for sustainable wastewater treatment. Existing conventional treatment systems are energy-intensive and not always able to meet stringent disposal standards. Recently, algal-bacterial systems have emerged as environmentally friendly sustainable processes for wastewater treatment and resource recovery. The algal-bacterial systems work on the principle of the symbiotic relationship between algae and bacteria. This paper comprehensively discusses the most recent studies on algal-bacterial systems for wastewater treatment, factors affecting the treatment, and aspects of resource recovery from the biomass. The algal-bacterial interaction includes cell-to-cell communication, substrate exchange, and horizontal gene transfer. The quorum sensing (QS) molecules and their effects on algal-bacterial interactions are briefly discussed. The effect of the factors such as pH, temperature, C/N/P ratio, light intensity, and external aeration on the algal-bacterial systems have been discussed. An overview of the modeling aspects of algal-bacterial systems has been provided. The algal-bacterial systems have the potential for removing micropollutants because of the diverse possible interactions between algae-bacteria. The removal mechanisms of micropollutants - sorption, biodegradation, and photodegradation, have been reviewed. The harvesting methods and resource recovery aspects have been presented. The major challenges associated with algal-bacterial systems for real scale implementation and future perspectives have been discussed. Integrating wastewater treatment with the algal biorefinery concept reduces the overall waste component in a wastewater treatment system by converting the biomass into a useful product, resulting in a sustainable system that contributes to the circular bioeconomy.