Process synthesis is a fundamental step in process design. The aim is to determine the optimal configuration of unit operations and stream flows to enhance key performance metrics. Traditional methods provide just one optimal solution and are strongly dependent on user-defined technologies, stream connections, and initial guesses for unknown variables. Usually, a single solution is not sufficient for adequate decision-making, especially, when properties such as flexibility or reliability are considered in addition to the process economics. Wastewater Treatment network synthesis and design is a complex problem that demands innovative approaches in design, retrofits, and maintenance strategies. Considering this, an enhanced framework for improving reliability in wastewater transportation networks based on graph theory and machine learning is presented. Machine learning models were developed to predict failure probability, where the XGBoost model provided the best predictions. To select t... [more]

Wastewater treatment and resources recovery from large wastewater flowrates of the municipalities and circular bio-based economy ask for efficient control solutions. The paper presents solutions for operating the wastewater treatment plant, based on advanced process control methods aimed to merge the benefits of the cooperation between the lower-level regulatory control loops and the upper-level model predictive control strategy. The lower-level is designed to regulate the nitrification in the aerated bioreactors by controlling the Dissolved Oxygen or the ammonia concentration and to control the denitrification in the anoxic reactor by controlling the nitrates concentration. The model predictive controller either sets the setpoints of the regulatory layer or directly manipulates the air and nitrate recycle flow rates. The plant performance results obtained using the regulatory Proportional and Integral control are compared to the direct or the supervisory model predictive control outco... [more]

Process monitoring is essential in industrial settings to ensure system functionality, necessitating the identification and understanding of fault causes. While a substantial body of research focuses on fault detection, fault diagnosis has received significantly less attention. Typically, faults originate either from abnormal instrument behavior, indicating the need for calibration or replacement, or from process faults, signaling a malfunction within the system. A primary objective of this study is to apply the proposed fault diagnosis methodology to a benchmark that closely mirrors real-world conditions. Specifically, we introduce a fault diagnosis framework for a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that effectively addresses the challenges posed by imbalanced big data commonly encountered in large-scale systems. In our study, four distinct fault scenarios were investigated: fault-free conditions, process faults only, sensor faults only, and simultaneous sensor and process faults. To e... [more]

Tanneries generate copious amounts of potentially toxic sludge and effluent from the processing of skins and hides to leather. The effluent requires remediation before discharge to protect the receiving environment. A range of physicochemical methods are used for pre- and post-treatment, but biological secondary remediation remains the most popular choice for the reduction of the organic and macronutrient fraction of tannery effluent. This review provides an update and critical discussion of biological systems used to remediate tannery effluent. While the conventional activated sludge process and similar technologies are widely used by tanneries, they have inherent problems related to poor sludge settling, low removal efficiencies, and high energy requirements. Treatment wetlands are recommended for the passive polishing step of beamhouse effluent. Hybrid systems that incorporate anoxic and/or anaerobic zones with sludge and/or effluent recycling have been shown to be effective for the... [more]

Water chemistry plays a critical role in the design and operation of water treatment processes. Detailed chemistry modeling tools use a combination of advanced thermodynamic models and extensive databases to predict phase equilibria and reaction phenomena. The complexity and formulation of these models preclude their direct integration in equation-oriented modeling platforms, making it difficult to use their capabilities for rigorous water treatment process optimization. Neural networks (NN) can provide a pathway for integrating the predictive capability of chemistry software into equation-oriented models and enable optimization of complex water treatment processes across a broad range of conditions and process designs. Herein, we assess how NN architecture and training data impact their accuracy and use in equation-oriented water treatment models. We generate training data using PhreeqC software and determine how data generation and sample size impact the accuracy of trained NNs. The... [more]

Sustainability and circular economy enclose initiatives to achieve economic systems and industrial value chains by improving resource use, productivity, reuse, recycling, pollution prevention, and minimizing disposed material. However, shifting from the traditional linear economic production system to a circular economy is challenging. One of the most significant hurdles is the absence of sustainable end-of-life (EoL)/manufacturing loops for recycling and recovering material while minimizing negative impacts on human health and the environment. Overcoming these challenges is critical in returning materials to upstream life cycle stage facilities such as manufacturing. Chemical flow analysis (CFA), sustainability evaluation, and process systems engineering (PSE) can supply chemical products and processes performances from environmental, economic, material efficiency, energy footprint, and technology perspectives. These holistic evaluation techniques can improve productivity, source mate... [more]

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are exposed to high concentrations of micropollutants that can impact conventional activated sludge treatment. The consequences of this include failure to meet discharge standards and the disintegration of flocs, leading to poor sludge settleability. This lab-scale study focuses on the influence of doxycycline, an antibiotic widely used against human and animal diseases, on protozoa, metazoa, and bacterial communities under sludge growing conditions. Doxycycline was added to the mixed liquor of a communal WWTP up to 0, 100, 200, and 400 mg of doxycycline L−1 and incubated in batch conditions for 23 days. The regular addition of nutrient and carbon sources was preformed every 2 days to prevent sludge starvation. Sludge growth, conductivity, and settleability were measured and compared to sludge microbial community structure, determined by microscopic observations and high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing. The high doxycycline concentration neg... [more]

The increasing demand for efficient wastewater treatment technologies, driven by global population growth and industrialisation, highlights the necessity for advanced, reliable solutions. This study investigated the efficacy of a slurry photocatalytic membrane reactor (PMR) for the advanced removal of organic pollutants, quantified via chemical oxygen demand (COD), under natural and simulated solar light irradiation. Employing two variants of iron-doped titania as photocatalysts and a polysulfone-based polymeric membrane for the separation process, the investigation showcased COD removal efficiencies ranging from 66−85% under simulated solar light to 52−81% under natural sunlight over a 7 h irradiation period. The overall PMR system demonstrated COD removal efficiencies of 84−95%. The results confirmed the enhanced photocatalytic activity afforded by iron doping and establish solar-powered slurry PMRs as an effective, low-energy, and environmentally friendly alternative for the advance... [more]

The contaminant dyes that, even at low concentrations, may cause a series of adverse effects in humans and animals, and their removal by adsorption methods using alternative adsorbents as natural fibers, are regarded as a research topic that has become increasingly relevant. In this study, corn straw (CS), an agro-industrial residue, was used to remove dyes. The samples were characterized by ATR-FTIR, SEM-EDS, zeta potential, diffuse spectra, and colorimetry, before and after dye removal. The analyses allowed us to differentiate the morphology of CS after the treatment’s fiber on the adsorbent surface. The zeta potential showed a negative surface charge, but the acidic or alkaline treatment affected the surface charge of the sample, influencing the adsorption of cationic or anionic dyes. Adsorption data presented an increased removal when alkaline treatment was applied for the methylene blue (MB; qmax = 16.7 mg g−1), and the acid treatment was more effective for the Congo red (CR; qmax... [more]

River and lake dredging projects inevitably produce significant quantities of wastewater and sediment. This accumulation results in dredged soil with high moisture content, characterized by low strength, rendering it unsustainable for use. To facilitate environmentally friendly utilization of wastewater and sediment, solidifying agents and basalt fibers are introduced to solidify the wastewater within the dredged sediment. This process transforms the wastewater, sediment, solidifying agents, and basalt fibers into a novel, strengthened material. This transformation allows for their application as stabilized soil for engineering endeavors. Indoor experiments and scanning electron microscope analyses were performed to examine the deformation characteristics of fiber-stabilized soil and analyze its micro-mechanisms. Research findings suggest that as the curing age increases, the curing agent’s reaction becomes more comprehensive. Fibers have the potential to ameliorate soil damage. The pr... [more]

The use of new technologies for the removal of pollutants from wastewater has become globally necessary due to the complexity and facilities defined by conventional treatments. Advanced oxidative processes, specifically the Fenton process, have become widely applied given their low cost and ease of use. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the progression of the scientific publications on the implementation of Fenton process, investigating their space−time evolution. Additionally, useful solutions, trends, and gaps in the applications for the removal of pollutants with this methodology were identified, and also different remediation strategies and the design of new treatments for wastewaters were identified within this scientometric analysis. Bibliometric research was conducted in two scientific databases, Web of Science and Scopus, from 2011 to 2022, and we identified 932 and 1263 studies with the word “Fenton,” respectively. When these publications are associated with the treatmen... [more]

Energy generation using microbial fuel cells (MFC) and removing toxic metal ions is a potentially exciting new field of study as it has recently attracted a lot of interest in the scientific community. However, MFC technology is facing several challenges, including electron production and transportation. Therefore, the present work focuses on enhancing electron generation by extracting sugarcane waste. MFC was successfully operated in a batch mode for 79 days in the presence of 250 mg/L Pb2+ and Hg2+ ions. Sugarcane extract was regularly fed to it without interruption. On day 38, the maximum current density and power density were recorded, which were 86.84 mA/m2 and 3.89 mW/m2, respectively. The electrochemical data show that a sufficient voltage generation and biofilm formation produce gradually. The specific capacitance was found to be 11 × 10−4 F/g on day 79, indicating the steady growth of biofilm. On the other hand, Pb2+ and Hg2+ removal efficiencies were found to be 82% and 74.85... [more]

The progress of the textile industry has led to a severe increase in the discharge of colored effluents, polluted with dyes and metal ions (non-biodegradable, carcinogenic to humans and environmental hazards). The implementation of effective methodologies and materials for the treatment of wastewater has become an urgent requirement. The present work describes the application of two samples of mineral materials—Ghidirim diatomite and modified diatomite—as adsorbents for the removal of dyes—Acid Blue 350, Methylene Blue, Basic Red 2—and of metal ions—copper, zinc, and lead—from aqueous solutions. In order to determine the optimal working conditions by which to ensure maximum removal efficiency, the influence of the nature and amount of the sorbent, the initial concentration of pollutant, and the temperature were studied. Working under normal conditions (room temperature, solution pH) efficiencies greater than 80% were obtained for the removal of dyes and metal ions. The adsorption fitte... [more]

The discharge of nanoparticles into the environment, such as through industrial plants and municipal wastewater treatment plants, can pose a hazard to aquatic life. This study demonstrates the effective removal of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a chitosan-based cryogel, which has potential applications in agriculture, as well as in water treatment or in industrial plants that discharge into environmentally sensitive water bodies. The adsorbent is economically viable, has high affinity toward metal nanoparticles, is biodegradable and biocompatible, and displays a good removal of nanoparticles. AgNP adsorption was monitored using UV/Vis spectroscopy and TEM analysis. SEM, nitrogen adsorption, TGA, and FTIR analysis were used for cryogel characterization. The BET model of nitrogen adsorption revealed a specific surface area of 7.7 m2/g for chitosan−glutaraldehyde (CHI−GA) cryogels. The elasticity modulus of the CHI−GA cryogel was estimated as 543 ± 54 kPa. The AgNPs were characterized... [more]

Cobalt oxide has good catalytic activity for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation but poor stability and is vulnerable to inactivation because of agglomeration. In this work, the chlortetracycline (CTC) degradation by peroxydisulfate (PDS) catalysis using the reduced graphene oxide support cobalt oxide (Co3O4/rGO) composite catalyst was investigated. It was found that 86.3% of CTC was degraded within 120 min in the Co3O4/rGO-800/PDS system. The influences of catalyst dosage, PDS concentration, solution pH, and reaction temperature were systematically explored. The excellent removal performance of CTC could be attributed to the synergistic effect between adsorption and catalytic degradation. ≡Co2+ and surface functional groups played as active sites to catalyze PDS, and the circulation of ≡Co2+/≡Co3+ was achieved. Moreover, Co3O4/rGO-800 showed satisfactory reusability after three cycles. This research can provide useful information for the development of efficient PDS catalysts and facilit... [more]

Nowadays, the main challenge for industrial and municipal enterprises is related to the tightening regulations and recommendations regarding environmental protection, which have been included in the circular economy (CE) package. Enterprises from all sectors, including water and sewage management, are obliged to actively participate in the CE transition. Modern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) should include actions aimed at a more sustainable use of available resources (water, energy, raw materials) to contribute to the protection of natural resources. In this way, they can be treated as resource facilities. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for a ‘Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Future’ that includes several technological solutions that take into account circular management of waste streams generated in WWTPs, such as wastewater (WW), sewage sludge (SS) and sewage sludge ash (SSA). Many actions have been already taken to modernize and build WWTPs that can respond to cur... [more]

The use of constructed wetlands (CWs) for wastewater treatment has earned high interest around the world. However, innovations to improve its removal efficiency and adoption have been suggested in the last decades. For instance, the use of ornamental flowering plants (OFP), which make wetland treatment systems more aesthetic and is an option for the production of commercial flowers while the water is cleansed. The objectives of this study were to identify through a bibliometric analysis (2000−2022) the main OFP that have been used in CWs and their functionality as phytoremediators (removal effects), as well as the authors, collaborations, main investigations, and the countries where such investigations have been carried out. To this respect, 10,254 studies on CWs were identified. The United States and China were the leading countries in the use of this eco-technology. Subsequently, regarding the use of OFP, the analysis revealed 92 studies on this matter in which Mexico has three resea... [more]

Conventional wastewater treatment plants (CWTPs) are intensive energy consumers. New technologies are emerging for wastewater treatment such as microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) that can simultaneously treat wastewater and generate hydrogen as a renewable energy source. Mathematical modeling of single and dual-chamber microbial electrolysis cells (SMEC and DMEC) has been developed based on microbial population growth in this study. The model outputs were validated successfully with previous works, and are then used for comparisons between the SMEC and DMEC regarding the hydrogen production rate (HPR). The results reveal that the daily HPR in DMEC is higher than in SMEC, with about 0.86 l H2 and 0.52 l H2, respectively, per 1 L of wastewater. Moreover, the results have been used to compare the HPR in water electrolysis (WE) processes and MECs. WE consume 51 kWh to generate 1 kg of hydrogen, while SMEC and DMEC require only 30 kWh and 24.5 kWh, respectively.

Wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) wastewater treatment is a key problem in coal-fired plants. Traditional chemical precipitation methods cannot reach zero-liquid discharge (ZLD). In this paper, a new technology using the low-rank heat from flue gas to concentrate the wastewater for ZLD is proposed. A scrubber was built to verify the concentrating process, and the characteristics of the concentrated water were analyzed. The concentrated water was neutralized by adding Ca(OH)2 to raise the pH value. The wastewater can be concentrated 10~25 times to reduce the flow rate. The characteristics of the concentrated wastewater were studied by dosing lime. Then, liquid and solids were separated by filter pressing, the liquid was mainly composed of CaCl2, which accounts for 73.6%. The sludge is composed of CaSO4 and Mg(OH)2, depending on the lime consumption of the dosing process. Finally, the filter liquor after the filter press was mixed with ash to reach zero liquid discharge, and the sludge... [more]

There is wide consensus that Spirulina can serve as a tool for wastewater management and simultaneously provide feedstock for biorefining. However, the economic aspects associated with its use remain a significant challenge. Spirulina cultivated in wastewater decreased the concentrations of both ammonia and nitrate and also served as a biodiesel source. The oil obtained in the feedstock was subjected to transesterification and turned into biodiesel. The biodiesel was subsequently analyzed in a test motor (water-cooled, four-stroke, single-cylinder compression ignition with injection). The tests were conducted at a constant 1500 rpm, and the output power was 3.7 kW. Mixtures of diesel and biodiesel were also enriched with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The amount of CNTs added to the diesel was 30 mg L−1. The algae and de-oiled biomass were characterized using XRD analysis, and an ultrasonicator was used to mix the CNTs with diesel and spirulina blends. A series of tests were conducted at dif... [more]

Wastewater and sewage sludge contain organic matter that can be valorized through conversion into energy and/or green chemicals. Moreover, resource recovery from these wastes has become the new focus of wastewater management, to develop more sustainable processes in a circular economy approach. The aim of this review was to analyze current sewage sludge management systems in Scandinavia with respect to resource recovery, in combination with other organic wastes. As anaerobic digestion (AD) was found to be the common sludge treatment approach in Scandinavia, different available organic municipal and industrial wastes were identified and compared, to evaluate the potential for expanding the resource recovery by anaerobic co-digestion. Additionally, a full-scale case study of co-digestion, as strategy for optimization of the anaerobic digestion treatment, was presented for each country, together with advanced biorefinery approaches to wastewater treatment and resource recovery.

The availability of suitable water is an important factor for increasing the cultivated areas and sustainability in arid (i.e., less than 200 mm precipitation per year) and semiarid regions (i.e., 200−700 mm precipitation per year). Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the impact of treated wastewater (TWW) and groundwater (GW) as well as synthetic fertilizers (50% and 100% of the recommended NPK dose; 150−150−60 kg N−P2O5−K2O ha−1) on the growth, biomass, energy traits, and macro and trace elements of maize (Zea mays L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L) grown in old cultivated (first location; L1) and virgin soil (L2 and L3) as potential bioenergy crops. The soil in L1 has been irrigated with treated wastewater for the last 15 years and continued to be irrigated with treated wastewater in this investigation. The virgin soil was divided into two parts: the first part was irrigated with TWW, and the second part was irrigated with GW. The experimen... [more]

There is a groundswell of interest in applying phototrophic microorganisms, specifically microalgae and cyanobacteria, for biotechnology and ecosystem service applications. However, there are inherent challenges associated with conventional routes to their deployment (using ponds, raceways and photobioreactors) which are synonymous with suspension cultivation techniques. Cultivation as biofilms partly ameliorates these issues; however, based on the principles of process intensification, by taking a step beyond biofilms and exploiting nature inspired artificial cell immobilisation, new opportunities become available, particularly for applications requiring extensive deployment periods (e.g., carbon capture and wastewater bioremediation). We explore the rationale for, and approaches to immobilised cultivation, in particular the application of latex-based polymer immobilisation as living biocomposites. We discuss how biocomposites can be optimised at the design stage based on mass transfe... [more]

This paper applied the optimization model of the biogas utilization pathway with the biogas utilization availability assessment to examine the effect of biogas system parameters on biogas utilization. The model analyzes the biogas utilization pathway availability and maximum profit to value added and productivity in biogas from industry wastewater in Thailand. The results showed that profit and availability of biogas utilization reduce biogas loss to flare, that it entails several conversion processes. The scenario for the biogas utilization pathway and storage with biogas production technology improves. Evaluated are operation time, waste and energy demand to the cassava starch usage during the production for 50−1000 tons per day. Five mature biogas production technologies were benchmarked evaluated based on the chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency and biogas yields. Subsequently, low-, medium-, and high-pressure storages and a battery storage were considered and discussed in thi... [more]

The efficient and timely removal of organic matter and nutrients from water used in normal municipal functions is considered to be the main task of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Therefore, these facilities are considered to be essential units that are required to avoid pollution of the water environment and decrease the possibility of triggering eutrophication. Even though these benefits are undeniable, they remain at odds with the high energy demand of wastewater treatment and sludge processes. As a consequence, WWTPs have various environmental impacts, which can be estimated and categorized using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis. In this study, a municipal WWTP based in Poznań, Poland, was examined using the method defined in ISO 14040. ReCiPe Endpoint and Midpoint (v1.11), in a hierarchical approach, were used to evaluate the environmental impacts regarding 18 different categories. All calculations were conducted using a detailed database from 2019, which describes each c... [more]