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UNLABELLED: Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are indispensable biotechnology facilities for modern cities and play an essential role in modern urban infrastructure by employing microorganisms to remove pollutants in wastewater, thus protecting public health and the environment. This study conducted a 13-month bacterial community survey of six full-scale WWTPs in Hong Kong with samples of influent, activated sludge (AS), and effluent to explore their synchronism and asynchronism of bacterial community. Besides, we compared AS results of six Hong Kong WWTPs with data from 1,186 AS amplicon data in 269 global WWTPs and a 9-year metagenomic sequencing survey of a Hong Kong WWTP. Our results showed the compositions of bacterial communities varied and the bacterial community structure of AS had obvious differences across Hong Kong WWTPs. The co-occurrence analysis identified 40 pairs of relationships that existed among Hong Kong WWTPs to show solid associations between two species and stochastic processes took large proportions for the bacterial community assembly of six WWTPs. The abundance and distribution of the functional bacteria in worldwide and Hong Kong WWTPs were examined and compared, and we found that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria had more diversity than nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. Besides, Hong Kong WWTPs could make great contributions to the genome mining of microbial dark matter in the global wanted list. Operational parameters had important effects on OTUs abundance, such as the temperature to the genera of Tetrasphaera, Gordonia and Nitrospira. All these results obtained from this study can deepen our understanding of the microbial ecology in WWTPs and provide foundations for further studies. IMPORTANCE: Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are an indispensable component of modern cities, as they can remove pollutants in wastewater to prevent anthropogenic activities. Activated sludge (AS) is a fundamental wastewater treatment process and it harbors a highly complex microbial community that forms the main components and contains functional groups. Unveiling who is there is a long-term goal of the research on AS microbiology. High-throughput sequencing provides insights into the inventory diversity of microbial communities to an unprecedented level of detail. At present, the analysis of communities in WWTPs usually comes from a specific WWTP and lacks comparisons and verification among different WWTPs. The wide-scale and long-term sampling project and research in this study could help us evaluate the AS community more accurately to find the similarities and different results for different WWTPs in Hong Kong and other regions of the world.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become a valuable tool for monitoring the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 on university campuses. However, concerns about effectiveness of raw sewage as a COVID-19 early warning system still exist, and its not clear how useful normalization by simultaneous comparison of Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) is in addressing variations resulting from fecal discharge dilution. This study aims to contribute insights into these aspects by conducting an academic-year field trial at the student residences on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus, raw sewage. This was done to investigate the correlations between SARS-CoV-2 RNA load, both with and without PMMoV normalization, and various parameters, including active COVID-19 cases, self-isolations, and their combination among all student residents. Significant positive correlations between SARS-CoV-2 RNA load a week prior, during the monitoring week, and the subsequent week with active cases. Despite these correlations, normalization by PMMoV does not enhance these associations. These findings suggest the potential utility of SARS-CoV-2 RNA load as an early warning indicator and provide valuable insights into the application and limitations of WBE for COVID-19 surveillance specifically within the context of raw sewage on university campuses.

Traces of antibiotics in domestic and industrial effluents have toxic effects on human health and the surrounding plants and animals, besides their potential to increase antibiotic resistance of microorganisms. Therefore, this study aims to develop a new adsorbent made from kaolin magnetised with Fe2O3 (Kaolin- Fe2O3) composite and apply it to remove ceftriaxone and cefixime from aqueous solutions. The efficiency of the new adsorbent in removing ceftriaxone and cefixime from solutions was studied under different adsorbent doses, antibiotic concentrations, solution pH values, and contact times. The results indicated the best ceftriaxone and Cefixime removal was attained at pH of 5 and 3, respectively, while the best antibiotic concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dose were 20 mg/L, 60 min, and 0.4 g/250 cc, respectively. It was noticed the adsorption was improved at low temperatures (25 $$^\circ C$$ ∘ C for ceftriaxone and 35 $$^\circ C$$ ∘ C for cefixime). Five types of isotherms matched the equilibrium data, including Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Redlich-Peterson, and Sips. Equilibrium data were also matched with pseudo-first and second-order kinetics, Elovich, and intraparticle diffusion. Freundlich and Sips isotherm models were more consistent with equilibrium data. The positive results of Gibbs free energy and the negative enthalpy obtained from thermodynamic parameters indicate that the adsorption process is spontaneous and the adsorption process is exothermic. In light of the obtained results, the Kaolin-Fe2O3 nanocomposites could be considered an effective and inexpensive adsorbent for removing antibiotics from aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to remove methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solution as this dye is also present in the waste water; using untreated, cheap and non- toxic mulberry leaves powder (MLP) and mulberry leaves biochar (MLB) prepared from Morus nigra L. (mulberry tree) leaves. The mulberry leaves powder and its biochar were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Batch mode experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of various variables like contact time, absorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, salt treatment, temperature and pH. The adsorption isotherm models used in this search were Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin. Langmuir and Freundlich equations were found to have the correlation coefficient value in good agreement with MLP; however MLB for methylene blue dye shows good agreement with Langmuir only. Adsorption of methylene blue dye by the mentioned adsorbents (MLP and MLB) followed pseudo second order kinetic model. The calculated values of ΔGo, ΔHo and ΔSo were found to be −3.7 to −1.7 kJ mol−1 (MLP) and −0.8 to −3.1 KJ mol−1 (MLB), −13.92 (MLP) and 12.45 J mol−1 K (MLB) and −0.035 (MLP) and 0.046 kJ mol−1 (MLB), respectively. The calculated values indicated that adsorption process of methylene blue dye onto MLP and MLB adsorbents was spontaneous, exothermic (MLP) and endothermic (MLB). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to determine the optimal dose of olive mill wastewater (OMW) for maximum mycorrhization and to assess the biomass, physiological, and biochemical tolerance of mycorrhizal olive plants to stress induced by this wastewater. The study involved injecting Rhizophagus irregularis into young olive trees (Olea europaea L.) under greenhouse conditions. At rates of 100, 150, and 200 m³/ha, OMW is applied to the soil surrounding each olive tree. For comparison, a non-inoculated group was added as a control. Dry matter, mycorrhization rate, leaf relative water content (RWC), foliar nutrients (N, P, and K), and a number of physiological and biochemical parameters were among the variables that were assessed. When arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and olive mill wastewater were combined at a rate of 100 m³/ha, the results showed significant increases in dry matter (22.5%), Leaf relative water content (16.32%), potassium levels (38.46%), stomatal conductance (30.4%), and photosynthesis compared to the control. However, high olive mill wastewater doses (150 and 200 m³/ha) caused water stress: Compared to nonmycorrhizal plants (NM), the decrease in mycorrhizal plants (M) was less pronounced. Leaf relative water content dropped by 14.9% and 21.27% in mycorrhizal plants and by 22.22% and 28.88% in non-mycorrhizal plants. Under these high doses of Olive mill wastewater, the mycorrhization rate dropped significantly by as much as 30% and 45% respectively. All OMW treatments increased proline and sugar content as stress responses. Consequently, our study reveals that the optimal application of 100 m³/ha of OMW, combined with Rhizophagus irregularis, enhances the growth and performance physiology of young olive plants while increasing mycorrhization rates, stomatal conductance, and photosynthetic efficiency. This synergy between OMW and AMF also promotes better plant resilience to water stress by activating biochemical mechanisms such as increased proline and sugar levels. Additionally, AMF mitigates the negative effects of high OMW doses, highlighting its crucial role in managing the risks associated with wastewater application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the partnership of the Office of Research and Development within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with local, regional, and federal partners to advance remedies for excess nutrients and co-pollutants across the U.S. Partners are pursuing sewer extension, treatment plant upgrades, and advanced septic systems known as innovative/alternative (IA) OTIS to meet estuarine total maximum daily load targets. Remedies and preventive measures for OWTS pollution are discussed.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the important pathogenic bacteria found in urban sewage that shows resistance to different classes of antibiotics. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of Ciprofloxacin-loaded niosomes (Nio-Cip) formulation on S. aureus isolated from urban wastewater samples. The Nio-Cip was synthesized using the thin-layer hydration method and was formulated based on two variables: lipid content and the ratio of surfactant to cholesterol. The F5 formulation was selected as the optimal formulation among other preparations due to its small size (185 nm) and high drug entrapment efficiency (78.65%). The rate of drug release over 72 h from niosomal formulation was 70% in a biphasic manner. The microbial study showed that out of 50 isolates from urban wastewater, 15 MRSA strains had icaA and icaD genes. Also, the obtained MIC of Nio-Cip was dramatically smaller than that of Cip alone (1–16 μM compared to 8–32 μM). The ability to form biofilm in these strains was greatly reduced after treatment with Cip and Nio-Cip. Based on our abservation, Nio-Cip had higher antibiofilm effects against MRSA than Cip (more than twofold), These results were confirmed with greater down-regulation of icaA and icaD gene expression in Nio-Cip _treated isolates compared to Cip-treated bacteria using the real-time PCR method. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to investigate the anti-biofilm mechanism of Nio-Cip to recognize this method as a novel strategy for the treatment of MDR strains of S. aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of climate change and the circular economy, most municipal wastewater treatment plants are not efficient because they generate huge amount of organic sludge, which in turn requires costly post-treatment by biological processes such as anaerobic digestion. An emerging solution is to add biochar to improve anaerobic digestion efficiency by enhancing microbial activity, aiding in the breakdown of complex organic compounds, producing more biogas, and promoting overall reactor stability. Here, we review the effects of adding biochar in anaerobic digestion, with emphasis on digester performance, process stability, biochar properties, and mechanisms. We discuss methane production, lag phase, electrical conductivity, volatile fatty acids, ammonia nitrogen, pH, and oxidation–reduction potential. We also review the process inhibition by biochar addition, with focus on phenols, heavy metals and microbial composition. Biochar properties are controlled by feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, specific surface area, electrical conductivity, carbon and mineral content, electron exchange capacity, aromaticity, and particle size. We found that 6–16 g/L biochar supplementation consistently yielded higher cumulative specific methane compared to control without biochar, across diverse conditions and substrate types. Biochar's role is explained by four mechanisms: enhancing functional microbes, facilitating direct interspecies electron transfer, improving the degradation of refractory compounds, and increasing reactor stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study modified cellulose based adsorbent was prepared from Populus nigra plant, and used for elimination of metaldehyde (herbicide) from model waste water. The adsorbent was characterized through analytical technique such as FTIR, SEM, EDX and XRD for structural adsorption related parameters. The results of SEM showed the suitability of the material to be used as adsorbent and FTIR showed successful crosslinking of polyvinyl alcohol into cellulose structure. In order to get maximum reclamation benefits from adsorbent it was subjected to a number of tests evaluating the effect of metaldehyde concentration, sorbent dose, contact time, initial pH of solution and temperature. The maximum removal of 70 % was achieved under conditions of 80 mg/L metaldehyde concentration, 60 min contact time, pH of 8, 0.08 g sorbent dosage, and room temperature (25 °C). The Langmuir isotherm model with correlation coefficients of 0.9855 and maximum adsorption capacity recorded was 8.32 mg/g, while excellent agreement was shown by kinetic data with pseudo second order kinetic model with R2 = 0.9876. Thermodynamic study indicated enthalpy change (ΔH° = −129 kJ/mol) to be negative, entropy change (ΔS° = 161.7 j/mol) positive, and the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) as negative showing that the process to be exothermic and feasible/spontaneous with an increase of randomness at solid liquid interface. The finding indicated that modified cellulose could be used as an efficient adsorbent for removal of metaldehyde from model waste water. However, further validation with other pollutants will be helpful in checking reproducibility of the present findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial amounts of expired dairy products (EDP) are generated due to their high perishability. These wastes are rich in organic matter, and their landfill disposal negatively impacts the environment. An alternative to reducing and recovering this waste would be to use it as a substrate in anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas. This study investigated methane (CH4) production using different concentrations of EDP co-digested with synthetic domestic wastewater (SDW). Five anaerobic batch reactors (1000 mL) were assembled with different concentrations of EDP in SDW (500 mL working volume), namely (1) 0%, (2) 5.0%, (3) 7.5%, (4) 10.0%, and (5) 15.0% (v/v). COD removals were 81%, 84%, 80%, 89%, and 14% for assays 1 to 5, respectively. The cumulative CH4 productions were (mL/L) 717, 3354, 5327, 6584, and 1156 for assays 1 to 5, respectively. Assay 5 (15% EDP) was inhibited by volatile fatty acid (VFA) accumulation. However, assays 2, 3, and 4 (with 5.0–10.0% EDP) showed high CH4 yields (mLCH4/gVSadd) of 319, 333, and 317, respectively, demonstrating the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of EDP with SDW. In assays 3 and 4, a similar archaeal community structure was observed, dominated by the genera Methanosaeta, Methanolinea, Methanoregula, and Methanobacterium. In assay 2, the archaeal community demonstrated lower dominance due to insufficient substrate adaptation. This study confirms the viability of using EDP in AD systems to generate CH4, suggesting future sustainable applications for this residue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The joint inversion of radio magnetotelluric and electrical resistivity tomography data has the potential to reduce the uncertainties in the subsurface conductivity model. This is particularly beneficial when the data sets offer complementary information about the subsurface. However, the traditional gradient-based inversion methods pose challenges in quantifying uncertainty, as they yield a single model with limited appraisal of parameter uncertainty. The Bayesian inversion approach stands out for its capacity to provide quantitative assessments of uncertainty in the inverted model parameters. This is accomplished by generating an ensemble of models, leading to a posterior distribution that encapsulates both prior information concerning model parameters and the data set information. We have implemented a transdimensional Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to perform the joint inversion of radio magnetotelluric and electrical resistivity tomography data. Through synthetic data studies, we illustrate how the inclusion of two complementary data sets can effectively reduce uncertainties in model parameters and how the model parameter uncertainties can be quantified. Subsequently, the developed algorithm is tested using exemplary field data from a waste site near Roorkee, India. Intensive prior geoelectric and transient electromagnetic as well as radio magnetotelluric studies investigated possible waste water seepage with a potential to contaminate the shallow aquifers. The derived subsurface structure from our transdimensional Bayesian results compare well with the deterministic results for the exemplary profile, but in addition provide comprehensive uncertainty estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) have emerged as an effective technology for treating domestic and industrial wastewater. However, AnMBRs typically exhibit low membrane fluxes (<10 L/m2.h), which limits their wide application. Despite the use of various techniques to control membrane fouling, the relationships among these techniques and the challenges associated with their application remain unclear. Current literature categorizes membrane fouling control approaches into four classes, namely a reduction in the concentration of soluble microbial products (SMP), an increase in shear, an increase in particle size, and membrane optimization. Biological techniques are effective in reducing the concentration of SMP but limit the flexibility of reactor operation. The remaining three methods are non-biological techniques. Shear-induced lift force, permeation drag force, and the xDLVO theory on microparticles can be used to elucidate the mechanisms of these non-biological techniques, except for dynamic membranes. This indicates that other proposed additional forces may be disregarded. Non-biological techniques are associated with high energy costs and membrane damage. Hydrophilic membranes are effective but super-hydrophilic membranes have not been used in AnMBRs. Different materials rather than the membrane should be applied to create an electronic field for membrane fouling control. The application of dynamic membrane should not result in biofouling of a downstream water treatment process. Among current techniques, dosing flocculant is the most promising method for controlling membrane fouling, but developing an auto-flocculant dosing strategy is vital. Overall, this article provides an overview of current membrane fouling strategies and reveals their inherent relationships and challenges for their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three brown algal biomasses namely, Sargassum latifolium, Padina pavonica and Dictyota dichotoma were used in the uranium biosorption from the processing effluent of Gattar pilot plant project, Eastern Desert, Egypt. Biosorption enhancement process was studied, and the uranium loading capacities were optimised at 1 h contact time, 1/1000 solid/liquid ratio, 200 ppm uranium as initial feed concentration, pH 4 and all experiments were at room temperature. The maximum capacities reached 190, 177 and 170 mg/g for Sargassum latifolium, Padina pavonica and Dictyota dichotoma, respectively. SEM examination for the three concerned algae showed different morphological and surface structural changes such as shrinking and appearance of large cavities. FTIR study revealed that, there are many functional groups contributed in uranium biosorption mechanism such as carboxylic, sulphonate, hydroxyl and amine groups. The obtained experimental data for the three concerned algal biomasses were comparable with pseudo-second-order model and best described by Langmuir isotherm model. 0.1 N HCl was used for desorption of the loaded uranium on the three algal masses. By applying the most effective alga (Sargassum latifolium) with fixing the optimum concluded conditions in the treatment of Gattar pilot plant effluent, it was clear that almost all elements and nearly uranium complete concentrations were recovered from the waste water and the water can be safely reused again. The present work concluded that the phyco-sorption is a sufficient, low costing, eco-friendly way for the recovery of variable elements and purification of waste water solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Modelling LFG accumulation and flow below leachate level. • Considerations include buoyant forces and porous interactions. • The mechanisms of LFG accumulation, ascent and discontinuous flow are investigated. • Bubble generation leads to > 20 % rise in the leachate level. Landfills in developing countries are typically characterized by high waste water content and elevated leachate levels. Despite the ongoing biodegradation of waste in the highly saturated regions of these landfills, which leads to gas accumulation and bubble formation, the associated gas pressure that poses a risk to landfill stability is often overlooked. This paper introduces a landfill gas (LFG) bubble generation model and a two-fluid model that considers bubble buoyancy and porous medium resistance. The entire process can be divided into two stages based on the force balance and velocity of bubbles: Bubble Development Stage and the Two-Fluid Flow Stage. The models were validated using a one-dimensional analytical solution of hydraulic distribution that considers bubble generation, as well as an experiment involving air injection into a saturated medium. The mechanisms of LFG accumulation and ascent, leachate level rise, and discontinuous leachate-gas flow were then investigated in conjunction with continuous flow in the unsaturated region. The results indicate that the generation of LFG bubbles below the leachate level can cause a rise in the level height of more than 20%. During the Bubble Development Stage, there is a critical height for bubble ascent, above which the buoyancy exceeds the combined forces of gravity and resistance, resulting in less than 10% of bubbles continuously flowing into the unsaturated zone for recovery. The developed model effectively captures the accumulation and flow of LFG bubbles below the leachate level and could be further utilized to study leachate-gas pumping in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Composition and antibiotic resistance of FCB were investigated in WWTP. • Sedimentary tank contributed most to the removal of FCB. • The dominant FCB belonged to Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. • Biological unit significantly increased antibiotic resistant rate of FCB community. • Health risk caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae should be emphasized after WWTP. The dynamics of the composition and antibiotic resistance of the fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) in a typical wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were investigated concerning the seasonal changes. Results showed that WWTP could remove the FCB concentration by 3∼5 logs within the effluent of 104∼105 CFU/L, but the antibiotic resistant rate of FCB species increased significantly after WWTP. The dominant FCB changed from Escherichia coli in the influent (∼73.0%) to Klebsiella pneumoniae in the effluent (∼53.3%) after WWTP, where the Escherichia coli was removed the most, while Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most persistent. The secondary tank removed the most of FCB (by 3∼4 logs) compared to other processes, but increased all the concerned antibiotic resistant rate. The potential super bugs of FCB community showing resistance to all the target antibiotics were selected in the biological treatment unit of WWTP. The FCB showed the highest multiple antibiotic resistance (92.9%) in total which even increased to 100% in the effluent. Klebsiella has the highest antibiotic resistant rate in FCB, with a multiple antibiotic resistance rate of 98.4%. These indicated that the Klebsiella pneumoniae not just Escherichia coli should be specially emphasized after WWTP concerning the health risk associated with FCB community. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics, their transformation products, and the translocation of antibiotic-resistant genes in the environment pose significant health risks to humans, animals, and ecosystems, aligning with the One Health concept. Constructed wetlands hold substantial yet underutilized potential for treating wastewater from agricultural, domestic sewage, or contaminated effluents from wastewater treatment plants, with the goal of eliminating antibiotics. However, the comprehensive understanding of the distribution, persistence, and dissipation processes of antibiotics within constructed wetlands remains largely unexplored. In this context, we provide an overview of the current application of stable isotope analysis at natural abundance to antibiotics. We explore the opportunities of an advanced multiple stable isotope approach, where isotope concepts could be effectively applied to examine the fate of antibiotics in wetlands. The development of a conceptual framework to study antibiotics in wetlands using multi-element stable isotopes introduces a new paradigm, offering enhanced insights into the identification and quantification of natural attenuation of antibiotics within wetland systems. This perspective has the potential to inspire the general public, governmental bodies, and the broader research community, fostering an emphasis on the utilization of stable isotope analysis for studying antibiotics and other emerging micropollutants in wetland systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Increasing periodic aeration rate reduced irreversible fouling of GDM. • Reclaimed wastewater was feasible for hydroponic vegetable cultivations. • Plants grown with treated water were comparable to those with fertilizer. • Shifting nutrient level and operation mode influenced plant growth profile. • Basil grown in reclaimed water had less health risk impact compared to lettuce. In this study, a gravity-driven membrane (GDM) filtration system and hydroponic system (cultivating basil and lettuce) were combined for nutrient recovery from primary municipal wastewater. The GDM system was optimized by increasing the periodic air sparging flow rate from 1 to 2 L/min (∼15 hr per 3–4 days), resulting in a ∼52% reduction of irreversible fouling. However, the total fouling was not alleviated, and the water productivity remained comparable. The GDM-filtrated water was then delivered to hydroponic systems, and the effects of hydroponic operation conditions on plant growth and heavy metal uptake were evaluated, with fertilizer- and tap water-based hydroponic systems and soil cultivation system (with tap water) for comparison. It was found that (i) the hydroponic system under batch mode facilitated to promote vegetable growth with higher nutrient uptake rates compared to that under flow-through feed mode; (ii) a shift in nutrient levels in the hydroponic system could impact plant growth (such as plant height and leaf length), especially in the early stages. Nevertheless, the plants cultivated with the GDM-treated water had comparable growth profiles to those with commercial fertilizer or in soils. Furthermore, the targeted hazard quotient levels of all heavy metals for the plants in the hydroponic system with the treated water were greatly lower than those with the commercial fertilizer. Especially, compared to the lettuce, the basil had a lower heavy metal uptake capability and displayed a negligible impact on long-term human health risk, when the treated water was employed for the hydroponic system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold environments are the most widespread extreme habitats in the world. However, the role of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the cryosphere as hotspots in antibiotic resistance dissemination has not been well established. Hence, a snapshot of the resistomes of WWTPs in cold environments, below 5 °C, was provided to elucidate their role in disseminating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to the receiving waterbodies. The resistomes of two natural environments from the cold biosphere were also determined. Quantitative PCR analysis of the aadA, aadB, ampC, blaSHV, blaTEM, dfrA1, ermB, fosA, mecA, qnrS, and tetA(A) genes indicated strong prevalences of these genetic determinants in the selected environments, except for the mecA gene, which was not found in any of the samples. Notably, high abundances of the aadA, ermB, and tetA(A) genes were found in the influents and activated sludge, highlighting that WWTPs of the cryosphere are critical hotspots for disseminating ARGs, potentially worsening the resistance of bacteria to some of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Besides, the samples from non-disturbed cold environments had large quantities of ARGs, although their ARG profiles were highly dissimilar. Hence, the high prevalences of ARGs lend support to the fact that antibiotic resistance is a common issue worldwide, including environmentally fragile cold ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sewage pumps are widely utilized in various applications, including municipal wastewater treatment plants, industrial processes, and residential sewage systems. These pumps are specifically designed to handle the transportation of mixtures consisting of solid and liquid components, commonly observed as two-phase flow. In this study, semi-open sewage pumps with varying clearance sizes have been examined through adjustment of the geometrical model. Multi-factor analysis of variance is employed to investigate the combined influence of different two-phase flow conditions and tip clearance sizes on the performance of sewage pumps. The results show that the performance of the pump decreases significantly as the clearance size increases. Also, the sensitivity of pump efficiency to variations in tip clearance size is contingent upon the flow rate. Under part-load conditions, both particle concentration and clearance size exhibit a notable effect on efficiency. The two-phase flow will greatly enhance the intensity of the unsteady flow near the inlet and outlet of the semi-open impeller, which is the main reason for the performance degradation of the sewage pump. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for enhancing the hydraulic performance and operational stability of semi-open sewage pumps operating under two-phase flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 45 years, anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) technology has transitioned from laboratory-scale research to widespread successful implementation in various wastewater treatment applications, as part of sustainable technology initiatives. Compared to aerobic membrane bioreactor (AeMBR) and conventional anaerobic treatment methods, AnMBR offers numerous well-documented advantages, including efficient reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD), conversion of organic waste into useful biogas, and production of treated effluent with less sludge generation. Nevertheless, employing AnMBR for treating low to moderate strength wastewater, such as domestic and municipal wastewater, continues to pose challenges due to concerns regarding membrane fouling and low bioenergy recovery efficiency. This article features last 11 year's publication statistics to visualize global research trends covering the historical development of AnMBRs and related areas, emphasizing key innovations and technological milestones that have driven their evolution in reactor configurations. It includes a performance comparison of AnMBRs across different wastewater treatments, presenting a tabulated analysis and critically discussed various performance parameters such as, COD removal efficiency, biogas production, biomass retention, and sludge generation. The discussion also covered the impact of operational and design parameters on AnMBR performance to enhance the depth of analysis. Despite its effectiveness, AnMBR frequently suffers from substantial membrane fouling and low degradation rate. While addressing such issues, this article also explores both conventional and modified approaches, including the use of bioelectrochemical techniques for fouling control and enhanced methane recovery. Finally, this paper highlights a comprehensive overview and identifies potential areas for future research pertaining to the prevailing issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inoculating heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacteria (HN-AD) to enhance membrane bioreactor (MBR) efficiency may result in the loss of functional bacteria. Therefore, this study compares the application results of enhancing MBR with a self-designed biological amplifier coupled with HN-AD against the performance of conventional MBR. After enhancement, the MBR achieved a removal efficiency of 96.7% for NH4+-N (100 mg/L) and 96.4% for COD (400 mg/L) in synthetic wastewater. There was a 33% increase in TN (100 mg/L) removal efficiency. The dominant bacteria in the MBR were Alcaligenes (48.4%) and Thauera (15.2%). Additionally, the abundance of denitrification genes (nirK, norB, nosZ) increased in the enhanced MBR, contributing to improved TN removal efficiency. The use of a biological amplifier effectively solved the problem of HN-AD loss in sewage treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess microbial dynamics during anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge (SWS) from a municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), a Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) assay at 37 °C under mono-digestion conditions was conducted. Utilizing the Illumina MiSeq platform, 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing unveiled a core bacterial community in the solid material, showcasing notable variations in profiles. The research investigates changes in microbial communities and metabolic pathways to understand their impact on the efficiency of the digestion process. Prior to AD, the relative abundance in SWS was as follows: Proteobacteria > Bacteroidota > Actinobacteriota. Post-AD, the relative abundance shifted to Firmicutes > Synergistota > Proteobacteria, with Sporanaerobacter and Clostridium emerging as dominant genera. Notably, the methanogenic community underwent a metabolic pathway shift from acetoclastic to hydrogenotrophic in the lab-scale reactors. At the genus level, Methanosaeta, Methanolinea, and Methanofastidiosum predominated initially, while post-AD, Methanobacterium, Methanosaeta, and Methanospirillum took precedence. This metabolic transition may be linked to the increased abundance of Firmicutes, particularly Clostridia, which harbor acetate-oxidizing bacteria facilitating the conversion of acetate to hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zooplankton are essential components of the aquatic food chain. Their density and composition are influenced by abundant of particular nutrients which promotes planktonic bloom. Domestic sewage is mostly anoxic to hypoxia in nature that favours largely pollution resistant species of zooplankton. The present study deals with the density, biochemical composition and gut microbes of Cladoceran (Moina macrocopa) from domestic sewage water monthly and seasonally. Hydrological parameters and zooplankton density in sewage water showed much variation in different seasons. The monthly variations of M. macrocopa density showed minimum (766.67 ± 152 Ind./L) during December 2019 and maximum (11,600.00 ± 360 Ind./L) during March 2020. Further, seasonal mean density was minimum during monsoon (1444.44 ± 185 Ind./L) and maximum during post-monsoon (9744.44 ± 725 Ind./L) showed distinct seasonal variations. Untreated sewage water in canal boost up solitary zooplankton M. macrocopa abundantly even in anoxic condition with optimum nutrients during the post-monsoon season. Total proteins and carbohydrates of M. macrocopa were maximum during post-monsoon and minimum during monsoon whereas total lipids were maximum during pre-monsoon and minimum during monsoon season. Present finding reveal that, M. macrocopa was found in untreated domestic sewage waste water solitarily in high density in different seasons. Physico-chemical parameters and availability of rich nutrients were the key factors which favouring high density and biochemical profiles of M. macrocopa. Further, abundant anaerobic coli form bacterial strains viz. Klebsiella pneumonia, Exiguobacterium profundum, Escherichia coli JSG and Escherichia coli JSG2 in gut of M. macrocopa indicates its preferred food in anoxic condition and reflect well adaptation in polluted environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) can effectively remove NOx from flue gas in a coal‐fired power plant. As the core of SCR technology, the catalyst has a limited lifespan. The process of reducing acid leaching and roasting water leaching can efficiently extract vanadium and tungsten from spent SCR catalyst. For vanadium recovery in solution, the traditional vanadium precipitation process by NH4Cl has the disadvantages of consuming high precipitant dosage and producing large amounts of waste water. RESULTS: This study focused on the vanadium precipitation process using a solution containing vanadium obtained from adopting some steps to handle the spent SCR catalyst. First, melamine was screened out as the vanadium precipitant. Then, the vanadium precipitation conditions were optimized as follows: solution pH value of 1.0, n(C3H6N6)/n(V) = 0.8, 110 °C and 30 min. Under the best precipitation conditions, the vanadium precipitation efficiency of melamine can reach 99.32%. Finally, the mechanisms of vanadium precipitation by NH4Cl and melamine were discussed, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the vanadium precipitation process by NH4Cl followed the chemical reactions between NH4+ and vanadium ions, while the vanadium precipitation process by melamine followed the redox and complexation reactions which essentially belonged to the types of chemical adsorption. The vanadium precipitation product was roasted at 550 °C for 2 h to obtain the vanadium product. The main component of the vanadium product was V2O5, with a purity of 93.27 wt%. The total recovery efficiency of vanadium from spent SCR catalyst was 78.24%. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic wastewaters have a significant concentration of nutrients that can be utilised as alternative sources of phosphorus and nitrogen for agriculture applications. Chemical precipitation is one of the processes found to be an efficient way for nutrient recovery from various wastewater feedstock. However, not all nutrients are in a form that can be readily recovered. Therefore, a pre-treatment process may be necessary for an efficient recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus. In this research, acid hydrolysis was performed as pre-treatment to release phosphorus from synthetic septage into soluble forms for the subsequent precipitation as struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) which is known as a slow-release fertiliser for application in agriculture. Results show that acid hydrolysis increases the phosphate concentration (PO4-P) to 148.07 ± 1.78 from 61.50 ± 0.07 mg/L, showing the potential of hydrolysis as pre-treatment to efficiently recover nutrients in the form of struvite. The result can inform further research to develop efficient processes for the recovery of nutrients from domestic wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a result of the increase in impervious surfaces in the urbanized area, there is an increase in surface runoff and at the same time an overload of the sewage network. In order to reduce the mentioned negative impacts in the inner city of Bratislava, this study was developed. The aim of this study was to design as possible the most efficient possible infiltration device for capturing rainwater and keeping it at the point of impact of precipitation of the addressed site. The Novohradska Grammar School campus was chosen as the area of interest. It is assumed that, together with elements of green infrastructure, these measures will be able to contribute in order to mitigate the adverse effects of urbanization in the capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of different wastewater treatment processes on the physicochemical properties of Alginate-Like Exopolymers (ALE) extracted from waste sludge. Sludge samples were collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) processing both combined industrial and domestic wastewater, as well as domestic wastewater alone. Among the processes studied, aerobic granular sludge (AGS) produced the highest ALE yield (352 ± 50 mg/g-VSsludge), significantly exceeding that from membrane bioreactor (170 ± 41 mg/g-VSsludge) and conventional activated sludge (<130 mg/g-VSsludge). AGS-derived ALE also had the highest uronic acid content (224 ± 14.5 mg/g-VSsludge), with mannuronic acids playing a critical role in enhancing hydrogel cohesion and stability. The results showed that the distinct microbial consortium in the AGS system, including the presence of Pseudomonas alcaligenes , was strongly associated with increased ALE production. This establishes a novel link between microbial community composition and ALE yield. These insights are crucial for optimizing resource recovery in AGS systems and underscore the potential of ALE for various industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose is widely distributed in higher plants and constitutes the most abundant natural biopolymer on Earth. Nanocellulose is a cellulose material with nanoscale dimensions, obtained through special processing and treatment. Up to now, nanocellulose has been widely investigated as a biosorbent to absorb various types of pollutants in wastewater due to its excellent properties, such as large specific surface area, antifouling behaviour, high aspect ratio, high heat resistance, excellent mechanical properties, biodegradability and biocompatibility. In addition, nanocellulose can be rationally structured by different recombination techniques such as membranes, sponges, aerogels, hydrogels and microspheres and provide specialised functionality for the adsorption of various types of pollutants from wastewater. This review introduces the basic properties, classification and modification methods of nanocellulose; discusses the preparation strategies of nanocellulose-based recombinant materials (including vacuum/pressurised filtration, sol–gel and electrospinning); reviews research progress in the adsorption of organic dyes and heavy metal Cr, as well as the separation of oil/water using nanocellulose-based recombinant materials; and explores the potential of nanocellulose in treating tannery wastewater. Finally, the problems faced by nanocellulose-based recombinant materials and future prospects are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) are promoted by excessive nutrient loading and, while fertilizers and sewage are the most prevalent external nutrient sources in most watersheds, the differential effects of these nutrient sources on CHABs are unknown. Here, we tracked CHABs and performed experiments in five distinct lakes across the Northern US including Lake Erie. Fertilizers with ammonium and orthophosphate, membrane (0.2 μm)-filtered sewage (dominated by reduced forms of nitrogen) sand-and membrane-filtered sewage (dominated by nitrate), and an inorganic nutrient solution of ammonium and orthophosphate were used as experimental nutrient sources for CHABs at N-equivalent, environmentally realistic concentrations. Phytoplankton communities were evaluated fluorometrically, microscopically, and via high throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and levels of microcystin and the δ15N content of particulate organic nitrogen (δPO15N) were quantified. Fertilizer and both sources of wastewater increased the abundance of cyanobacteria in all experiments across all five lakes (p < 0.05 for all) whereas effects on eukaryotic phytoplankton were limited. Sand-filtered sewage contained less P, organic matter, and ammonium but more nitrate and had a 25% less potent stimulatory effect on cyanobacteria than membrane-filtered sewage, suggesting nitrification may play a role in reducing CHABs. Fertilizer increased microcystin levels and decreased the δPO15N whereas wastewater increased δPO15N (p < 0.05 for all). Microcystis was the genus most consistently promoted by nutrient sources (p < 0.05 in all experiments), followed by Cyanobium (p < 0.05 in 50% of experiments), with increases in Microcystis biomass consistently elicited by membrane-filtered wastewater. Collectively, results demonstrate that differing types of sewage discharge and fertilizers can promote CHAB intensity and toxicity, while concurrently altering CHAB diversity and δPO15N. While membrane-filtered sewage consistently favored Microcystis , the discharge of sewage through sands muted bloom intensity suggesting sand-beds may represent a tool to remove key nutrients and partially mitigate CHABs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interactions of dendrimers having a phosphorus atom at each branching point, of type poly(phosphorhydrazone) (PPH), with different types of materials based on silicon and aluminum are reviewed. These dendrimers can be used for the functionalization of solid surfaces at the nanoscale, either by covalent immobilization, or by electrostatic interactions, especially for constructing perfectly controlled multi‐layers by layer‐by‐layer (LbL) deposit. The properties of such hybrid materials as chemical sensors, as very sensitive biological sensors, as well as substrates for the growing of cells are described. The PPH dendrimers can also be embedded inside materials. The resulting hybrid materials have been used for the capture of pollutants, in particular CO2 in air and chromate and methylene blue in waste water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review comprehensively examines the various applications of microalgae, focusing on their significant potential in producing biodiesel and hydrogen, serving as sustainable food sources, and their efficacy in treating both municipal and food-related wastewater. While previous studies have mainly focused on specific applications of microalgae, such as biofuel production or wastewater treatment, this review covers these applications comprehensively. It examines the potential for microalgae to be applied in various industrial sectors such as energy, food security, and environmental management. By bridging these different application areas, this review differs from previous studies in providing an integrated and multifaceted view of the industrial applications of microalgae. Since it is essential to increase the productivity of the process to utilize microalgae for various industrial applications, research trends in different microalgae cultivation processes, including the culture system (e.g., open ponds, closed ponds) or environmental conditions (e.g., pH, temperature, light intensity) to improve the productivity of biomass and valuable substances was firstly analyzed. In addition, microalgae cultivation technologies that can maximize the biomass and valuable substances productivity while limiting the potential for contamination that can occur when utilizing these systems have been described to maximize CO2 reduction. In conclusion, this review has provided a detailed analysis of current research findings and technological innovations, highlighting the important role of microalgae in addressing global challenges related to energy, food supply, and waste management. It has also provided valuable insights into future research directions and potential commercial applications in several bio-related industries, and illustrated how important continued exploration and development in this area is to realize the full potential of microalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study displays the preparation and characterization of cross-linked rubbery hydrogel by applying gamma radiation as a fast and clean tool for industrial application. Rubbery Gel polymer was synthesized through radiation copolymerization between hydrophilic acrylamide (AAM) copolymerized with natural rubber latex at different monomer concentrations (80, 70, and 50% v/v) by using gamma radiation in order to prepare a cross-linked network between PAM and NRL (PAAM/NRL) with controllable hydrophilicity and good mechanical properties. The effect of AAM/NRL compositions and irradiation dose on the gel fraction, swelling isotherm and diffusional characteristics fully studied. The formed rubbery hydrogel with suitable swelling properties examined for the ability of adsorption of heavy metals from their aqueous solutions. Different parameters such as initial metal concentration, pH, temperature and adsorbent dosage are applied for the evaluation of the adsorption ability of the rubbery hydrogel for various toxic metals (Cu2+, Co2+, and Ni2+). The results of metal uptake showed that increasing temperature has an effective impact on the metal uptake for various types of metals tested as increasing temperature increases the rubber chains flexibility within the PAAM/NRL rubbery hydrogel. The desorption of adsorbed metal ions from the PAAM/NRL hydrogel was completed in a desorption mediums of HCL (2 and 0.5 M) and at temperature of 70 °C after 90 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel acyl chloride-mediated strategy is used to synthesize rhodanine-modified UiO-66 adsorbent. Benefitting from the high grafting density of rhodanine, the optimal UiO-66-NH 2 @20Rd exhibits ultra-high adsorption capacity and selectivity for Ag(I) recovery. This study highlights that such a general strategy can provide a valuable avenue toward various functional adsorption materials. [Display omitted] Silver (Ag) recovery is essential for ecological protection, human health and economic benefits. Effective capture of Ag(I) from wastewater is still challenging due to insufficient accessible sites of adsorbents. Herein, an acyl chloride-mediated strategy is developed to synthesize rhodanine (Rd) modified UiO-66 derivatives for Ag(I) adsorption. Benefitting from the high grafting density of Rd, the optimal Rd-modified UiO-66-NH 2 (UiO-66-NH 2 @20Rd) features an ultra-high uptake capacity (maximum capacity of 923.9 mg·g−1) and selectivity (maximum selectivity coefficient of 1665.52) for Ag(I). Almost 90 % of Ag(I) could be captured in one minute over UiO-66-NH 2 @20Rd and maintained a removal rate of 98.9 % even after six cycles. Moreover, a fixed-bed column test demonstrates that approximately 21,780 bed volumes of Ag(I) simulated wastewater can be effectively treated, indicating great promise for practical application. Mechanism investigation illustrates that outstanding performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of Ag(I) adsorption and reduction on dense rhodanine sites. This study highlights that such a general strategy can provide a valuable avenue toward various functional adsorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu‐exchanged chabazite zeolite is the state‐of‐the‐art used on‐board catalyst for NOx selective reduction by ammonium (NH3‐SCR), and the zeolite is currently generated in the presence of N,N,N‐trimethyl‐1‐adamantylammonium hydroxide, serving as organic structure‐directing agent (OSDA). The expensiveness of this OSDA increases the catalyst production cost, while its low degradability brings about environmental concerns in post treatment of waste water. Here, a new type OSDA, 1‐(1‐methylpropyl)‐4‐aza‐1‐azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane hydroxide, is proposed to direct Faujasite‐to‐Chabazite inter‐zeolite conversion and generate chabazite with Si/Al ratio up to 7.2. The obtained zeolite possesses high hydrothermal stability for the high crystallinity, siliceous framework and low concentrations of Si(2Si, 2Al) sites. The Cu‐form catalyst exhibits better catalytic performance in standard NH3‐SCR process for the tiny crystallite size (35–258 nm) and formation of highly dispersed copper sites. The synthesis offers a new type of OSDA to fabricate zeolites and expands the toolkit to regulate their physicochemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIP) is a broad-spectrum synthetic antibiotic often found in domestic sewage and industrial waste due to the inefficiency of conventional treatments. Given the potential risk of drug accumulation, this study presents coatings of titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2) doped with different bismuth (Bi) concentrations to degrade CIP through photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical processes. Characterization studies revealed that bismuth (Bi) doping affected the morphology of the materials, with concentrations of 0.01 and 0.05 mol L−1, resulting in collapsed materials with a smaller active surface area. Photocatalysis tests for all the materials exhibited a similar degree of efficiency to photolysis, approximately 33%. Ecotoxicity tests using the biomarkers Lactuca sativa L., Lemna minor, and Artemia salina indicated that, although they were similar to photolysis in terms of efficiency, the effluents generated when employing the doped catalysts showed lower levels of toxicity, with the best results achieved for the material doped with 0.005 mol L−1 of Bi, with a toxicity level approximately 40% lower. Photoelectrocatalysis proved to be the most efficient CIP degradation technique. The highest degradation rate was observed for materials doped with 0.005 mol L−1 of Bi, with an efficiency of 46%, which is 1.4 times more efficient than photolysis. These results demonstrate that materials doped with low amounts of Bi can be effectively used as photoanodes for drug degradation, as their performance is superior, and the final product generated exhibits low toxicity to living organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of sewage anaerobic treatment and partial nitritation/anammox process (PN/A) can make wastewater treatment plants energetically self-sufficient. However, PN/A application has been a challenge in low-nitrogen wastewaters and it is little explored in anaerobically pretreated domestic sewage, as well as aeration strategies and the PN/A feasibility at ambient temperature. This study investigated PN/A in a sequential batch reactor (SBR) treating real anaerobically pretreated domestic sewage. After the startup, SBR was fed with real wastewater and operated at 35°C and at ambient temperature (20–31°C) without total nitrogen (TN) removal decrease (71 ± 8 and 75 ± 6%, respectively). The median ammonium and TN removals were 68 ± 21 and 59 ± 9%, respectively with 7 min on/14 min off strategy, which represents 12.3 ± 4.2 mg L−1 N-NH4+ effluent, which is lower than Brazilian discharge limits. The qPCR results showed anammox abundance in the range of 108–109 n° copies gVSS−1. Thus, results were very promising and showed the feasibility of the PN/A process for treating real anaerobically pretreated domestic sewage at ambient temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflicts tend to be complex and, in many cases, multi-faceted. However, by adapting an approach by Vuković, this study illustrates a method for structuring such conflicts, which can facilitate insights that are more profound by dividing them into relevant dimensions of the problem. Given that some conflicts are ongoing and new ones may emerge in certain cases, this study also assesses the potential of using the adapted methodology as a structured basis for constructing scenario analyses. In this study, two cases from Germany on the topic of water are analysed. The first case explores a pair of conflicts that arose within a short period involving a chemical company called Currenta. These conflicts are about a controversial wastewater discharge and an attempt to obtain more water rights, despite the possible future water stress. The second case concerns the Nordheide region, which is favoured for its groundwater reservoir. In recent decades, there has been a growing dispute between the water company and the residents of Nordheide about the possible harmful effects of further water extraction. Both cases illustrate the evolving nature of water conflicts, indicating that they can extend beyond a dispute over distribution. In addition to this key finding, the cases demonstrate the diverging concerns of the actors, as well as the significance of decision-makers involved in these conflicts. A nuanced assessment of water conflicts prior to further action, such as conflict resolution, is therefore encouraged by this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to protect the ecological environment of the Yangtze River and promote the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, this paper analyzed the current situation and existing problems of the treatment of rural sewage pollutants in Wuhu City, an important city along the Yangtze River. And it summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the main technologies of ecological treatment of rural domestic sewage (artificial wetland, soil filtration, stabilization pond, septic tank) and biological treatment (biofilm treatment, A²O process) and their applicability in Wuhu City. The results showed that the pollutant discharge of rural domestic sewage was significantly different among counties and districts in Wuhu City. The pollutant discharge was in the order of Wuwei City > Nanling County > Yijiang District > Jiujiang District > Wanzhi District > Fanchang District > Jinghu District. The main pollutants were chemical oxygen demand and total nitrogen. The combination of biological treatment technology and ecological treatment technology had greater advantages than the single treatment technology, however, there were still some problems in the selection and use of rural domestic sewage treatment technology, such as funding gap and imperfect supervision operation and maintenance. In this way, suggestions were put forward to innovate the investment operation and management mode, strengthen the linkage between government enterprises and villagers, coordinate the construction, operation and transfer of domestic sewage treatment projects, and select sewage treatment technical solutions according to local conditions. This study provides a reference for the treatment of rural domestic sewage in Wuhu City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the combined treatment system of domestic sewage and leachate by serial stabilization ponds in a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The WWTP had two parallel pond modules, one receiving (module II—pond M10) and the other not receiving leachate (module I—pond M5). Physical, chemical, and biological monitoring parameters collected from January 2017 to December 2021 were evaluated. High reducing efficiency for ammonium nitrogen was found, with an average of 95.7 ± 2.5%. BOD5 and COD can be considered statistically different for a 95% confidence level in the two pond modules. The phytoplankton community was composed of 46 taxa distributed in four taxonomic classes: 6 belonging to the Cyanobacteria group (13%), 22 to the Green Algae group (48%), 4 to the Diatoms group (9%), and 14 to the Phytoflagellate group (30%). No ecotoxicity was detected for the evaluated pond effluent samples. Thus, although the insertion of leachate impacted the quality of the final effluent of the ponds and the organic matter, it may not have affected the effluents' ecotoxicity. This research helps to understand the impacts of long-term leachate insertion in a real treatment system using stabilization ponds for combined treatment. In addition to the usual efficiency evaluation parameters, ecotoxicological tests and phytoplankton are also evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater serves as a reservoir for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. This study revealed the presence of carbapenem-resistant and carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), established clonal relationships among isolates in hospital and municipal wastewater, and identified a high-risk clone in municipal wastewater. A total of 63 isolates of GNB were obtained, with Enterobacterales being the most frequently isolated group (62%). Carbapenemase-producing Lelliottia amnigena, Kluyvera cryocrescens, and Shewanella putrefaciens isolates were documented for the first time in Mexico. The detectableted carbapenemase genes were blaKPC (55%), blaNDM (12%), blaVIM−2 (12%), blaOXA−48 (4%), blaGES (2%), blaNDM−1 (2%), and blaNDM−5 (2%). Clonal relationships were observed among Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter spp. isolates, and remarkably the high-risk clone Escherichia coli ST361, carrying blaNDM−5, was identified. This study demonstrates that wastewater harbours carbapenem-resistant and carbapenemase-producing bacteria, posing a public health threat that requires epidemiological surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has shown wastewater (WW) surveillance to be an effective means of tracking the emergence of viral lineages which arrive by many routes of transmission including via transportation hubs. In the Canadian province of Ontario, numerous municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) participate in WW surveillance of infectious disease targets such as SARS-CoV-2 by qPCR and whole genome sequencing (WGS). The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport (Toronto Pearson), has been participating in WW surveillance since January 2022. As a major international airport in Canada and the largest national hub, this airport is an ideal location for tracking globally emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). In this study, WW collected from Toronto Pearson's two terminals and pooled aircraft sewage was processed for WGS using a tiled-amplicon approach targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus genome. Data generated was analyzed to monitor trends of SARS-CoV-2 lineage frequencies. Initial detections of emerging lineages were compared between Toronto Pearson WW samples, municipal WW samples collected from the surrounding regions, and Ontario clinical data as published by Public Health Ontario. Results enabled the early detection of VOCs and individual mutations emerging in Ontario. On average, the emergence of novel lineages at the airport preceded clinical detections by 1–4 weeks, and up to 16 weeks in one case. This project illustrates the efficacy of WW surveillance at transitory transportation hubs and sets an example that could be applied to other viruses as part of a pandemic preparedness strategy and to provide monitoring on a mass scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater reuse is encouraged and facilitated by legislation and policy across the EU. A recent example is the EU Regulation 2020/741 on minimum requirements for water reuse. This and other regulatory developments have gone hand in hand with an increase in research in technological innovations that facilitate wastewater reuse, including advanced water treatment technologies. Despite these harmonised developments at the EU level, there appear to be large differences across Member States in the volume of reused water, its sources and the purposes of wastewater reuse. These differences are mirrored in the differences in the regulation of wastewater reuse across the European Union. The present paper has two goals. The first is to provide an overview of the regulation of wastewater reuse in three EU Member States, namely, Spain, Malta and the Netherlands. The comparative analysis reveals evidence of variability in the division of roles and responsibilities, substantive provisions on water reuse, and the allocation of costs. The second objective of the paper is to highlight how, even within the boundaries of the theoretical best practices, national regulation can be heterogenous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel fluorescent sensor based on silver nanoparticle-carbon dot composites (Ag@CDs) has been developed for the rapid and quantitative detection of aquatic bacteria. The sensor operates on the principle of plasmon-enhanced resonance energy transfer, where the fluorescence of CDs is quenched by Ag nanoparticles and restored upon bacterial interaction due to the generation of reactive oxygen species. The Ag@CDs exhibit a linear response to bacterial concentration over the range 7 × 104 ~ 4 × 107 CFU·mL−1, with a low detection limit of 4 × 104 CFU·mL−1. The fluorescence recovery is rapid, reaching maximum intensity within 5 min. The method demonstrates high selectivity, with minimal interference from common ions and compounds found in municipal and industrial wastewater. The Ag@CDs-based 96-well plate assay for quantitative measurement of bacteria was developed. The assay's performance was further validated through the analysis of real water samples, showing a recovery of 94.0 ~ 102% for domestic wastewater and 97.6 ~ 106% for industrial wastewater. Also, Ag@CDs-based test strips assay for semi-quantitation were developed for rapid in-field aquatic bacteria detection. Ag@CDs can be conveniently integrated into 96-well plates and test strips, providing rapid on-site aquatic bacteria testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the catalytic activity of beta cyclodextrin‐encapsulated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in microbial oil synthesis, rice‐washed waste water (RWW) was used as the fermentation medium and streptomyces fradiae as the microbe. The introduction of zinc oxide nanoparticles during fermentation had an impact on output and growth. The biomass percentage was 1.5 times greater and the fatty acid profile was better than in the control samples. The analysis of the induction period (IP) revealed that samples containing zinc oxide nanoparticles had maximum oxidation stability for up to 120 days of storage, along with a considerable reduction in autoxidation. The cetane number and calorific value, however, increased with the addition of ZnO nanoparticles. A new study discovered that the use of ZnO nanoparticles encapsulated in β‐CD led to much increased production (63.5 g/L) of microbial oil than the control sample (42.5 g/L). Therefore, it is anticipated that these nanoparticles would find utility in energy‐related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are added as antibacterial and anti‐odor agents to a wide range of textiles, with high potential for release into aquatic environments via domestic wastewater. Previous work demonstrating the negative impacts of AgNP exposure on periphyton production suggests benthic primary production could be reduced in aquatic ecosystems impacted by AgNP discharge. To evaluate the potential for AgNPs to alter benthic–pelagic coupling in aquatic ecosystems, tissue‐stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen from northern pike (Esox lucius) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were measured before, during, and after the addition of AgNPs to a whole‐lake ecosystem, and compared to those collected from a nearby reference lake. A shift in carbon isotope ratios toward more negative values was observed in both P. flavescens and E. lucius collected from the lake where AgNPs were added, with no shift in similar magnitude observed in E. lucius from the reference lake. Consequently, Bayesian estimates of benthic energy consumed decreased by 32% for P. flavescens and by 40% for E. lucius collected after AgNP additions relative to pre‐addition estimates, greater in magnitude or opposite in direction of trends observed in our reference lake. Analyses suggest no changes in fish nitrogen isotope ratios related to AgNP additions. We hypothesize that the observed reduction in littoral energy use of fish reported here is a response to AgNP settling in littoral benthic habitats—the main habitat in lakes supporting periphyton—as AgNP has been shown elsewhere to significantly reduce the rates of periphyton production. Further, our study highlights the need to broaden the scope of risk assessments for AgNPs and other emerging contaminants prone to settling to consider habitat‐specific impacts on resource utilization by organisms after their release into aquatic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and implementation of innovative production technologies have a direct influence on the creation of new sources of pollution and types of waste. An example of this is the wastewater from soil-less agriculture and the effluent from microbial fuel cells. An important topic is the development and application of methods for their neutralisation that take into account the assumptions of global environmental policy. The aim of the present study was to determine the possibilities of utilising this type of pollution in the process of autotrophic cultivation of the biohydrogen-producing microalgae Tetraselmis subcordiformis. The highest biomass concentration of 3030 ± 183 mgVS/L and 67.9 ± 3.5 mg chl-a/L was observed when the culture medium was wastewater from soil-less agriculture. The growth rate in the logarithmic growth phase was 270 ± 16 mgVS/L-day and 5.95 ± 0.24 mg chl-a/L-day. In the same scenario, the highest total H2 production of 161 ± 8 mL was also achieved, with an observed H2 production rate of 4.67 ± 0.23 mL/h. Significantly lower effects in terms of biomass production of T. subcordiformis and H2 yield were observed when fermented dairy wastewater from the anode chamber of the microbial fuel cell was added to the culture medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partially Saturated Vertical Constructed Wetlands (PSV-CWs) are novel wastewater treatment systems that work through aerobic and anaerobic conditions that favor the removal of pollutants found in high concentrations, such as rivers contaminated with domestic wastewater and landfill leachate. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of PSV-CWs using monocultures and polycultures of Typha latifolia and Heliconia psittacorum to treat river waters contaminated with leachates from open dumps and domestic wastewater. Six experimental units of PSV-CWs were used; two were planted with Typha latifolia monoculture, two with Heliconia psittacorum monoculture and two with polycultures of both plants. The results indicated better organic matter and nitrogen removal efficiencies (p < 0.05) in systems with polycultures (TSS:95%, BOD5:83%, COD:89%, TN:82% and NH4+:99%). In general, the whole system showed high average removal efficiencies (TSS:93%, BOD5:79%, COD:85%, TN:79%, NH4+:98% and TP:85%). Regarding vegetation, both species developed better in units with monocultures, being Typha latifolia the one that reached a more remarkable development. However, both species showed high resistance to the contaminated environment. These results showed higher removals than those reported in the literature with conventional Free Flow Vertical Constructed Wetlands (FFV-CWs), so PSV-CWs could be a suitable option to treat this type of effluent. NOVELTY STATEMENT: The research addresses the contamination of water resources in developing countries by landfill leachate and domestic wastewater discharges. It proposes treatment through Partially Saturated Vertical Constructed Wetlands (PSV-CWs), which, despite the limited information available, have been shown to be effective in removing pollutants in effluents with high concentrations. In addition to evaluating PSV-CWs, the study examines the impact of different types of vegetation on pollutant removal efficiency, concluding that PSV-CWs are a promising and viable option for the treatment of these effluents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anil River estuary (ARE), which is crucial for São Luís Island's socioeconomic well-being, faces substantial human pressure due to its urban location, hastening the eutrophication process. This study, which was conducted from 2022 to 2023, aimed to assess trophic levels across the ARE. Using a multiparametric probe, we analysed the pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxygen saturation, salinity, and total dissolved solids quarterly during the rainy and dry seasons at six sampling points. The nutrient analysis included nitrite, nitrate, ammonium ions, phosphate, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). Trophic index (TRIX) values categorised the ARE as eutrophic (sector 1) or hypereutrophic (sector 2). The dry season exhibited relatively high trophic levels, indicating that the ARE was hypereutrophic. Sector 2, influenced by concentrated nutrients and chlorophyll-a, exhibited increased trophic status from domestic and industrial effluent discharge. Rainy season data at the downstream from the point 3 recorded the maximum DIN:DIP ratio, indicating phosphorus limitation. Monitoring estuarine trophic states is vital for kerbing eutrophication and preserving local biodiversity in the anil river estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]