Special Issue "Innovations in Technologies for Nutrients Removal and Recovery From Water and Wastewater"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Alessio Siciliano
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (Cosenza), Italy
Interests: water and wastewater treatment; waste treatment; biogas production from organic residues; remediation of contaminated sites; water bodies quality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, the release of nutrients in water and soil is an important environmental issue. Indeed, this phenomenon causes the eutrophication of water bodies and the subsequent depletion of dissolved oxygen. Further problems occur because certain forms of nitrogen (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) are toxic to aquatic life or may lead to diseases if drinking water is contaminated with these compounds. The accumulation of nutrients in aquatic systems is mainly attributable to the exploitation in agricultural practices of chemical fertilizers, animal manures, and digestates and, furthermore, to the discharge of municipal and industrial wastewater.

Several biological and physical–chemical techniques for the removal of nutrients compounds are available. The nitrogen forms can be biologically removed by means of conventional nitrification–denitrification mechanisms or through autotrophic processes. The abatement of phosphorus can be achieved in biological treatment plants in which the growth of phosphorus-accumulating organisms is promoted.

Among the chemical–physical technologies, air stripping and breakpoint chlorination have been largely applied for the removal of ammoniacal nitrogen. The chemical denitrification by means of zero-valent metals is an interesting technique for the reduction of nitric nitrogen. The abatement of phosphorus can be accomplished through precipitation treatments. Other processes, such as adsorption, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and so on, are potentially applicable to remove nutrients. Among the different solutions, an approach based on resource recovery and reuse is very attractive because it promotes the development of sustainable technologies. In this regard, struvite precipitation processes have gained great interest in recent years.

The Special Issue welcomes papers focused on the latest knowledge and innovations on any type of processes for the removal and recovery of nutrients from water and wastewater. The papers must show originality and give a significant contribution to the scope of the Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Alessio Siciliano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Air stripping
  • Ammonium
  • ANAMMOX
  • CANON
  • Denitrification
  • Nitrate
  • Nitrification
  • Nutrients
  • PAO
  • Phosphorus
  • Struvite

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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Article
Chemical Denitrification with Mg0 Particles in Column Systems
Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2984; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072984 - 08 Apr 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 695
Abstract
The removal of nitrate from aqueous environments through zero-valent metallic elements is an attractive technique that has gained increasing interest in recent years. In comparison to other metallic elements, zero-valent magnesium (ZVM) has numerous beneficial aspects. Nevertheless, the use of Mg0 particles [...] Read more.
The removal of nitrate from aqueous environments through zero-valent metallic elements is an attractive technique that has gained increasing interest in recent years. In comparison to other metallic elements, zero-valent magnesium (ZVM) has numerous beneficial aspects. Nevertheless, the use of Mg0 particles for nitrate reduction in column systems has not been investigated yet. To overcome the lack of research, in the present study, a wide experimental activity was carried out to develop a chemical denitrification process through ZVM in batch column equipment. Several tests were executed to evaluate the effects of recirculation hydraulic velocity, pH, Mg0 amount, N-NO3 initial concentration and temperature on the process performance. The results show that the process efficiency is positively influenced by the recirculation velocity increase. In particular, the optimal condition was detected with a value of 1 m/min. The process pH was identified as the main operating parameter. At pH 3, abatements higher than 86.6% were reached for every initial nitrate concentration tested. In these conditions, nitrogen gas was detected as the main reaction product. The pH increase up to values of 5 and 7 caused a drastic denitrification decline with observed efficiencies below 26%. At pH 3, the ratio (RMN) between Mg0 and initial nitrate amount also plays a key role in the treatment performance. A characteristic value of about RMN = 0.333 gMg0/mgN-NO3 was found with which it is possible to reach the maximum reaction rate. Unexpectedly, the process was negatively affected by the increase in temperature from 20 to 40 °C. At 20 °C, the material showed satisfactory denitrification efficiencies in subsequent reuse cycles. With the optimal RMN ratio, removals up to 90% were detected by reusing the reactive material three times. By means of a kinetic analysis, a mathematical law able to describe the nitrate abatement curves was defined. Moreover, the relation between the observed kinetic constant and the operating parameters was recognized. Finally, the reaction pathways were proposed and the corrosion reaction products formed during the treatment were identified. Full article
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Article
Effect of ElasticFiller on Pollutant Removal in Each Compartment of ABR
Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2325; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062325 - 17 Mar 2020
Viewed by 598
Abstract
This study was aimed to explore the effect of elastic filler on pollutant removal in each compartment of anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR), ABR with elastic filler, and ABR without elastic filler were compared. The result showed that elastic filler increased the removal rate [...] Read more.
This study was aimed to explore the effect of elastic filler on pollutant removal in each compartment of anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR), ABR with elastic filler, and ABR without elastic filler were compared. The result showed that elastic filler increased the removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and suspended solid (SS) in the first compartment, decreased the removal rate of COD and SS in the second and third compartments, and had little effect on the removal rate of COD and SS in the fourth compartment. Elastic filler increased the increase rate of ammonia nitrogen in the first and second compartments, decreased the increase rate of ammonia nitrogen in the third and fourth compartments; elastic filler had little effect on the nitrate nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in each compartment of ABR. In general, elastic filler could improve the removal rate of COD and SS of ABR but had little effect on the increase rate of ammonia nitrogen, the removal rate of nitrate nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. Elastic filler slightly increased the concentration of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid in the first compartment of ABR, and slightly decreased the sum of formic acid and acetic acid in the second, hird and fourth compartments. Elastic filler did not change the composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM)in each compartment of ABR, but changed the kinds and contents of aromatic proteins, soluble microbial products and humic acids in each compartment of ABR. Elastic filler had little effect on ABR in the removal of aromatic proteins, but they could improve the removal rate of soluble microbial products and humicacids. Elastic filler slightly increased the degree of DOM humification (or maturity) in ABR effluent, but did not change the main source of humus like substance and DOM in ABR effluent. Full article
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Article
A Method of Large-Scale Resource Utilization of Algae—Eutrophic Waste from Lake Chao, China: Preparation and Performance Optimization of Composite Packaging Materials
Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6462; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226462 - 16 Nov 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 752
Abstract
In order to realize the resource utilization of bloom algae from Lake Chao, this study presents the use of fresh algae to improve the mechanical and biological properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). In this study, the algae and LDPE were used as raw [...] Read more.
In order to realize the resource utilization of bloom algae from Lake Chao, this study presents the use of fresh algae to improve the mechanical and biological properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). In this study, the algae and LDPE were used as raw materials, maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PE-g-MAH), polyethylene wax (PE-wax) and white oil, and glycerin were used as the compatibilizer, lubricant, and plasticizer, respectively. The single factor experiments were conducted with these three individual factors, and the response surface methodology technique was used to optimize the process conditions. In the single factor experiments, the mechanical properties of the composites increased with additions of PE-g-MAH, PE-wax/white oil, and glycerin. Both flexural strength and flexural modulus were maximized to optimize the preparation conditions. The optimum preparation conditions were found as follows: algae powder of 15.00 wt%, LDPE of 85.00 wt%, PE-g-MAH of 4.00 wt%, lubricant of 2.67 wt%, and glycerin of 3.00 wt%. This resulted in 11.60 MPa of tensile strength, 9.95 MPa of flexural strength, and 241.00 MPa of flexural modulus. The mechanical properties of composites were greatly improved compared with the absence of additives. In addition, compared with LDPE resin, the degradability of the composite was improved, and the weight loss rate was 7.73% after 6 months. The results recommended that the composites of the algae from Lake Chao and LDPE resin could be a useful material in the packaging field. Generally, the prepared composite particles can be used to produce foam products, packaging bags, or hard packing boxes with special shapes. It is more environmentally friendly, and more able to meet the challenges of sustainable development. Full article
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Review

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Review
Advances in Struvite Precipitation Technologies for Nutrients Removal and Recovery from Aqueous Waste and Wastewater
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7538; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187538 - 12 Sep 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1111
Abstract
The abatement of nutrient compounds from aqueous waste and wastewater is currently a priority issue. Indeed, the uncontrolled discharge of high levels of nutrients into water bodies causes serious deteriorations of environmental quality. On the other hand, the increasing request of nutrient compounds [...] Read more.
The abatement of nutrient compounds from aqueous waste and wastewater is currently a priority issue. Indeed, the uncontrolled discharge of high levels of nutrients into water bodies causes serious deteriorations of environmental quality. On the other hand, the increasing request of nutrient compounds for agronomic utilizations makes it strictly necessary to identify technologies able to recover the nutrients from wastewater streams so as to avoid the consumption of natural resources. In this regard, the removal and recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus from aqueous waste and wastewater as struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) represents an attractive approach. Indeed, through the struvite precipitation it is possible to effectively remove the ammonium and phosphate content of many types of wastewater and to produce a solid compound, with only a trace of impurities. This precipitate, due to its chemical characteristics, represents a valuable multi-nutrients slow release fertilizer for vegetables and plants growth. For these reasons, the struvite precipitation technology constantly progresses on several aspects of the process. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review on the recent developments in this technology for the removal and recovery of nutrients from aqueous waste and wastewater. The theoretical background, the parameters, and the operating conditions affecting the process evolution are initially presented. After that, the paper focuses on the reagents exploitable to promote the process performance, with particular regard to unconventional low-cost compounds. In addition, the development of reactors configurations, the main technologies implemented on field scale, as well as the recent works on the use of struvite in agronomic practices are presented. Full article
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