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Wastewater Treatment Technologies: Theory, Methods and Applications

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2024) | Viewed by 6416

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
Interests: wastewater; model; activated sludge; anaerobic granular sludge; membrane bioreactor; algae; algal-bacteria
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wastewater is now widely recognized as a source rather than a waste. Various technologies have now been developed to recover the resource from wastewater. Meanwhile, wastewater treatment is also an energy-intensive industry, which results in a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions. New technologies are required to be applied to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, various anammox-based biological technologies, algae-based biotechnologies, or promoting the application of mainstream anaerobic technologies are effective in reducing the energy demand of biological treatments. Moreover, artificial intelligence has been gradually applied to wastewater treatment, such as model parameter estimation, aeration, twin-wastewater treatment plants, etc. As AI is now gradually changing our view of this world and ways of performing scientific research, we believe that more and more scientific output will be published.

The focus on current environmental problems, novel biological, and physical and chemical novel processes will deepen our ability to obtain chemicals from wastewater. New theories, methods, and applications should be developed for a better future. This issue will welcome advances in various wastewater treatment technologies. By doing so, we aim to take significant strides towards a greener and more sustainable world while promoting academic dialogue and collaboration.

The topics of the Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

  1. Physical separation theory and technologies;
  2. Chemical transformation theory and technologies;
  3. Biological purification theory and technologies;
  4. Natural treatment theory and technologies;
  5. Water treatment theory and technology based on microalgae;
  6. Disinfection and microbial risk control;
  7. Reclaimed water storage and reuse;
  8. UV treatment theory and technologies;
  9. Standards and policy for water quality control and water resource management;
  10. Urban water system and water recycling;
  11. Industrial water system and water recycling;
  12. Rural water system and water recycling;
  13. Desalination technology and processes.

Dr. Jixiang Yang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wastewater
  • anammox
  • artificial intelligence
  • membrane bioreactor
  • resource recovery
  • energy recovery
  • membrane process
  • anaerobic digestion

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 2655 KiB  
Article
Wastewater Treatment for Nutrients and Pathogens in a Demonstration-Scale Outdoor Constructed Wetland System
by Syed I. Hussain, David W. Blowes, Carol J. Ptacek, Brent C. Wootton, Gordon Balch and James Higgins
Water 2024, 16(15), 2198; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16152198 - 2 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1527
Abstract
A demonstration-scale outdoor constructed wetland (CW) wastewater treatment system was evaluated for about two years for its effectiveness in treating septic system effluents. The system included three treatment cells: an anaerobic cell, an aerated cell, and a basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS)-based phosphorus [...] Read more.
A demonstration-scale outdoor constructed wetland (CW) wastewater treatment system was evaluated for about two years for its effectiveness in treating septic system effluents. The system included three treatment cells: an anaerobic cell, an aerated cell, and a basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS)-based phosphorus (P) treatment cell. High removal efficiencies were achieved, with reductions of >99% for PO4-P, >83% for NH3-N, >99% for cBOD5, and >76% for COD, with influent concentrations averaging 6, 48, 63, and 143 mg L−1, respectively. Additionally, pathogens removal were high, with an over 99% decrease in E. coli and total coliform levels. The BOFS cell was critical, elevating effluent pH to 10.9 ± 1.5, which effectively inactivated pathogens. Environmental safety before discharge was ensured by CO2(g) sparging to adjust the pH and a zero-valent iron layer in the BOFS cell to control dissolved metal concentrations. Analytical techniques (FESEM-EDX, FTIR, and XANES) confirmed the formation of Ca carbonate and Ca phosphate on spent BOFS, highlighting their role in the treatment process. This study highlights the potential of integrating complementary technologies in constructed wetlands for sustainable and efficient wastewater management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Technologies: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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15 pages, 10165 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation of Film Thickness in Wastewater Airlift Pumps by an Image Processing Method
by Min Jiang, Zhineng Wang and Bingzheng Chen
Water 2024, 16(14), 2010; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16142010 - 15 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1103
Abstract
The airlift pump is a key part of wastewater treatment and is employed as an innovative and feasible collection tool. However, as one of the key factors in the lifting capability of airlift pumps, film thickness in the gas–liquid two-phase flow operating in [...] Read more.
The airlift pump is a key part of wastewater treatment and is employed as an innovative and feasible collection tool. However, as one of the key factors in the lifting capability of airlift pumps, film thickness in the gas–liquid two-phase flow operating in pumps is still an unknown topic because it is difficult to measure. This paper proposes a visualization method for measuring film thickness and investigates the film thickness when operating under gas flow with a high rate in airlift pumps using experiments. Firstly, a simulation experiment platform was built, and the images of the film structure were acquired by a high-speed camera. Then, image-processing technology and an image distortion correction were proposed to extract the gas–liquid interface for studying the thickness of the film. The experimental results demonstrated that a large film thickness ranging from 0.15 D to 0.24 D was found in airlift pumps and that its film thickness kept a constant value, even under a high gas superficial velocity, maintaining a large output liquid flow from airlift pumps. As wastewater was carried by wastewater treatment, a larger film thickness of the annular film will benefit the high lifting rate of wastewater. The works in this paper offer valuable insights for the higher performance of working airlift pumps and wastewater treatment efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Technologies: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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15 pages, 1513 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater in the Context of a Sustainable Economy
by Oana Irimia, Eniko Gaspar, Mirela Stanciu, Emilian Moșneguțu and Narcis Bârsan
Water 2024, 16(11), 1585; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111585 - 31 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1485
Abstract
In the context of ever-increasing water demand and pressures on natural resources, efficient water management is becoming a major priority for contemporary society. Since nitrogen and phosphorus, as essential nutrients, play a crucial role in the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, but excessive concentrations [...] Read more.
In the context of ever-increasing water demand and pressures on natural resources, efficient water management is becoming a major priority for contemporary society. Since nitrogen and phosphorus, as essential nutrients, play a crucial role in the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, but excessive concentrations can cause eutrophication of receptors, they need to be eliminated as completely as possible while respecting the principles of a sustainable economy, efficiency, and quality. In this study, the efficiency of optimizing the technological process of wastewater treatment by dosing FeCl3 40% solution to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in treated water was investigated. The results obtained revealed that the use of this type of flocculant resulted in an increase in the efficiency of the removal process of total N by an average of 35.57 mg/L and total P by an average of 3.89 mg/L. Also, the results, which are interpreted by mathematical modeling, show that the optimal use of FeCl3 40% solution leads to a significant reduction in pollutants, well below the maximum permitted values (according to Romanian regulations, the maximum value for total phosphorus is 2 mg/L and total nitrogen is 15 mg/L for localities with a population between 10,000 and 100,000 inhabitants). This technical approach not only improves the quality of treated water but also contributes to minimizing the impact on aquatic ecosystems and promotes the principles of circular economy in water resource management. By optimizing the dosage of FeCl3 40% solution in the treatment process, the efficiency of the coagulation and flocculation processes is maximized, thus providing a viable and sustainable solution for reducing the environmental impact of nitrogen and phosphorus and promoting responsible and sustainable water resource management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Technologies: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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18 pages, 3391 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Approach to Azo Dichlorotriazine Dye Treatment: Assessing the Impact of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Treatment Methods through Statistical Analysis of Experimental Data
by Gamal K. Hassan, Montaser Y. Ghaly, Ghada E. Ahmed, Rehab M. Mohamed, Heba A. El-Gawad, Przemysław Kowal, Hussein E. Al-Hazmi and Ahmed A. Afify
Water 2024, 16(10), 1327; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16101327 - 7 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1418
Abstract
This exploration investigates integrated treatment systems combining advanced oxidation processes (Fenton and photo-Fenton) with biological methods for the effective elimination of stubborn organic compounds in simulated textile wastewater composed of azo Dichlorotriazine dye. A comprehensive optimization of key process factors including catalyst dosage, [...] Read more.
This exploration investigates integrated treatment systems combining advanced oxidation processes (Fenton and photo-Fenton) with biological methods for the effective elimination of stubborn organic compounds in simulated textile wastewater composed of azo Dichlorotriazine dye. A comprehensive optimization of key process factors including catalyst dosage, hydrogen peroxide quantity, irradiation duration, etc. was systematically conducted for both Fenton and photo-Fenton processes to realize maximum COD and color removal. Under ideal conditions (0.4 g/L photocatalyst, 1 mL/L H2O2, and 75-Watt UV intensity for 60 min), the photo-Fenton process realized 80% COD elimination and complete decolorization, meeting industrial discharge limits without needing extra biological treatment. Statistical models correlating process parameters to treatment efficiency were developed, giving important design insights. For Fenton, effluent COD exceeded discharge thresholds, so a post-biological treatment using activated sludge was essential to comply with regulations. This integrated Fenton–biological scheme utilizes synergism between chemical and biological processes for enhanced overall treatment. Notable economic benefits were achieved by photo-Fenton over conventional UV-only and UV/H2O2 methods regarding energy consumption and operating costs. Overall, this pioneering work successfully proves integrated advanced oxidation–biological systems as a superior, sustainable alternative to traditional techniques for economically removing obstinate pollutants, such as azo Dichlorotriazine dye, as it is a simulated textile wastewater treatment used to satisfy environmental standards. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment Technologies: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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