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Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 24783

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Cristina Collivignarelli

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: drinking water; chemical-physical processes; sewage sludge minimization; thermophilic treatments; WWTP optimization; membrane processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Alessandro Abbà

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Interests: water reuse; circular economy; resource recovery; advanced biological wastewater treatment; treatment for sludge minimization; membrane processes; assessment of wastewater treatment plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing demand for material and energy resources from wastewater management represents a major challenge for public health and economic development. Both wastewater reuse and sludge reduction represent suitable choices to move towards a sustainable approach to integrated urban water management.

However, the current technologies in existing wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not able to remove (complete or partially) huge amounts of “new” pollutants, such as contaminants of emerging concern. These compounds could be released in the environment, involving serious effects on the aquatic environment and on human health.

Therefore, advanced treatment technologies have been sought to find solutions supporting sustainable approach in wastewater management.

Authors are invited to submit original research and review articles focusing on this area. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

Recent advances in wastewater treatments;
Recent advances in membrane-based processes;
Advanced technologies for wastewater reuse;
Innovative technologies in wastewater treatment plants to improve resource recovery and to minimize residues;
Technologies for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern;
Toxicity reduction.

Prof. Dr. Maria Cristina Collivignarelli
Dr. Alessandro Abbà
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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/sludge treatment technologies
energy/resource recovery from wastewater/sludge
advanced oxidation
innovative tertiary treatment technologies
membrane processes
wastewater management
circular economy

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1922 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Performance of Full-Scale Thermophilic Membrane Bioreactor and Assessment of the Effect of the Aqueous Residue on Mesophilic Biological Activity

by Maria Cristina Collivignarelli, Marco Carnevale Miino, Francesca Maria Caccamo, Marco Baldi and Alessandro Abbà

Water 2021, 13(13), 1754; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131754 - 25 Jun 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2726

Abstract

To date, the management of high-strength wastewater represents a serious problem. This work aims to evaluate the performance on chemical pollutants and on sludge production of one of the two full-scale thermophilic membrane bioreactors (ThMBRs) currently operational in Italy, based on monitoring data of the last two and a half years. Removal yields on COD, N-NO_x, non-ionic and anionic surfactants (TAS and MBAS), increased with the input load up to 81.9%, 97.6%, 94.7%, and 98.4%, respectively. In the period of stability, a very low value of sludge production (0.052 kg_VS kgCOD⁻¹) was observed. Oxygen uptake rate (OUR) tests allowed us to exclude the possibility that mesophilic biomass generally exhibited any acute inhibition following contact with the aqueous residues (ARs), except for substrates that presented high concentrations of perfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS), cyanides and chlorides. In one case, nitrifying activity was partially inhibited by high chlorides and PFAS concentration, while in another the substrate determined a positive effect, stimulating the phenomenon of nitrification. Nitrogen uptake rate (NUR) tests highlighted the feasibility of reusing the organic carbon contained in the substrate as a source in denitrification, obtaining a value comparable with that obtained using the reference solution with methanol. Therefore, respirometric tests proved to be a valid tool to assess the acute effect of AR of ThMBR on the activity of mesophilic biomass in the case of recirculation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse)

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11 pages, 2486 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Extraction and Purification of Phosphorus from the Ashes of Incinerated Biological Sewage Sludge

by Marco Baldi, Andrea Martinotti, Sabrina Sorlini, Ioannis A. Katsoyiannis, Alessandro Abbà, Marco Carnevale Miino and Maria Cristina Collivignarelli

Water 2021, 13(8), 1102; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13081102 - 16 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3019

Abstract

Phosphorus depletion represents a significant problem. Ash of incinerated biological sewage sludge (BSS) contains P, but the presence of heavy metals (e.g., Fe and Al) is the main issue. Based on chemical characterization by SEM-EDS, ED-XRF and ICP-OES techniques, the characteristics and P content of bottom ash (BA) and fly ash (FA) of incinerated BSS were very similar. On BA, P extraction carried out in counter- current with an S:L ratio of 1:10 and H₂SO₄ 0.5 M led to better extraction yields than those of a similar test with H₂SO₄ 1 M and an S:L ratio of 1:5 (93% vs. 86%). Comparing yields with H₂SO₄ 0.5 M (S:L ratio of 1:10), the counter-current method gave better results than those of the crossflow method (93% vs. 83.9%), also improving the performance obtained with HCl in crossflow (93% vs. 89.3%). The results suggest that the purification of the acid extract from heavy metals with pH variation was impractical due to metal precipitation as phosphates. Extraction with H₂SO₄ and subsequent treatment with isoamyl alcohol represented the best option to extract and purify P, leading to 81% extraction yields of P with low amounts of metals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse)

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15 pages, 2027 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Efficiency and Energy Demand in Polishing Treatment of Wastewater Treatment Plants Effluents: Photoelectrocatalysis vs. Photocatalysis and Photolysis

by Maria Cristina Collivignarelli, Marco Carnevale Miino, Hamed Arab, Massimiliano Bestetti and Silvia Franz

Water 2021, 13(6), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13060821 - 17 Mar 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2569

Abstract

Photoelectrocatalysis (PEC), photolysis (PL), and photocatalysis (PC) were applied to increase the biodegradability of wastewaters effluents sampled from a plant collecting both municipal wastewaters and aqueous waste. In PEC, the catalyst was a porous TiO₂ photoanode obtained by plasma electrolytic oxidation and electrically polarized during operation. In PC a dispersion of TiO₂ powders was used. The same irradiation shielding, and similar catalyst surface areas were set for PC and PEC, allowing a straightforward evaluation of the catalytic effect of the electrical polarization of TiO₂ during operation. Results showed that the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color removal rates follow the order: PEC > PL and PEC > PC. The specific biodegradability rate (SBR) increased following the same order, the PEC process allowing SBR values more than twice higher than PL and PC. The operating costs were calculated based on the electrical energy per order of COD, color, and SBR values, demonstrating that at the laboratory scale the energy demand of PEC is significantly lower than the other two tested processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse)

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15 pages, 4414 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Optimal Solutions for the Use of Sewage Sludge on Agricultural Lands

by Catalina Iticescu, Puiu-Lucian Georgescu, Maxim Arseni, Adrian Rosu, Mihaela Timofti, Gabriel Carp and Lucian-Ionel Cioca

Water 2021, 13(5), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13050585 - 24 Feb 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4158

Abstract

The use of sewage sludge in agriculture decreases the pressure on landfills. In Romania, massive investments have been made in wastewater treatment stations, which have resulted in the accumulation of important quantities of sewage sludge. The presence of these sewage sludges coincides with large areas of degraded agricultural land. The aim of the present article is to identify the best technological combinations meant to solve these problems simultaneously. Adapting the quality and parameters of the sludge to the specificity of the land solves the possible compatibility problems, thus reducing the impact on the environment. The physico-chemical characteristics of the fermented sludge were monitored and optimal solutions for their treatment were suggested so as to allow that the sludge could be used in agriculture according to the characteristics of the soils. The content of heavy metals in the sewage sludge was closely monitored because the use of sewage sludge as a fertilizer does not allow for any increases in the concentrations of these in soils. The article identifies those agricultural areas which are suitable for the use of sludge, as well as ways of correcting some parameters (e.g., pH), which allow the improvement of soil quality and obtained higher agricultural production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse)

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16 pages, 2335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancement of Anaerobic Digestion of Waste-Activated Sludge by Conductive Materials under High Volatile Fatty Acids-to-Alkalinity Ratios

by Paolo S. Calabrò, Filippo Fazzino, Carlo Limonti and Alessio Siciliano

Water 2021, 13(4), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13040391 - 3 Feb 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3422

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD) represents a suitable option for the management of the waste-activated sludge (WAS) produced in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Nevertheless, due to its complex characteristics, WAS is often barely degradable under conventional anaerobic processes. The use of conductive materials during AD provides a promising route for enhancing WAS digestion, through the effects of direct inter-species electron transfer (DIET). The present paper aims to evaluate the effects of the addition of four different materials—granular activated carbon (GAC), granular iron, and aluminium and steel scrap powders—in semi-continuous lab-scale reactors under very high volatile fatty acids-to-alkalinity ratios. In particular, the use of metallic aluminium in WAS digestion was investigated for the first time and compared to the other materials. The AD of WAS without the addition of conductive materials was impossible, while the use of steel powder and zero-valent iron is shown not to improve the digestion process in a satisfactory way. On the contrary, both GAC and Al allow for effective WAS degradation. At stable conditions, methane yields of about 230 NmL_CH4/g_VS and 212 NmL_CH4/g_VS are recorded for GAC- and Al-amended reactors, respectively. These two materials are the most promising in sustaining WAS AD through DIET also in case of unbalanced volatile fatty acids-to-alkalinity ratios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse)

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15 pages, 1967 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential Viable Products Identified from Characterisation of Agricultural Slaughterhouse Rendering Wastewater

by Brian Brennan, Burcu Gunes, Matthew R. Jacobs, Jenny Lawler and Fiona Regan

Water 2021, 13(3), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13030352 - 30 Jan 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3626

Abstract

The composition of challenging matrices must be fully understood in order to determine the impact of the matrix and to establish suitable treatment methods. Rendering condensate wastewater is a complex matrix which is understudied. It is produced when the vapour from rendering facilities (heat processing of slaughterhouse waste material) is cooled as a liquid for discharge. This study offers a full physicochemical characterisation of rendering condensate wastewater and its potential for valorisation via production of viable by-products. A study of seasonal variation of levels of dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and ammonia was carried out on the wastewater. The results show that the wastewater was high strength all year-round, with a chemical oxygen demand of 10,813 ± 427 mg/L and high concentrations of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (1745 ± 90 mg/L), ammonia (887 ± 21 mg/L), crude protein (10,911 ± 563 mg/L), total phosphorous (51 ± 1 mg/L), fat and oil (11,363 ± 934 mg/L), total suspended solids (336 ± 73 mg/L) and total dissolved solids (4397 ± 405 mg/L). This characterisation demonstrates the requirement for adequate treatment of the condensate before releasing it to the environment. While there is a reasonably constant flow rate and dissolved oxygen level throughout the year, higher chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and ammonia levels were found in the warmer summer months. From this study, rendering condensate slaughterhouse wastewater is shown to have potential for production of marketable goods. These products may include ammonium sulphate fertilizer, protein supplements for animal feeds and recovery of acetic acid calcium hydroxyapatite, thus enhancing both the financial and environmental sustainability of slaughterhouse operations. This work demonstrates a valuable assessment of a complex wastewater, while taking advantage of on-site access to samples and process data to inform the potential for wastewater reuse. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse)

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Review

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21 pages, 1990 KiB

Open AccessReview

Activated Carbons for Arsenic Removal from Natural Waters and Wastewaters: A Review

by Elie Meez, Athanasia K. Tolkou, Dimitrios A. Giannakoudakis, Ioannis A. Katsoyiannis and George Z. Kyzas

Water 2021, 13(21), 2982; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13212982 - 22 Oct 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4071

Abstract

The arsenic pollution of waters and wastewaters is concerning many countries across the world, and because of the effects of arsenic on human health, its removal from waters is of great importance. Adsorption using functionalized activated carbons as a technique for the removal of arsenic from water streams has gained great attention. In the present review, we summarize synthesis technologies, the characterization of materials and arsenic removal capacity, and we clarify the parameters which play a critical role in the removal of arsenic, such as the pH value of the water, the active group in the functionalization and temperature. The review article concludes that most of the experimental data fit both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. In this review, the recyclability and reuse of the materials are also reported, and the findings show that for both arsenite and arsenate, even after several adsorption cycles, the material can be further used as an efficient adsorbent for arsenic removal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies and Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reuse)

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