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Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Pollution Prevention, Mitigation and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2023) | Viewed by 11192

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Belisa Alcantara Marinho

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Guest Editor

Department for Nanostructured Materials, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: chemistry; environmental engineering; water pollution; wastewater management; water and wastewater treatment; photoelectrocatalysis; synthesis of photoelectrocatalysts; photoelectrocatalysts immobilization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Maria Alice Prado Cechinel

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical and Food Engineering (EQA), Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil
Interests: chemical engineering; environmental engineering; water pollution; wastewater management and treatment; waste and biomass valorization

Dr. Bianca Miguel de Souza Chaves

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA
Interests: water and wastewater treatment technologies; water reuse; ozonation; advanced oxidation processes; advanced membrane technologies; process integration and intensification; environmental remediation technologies; environmental assessment and monitoring of surface waters

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human activities are continuously and negatively impacting water quality. Severe pollution is a daily occurrence in the environment in most parts of the world. This alarming situation arises from the incessant discharge of recalcitrant waste emanating from domestic usage, chemical factories, pharmaceuticals, the agricultural sector, etc. Furthermore, the obsolete existing treatment technology exacerbates this. Poor efficiency, high operating costs, low sustainability and environmental harm, are among the cited major issues. This Special Issue edition will provide an overview of the state-of-the-art, advances, and challenges regarding the role and possibilities of different treatment technologies for water recovery. It will cover the applications, development of new materials, reactor design, and case studies regarding the following techniques: i) physico-chemical processes, including adsorption, ion exchange, membrane processes, phase separation, and multiphase extraction; ii) advanced oxidation/reduction processes, including heterogeneous catalysis, UV/H2O2, Fenton oxidation, ozonation, sonolysis, and electrochemical treatment; iii) biological processes, including anaerobic digestion, aerobic process, biofilm process, and membrane bioreactors; iv) process intensification.

The Special Issue edition will also cover the following fields:

Nanotechnology and nanomaterials;
Potable and non-potable water reuse;
Urban hydrology (sewer systems, stormwater management, green infrastructure);
Drinking water treatment and distribution;
Monitoring, fate, and assessment of contaminants (chemical, microbial, anthropogenic particles such as microplastics or nanoparticles);
Resource recovery and residuals management.

We invite your contributions to this Special Issue, exploring techniques that may contribute to a step forward in wastewater management and recovery.

Dr. Belisa Alcantara Marinho
Dr. Maria Alice Prado Cechinel
Dr. Bianca Miguel de Souza Chaves
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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 treatment
physico-chemical processes
adsorption
ion exchange
membrane processes
phase separation
multiphase extraction
advanced oxidation/reduction processes
heterogeneous photocatalysis
electrocatalysis
photoelectrocatalysis
UV/H₂O₂
fenton process
ozonation
sonolysis
electrochemical treatment
biological processes
anaerobic digestion
aerobic process
biofilm process
membrane bioreactor
process intensification
nanotechnology
nanomaterials
water reuse

Published Papers (7 papers)

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17 pages, 5297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

TiO₂/Arabic Gum for Degradation of Pollutants in Water

by Anderson Lopes, Francisca P. Araújo, Dihego Damasceno, Luzia M. C. Honório, Alan I. S. Morais, Luciano C. Almeida, Ramón Peña Garcia, Edson C. Silva-Filho, Marcelo B. Furtini and Josy A. Osajima

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15768; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215768 - 9 Nov 2023

Viewed by 863

Abstract

Emerging contaminants and pollution are environmental problems threatening public health. Antibiotic ciprofloxacin and methylene blue dye are pollutants frequently detected in water systems worldwide. Photocatalysis is a process for water treatment. TiO₂-based catalysts synthesized with natural gums show improved photocatalytic properties. Here, the sol–gel method synthesized TiO₂/Arabic gum for photocatalytic performance. The innovation of this work was synthesized at 400 °C and investigated their photocatalytic proprieties using methylene blue and ciprofloxacin as model pollutants. XRD showed that the photocatalyst was in the anatase phase. The result showed that TiO₂ with a band gap of 3.29 eV was achieved at a calcination temperature of 400 °C. Corresponding FTIR results suggest only the existence of functional groups related to TiO₂. The SEM and BET method characterization indicated that TiO₂/Arabic gum were spherical-shaped nanoparticles arranged in clusters with a mesoporous structure, contributing to photocatalytic performance. In addition, photocatalytic studies showed that the methylene blue dye and ciprofloxacin antibiotic degradation rates reached 99% and 94% under UV light, respectively. The hole (h⁺) and

{O H}^{⦁}

radicals are essential in photodegradation. The synthesized material showed excellent photostability and maintained almost the same degradation percentage in the three consecutive cycles tested on the different pollutants. The TiO₂/Arabic gum is an excellent candidate for future use in treating contaminants in aqueous media using photocatalysis. Therefore, TiO₂/Arabic gum nanoparticles are a promising material for wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects)

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20 pages, 4208 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cobalt Ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) Spinel as a New Efficient Magnetic Heterogeneous Fenton-like Catalyst for Wastewater Treatment

by Maria Alice Prado Cechinel, João Lucas Nicolini, Pedro Monteiro Tápia, Edgar Andrés Chavarriaga Miranda, Sarah Eller, Tiago Franco de Oliveira, Fabiano Raupp-Pereira, Oscar Rubem Klegues Montedo, Tiago Bender Wermuth and Sabrina Arcaro

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 15183; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152015183 - 23 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1344

Abstract

For the first time, cobalt ferrite spinel (CoFe₂O₄) was used as a catalyst in the Fenton process for Remazol Red RR dye degradation in water. CoFe₂O₄ was synthesized via gel combustion using tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane as an alternative fuel in one step with a ratio of Ψ = 0.8. Its structural, surface optics, magnetic properties, and the optimal conditions of the Fenton reagents for dye degradation were evaluated. The saturation magnetization and remanence (Ms and Mr, respectively) for the as-prepared powder were 65.7 emu/g and 30.4 emu/g, respectively, and the coercivity (Hc) was 1243 Oe, indicating its ferromagnetic nature and suitability as a magnetic catalyst. Red Remazol RR dye degradation tests were performed using the Fenton process to evaluate the influence of the catalyst dosage and H₂O₂ concentration. The tests were performed in a batch reactor in the dark with constant agitation for 24 h. The best result was obtained using 1 g/L of catalyst with a dye degradation of 80.6%. The optimal concentration of H₂O₂ (1.0 M) resulted in 96.5% dye degradation. Nanoparticle recyclability testing indicated that the material could be satisfactorily reused as a catalyst for at least three cycles. The potential use of the CoFe₂O₄ synthesized in this study as a catalyst for dye degradation by the Fenton process was demonstrated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects)

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18 pages, 4576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Biosynthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles: An Eco-Friendly Approach for Azo Dye Decolorization and Industrial Wastewater Treatment

by Sadia Mustafa, Faisal Mahmood, Usman Shafqat, Sabir Hussain, Muhammad Shahid, Fatima Batool, Rehab O. Elnour, Mohamed Hashem, Tahani A. Y. Asseri and Tanvir Shahzad

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14965; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014965 - 17 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1096

Abstract

Wastewater is one of the major concerns for agriculture, and the composition of wastewater depends on its origin. Generally, industrial wastewater consists of azo dyes and heavy metals that contaminate the food chain. In this study, nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO-NPs) were biosynthesized from Shewnella spp. and characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Azo dye decolorization indicated that NiO-NPs decolorize methylene blue (MB) (82.36%), Congo red (CR) (93.57%), malachite green (MCG) (91.05%), reactive black 5(RB5) (55.17%), reactive red-II(RR-II) (55.45%), and direct blue-I(DB-I) (59.94%) at a dye concentration of 25 mg L⁻¹ after 4 h of sunlight exposure. Additionally, the rate of decolorization was also examined for a 50 mg L⁻¹ concentration of dye. In order to investigate the photocatalytic potential of NiO-NPs, different dyes were also subjected to static and shaking conditions for dye decolorization. The treatment of industrial wastewater with NiO-NPs showed a significant reduction in pH from 8.5 to 6.1, EC (48.38%), chemical oxygen demand (49.24%), total dissolved solids (67.05%), sulfates (52.5%), and phosphates (49.49%). The results of this study indicated that biosynthesized NiO-NPs are an attractive choice for azo dye degradation and industrial wastewater treatment, and they can help save the depleted natural resources of water for agricultural purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects)

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15 pages, 4386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Novel 3D Highly Porous Structure for TiO₂ Immobilization and Application in As(III) Oxidation

by Julio A. Scherer Filho, Belisa A. Marinho, Fabiola Vignola, Luciana P. Mazur, Sergio Y. G. González, Adriano da Silva, Antônio Augusto Ulson de Souza and Selene M. A. Guelli Ulson de Souza

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14760; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014760 - 11 Oct 2023

Viewed by 724

Abstract

One of the main drawbacks of the application of photocatalysis for wastewater treatment is the use of dispersed photocatalysts, which are difficult to remove from effluent after the treatment process and may pose additional toxicity to the receiving bodies. As an alternative, immobilized catalysts can be applied; however, this strategy can increase the difficulties in mass and photo transfer. This work presents the development of an inert and highly porous support for TiO₂ immobilization. The produced materials have a high surface area and contribute to diminishing the difficulties in mass and phototransfer during photocatalysis. Different types of polymeric materials were tested as support, and a Taguchi experimental design with an L9 arrangement was used to optimize the immobilization process and evaluate the effect of TiO₂ content and the use of bidding agents, ultrasound, and thermic treatment. The grey automotive polyurethane foam proved to be the best support, using 5.0% of TiO₂ (wt.%) in the immobilization suspension with Triton X as the binding agent and heat treatment during immobilization. At the optimal conditions, it was possible to achieve total As(III) oxidation (below the analytical detection limit) in 240 min, with nearly 100% As(V) present in solution at the end of the reaction (almost no As adsorption on the catalyst surface). In addition, the catalytic bed was able to promote the As(III) complete oxidation in up to five consecutive cycles without significant leaching or deactivation of the immobilized TiO₂. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects)

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16 pages, 2710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Homogeneous Photosensitized Oxidation for Water Reuse in Cellars: A Study of Different Photosensitizers

by Andreia D. Santos, Diana Gonçalves, Rui C. Martins, Marta Gmurek, Anabela Nogueira, Sérgio Castro-Silva, Luis M. Castro and Rosa Quinta-Ferreira

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6861; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086861 - 19 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1360

Abstract

The demand for fresh water is increasing daily, requiring industries to take action to reduce the need for fresh water. Winemaking industries represent a massive hydric impact by combining the water consumed and the high volume of wastewater produced. The sun-driven photooxidation process has been widely employed in removing wastewater pollutants. This work employed four photosensitizers, Rose Bengal, AlPcS₄, ZnPcS₄, and TPP, for water reuse in cellars. A secondary effluent has been investigated as a water matrix. Of all the photosensitizers (PS) employed, ZnPcS₄ showed better chemical oxygen demand (COD) (23%) and phenolic (TPh) (81%) removal. The effect of pH and concentration was also assessed for ZnPcS₄. The phenolic content removal was found to be highly dependent on the solution’s pH, as alkaline solutions improve the singlet oxygen quantum yield where the use of a pH = 11 reached 42% and 81% of COD and TPH removal. However, a pH higher than 7 showed higher PS bleaching than pH = 7. Three different PS concentrations were evaluated: 3 × 10⁻⁶, 5 × 10⁻⁶, and 1 × 10⁻⁵ mol/L. The optimal PS concentration was found to be 5 × 10⁻⁶ mol/L. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects)

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11 pages, 1016 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Reuse through Membrane Technologies for a Dairy Plant Using Water Pinch Simulation Software

by Jonathan Cawettiere Espíndola, José Carlos Mierzwa, Míriam Cristina Santos Amaral and Laura Hamdan De Andrade

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2540; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032540 - 31 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1332

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to evaluate possible reuse routes of effluents from adairy plant. First, the water flow in the plant was evaluated. All water consumed and effluents generated by the industrial process were quantified and characterized. In addition, the water quality parameters required for different industrial activities were assessed. Secondly, a treatment system using a membrane bioreactor and a nanofiltration reactor, from a study previously conducted by the authors, was considered. Then, a water pinch analysis was carried out through the application of the collected data using the Water Pinch software. Both direct reuse/recycle and regeneration schemes were investigated. In this context, although the direct reuse/recycle of effluents were shown to be able to reduce the freshwater use for the clean-in-place process (CIP) by 33.4%; the schemes with the regeneration of the effluents showed up to 66.7% and 95.4% of freshwater reduction for the CIP and general processes, respectively. Finally, four water reuse routes were proposed. The proposed route combining the most advanced treatment technologies studied showed the best performance in terms of reduction of the total freshwater consumption (69.5%) in the dairy plant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects)

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13 pages, 4012 KiB

Open AccessStudy Protocol

Growth Conditions and Growth Kinetics of Chlorella Vulgaris Cultured in Domestic Sewage

by Xingguan Ma and Wenhao Jian

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2162; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032162 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3637

Abstract

To assess the feasibility of achieving the dual objectives of domestic wastewater treatment and biomass accumulation, growth kinetic models were used to analyze the growth pattern of Chlorella in domestic wastewater. The logistic model simulated the growth trend of Chlorella in domestic wastewater better than the other two models. However, the currently developed model still cannot fully predict the growth of Chlorella. Factors such as nutrient removal and aging and the death of algae need to be taken into account to develop a more accurate model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wastewater Treatment for Pollution Mitigation: Latest Advances and Prospects)

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