Technologies for Wastewater and Sludge Treatment

Abstract submission deadline

closed (31 January 2024)

Manuscript submission deadline

closed (31 March 2024)

Viewed by

6813

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wastewater and sludge treatment are closely related to the water environment and human health, which is reflected in the extensive, global body of research on them. The efficient removal of various pollutants in wastewater and sludge is the first step to reducing their harml and achieving sanitation. In recent years, the technical goal has gradually shifted from single-pollutant removal to the simultaneous recycling and utilization of resources.

This Special Issue aims to collect contributions on the most recent advances in the field of wastewater and sludge treatment. The topics of interest include wastewater treatment, including the removal of conventional (N, P, heavy metals, etc.) and emerging pollutants; nutrient recovery; sludge pollutant removal and energy recovery; sludge reduction; and harmless technologies such as dewatering, anaerobic digestion, aerobic composting, pyrolysis, etc.

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript for this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Bin Dong
Dr. Sisi Chen
Dr. Nan Lv
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Materials materials	3.4	5.2	2008	13.9 Days	CHF 2600
Membranes membranes	4.2	4.4	2011	13.6 Days	CHF 2700
Molecules molecules	4.6	6.7	1996	14.6 Days	CHF 2700
Processes processes	3.5	4.7	2013	13.7 Days	CHF 2400
Water water	3.4	5.5	2009	16.5 Days	CHF 2600

MDPI Topics is cooperating with Preprints.org and has built a direct connection between MDPI journals and Preprints.org. Authors are encouraged to enjoy the benefits by posting a preprint at Preprints.org prior to publication:

1. Immediately share your ideas ahead of publication and establish your research priority;
2. Protect your idea from being stolen with this time-stamped preprint article;
3. Enhance the exposure and impact of your research;
4. Receive feedback from your peers in advance;
5. Have it indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Order results

Content type Publication Date

Result details

Normal Extended Compact

Journals

All Materials Membranes Molecules Processes Water

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

16 pages, 5063 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Cobalt/Iron Bimetallic Biochar Composites for Lead(II) Adsorption: Mechanism and Remediation Performance

by Jingyu Zhao, Yuhong Qin, Yue Liu, Yunlong Shi, Qiang Lin, Miao Cai, Zhenya Jia, Changjiang Yu, Anqi Shang, Yuxiao Fei and Jiayi Zhang

Molecules 2024, 29(7), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29071595 - 03 Apr 2024

Viewed by 532

Abstract

The performance of nano-zero-valent iron for heavy metal remediation can be enhanced via incorporation into bimetallic carbon composites. However, few economical and green approaches are available for preparing bimetallic composite materials. In this study, novel Co/Fe bimetallic biochar composites (BC@Co/Fe-X, where X = [...] Read more.

The performance of nano-zero-valent iron for heavy metal remediation can be enhanced via incorporation into bimetallic carbon composites. However, few economical and green approaches are available for preparing bimetallic composite materials. In this study, novel Co/Fe bimetallic biochar composites (BC@Co/Fe-X, where X = 5 or 10 represents the CoCl₂ concentration of 0.05 or 0.1 mol L⁻¹) were prepared for the adsorption of Pb²⁺. The effect of the concentration of cross-linked metal ions on Pb²⁺ adsorption was investigated, with the composite prepared using 0.05 mol L⁻¹ Co²⁺ (BC@Co/Fe-5) exhibiting the highest adsorption performance. Various factors, including the adsorption period, Pb²⁺ concentration, and pH, affected the adsorption of Pb²⁺ by BC@Co/Fe-5. Further characterisation of BC@Co/Fe-5 before and after Pb²⁺ adsorption using methods such as X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that the Pb²⁺ adsorption mechanism involved (i) Pb²⁺ reduction to Pb⁰ by Co/Fe, (ii) Co/Fe corrosion to generate Fe²⁺ and fix Pb²⁺ in the form of PbO, and (iii) Pb²⁺ adsorption by Co/Fe biochar. Notably, BC@Co/Fe-5 exhibited excellent remediation performance in simulated Pb²⁺-contaminated water and soil with good recyclability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Technologies for Wastewater and Sludge Treatment)

►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 10499 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Cancrinite from Coal Gangue for the Immobilization of Sr

by Hao Wang, Fujie Zhang, Ran Ang and Ding Ren

Materials 2024, 17(3), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17030573 - 25 Jan 2024

Viewed by 449

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to investigate and develop a rapid and effective method for the immobilization of Sr in the event of a nuclear leakage incident. Coal gangue, an underutilized form of solid waste from the coal industry, can be [...] Read more.

The primary objective of this study is to investigate and develop a rapid and effective method for the immobilization of Sr in the event of a nuclear leakage incident. Coal gangue, an underutilized form of solid waste from the coal industry, can be used as a raw material for curing Sr due to its high content of silica–alumina oxides. In the present study, Sr was successfully solidified in cancrinite synthesized using a hydrothermal method with coal gangue as raw material. A stable cancrinite phase was formed at a relative alkali concentration of more than 6 M. When the Sr/Al(Si) ratio was <1/6, cancrinite was the only stable phase that varied with the hydrothermal temperature and time. When the Sr/Al(Si) ratio increased to 1/2, the cancrinite phase completely disappeared, and a new strontium feldspar phase (SrAl₂Si₂O₈) appeared. PCT leaching experiments showed that when Sr/Al(Si) < 1/6, the Sr leaching rate of Sr-cancrinite samples obtained by hydrothermal synthesis at 180 °C for 24 h was very low. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Technologies for Wastewater and Sludge Treatment)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 1362 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Effectiveness of Torrefaction By-Products as Additive in Vacuum Blackwater under Anaerobic Digestion and Economic Significance

by Ping Fa Chiang, Mugabekazi Joie Claire, Shanshan Han, Ndungutse Jean Maurice and Abdulmoseen Segun Giwa

Processes 2023, 11(12), 3330; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11123330 - 30 Nov 2023

Viewed by 933

Abstract

Blackwater (BW) is a vital source of bio-energy and nutrients for the sustainable development of human society in the future owing to its organic and nutrient-rich properties. Therefore, biomass and water must be used properly to avert environmental challenges and promote the viable [...] Read more.

Blackwater (BW) is a vital source of bio-energy and nutrients for the sustainable development of human society in the future owing to its organic and nutrient-rich properties. Therefore, biomass and water must be used properly to avert environmental challenges and promote the viable development of nutrient recovery and bioenergy production. Moreover, vacuum-collected BW (VCBW) as a renewable source can offer outstanding potential in bioenergy and nutrition sustainability. This review reports previous and present investigations on decentralized wastewater, water conservation, the recovery of nutrients, and the ecological implications and economic significance of integrating torrefaction with anaerobic digestion (AD), notably the continuous stirred tank reactor. The mixtures (torrefied biomass and VCBW) can be converted into valuable materials by combining torrefaction and AD technology for environmental and economic gains. This way, the heat and energy used in the process could be reused, and valuable materials with high energy contents could be obtained for financial gain. The economic evaluation shows that the minimum selling price of the torrefied biomass to reach breakeven could be reduced from 199 EUR/t for standalone torrefaction to 185 EUR/t in the case of torrefaction integrated with AD. The concept can be applied to an existing waste- or wastewater-treatment facility to create a cleaner and more efficient BW with biomass recycling. However, a comprehensive techno-economic analysis must be conducted: (1) Application of tor-biochar towards vacuum BW in AD process is feasible; (2) Digestate as a soil conditional to improve soil condition is effective; (3) Mesophilic and thermophilic conditions are applicable on AD vacuum BW; (4) Economic significance indicates technological feasibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Technologies for Wastewater and Sludge Treatment)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2222 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Iron and Hydrogen Peroxidation-Induced Post-Treatment Improvement of Municipal Mesophilic Digestate in an Alkaline Environment and Its Impact on Biosolids Quality

by Umme Sharmeen Hyder, Ahmed AlSayed, Elsayed Elbeshbishy, Joseph McPhee and Reshmi Misir

Processes 2023, 11(9), 2752; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092752 - 14 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 727

Abstract

Challenges associated with mesophilic digestate (MD) involve volume, odor, and pathogens, which effective post-digestion treatments can address. The efficiency of MD post-treatment can be enhanced by conditioning with ferric chloride (FeCl₃), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and polymer. This [...] Read more.

Challenges associated with mesophilic digestate (MD) involve volume, odor, and pathogens, which effective post-digestion treatments can address. The efficiency of MD post-treatment can be enhanced by conditioning with ferric chloride (FeCl₃), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and polymer. This study aimed to observe the effect of combined chemical conditioning on volume reduction, phosphorus (P) release, odor, and pathogen reduction potential for MD. MD was conditioned with polymer only, polymer and FeCl₃ at pH adjusted to 8.0 with lime (Ca(OH)₂), and a blend of polymer, FeCl₃, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) at pH 8.0. The results show that adding all three chemicals improved post-treatment efficiency at 2.1 kg/t DS FeCl₃, 2.1 kg/t DS polymer, and 600 mg/L H₂O₂ at pH 8.0, compared with polymer or dual conditioning. At the combined dose, cake solid content, centrate P removal, and odor reduction capability improved compared with raw MD by 20%, 99%, and 66%, respectively. Combined chemical treatment reduced fecal coliform by 98% but does not fulfil class A requirements and showed 50% regrowth potential. The synergic effect of polymer, FeCl₃, H₂O₂, and alkaline pH breakdown EPS, reduced water holding capacity and formed compacted flocs for better water removal and settling. This combination also precipitated P through FeCl₃ while H₂O₂ oxidation curbs odor, enhancing further P removal from centrate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Technologies for Wastewater and Sludge Treatment)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 176 KiB)

13 pages, 1836 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

A Fundamental Study on the Extraction of Particulate Organic Carbon from Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

by Behnam Askari Lasaki, Peter Maurer and Harald Schönberger

Water 2023, 15(10), 1861; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15101861 - 14 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1576

Abstract

In line with the strategy of transforming existing municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) from disposal facilities into systems for using domestic wastewater (WW) as a source of energy and raw materials, a concept consisting of chemical, physical, and biological steps has been set [...] Read more.

In line with the strategy of transforming existing municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) from disposal facilities into systems for using domestic wastewater (WW) as a source of energy and raw materials, a concept consisting of chemical, physical, and biological steps has been set up as a pilot project in WWTP Büsnau, Stuttgart, Germany. The key part of the entire process is based on the use of advanced microsieving (MS) to eliminate remaining particulate organic carbon (POC) (mg/L) from the effluent of the primary sedimentation tank (PST). Therefore, in the primary stages of this project, it was necessary to have a broad vision and a true understanding of the particle size distribution (PSD) of municipal WW. As a novel approach, in the present study, the conventional PSD method was optimized by implementing certain modifications, and the tests were conducted in situ. The modified PSD analyses facilitated in-depth investigations of solid–liquid separation at WWTPs and showed that drying samples in the oven can result in a 20% to 30% deviation in the POC (mg/L) removal results. In addition, the idea of the substitution of PSTs with an MS was supported by the results of this study. It was determined that an MS with a pore size of 45 µm to 63 µm can provide the same elimination efficiency as a PST. Another significant outcome of this study was the introduction of suitable mesh sizes for the MS which were coupled with PST in order to extract the maximum amount of POC (mg/L) from the municipal WWTPs without the addition of any chemicals. The results revealed that up to 90% of the TSS (mg/L) and 70% of the COD (mg/L) can be removed if an MS with a mesh size between 4 µm and 20 µm is coupled with a PST. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Technologies for Wastewater and Sludge Treatment)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2834 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Nano-Zero-Valent Zinc-Modified Municipal Sludge Biochar for Phosphorus Removal

by Yupeng Zhang, Wenbo Zhang, Hong Zhang and Dandan He

Molecules 2023, 28(7), 3231; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28073231 - 04 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1610

Abstract

Municipal sludge biochar (MSBC) can be used to absorb phosphorus in water for waste treatment. Nano-zero-valent zinc (nZVZ) was uniformly attached to MSBC to obtain a highly efficient phosphorus-absorbing composite material, nZVZ–MSBC. Characterization by FTIR, XPS, XRD, and BET showed that nZVZ was [...] Read more.

Municipal sludge biochar (MSBC) can be used to absorb phosphorus in water for waste treatment. Nano-zero-valent zinc (nZVZ) was uniformly attached to MSBC to obtain a highly efficient phosphorus-absorbing composite material, nZVZ–MSBC. Characterization by FTIR, XPS, XRD, and BET showed that nZVZ was uniformly dispersed on the surface of the MSBC. Zinc loading was able to greatly improve the adsorption performance of MSBC for phosphorus. Adsorption experiments illustrated that the adsorption process conformed to the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption amount was 186.5 mg/g, which is much higher than that for other municipal sludge biochars. The adsorption process reached 80% of the maximum adsorption capacity at 90 min, and this gradually stabilized after 240 min; adsorption equilibrium was reached within 24 h. The optimum pH for adsorption was 5. The main adsorption mechanism was chemical adsorption, but physical adsorption, external diffusion, internal diffusion, and surface adsorption also played roles. The potential for application as an efficient adsorbent of phosphorus from water was confirmed. In addition, a novel strategy for municipal sludge disposal and resource utilization is provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Technologies for Wastewater and Sludge Treatment)

►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

 

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

Displaying articles 1-6