Fungal diversity and its mechanism of community shaping in the milieu of sanitary landfill

• Ascomycota was the predominant phylum in sanitary landfill fungal communities. • Saprophytic fungi may be of special importance in landfill ecology. • Both richness and diversity of fungal community were lower in leachate than refuse. • Physical habitat partly contributed to the geographic variance of fungal community. • NO₃⁻ was considered the most significant abiotic factor shaping fungal community. Land filling is the main method to dispose municipal solid waste in China. During the decomposition of organic waste in landfills, fungi play an important role in organic carbon degradation and nitrogen cycling. However, fungal composition and potential functions in landfill have not yet been characterized. In this study, refuse and leachate samples with different areas and depths were taken from a large sanitary landfill in Beijing to identify fungal communities in landfills. In high-throughput sequencing of ITS region, 474 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from landfill samples with a cutoff level of 3% and a sequencing depth of 19962. The results indicates that Ascomycota, with the average relative abundance of 84.9%, was the predominant phylum in landfill fungal communities. At the genus level, Family Hypocreaceae unclassified (15.7%), Fusarium (9.9%) and Aspergillus (8.3%) were the most abundant fungi found in the landfill and most of them are of saprotrophic lifestyle, which plays a big role in nutrient cycling in ecosystem. Fungi existed both in landfilled refuse and leachate while both the richness and evenness of fungal communities were higher in the former. In addition, fungal communities in landfilled refuse presented geographic variances, which could be partly attributed to physical habitat properties (pH, dissolved organic carbon, volatile solid, NH₄⁺, NO₂⁻ and NO₃⁻), while NO₃⁻ was considered the most significant factor (p<0.05) in shaping fungal community.     

Comparative genotoxicity of water processed by three drinking water treatment plants with different water treatment procedures

• Genotoxicity of substances is unknown in the water after treatment processes. • Genotoxicity decreased by activated carbon treatment but increased by chlorination. • Halogenated hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds contribute to genotoxicity. • Genotoxicity was assessed by umu test; acute and chronic toxicity by ECOSAR. • Inconsistent results confirmed that genotoxicity cannot be assessed by ECOSAR. Advanced water treatment is commonly used to remove micropollutants such as pesticides, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and disinfection byproducts in modern drinking water treatment plants. However, little attention has been paid to the changes in the genotoxicity of substances remaining in the water following the different water treatment processes. In this study, samples were collected from three drinking water treatment plants with different treatment processes. The treated water from each process was analyzed and compared for genotoxicity and the formation of organic compounds. The genotoxicity was evaluated by an umu test, and the acute and chronic toxicity was analyzed through Ecological Structure- Activity Relationship (ECOSAR). The results of the umu test indicated that biological activated carbon reduced the genotoxicity by 38%, 77%, and 46% in the three drinking water treatment plants, respectively, while chlorination increased the genotoxicity. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that halogenated hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds were major contributors to genotoxicity. The results of ECOSAR were not consistent with those of the umu test. Therefore, we conclude that genotoxicity cannot be determined using ECOSAR .     

Effects of hydraulic retention time on net present value and performance in a membrane bioreactor treating antibiotic production wastewater

• The membrane bioreactor cost decreased by 38.2% by decreasing HRT from 72 h to 36 h. • Capital and operation costs contributed 62.1% and 37.9% to decreased costs. • The membrane bioreactor is 32.6% cheaper than the oxidation ditch for treatment. • The effluent COD also improved from 709.93±62.75 mg/L to 280±17.32 mg/L. • Further treatment also benefited from lower pretreatment investment. A cost sensitivity analysis was performed for an industrial membrane bioreactor to quantify the effects of hydraulic retention times and related operational parameters on cost. Different hydraulic retention times (72–24 h) were subjected to a flat-sheet membrane bioreactor updated from an existing 72 h oxidation ditch treating antibiotic production wastewater. Field experimental data from the membrane bioreactor, both full-scale (500 m³/d) and pilot (1.0 m³/d), were used to calculate the net present value (NPV), incorporating both capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure. The results showed that the tank cost was estimated above membrane cost in the membrane bioreactor. The decreased hydraulic retention time from 72 to 36 h reduced the NPV by 38.2%, where capital expenditure contributed 24.2% more than operational expenditure. Tank construction cost was decisive in determining the net present value contributed 62.1% to the capital expenditure. The membrane bioreactor has the advantage of a longer lifespan flat-sheet membrane, while flux decline was tolerable. The antibiotics decreased to 1.87±0.33 mg/L in the MBR effluent. The upgrade to the membrane bioreactor also benefited further treatments by 10.1%–44.7% lower direct investment.     

Partial anammox achieved in full scale biofilm process for typical domestic wastewater treatment

• A full scale biofilm process was developed for typical domestic wastewater treatment. • The HRT was 8 h and secondary sedimentation tank was omitted. • Candidatus Brocadia were enriched in the HBR with an abundance of 2.89%. • Anammox enabled a stable ammonium removal of ~15% in the anoxic zone. The slow initiation of anammox for treating typical domestic wastewater and the relatively high footprint of wastewater treatment infrastructures are major concerns for practical wastewater treatment systems. Herein, a 300 m³/d hybrid biofilm reactor (HBR) process was developed and operated with a short hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 h. The analysis of the bacterial community demonstrated that anammox were enriched in the anoxic zone of the HBR process. The percentage abundance of Candidatus Brocadia in the total bacterial community of the anoxic zone increased from 0 at Day 1 to 0.33% at Day 130 and then to 2.89% at Day 213. Based upon the activity of anammox bacteria, the removal of ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) in the anoxic zone was approximately 15%. This showed that the nitrogen transformation pathway was enhanced in the HBR system through partial anammox process in the anoxic zone. The final effluent contained 12 mg/L chemical oxygen demand (COD), 0.662 mg/L NH₄⁺-N, 7.2 mg/L total nitrogen (TN), and 6 mg/L SS, indicating the effectiveness of the HBR process for treating real domestic wastewater.     

Assessment of antibiotic resistance genes in dialysis water treatment processes

• Quantitative global ARGs profile in dialysis water was investigated. • Totally 35 ARGs were found in the dialysis treatment train. • 29 ARGs (highest) were found in carbon filtration effluent. • erm and mtrD-02 occurred in the final effluent. • The effluent was associated with health risks even after RO treatment. Dialysis water is directly related to the safety of hemodialysis patients, thus its quality is generally ensured by a stepwise water purification cascade. To study the effect of water treatment on the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in dialysis water, this study used propidium monoazide (PMA) in conjunction with high throughput quantitative PCR to analyze the diversity and abundance of ARGs found in viable bacteria from water having undergone various water treatment processes. The results indicated the presence of 35 ARGs in the effluents from the different water treatment steps. Twenty-nine ARGs were found in viable bacteria from the effluent following carbon filtration, the highest among all of the treatment processes, and at 6.96 Log (copies/L) the absolute abundance of the cphA gene was the highest. Two resistance genes, erm (36) and mtrD-02, which belong to the resistance categories macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramin B (MLSB) and other/efflux pump, respectively, were detected in the effluent following reverse osmosis treatment. Both of these genes have demonstrated the potential for horizontal gene transfer. These results indicated that the treated effluent from reverse osmosis, the final treatment step in dialysis-water production, was associated with potential health risks.     

Treating wastewater under zero waste principle using wetland mesocosms

• Smart wetland was designed to treat wastewater according to zero waste principle. • The system included a dynamic roughing filter, Cyperus papyrus (L.) and zeolite. • It removed 98.8 and 99.8% of chemical and bacterial pollutants in 3 days. • The effluent reused to irrigate a landscape and the sludge recycled as fertilizer. • The plant biomass is a profitable resource for antibacterial and antioxidants. The present investigation demonstrates the synergistic action of using a sedimentation unit together with Cyperus papyrus (L.) wetland enriched with zeolite mineral in one-year round experiment for treating wastewater. The system was designed to support a horizontal surface flow pattern and showed satisfactory removal efficiencies for both physicochemical and bacteriological contaminants within 3 days of residence time. The removal efficiencies ranged between 76.3% and 98.8% for total suspended solids, turbidity, iron, biological oxygen demand, and ammonia. The bacterial indicators (total and fecal coliforms, as well as fecal streptococci) and the potential pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) showed removal efficiencies ranged between 96.9% and 99.8%. We expect the system to offer a smart management for every component according to zero waste principle. The treated effluent was reused to irrigate the landscape of pilot area, and the excess sludge was recycled as fertilizer and soil conditioner. The zeolite mineral did not require regeneration for almost 36 weeks of operation, and enhanced the density of shoots (14.11%) and the height of shoots (15.88%). The harvested plant biomass could be a profitable resource for potent antibacterial and antioxidant bioactive compounds. This could certainly offset part of the operation and maintenance costs and optimize the system implementation feasibility. Although the experiment was designed under local conditions, its results could provide insights to upgrade and optimize the performance of other analogous large-scale constructed wetlands.     

Degradation of refractory organics in concentrated leachate by the Fenton process: Central composite design for process optimization

• 90% total COD, 95.3% inert COD and 97.2% UV₂₅₄ were removed. • High R² values (over 95%) for all responses were obtained with CCD. • Operational cost was calculated to be 0.238 €/g COD_removed for total COD removal. • Fenton oxidation was highly-efficient method for inert COD removal. • BOD₅/COD ratio of leachate concentrate raised from 0.04 to 0.4. The primary aim of this study is inert COD removal from leachate nanofiltration concentrate because of its high concentration of resistant organic pollutants. Within this framework, this study focuses on the treatability of leachate nanofiltration concentrate through Fenton oxidation and optimization of process parameters to reach the maximum pollutant removal by using response surface methodology (RSM). Initial pH, Fe²⁺ concentration, H₂O₂/Fe²⁺ molar ratio and oxidation time are selected as the independent variables, whereas total COD, color, inert COD and UV₂₅₄ removal are selected as the responses. According to the ANOVA results, the R² values of all responses are found to be over 95%. Under the optimum conditions determined by the model (pH: 3.99, Fe²⁺: 150 mmol/L, H₂O₂/Fe²⁺: 3.27 and oxidation time: 84.8 min), the maximum COD removal efficiency is determined as 91.4% by the model. The color, inert COD and UV₂₅₄ removal efficiencies are determined to be 99.9%, 97.2% and 99.5%, respectively, by the model, whereas the total COD, color, inert COD and UV₂₅₄ removal efficiencies are found respectively to be 90%, 96.5%, 95.3% and 97.2%, experimentally under the optimum operating conditions. The Fenton process improves the biodegradability of the leachate NF concentrate, increasing the BOD₅/COD ratio from the value of 0.04 to the value of 0.4. The operational cost of the process is calculated to be 0.238 €/g COD_removed. The results indicate that the Fenton oxidation process is an efficient and economical technology in improvement of the biological degradability of leachate nanofiltration concentrate and in removal of resistant organic pollutants.     

Reutilize tire in microbial fuel cell for enhancing the nitrogen removal of the anammox process coupled with iron-carbon micro-electrolysis

• MFC promoted the nitrogen removal of anammox with Fe-C micro-electrolysis. • Reutilize pyrolysis waste tire as micro-electrolysis and electrode materials. • Total nitrogen removal efficiency of modified MFC increased to 85.00%. • Candidatus kuenenia and SM1A02 were major genera responsible for nitrogen removal. In this study, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were explored to promote the nitrogen removal performance of combined anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and Fe-C micro-electrolysis (CAE) systems. The average total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of the modified MFC system was 85.00%, while that of the anammox system was 62.16%. Additionally, the effective operation time of this system increased from six (CAE system alone) to over 50 days, significantly promoting TN removal. The enhanced performance could be attributed to the electron transferred from the anode to the cathode, which aided in reducing nitrate/nitrite in denitrification. The H⁺ released through the proton exchange membrane caused a decrease in the pH, facilitating Fe corrosion. The pyrolyzed waste tire used as the cathode could immobilize microorganisms, enhance electron transport, and produce a natural Fe-C micro-electrolysis system. According to the microbial community analysis, Candidatus kuenenia was the major genus involved in the anammox process. Furthermore, the SM1A02 genus exhibited the highest abundance and was enriched the fastest, and could be a novel potential strain that aids the anammox process.     

Nitrogen removal efficiencies and microbial communities in full-scale IFAS and MBBR municipal wastewater treatment plants at high COD:N ratio

• Two IFAS and two MBBR full-scale systems (high COD:N ratio 8:1) were characterized. • High specific surface area carriers grew and retained slow-growing nitrifiers. • High TN removal is related to high SRT and low DO concentration in anoxic tanks. The relative locations of AOB, NOB, and DNB were examined for three different kinds of carriers in two types of hybrid biofilm process configurations: integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) and moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) processes. IFAS water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) used Anodkalness^TM K1 carriers (KC) at Broomfield, Colorado, USA and polypropylene resin carriers (RC) at Fukuoka, Japan, while MBBR WRRFs used KC carriers at South Adams County, Colorado, USA and sponge carriers (SC) at Saga, Japan. Influent COD to N ratios ranged from 8:1 to 15:1. The COD and BOD removal efficiencies were high (96%–98%); NH₄⁺-N and TN removal efficiencies were more varied at 72%–98% and 64%–77%, respectively. The extent of TN removal was higher at high SRT, high COD:N ratio and low DO concentration in the anoxic tank. In IFAS, RC with high specific surface area (SSA) maintained higher AOB population than KC. Sponge carriers with high SSA maintained higher overall bacteria population than KC in MBBR systems. However, the DNB were not more abundant in high SSA carriers. The diversity of AOB, NOB, and DNB was fairly similar in different carriers. Nitrosomonas sp. dominated over Nitrosospira sp. while denitrifying bacteria included Rhodobacter sp., Sulfuritalea sp., Rubrivivax sp., Paracoccus sp., and Pseudomonas sp. The results from this work suggest that high SRT, high COD:N ratio, low DO concentration in anoxic tanks, and carriers with greater surface area may be recommended for high COD, BOD and TN removal in WRRFs with IFAS and MBBR systems.     

Mechanism of dichloromethane disproportionation over mesoporous TiO2 under low temperature

• Mechanism of DCM disproportionation over mesoporous TiO₂ was studied. • DCM was completely eliminated at 350℃ under 1 vol.% humidity. • Anatase (001) was the key for disproportionation. • A competitive oxidation route co-existed with disproportionation. • Disproportionation was favored at low temperature. Mesoporous TiO₂ was synthesized via nonhydrolytic template-mediated sol-gel route. Catalytic degradation performance upon dichloromethane over as-prepared mesoporous TiO₂, pure anatase and rutile were investigated respectively. Disproportionation took place over as-made mesoporous TiO₂ and pure anatase under the presence of water. The mechanism of disproportionation was studied by in situ FTIR. The interaction between chloromethoxy species and bridge coordinated methylenes was the key step of disproportionation. Formate species and methoxy groups would be formed and further turned into carbon monoxide and methyl chloride. Anatase (001) played an important role for disproportionation in that water could be dissociated into surface hydroxyl groups on such structure. As a result, the consumed hydroxyl groups would be replenished. In addition, there was another competitive oxidation route governed by free hydroxyl radicals. In this route, chloromethoxy groups would be oxidized into formate species by hydroxyl radicals transfering from the surface of TiO₂. The latter route would be more favorable at higher temperature.     

The main anammox-based processes,the involved microbes and the novel process concept from the application perspective

• The PNA, denitratation/anammox, and DAMO/anammox process are reviewed together. • Denitratation/anammox-based process is promising in mainstream treatment. • DAMO and denitratation processes realize the higher nitrogen removal efficiency. • The utilization of metabolism diversity of functional microbe is worth exploring. • An effective waste treatment system concept is proposed. Anammox technology has been widely researched over the past 40-year from the laboratory-scale to full-scale. It is well-known that in actual applications, the solo application of anammox is not feasible. Since both ammonium and nitrite are prerequisites based on the reaction mechanism, the pre-treatment of wastewater is necessary. With the combination of anammox process and other pre-treatment processes to treat the actual wastewater, many types of anammox-based processes have been developed with distinct nitrogen removal performance. Thus, in order to heighten the awareness of researchers to the developments and accelerate the application of these processes to the treatment of actual wastewater, the main anammox-based processes are reviewed in this paper. It includes the partial nitritation/anammox process, the denitratation/anammox (PD/A) process, the denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation/anammox (DAMO/A) process, and more complex deuterogenic processes. These processes have made the breakthroughs in the application of the anammox technology, such as the combination of nitrification and PD/A process can achieve stability and reliability of nitrogen removal in the treatment of mainstream wastewater, the PD/A process and the DAMO/A have brought about further improvements in the total nitrogen removal efficiency of wastewater. The diversity of functional microbe characteristics under the specific condition indicate the wide application potential of anammox-based processes, and further exploration is necessary. A whole waste treatment system concept is proposed through the effective allocation of above mentioned processes, with the maximum recovery of energy and resources, and minimal environmental impact.     

Sludge fermentation liquid addition attained advanced nitrogen removal in low C/N ratio municipal wastewater through short-cut nitrification-denitrification and partial anammox

• Sludge fermentation liquid addition resulted in a high NAR of 97.4%. • Extra NH₄⁺-N from SFL was removed by anammox in anoxic phase. • Nitrogen removal efficiency of 92.51% was achieved in municipal wastewater. • The novel system could efficiently treat low COD/N municipal wastewater. Biological nitrogen removal of wastewater with low COD/N ratio could be enhanced by the addition of wasted sludge fermentation liquid (SFL), but the performance is usually limited by the introducing ammonium. In this study, the process of using SFL was successfully improved by involving anammox process. Real municipal wastewater with a low C/N ratio of 2.8–3.4 was treated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The SBR was operated under anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic (AOA) mode and excess SFL was added into the anoxic phase. Stable short-cut nitrification was achieved after 46d and then anammox sludge was inoculated. In the stable period, effluent total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) was less than 4.3 mg/L with removal efficiency of 92.3%. Further analysis suggests that anammox bacteria, mainly affiliated with Candidatus_Kuenenia, successfully reduced the external ammonia from the SFL and contributed approximately 28%–43% to TIN removal. Overall, this study suggests anammox could be combined with SFL addition, resulting in a stable enhanced nitrogen biological removal.     

Mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion of swine manure with sulfamethoxazole and norfloxacin: Dynamics of microbial communities and evolution of resistance genes

• SMX addition had negative effect on acetoclastic methanogens in mesophilic AD. • Thermophilic AD was more effective in eliminating resistance genes than mesophilic. • ARGs variations in AD were mainly affected by succession of microbial community. • Methane production was significant associated to ARGs reduction. The role of norfloxacin (NOR) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) of pig manure, with respect to methane production and variations in the microbial community and resistance genes, including antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), class I integrase (intI1), and heavy metal resistance genes (MRGs), was investigated. The results indicated that NOR exerted little influence on the microbial community, whereas SMX negatively affected the acetoclastic methanogens. The abundance of two sulfonamide resistance genes (sul1 and sul2), three quinolone resistance genes (qnrS, parC, and aac(6’)-Ib-cr), and intI1 decreased by 2‒3 orders of magnitude at the end of thermophilic AD. In contrast, mesophilic AD was generally ineffective in reducing the abundance of resistance genes. According to the results of redundancy analysis, the abundance of ARGs was affected primarily by microbial community dynamics (68.5%), rather than the selective pressure due to antibiotic addition (13.3%). Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) through intI1 contributed to 26.4% of the ARG variation. The archaeal community also influenced the changes in the resistance genes, and ARG reduction was significantly correlated with enhanced methane production. Thermophilic AD presented a higher methane production potential and greater reduction in resistance gene abundance.     

Stress-related ecophysiology of members of the genus Rhodanobacter isolated from a mixed waste contaminated subsurface

• Rhodanobacter spp. are dominant in acidic, high nitrate and metal contaminated sites. • Dominance of Rhodanobacter is likely due to tolerance to low pH and heavy metals. • High organic content increases stress tolerance capacity. • Longer incubation time is critical for accurate assessment of MIC (various stresses). This work examines the physiologic basis of stress tolerance in bacterial strains of the genus Rhodanobacter that dominate in the acidic and highly metal contaminated near-source subsurface zone of the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site. Tolerance of R. denitrificans to levels of different stresses were studied in synthetic groundwater medium and R2A broth. Two strains of R. denitrificans, strains 2APBS1^T and 116-2, tolerate low to circumneutral pH (4–8), high Uranium (1 mmol/L), elevated levels of nitrate (400 mmol/L) and high NaCl (2.5%). A combination of physiologic traits, such as growth at low pH, increased growth in the presence of high organics concentration, and tolerance of high concentrations of nitrate, NaCl and heavy metals is likely responsible for dominance of Rhodanobacter at the ORIFRC site. Furthermore, extended incubation times and use of low carbon media, better approximating site groundwater conditions, are critical for accurate determination of stress responses. This study expands knowledge of the ecophysiology of bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter and identifies methodological approaches necessary for acquiring accurate tolerance data.     

Surface water treatment benefits from the presence of algae: Influence of algae on the coagulation behavior of polytitanium chloride

• Emerging titanium coagulation was high-efficient for algae-laden water treatment. • Polytitanium coagulation was capable for both algae and organic matter removal. • Surface water purification was improved by around 30% due to algae inclusion. • Algae functioned as flocculant aid to assist polytitanium coagulation. • Algae could enhance charge neutralization capability of polytitanium coagulant. Titanium-based coagulation has proved to be effective for algae-laden micro-polluted water purification processes. However, the influence of algae inclusion in surface water treatment by titanium coagulation is barely reported. This study reports the influence of both Microcystis aeruginosa and Microcystis wesenbergii in surface water during polytitanium coagulation. Jar tests were performed to evaluate coagulation performance using both algae-free (controlled) and algae-laden water samples, and floc properties were studied using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer for online monitoring. Results show that polytitanium coagulation can be highly effective in algae separation, removing up to 98% from surface water. Additionally, the presence of algae enhanced organic matter removal by up to 30% compared to controlled water containing only organic matter. Polytitanium coagulation achieved significant removal of fluorescent organic materials and organic matter with a wide range of molecular weight distribution (693–4945 Da) even in the presence of algae species in surface water. The presence of algae cells and/or algal organic matter is likely to function as an additional coagulant or flocculation aid, assisting polytitanium coagulation through adsorption and bridging effects. Although the dominant coagulation mechanisms with polytitanium coagulant were influenced by the coagulant dosage and initial solution pH, algae species in surface water could enhance the charge neutralization capability of the polytitanium coagulant. Algae-rich flocs were also more prone to breakage with strength factors approximately 10% lower than those of algae-free flocs. Loose structure of the flocs will require careful handling of the flocs during coagulation-sedimentation-filtration processes.     

The combined effects of biomass and temperature on maximum specific ammonia oxidation rate in domestic wastewater treatment

• Actual SAORs was determined using MLVSS and temperature. • Measured SAOR decreased with increasing MLVSS 1.1‒8.7 g/L. • Temperature coefficient (θ) decreased with increasing MLVSS. • Nitrification process was dynamically simulated based on laboratory-scale SBR tests. • A modified model was successfully validated in pilot-scale SBR systems. Measurement and predicted variations of ammonia oxidation rate (AOR) are critical for the optimization of biological nitrogen removal, however, it is difficult to predict accurate AOR based on current models. In this study, a modified model was developed to predict AOR based on laboratory-scale tests and verified through pilot-scale tests. In biological nitrogen removal reactors, the specific ammonia oxidation rate (SAOR) was affected by both mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentration and temperature. When MLVSS increased 1.6, 4.2, and 7.1-fold (1.3‒8.9 g/L, at 20°C), the measured SAOR decreased by 21%, 49%, and 56%, respectively. Thereby, the estimated SAOR was suggested to modify when MLVSS changed through a power equation fitting. In addition, temperature coefficient (θ) was modified based on MLVSS concentration. These results suggested that the prediction of variations ammonia oxidation rate in real wastewater treatment system could be more accurate when considering the effect of MLVSS variations on SAOR.     

Significant increase of assimilable organic carbon (AOC) levels in MBR effluents followed by coagulation,ozonation and combined treatments: Implications for biostability control of reclaimed water

• Annual AOCs in MBR effluents were stable with small increase in warmer seasons. • Significant increase in AOC levels of tertiary effluents were observed. • Coagulation in prior to ozonation can reduce AOC formation in tertiary treatment. • ∆UV₂₅₄ and SUVA can be surrogates to predict the AOC changes during ozonation. As water reuse development has increased, biological stability issues associated with reclaimed water have gained attention. This study evaluated assimilable organic carbon (AOC) in effluents from a full-scale membrane biological reactor (MBR) plant and found that they were generally stable over one year (125–216 µg/L), with slight increases in warmer seasons. After additional tertiary treatments, the largest increases in absolute and specific AOCs were detected during ozonation, followed by coagulation-ozonation and coagulation. Moreover, UV₂₅₄ absorbance is known to be an effective surrogate to predict the AOC changes during ozonation. Applying coagulation prior to ozonation of MBR effluents for removal of large molecules was found to reduce the AOC formation compared with ozonation treatment alone. Finally, the results revealed that attention should be paid to seasonal variations in influent and organic fraction changes during treatment to enable sustainable water reuse.     

Mechanisms for simultaneous ozonation of sulfamethoxazole and natural organic matters in secondary effluent from sewage treatment plant

• SMX was mainly degraded by hydrolysis, isoxazole oxidation and double-bond addition. • Isoxazole oxidation and bond addition products were formed by direct ozonation. • Hydroxylated products were produced by indirect oxidation. • NOM mainly affected the degradation of SMX by consuming ^•OH rather than O₃. • Inhibitory effect of NOM on SMX removal was related to the components’ aromaticity. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is commonly detected in wastewater and cannot be completely decomposed during conventional treatment processes. Ozone (O₃) is often used in water treatment. This study explored the influence of natural organic matters (NOM) in secondary effluent of a sewage treatment plant on the ozonation pathways of SMX. The changes in NOM components during ozonation were also analyzed. SMX was primarily degraded by hydrolysis, isoxazole-ring opening, and double-bond addition, whereas hydroxylation was not the principal route given the low maximum abundances of the hydroxylated products, with m/z of 269 and 287. The hydroxylation process occurred mainly through indirect oxidation because the maximum abundances of the products reduced by about 70% after the radical quencher was added, whereas isoxazole-ring opening and double-bond addition processes mainly depended on direct oxidation, which was unaffected by the quencher. NOM mainly affected the degradation of micropollutants by consuming ^•OH rather than O₃ molecules, resulting in the 63%–85% decrease in indirect oxidation products. The NOM in the effluent were also degraded simultaneously during ozonation, and the components with larger aromaticity were more likely degraded through direct oxidation. The dependences of the three main components of NOM in the effluent on indirect oxidation followed the sequence: humic-like substances>fluvic-like substances>protein-like substances. This study reveals the ozonation mechanism of SMX in secondary effluent and provides a theoretical basis for the control of SMX and its degradation products in actual water treatment.     

Enhanced enzymatic removal of anthracene by the mangrove soil-derived fungus, Aspergillus sydowii BPOI

• A. sydowii strain bpo1 exhibited 99.8% anthracene degradation efficiency. • Four unique metabolic products were obtained after anthracene degradation. • Ligninolytic enzymes induction played vital roles in the removal of anthracene. • Laccase played a crucial role in comparison with other enzymes induced. The present study investigated the efficiency of Aspergillus sydowii strain bpo1 (GenBank Accession Number: MK373021) in the removal of anthracene (100 mg/L). Optimal degradation efficiency (98.7%) was observed at neutral pH, temperature (30℃), biomass weight (2 g) and salinity (0.2% w/v) within 72 h. The enzyme analyses revealed 131%, 107%, and 89% induction in laccase, lignin peroxidase, and manganese peroxidase respectively during anthracene degradation. Furthermore, the degradation efficiency (99.8%) and enzyme induction were significantly enhanced with the addition of 100 mg/L of citric acid and glucose to the culture. At varying anthracene concentrations (100–500 mg/L), the degradation rate constants (k₁) peaked with increasing concentration of anthracene while the half-life (t_1/2) decreases with increase in anthracene concentration. Goodness of fit (R² = 0.976 and 0.982) was observed when the experimental data were subjected to Langmuir and Temkin models respectively which affirmed the monolayer and heterogeneous nature exhibited by A. sydwoii cells during degradation. Four distinct metabolites; anthracene-1,8,9 (2H,8aH,9aH)-trione, 2,4a-dihydronaphthalene-1,5-dione, 1,3,3a,7a-tetrahydro-2-benzofuran-4,7-dione and 2-hydroxybenzoic acid was obtained through Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A. sydowii exhibited promising potentials in the removal of PAHs.