Utilizing transparent and conductive SnO2 as electron mediator to enhance the photocatalytic performance of Z-scheme Si-SnO2-TiOx

• A novel Z-scheme Si-SnO₂-TiO_x with SnO₂ as electron mediator is first constructed. • Transparent and conductive SnO₂ can pass light through and promote charge transport. • V_O from SnO₂ and TiO_x improve photoelectrochemical performances. • Efficient photocatalytic degradations originate from the Z scheme construction. Z-scheme photocatalysts, with strong redox ability, have a great potential for pollutants degradation. However, it is challenging to construct efficient Z-scheme photocatalysts because of their poor interfacial charge separation. Herein, by employing transparent and conductive SnO₂ as electron mediator to pass light through and promote interfacial charge transportation, a novel Z-scheme photocatalyst Si-SnO₂-TiO_{x (1<x<2)} was constructed. The Z-scheme photocatalyst displayed an order of magnitude higher photocurrent density and a 4-fold increase in open-circuit potential compared to those of Si. Moreover, the onset potential shifted negatively for approximately 2.2 V. Benefiting from these advantages, this Z-scheme Si-SnO₂-TiO_x exhibited efficient photocatalytic performance toward phenol degradation and mineralization. 75% of the phenol was degraded without bias potential and 70% of the TOC was removed during phenol degradation. Other typical pollutants such as bisphenol A and atrazine could also be degraded without bias potential. Introducing a transparent and conductive electron mediator to construct Z-scheme photocatalyst gives a new sight to the improvement of photocatalytic performance in Z scheme.     

Photocatalytic degradation of the acetaminophen by nanocrystal-engineered TiO2 thin film in batch and continuous system

• Photocatalytic activity was improved in TiO₂ thin film by rapid thermal annealing. • Photoreactor was designed for TiO₂ thin film. • Considerable reusability and durability of prepared photocatalysts were studied. Un-biodegradable pharmaceuticals are one of the major growing threats in the wastewaters. In the current study, TiO₂ thin film photocatalysts were designed by nanocrystal engineering and fabricated for degradation of the acetaminophen (ACE) in a photocatalytic reaction under UV light irradiation in batch and continuous systems. The photocatalyst was prepared by sputtering and then engineered by thermal treatment (annealing at 300℃ (T300) and 650℃ (T650)). The annealing effects on the crystallinity and photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂ film were completely studied; it was found that annealing at higher temperatures increases the surface roughness and grain size which are favorable for photocatalytic activity due to the reduction in the recombination rate of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. For the continuous system, a flat plate reactor (FPR) was designed and manufactured. The photocatalytic performance was decreased with the increase of flow rate because the higher flow rate caused to form the thicker film of the liquid in the reactor and reduced the UV light received by photocatalyst. The reusability and durability of the samples after 6 h of photocatalytic reaction showed promising performance for the T650 sample (annealed samples in higher temperatures).     

Fabrication of highly efficient Bi2WO6/CuS composite for visible-light photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants and Cr(VI) from wastewater

• A novel Bi₂WO₆/CuS composite was fabricated by a facile solvothermal method. • This composite efficiently removed organic pollutants and Cr(VI) by photocatalysis. • The DOM could promoted synchronous removal of organic pollutants and Cr(VI). • This composite could be applied at a wide pH range in photocatalytic reactions. • Possible photocatalytic mechanisms of organic pollutants and Cr(VI) were proposed. A visible-light-driven Bi₂WO₆/CuS p-n heterojunction was fabricated using an easy solvothermal method. The Bi₂WO₆/CuS exhibited high photocatalytic activity in a mixed system containing rhodamine B (RhB), tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), and Cr (VI) under natural conditions. Approximately 98.8% of the RhB (10 mg/L), 87.6% of the TCH (10 mg/L) and 95.1% of the Cr(VI) (15 mg/L) were simultaneously removed from a mixed solution within 105 min. The removal efficiencies of TCH and Cr(VI) increased by 12.9% and 20.4%, respectively, in the mixed solution, compared with the single solutions. This is mainly ascribed to the simultaneous consumption electrons and holes, which increases the amount of excited electrons/holes and enhances the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes. Bi₂WO₆/CuS can be applied over a wide pH range (2–6) with strong photocatalytic activity for RhB, TCH and Cr(VI). Coexisiting dissolved organic matter in the solution significantly promoted the removal of TCH (from 74.7% to 87.2%) and Cr(VI) (from 75.7% to 99.9%) because it accelerated the separation of electrons and holes by consuming holes as an electron acceptor. Removal mechanisms of RhB, TCH, and Cr(VI) were proposed, Bi₂WO₆/CuS was formed into a p-n heterojunction to efficiently separate and transfer photoelectrons and holes so as to drive photocatalytic reactions. Specifically, when reducing pollutants (e.g., TCH) and oxidizing pollutants (e.g., Cr(VI)) coexist in wastewater, the p-n heterojunction in Bi₂WO₆/CuS acts as a “bridge” to shorten the electron transport and thus simultaneously increase the removal efficiencies of both types of pollutants.     

Visible-light-driven heterostructured g-C3N4/Bi-TiO2 floating photocatalyst with enhanced charge carrier separation for photocatalytic inactivation of Microcystis aeruginosa

• Bi doping in TiO₂ enhanced the separation of photo-generated electron-hole. • The performance of photocatalytic degradation of MC-LR was improved. • Coexisting substances have no influence on algal removal performance. • The key reactive oxygen species were h⁺ and ^•OH in the photocatalytic process. The increase in occurrence and severity of cyanobacteria blooms is causing increasing concern; moreover, human and animal health is affected by the toxic effects of Microcystin-LR released into the water. In this paper, a floating photocatalyst for the photocatalytic inactivation of the harmful algae Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) was prepared using a simple sol-gel method, i.e., coating g-C₃N₄ coupled with Bi-doped TiO₂ on Al₂O₃-modified expanded perlite (CBTA for short). The impact of different molar ratios of Bi/Ti on CBTA was considered. The results indicated that Bi doping in TiO₂ inhibited photogenerated electron-hole pair recombination. With 6 h of visible light illumination, 75.9% of M. aeruginosa (initial concentration= 2.7 × 10⁶ cells/L) and 83.7% of Microcystin-LR (initial concentration= 100 μg/L) could be removed with the addition of 2 g/L CBTA-1% (i.e., Bi/Ti molar ratio= 1%). The key reactive oxygen species (ROSs) in the photocatalytic inactivation process are h⁺ and ^•OH. The induction of the Bi⁴⁺/Bi³⁺ species by the incorporation of Bi could narrow the bandgap of TiO₂, trap electrons, and enhance the stability of CBTA-1% in the solutions with coexisting environmental substances.     

Performance of activated carbon coated graphite bipolar electrodes on capacitive deionization method for salinity reduction

• Graphite bipolar electrodes act as an appropriate bed for the CDI process. • Activated carbon Coating improves the application of the electrodes. • CDI is an environmentally friendly method to apply for brackish water. • Initial concentration is the most important parameter in the CDI method. • CDI process in a batch-mode setup needs more development. This research investigates a capacitive deionization method for salinity reduction in a batch reactor as a new approach for desalination. Reductions of cost and energy compared with conventional desalination methods are the significant advantages of this approach. In this research, experiments were performed with a pair of graphite bipolar electrodes that were coated with a one-gram activated carbon solution. After completing preliminary tests, the impacts of four parameters on electrical conductivity reduction, including (1) the initial concentration of feed solution, (2) the duration of the tests, (3) the applied voltage, and (4) the pH of the solution, were examined. The results show that the maximum efficiency of electrical conductivity reduction in this laboratory-scale reactor is about 55%. Furthermore, the effects of the initial concentration of feed solution are more significant than the other parameters. Thus, using the capacitive deionization method for water desalination with low and moderate salt concentrations (i.e., brackish water) is proposed as an affordable method. Compared with conventional desalination methods, capacitive deionization is not only more efficient but also potentially more environmentally friendly.     

Enhancement of the electrocatalytic oxidation of antibiotic wastewater over the conductive black carbon-PbO2 electrode prepared using novel green approach

• A novel conductive carbon black modified lead dioxide electrode is synthesized. • The modified PbO₂ electrode exhibits enhanced electrochemical performances. • BBD method could predict optimal experiment conditions accurately and reliably. • The modified electrode possesses outstanding reusability and safety. The secondary pollution caused by modification of an electrode due to doping of harmful materials has long been a big concern. In this study, an environmentally friendly material, conductive carbon black, was adopted for modification of lead dioxide electrode (PbO₂). It was observed that the as-prepared conductive carbon black modified electrode (C-PbO₂) exhibited an enhanced electrocatalytical performance and more stable structure than a pristine PbO₂ electrode, and the removal efficiency of metronidazole (MNZ) and COD by a 1.0% C-PbO₂ electrode at optimal conditions was increased by 24.66% and 7.01%, respectively. Results revealed that the electrochemical degradation of MNZ wastewater followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. This intimates that the presence of conductive carbon black could improve the current efficiency, promote the generation of hydroxyl radicals, and accelerate the removal of MNZ through oxidation. In addition, MNZ degradation pathways through a C-PbO₂ electrode were proposed based on the identified intermediates. To promote the electrode to treat antibiotic wastewater, optimal experimental conditions were predicted through the Box-Behnken design (BBD) method. The results of this study suggest that a C-PbO₂ electrode may represent a promising functional material to pretreat antibiotic wastewaters.     

UV-LED/P25-based photocatalysis for effective degradation of isothiazolone biocide

• UV-LED with shorter wavelength was beneficial for photocatalytic degradation. • SRNOM dramatically inhibit the degradation. • ·OH acts as the active radical in photocatalytic degradation. • Degradation mainly undergoes oxidation, hydrolysis and chain growth reactions. In this work, LED-based photocatalysis using mixed rutile and anatase phase TiO₂ (P25) as the photocatalyst could effectively remove 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (CMIT) and methylisothiazolone (MIT) simultaneously, with removal efficiencies above 80% within 20 min. The photocatalytic degradation of both CMIT and MIT could be modeled using a pseudo-first-order rate equation. The photocatalytic degradation rates of CMIT and MIT under LED280 illumination were higher than under LED310 or LED360 illumination. At concentrations below 100 mg/L, the degradation rate of CMIT and MIT under LED illumination significantly increased with increasing catalyst dosage. Additionally, the effects of the chloride ion concentration, alkalinity and dissolved organic matter on the photocatalytic degradation reaction were also investigated. The ·OH free radicals were determined to play the primary role in the photocatalytic degradation reaction, with a degradation contribution of >95%. The photocatalytic degradation of CMIT and MIT mainly occurred via oxidation, hydrolysis, and chain growth reactions. Finally, the possible photocatalytic degradation pathways of CMIT and MIT over LED/P25 are proposed.     

Locally enhanced electric field treatment (LEEFT) for water disinfection

• Nanowire-assisted LEEFT is applied for water disinfection with low voltages. • LEEFT inactivates bacteria by disrupting cell membrane through electroporation. • Multiple electrodes and device configurations have been developed for LEEFT. • The LEEFT is low-cost, highly efficient, and produces no DBPs. • The LEEFT can potentially be applicable for water disinfection at all scales. Water disinfection is a critical step in water and wastewater treatment. The most widely used chlorination suffers from the formation of carcinogenic disinfection by-products (DBPs) while alternative methods (e.g., UV, O₃, and membrane filtration) are limited by microbial regrowth, no residual disinfectant, and high operation cost. Here, a nanowire-enabled disinfection method, locally enhanced electric field treatment (LEEFT), is introduced with advantages of no chemical addition, no DBP formation, low energy consumption, and efficient microbial inactivation. Attributed to the lightning rod effect, the electric field near the tip area of the nanowires on the electrode is significantly enhanced to inactivate microbes, even though a small external voltage (usually<5 V) is applied. In this review, after emphasizing the significance of water disinfection, the theory of the LEEFT is explained. Subsequently, the recent development of the LEEFT technology on electrode materials and device configurations are summarized. The disinfection performance is analyzed, with respect to the operating parameters, universality against different microorganisms, electrode durability, and energy consumption. The studies on the inactivation mechanisms during the LEEFT are also reviewed. Lastly, the challenges and future research of LEEFT disinfection are discussed.     

Review on remediation technologies for arsenic-contaminated soil

• Recent progress of As-contaminated soil remediation technologies is presented. • Phytoextraction and chemical immobilization are the most widely used methods. • Novel remediation technologies for As-contaminated soil are still urgently needed. • Methods for evaluating soil remediation efficiency are lacking. • Future research directions for As-contaminated soil remediation are proposed. Arsenic (As) is a top human carcinogen widely distributed in the environment. As-contaminated soil exists worldwide and poses a threat on human health through water/food consumption, inhalation, or skin contact. More than 200 million people are exposed to excessive As concentration through direct or indirect exposure to contaminated soil. Therefore, affordable and efficient technologies that control risks caused by excess As in soil must be developed. The presently available methods can be classified as chemical, physical, and biological. Combined utilization of multiple technologies is also common to improve remediation efficiency. This review presents the research progress on different remediation technologies for As-contaminated soil. For chemical methods, common soil washing or immobilization agents were summarized. Physical technologies were mainly discussed from the field scale. Phytoextraction, the most widely used technology for As-contaminated soil in China, was the main focus for bioremediation. Method development for evaluating soil remediation efficiency was also summarized. Further research directions were proposed based on literature analysis.     

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.     

Unlocked disinfection by-product formation potential upon exposure of swimming pool water to additional stimulants

• Swimming pool water was studied for DBPs upon exposure to additional stimulants. • DBP formation could be induced by residual chlorine and extended incubation. • Urine led to a massive formation of chloroform with additional stimulants. • Reactions between chlorine and anthropogenic organics were slow and long-lasting. • Urine control and air ventilation should be on the priority list for pool management. Anthropogenic organics are known to be responsible for the formation of harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) in swimming pool water (SPW). The research explored an important scenario of SPW with no additional anthropogenic organic input. With stimulations by residual chlorine or additional chlorine and extended incubation, the formation of DBPs, especially chloroform, was significantly induced. Similar observations were found by investigating synthetic SPW made with sweat and urine. The presence of urine led to a massive formation of chloroform, as noted by an approximate 19-fold increase after 165-day incubation with a shock chlorine dose. The research suggests that consistent residual chlorine and long water retention as two typical features of SPW could unlock the DBP formation potential of anthropogenic organics. Thus, limiting the introduction of anthropogenic organics may not have an immediate effect on reducing DBP levels, because their reactions with chlorine can be slow and long-lasting. Pool management should prioritize on control of urine and improving air ventilation. This work is useful to deepen understandings about DBP formation in SPW and provide implications for pool management and prospective legislation.     

Magnetotactic bacteria: Characteristics and environmental applications

• Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) synthesize magnetic nanoparticle within magnetosomes. • The morphologic and phylogenetic diversity of MTB were summarized. • Isolation and mass cultivation of MTB deserve extensive research for applications. • MTB can remove heavy metals, radionuclides, and organic pollutants from wastewater. Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a group of Gram-negative prokaryotes that respond to the geomagnetic field. This unique property is attributed to the intracellular magnetosomes, which contains membrane-bound nanocrystals of magnetic iron minerals. This review summarizes the most recent advances in MTB, magnetosomes, and their potential applications especially the environmental pollutant control or remediation. The morphologic and phylogenetic diversity of MTB were first introduced, followed by a critical review of isolation and cultivation methods. Past research has devoted to optimize the factors, such as oxygen, carbon source, nitrogen source, nutrient broth, iron source, and mineral elements for the growth of MTB. Besides the applications of MTB in modern biological and medical fields, little attention was made on the environmental applications of MTB for wastewater treatment, which has been summarized in this review. For example, applications of MTB as adsorbents have resulted in a novel magnetic separation technology for removal of heavy metals or organic pollutants in wastewater. In addition, we summarized the current advance on pathogen removal and detection of endocrine disruptor which can inspire new insights toward sustainable engineering and practices. Finally, the new perspectives and possible directions for future studies are recommended, such as isolation of MTB, genetic modification of MTB for mass production and new environmental applications. The ultimate objective of this review is to promote the applications of MTB and magnetosomes in the environmental fields.     

TiO2@palygorskite composite for the efficient remediation of oil spills via a dispersion-photodegradation synergy

• A novel and multi-functional clay-based oil spill remediation system was constructed. • TiO₂@PAL functions as a particulate dispersant to break oil slick into tiny droplets. • Effective dispersion leads to the direct contact of TiO₂ with oil pollutes directly. • TiO₂ loaded on PAL exhibits efficient photodegradation for oil pollutants. • TiO₂@PAL shows a typical dispersion-photocatalysis synergistic remediation. Removing spilled oil from the water surface is critically important given that oil spill accidents are a common occurrence. In this study, TiO₂@Palygorskite composite prepared by a simple coprecipitation method was used for oil spill remediation via a dispersion-photodegradation synergy. Diesel could be efficiently dispersed into small oil droplets by TiO₂@Palygorskite. These dispersed droplets had an average diameter of 20–30 mm and exhibited good time stability. The tight adsorption of TiO₂@Palygorskite on the surface of the droplets was observed in fluorescence and SEM images. As a particulate dispersant, the direct contact of TiO₂@Palygorskite with oil pollutants effectively enhanced the photodegradation efficiency of TiO₂ for oil. During the photodegradation process, •O₂⁻and •OH were detected by ESR and radical trapping experiments. The photodegradation efficiency of diesel by TiO₂@Palygorskite was enhanced by about 5 times compared with pure TiO₂ under simulated sunlight irradiation. The establishment of this new dispersion-photodegradation synergistic remediation system provides a new direction for the development of marine oil spill remediation.     

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.     

Health impacts of air pollution in China

•Impacts of air pollution on various body systems health in China were highlighted. •China’s actions to control air pollution and their effects were briefly introduced. •Challenges and perspectives of the health effects of air pollution are provided. The health effects of air pollution have attracted considerable attention in China. In this review, the status of air pollution in China is briefly presented. The impacts of air pollution on the health of the respiratory system, the circulatory system, the nervous system, the digestive system, the urinary system, pregnancy and life expectancy are highlighted. Additionally, China’s actions to control air pollution and their effects are briefly introduced. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of the health effects of air pollution are provided. We believe that this review will provide a promising perspective on the health impacts of air pollution in China, and further elicit more attention from governments and researchers worldwide.     

Evolution of humic substances in polymerization of polyphenol and amino acid based on non-destructive characterization

• Humification evolution was identified with non-destructive characterization method. • Humification process from precursors to fulvic and humic acid was confirmed. • MnO₂ alone had limited oxidation ability to form HA. • MnO₂ played a key role as a catalyst to transform FA to HA in the presence of O₂. • MnO₂ could affect the structure of the humification products. Abiotic humification is important in the formation and evolution of organic matter in soil and compost maturing processes. However, the roles of metal oxides in abiotic humification reactions under micro-aerobic remain ambiguous. The aim of this study was to use non-destructive measurement methods to investigate the role of MnO₂ in the evolution of humic substances (HSs) during oxidative polymerization of polyphenol-amino acid. Our results suggested a synergistic effect between MnO₂ and O₂ in promoting the polymerization reaction and identified that MnO₂ alone had a limited ability in accelerating the transformation of fulvic acid (FA) to humic acid (HA), whereas O₂ was the key factor in the process. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) showed that the evolution in the UV-vis spectra followed the order of 475–525 nm>300–400 nm>240–280 nm in the humification process, indicating the formation of simple organic matter followed by FA and then HA. ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR) analysis revealed that the products under both air and N₂ conditions in the presence of MnO₂ had greater amounts of aromatic-C than in the absence of MnO₂, demonstrating that MnO₂ affected the structure of the humification products. The results of this study provided new insights into the theory of abiotic humification.     

A review of measurement methods for peracetic acid (PAA)

• Physical and chemical properties and application of peracetic acid solution. • Determination method of high concentration peracetic acid. • Determination method of residual peracetic acid (low concentration). Peroxyacetic acid has been widely used in food, medical, and synthetic chemical fields for the past several decades. Recently, peroxyacetic acid has gradually become an effective alternative disinfectant in wastewater disinfection and has strong redox capacity for removing micro-pollutants from drinking water. However, commercial peroxyacetic acid solutions are primarily multi-component mixtures of peroxyacetic acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water. During the process of water treatment, peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) often coexist, which limits further investigation on the properties of peroxyacetic acid. Therefore, analytical methods need to achieve a certain level of selectivity, particularly when peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide coexist. This review summarizes the measurement and detection methods of peroxyacetic acid, comparing the principle, adaptability, and relative merits of these methods.     

The coupling of sand with ZVI/oxidants achieved proportional and highly efficient removal of arsenic

• Simply doping sands with ZVI achieved an even activation of ZVI by oxidants. • Sand doping facilitated proportional As trapping along the ZVI/oxidants column. • ZVI/sand/oxidants are highly efficient for arsenic removal. • ZVI/sand/oxidants reduced significantly the Fe²⁺ leaching and effluent turbidity. • More than 54% of arsenic was reduced to As(III) in ZVI/sand/oxidants system. The coupling of zero-valent iron (ZVI) with common oxidants has recently achieved very rapid and highly efficient removal of Heavy metals from wastewater. However, the uniform activation of ZVI throughout the column and the proportional removal of target contaminants are urgently required for the prevention of premature filter clogging and the extension of the effective column operational time. In this study, we successfully achieved this objective by simply doping granular sand with ZVI at appropriate weight ratios. When pure ZVI packed column was spiked with oxidants, the majority of As trapping occurred between the column inlet and the first sampling point. In a packed column with a 1:20 mixture of ZVI and sand, the average As removal efficiency was 36 (1st), 13.1 (2nd), 18.5 (3rd), 19.2 (4th) and 5.9% (5th outlet). The overall arsenic removal performance of the composite filling system of ZVI/sand was equally as efficient as that of the previous pure ZVI-packed system. Moreover, the leaching of Fe was significantly reduced with an increased sand ratio, resulting in clearer water with less turbidity. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) demonstrated that more than 54% of the arsenic was reduced to As(III). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the extensive corrosion of the ZVI surface, which resulted in various species of iron oxyhydroxides responsible for the highly efficient sequester of arsenic through reduction, adsorption, and coprecipitation.     

Water-level based discrete integrated dynamic control to regulate the flow for sewer-WWTP operation

• A model-free sewer-WWTP integrated control was proposed. • A dynamic discrete control based on the water level was developed. • The approach could improve the sewer operation against flow fluctuation. • The approach could increase transport capacity and enhance pump efficiency. This study aims to propose a multi-point integrated real-time control method based on discrete dynamic water level variations, which can be realized only based on the programmable logic controller (PLC) system without using a complex mathematical model. A discretized water level control model was developed to conduct the real-time control based on data-automation. It combines the upstream pumping stations and the downstream influent pumping systems of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The discretized water level control method can regulate dynamic wastewater pumping flow of pumps following the dynamic water level variation in the sewer system. This control method has been successfully applied in practical integrated operations of sewer-WWTP following the sensitive flow disturbances of the sewer system. The operational results showed that the control method could provide a more stabilized regulate pumping flow for treatment process; it can also reduce the occurrence risk of combined sewer overflow (CSO) during heavy rainfall events by increasing transport capacity of pumping station and influent flow in WWTP, which takes full advantage of storage space in the sewer system.     

An integrated method for the rapid dewatering and solidification/stabilization of dredged contaminated sediment with a high water content

• An integrated method, called PHDVPSS, was proposed for treating DCS. • The PHDVPSS method showed superior performance compared to conventional method. • Using the method, water content (%) of DCS decreased from 300 to<150 in 3 days. • The 56-day UCS from this method is 12‒17 times higher than conventional method. • Relative to PC, GGBS-MgO binder yielded greater reduction in the leachability. To more efficiently treat the dredged contaminated sediment (DCS) with a high water content, this study proposes an integrated method (called PHDVPSS) that uses the solidifying/stabilizing (S/S) agents and prefabricated horizontal drain (PHD) assisted by vacuum pressure (VP). Using this method, dewatering and solidification/stabilization can be carried out simultaneously such that the treatment time can be significantly shortened and the treatment efficacy can be significantly improved. A series of model tests was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Experimental results indicated that the proposed PHDVPSS method showed superior performance compared to the conventional S/S method that uses Portland cement (PC) directly without prior dewatering. The 56-day unconfined compressive strength of DCS treated by the proposed method with GGBS-MgO as the binder is 12‒17 times higher than that by the conventional S/S method. DCS treated by the PHDVPSS method exhibited continuous decrease in leaching concentration of Zn with increasing curing age. The reduction of Zn leachability is more obvious when using GGBS-MgO as the binder than when using PC, because GGBS-MgO increased the residual fraction and decreased the acid soluble fraction of Zn. The microstructure analysis reveals the formation of hydrotalcite in GGBS-MgO binder, which resulted in higher mechanical strength and higher Zn stabilization efficiency.