Effect of Mn2+ on the phosphorus removal and bioflocculation under anoxic condition

Manganese ion (Mn²⁺) generated from metallurgical, steel making and chemical industries enters sewage treatment plants and affects the sludge activity and flocculation. The effect of Mn²⁺ on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorus (TP) and sludge activity were investigated in anoxic zone of an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A²O) process. The compositions and structures of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were characterized using three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3D-EEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to reveal the relationship among Mn²⁺, EPS and sludge flocculation.The results showed that low concentration of Mn²⁺ (<5 mg/L) improved removal efficiencies of COD and TP and increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and dehydrogenase. Meanwhile, the addition of Mn²⁺ increased total EPS, sludge contact angle, Zeta potential and sludge particle size, and thus enhanced sludge flocculation. However, high concentration of Mn²⁺ (>10 mg/L) hindered microbial flocculation and reduced removal efficiencies of the pollutants. When Mn²⁺was 5 mg/L, removal efficiencies of COD and TP reached 65% and 90%, respectively. Sludge flocculation was the best and SVI was 70.56 mL/g. The changes of Mn²⁺ concentration caused deviation of groups’ compositions in LB-EPS and TB-EPS, where the main components were always protein (PN) and polysaccharide (PS). The addition of Mn²⁺ resulted in the degradation of humic acids. However, it did not give rise to significant morphology changes of EPS.     

Numerical analysis on a novel CGPFs for improving NOx conversion efficiency and particulate combustion efficiency to reduce exhaust pollutant emissions

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Improving the NOx conversion efficiency and particulate combustion efficiency under cold-start conditions (low-temperature conditions) is still the...     

PM2.5-bound phthalates and phthalate substitutes in a megacity of southern China: spatioseasonal variations,source apportionment,and risk assessment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Plasticizers are ubiquitous pollutants in the environment, whereas few efforts have been made to elucidate their emission sources in the atmosphere....     

Analysis of degradation and pathways of three common antihistamine drugs by NaClO,UV, and UV-NaClO methods

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Antihistamines (ANTs) are medicines to treat allergic diseases. They have been frequently detected in the natural water environment, posing potential...     

Seed priming with brassinosteroids alleviates aluminum toxicity in rice via improving antioxidant defense system and suppressing aluminum uptake

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Brassinosteroids (BRs) are growth-promoting hormones that exhibit high biological activities across various plant species. BRs shield plants against...