Mechanistic insight into the biofilm formation and process performance of a passive aeration ditch (PAD) for decentralized wastewater treatment

• A Passive Aeration Ditch was developed to treat decentralized wastewater. • A model was developed to describe the process performance. • A high C/N ratio facilitates microbial growth but nitrification deteriorates. • A high salinity decreases both organic and nitrogen contaminants removal. Decentralized wastewater containing elevated salinity is an emerging threat to the local environment and sanitation in remote coastal communities. Regarding the cost and treatment efficiencies, we propose a passive aeration ditch (PAD) using non-woven polyester fabric as a feasible bubbleless aerator and biofilm carrier for wastewater treatment. Consideration has been first given to PAD’s efficacy in treating saline decentralized wastewater, and then to the impact of chemical oxygen demand-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio and salinity on biofilm formation. A multispecies model incorporating the salinity effect has been developed to depict the system performance and predict the microbial community. Results showed that the PAD system had great capacity for pollutants removal. The biofilm thickness increased at a higher C/N ratio because of the boost of aerobic heterotrophs and denitrifying bacteria, which consequently improved the COD and total nitrogen removal. However, this led to the deterioration of ammonia removal. Moreover, while a higher salinity benefited the biofilm growth, the contaminant removal efficiencies decreased because the salinity inhibited the activity of aerobic heterotrophs and reduced the abundance of nitrifying bacteria inside the biofilm. Based on the model simulation, feed water with salinity below 2% and C/N ratio in a range of 1 to 3 forms a biofilm that can reach relatively high organic matter and ammonia removal. These findings not only show the feasibility of PAD in treatment of saline decentralized wastewater, but also offer a systematic strategy to predict and optimize the process performance.     

Assessing economic sustainability and ecological efficiency with genuine progress indicator: a case study of the Yangtze River Delta from 2000 to 2018

To achieve urban sustainability, it is critical to enhance the environment, economy, and society simultaneously. This study adopted the revised genuine progress indicator (GPI) and ecological footprint (EF) to evaluate the ecological efficiency and economic sustainability of the Yangtze River Delta from 2000 to 2018. Spatial analysis was utilized to identify spatial autocorrelation. A total of 27 cities were then partitioned through k-means cluster analysis. The results showed that GPI and ecological efficiency improved rapidly, but economic sustainability showed a downward trend. GPI and GDP had a high degree of spatial correlation, especially in Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area. However, no spatial correlation existed between GPI and EF. The city with high GEE can reach 3000 $/gha, indicating the city consumed 1 global hectare to create $3000 of genuine economic growth. Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Taizhou were cities with the highest level of economic sustainability and ecological efficiency. The spatiotemporal characteristics of economic sustainability and ecological efficiency revealed in this study will provide theoretical guidance for alleviating ecological pressure and promoting economic sustainable development.

     

Exploring the spatial pattern of renewable energy technology innovation: evidence from China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Considering the obvious regional differences in China, research on the drivers for renewable energy technology innovation (RETI) needs to fully...     

DSCAM-AS1 promotes cervical carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion via sponging miR-338-3p

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Deregulated lncRNA DSCAM-AS1 expression was found in several tumors. However, mechanism and functional role of DSCAM-AS1 in cervical carcinoma remain...     

Can anti-corruption improve the quality of environmental information disclosure?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study takes the anti-corruption campaign of the 18th CPC National Congress in China as an exogenous impact build a double difference (DID) model,...     

Coprinus comatus endophytic bacteria characteristics and mechanisms for the cadmium resistance

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Characteristics and resistant mechanisms of macro-fungus endophytic bacteria to cadmium (Cd) have not been well defined. Strains L1 and L3 with...     

The effects of air pollution on the lung cancer mortality in rural areas of eastern China: a multi-region study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Recently, the burden of lung cancer (LC) has attracted global attention. Meanwhile, LC has become the leading cause of death in China. Many studies...     

A comparative study on adsorption behavior of iodinated X-ray contrast media iohexol and amidotrizoic acid by magnetic-activated carbon

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - As persistent and ubiquitous contaminants in water, iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) pose a non-negligible risk to the environment and human...     

How does turions production of Potamogeton crispus L. respond to parental population biomass and living environment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Turions production is the dominant means of propagation in Potamogeton crispus L. To understand how parental population and their living environmental...