Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021)

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 26576

Special Issue Editor

Department of Biological Sciences, Nicolls State University, 114 Gouaux Hall, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA
Interests: bioremediation of hazardous chemicals; biofuel; biological treatment of wastewater; antibiotics and nanoparticles in the environment; anaerobic digestion
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The water–energy–environment nexus (WEEN) represents important interstate connections of water, energy, and the environment as security in water, energy, and the environment is associated with human, economic, and environmental sustainability. This interweaving is strengthening under aggregating natural resource scarcity and climate change. The understanding of the difficulties of these complex relationships is necessary to balance the needs of diverse stakeholders, local and international policy decisions, and to protect valuable resources regarding the management of water, energy, and the environment. Recently developed, highly efficient technologies on water, sustainable energy, and environmental interconnection, as well as future energy-efficient possibilities to save energy and protect the environment are an urgent pathway toward achieving sustainable development. Recognizing the critical need to focus on sustainability in WEEN, an appropriately themed Special Issue on the water, energy, and environment nexus and the related potential fields of biodeterioration and biodegradation would be of great interest to the community of modern engineering science.

This Special Issue intends to publish selected quality papers in water, energy, and the environment, as well as new methodologies aimed at improving the current state-of-the-art technologies in the fields of water, energy, the environment, and the related potential fields of biodeterioration and biodegradation. All submitted articles suitable for the water–energy–environment nexus will be subjected to rigorous peer review to ensure the highest levels of quality, and the review process will be carried out as quickly as possible.

The topics include but are not limited to:

Water

  • Advanced membrane technology and processes in drinking water, desalination, and wastewater treatment;
  • Watershed management strategies for green growth;
  • Water and wastewater treatment;
  • Seawater desalination;
  • Potable water treatment and ground water quality;
  • Water reuse;
  • Hybrid treatment systems;
  • Sustainable materials for water;
  • Novel disinfection technologies;
  • Industrial, pure, and ultrapure water production;
  • Integrated water resources policy, management, development, and governance;
  • Municipal and industrial effluent treatment;
  • Urban management in water use, infrastructure, planning, and reuse of water resources;
  • Water-sensitive urban design;
  • Advanced oxidation processes;
  • Recent developments to improve desalination and brine disposal;
  • Urban flood, rainwater, storm water, and agricultural water management;
  • Sludge management, including energy generation and disposal;
  • Sustainability approaches and indicators for the management of water resources;
  • Energy efficiency and resource recovery in water, seawater, and wastewater treatment;
  • Low-impact development and sponge city construction;
  • Emerging technologies for nutrient and carbon recovery from water and wastewater;
  • Impacts on ground and surface water quality and quantity;
  • Emerging contaminants: pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP), microplastics, and antibiotic resistance;
  • Environmental protection and pollution prevention from industrial effluent contaminants;
  • Water pollution dispersion, modeling, and simulation;
  • Water production by renewable technologies;
  • Urine source separation and reuse;
  • Deammonification for sidestream and mainstream;
  • Climate change impacts on water, the environment, and the economy;
  • Life cycle analysis and environmental optimization of water and wastewater processes;
  • Bioelectrochemical systems for water and wastewater treatment;
  • Separation processes for water, wastewater, and water resources;
  • Nanotechnology for water, seawater desalination, and wastewater treatment.

Energy

  • Membrane technologies for recovery of bioenergy, fuels, and related separation processes;
  • Development of new alternative fuels, biofuels, and energy processing technologies;
  • New developments in microalgae for biofuels, value-added products, and energy production;
  • Improved physical and chemical properties of alternative fuels, energy, and renewable resources;
  • Development of bioreactors for waste to energy conversion technologies;
  • NOVEL feedstocks and pathways for biofuel and energy production;
  • Application of nanocatalysts and biochar for enhanced biofuel and energy production;
  • Sustainable materials for energy production and storage;
  • Socioeconomic and environmental impacts of alternative fuels and energy management;
  • Engine performance and emissions of conventional and alternative fuels;
  • Developments in solar, wind, hydro, bioenergy, and hybrid technologies for energy generation;
  • Energy conversion, storage, governance, and management;
  • Conversion of gaseous pollutants to biofuels and energy;
  • Phosphorous, nitrogen, plastic, mineral, and energy recovery from waste and alternative resources;
  • Recovery and recycling of energy, materials, and products;
  • Waste management: systems and processes for energy and material recovery;
  • Biotechnology and bioenergy;
  • Power and energy systems, distributed power generation/decentralized energy systems;
  • Sustainable energy;
  • International energy demand and supply analysis, policy, and strategy for energy sustainability;
  • Biomass processes and biofuels;
  • Energy and sustainable development;
  • Energy efficient buildings, green designs, and investment feasibility;
  • Technologies promoting energy autonomy;
  • Technical advancements in renewable energy and emerging energy technologies;
  • Bioelectrochemical systems for sustainable energy production;
  • Separation processes for energy systems and production;
  • Nanotechnology for energy, fuels production, conversion, and storage;
  • Pathways towards integrated and sustainable biorefinery;

Environment

  • Application of membrane technology and nanotechnology for environmental protection and pollution prevention;
  • Environment policy and management: policy, regulations, economics, and planning;
  • Risk assessment and environmental analysis: human and ecological risk assessment, environmental prediction and risk analysis/assessment strategies, life cycle analysis;
  • Environmental modeling and simulation;
  • Environmental database and artificial intelligence;
  • Environmental communication, open access data, and big data analysis;
  • Waste minimization: waste treatment and disposal;
  • Landfill and waste repository design, operation, and management;
  • Land remediation and recovery;
  • Tools, techniques, and technologies for air pollution prevention and treatment;
  • Cross boundary air quality and dispersion modeling;
  • Monitoring, prediction, and mitigation of incidents;
  • Environmental pollutions, air pollutants, and human health impacts;
  • Catchment management;
  • Bioremediation of contaminated lands, soil chemistry, and amendments;
  • City operations;
  • Soil plant nutrition and fertilizers;
  • Ecological impacts of sedimentation and management of dredging operations;
  • Utilization of renewable materials;
  • Sustainable consumption and green practices;
  • Wetland ecosystems;
  • Case studies from industries and eco-industrial parks;
  • Low cost and innovative technologies for sustainability and climate change adaptation/mitigation;
  • Community engagements and social impacts;
  • Surveying, monitoring, and analyzing contaminated sites;
  • Greenhouse gases and management;
  • Biochar production: characterization and applications, pre- and post-processing, handling, storage, commercialization, and co-products (bio-oil and gas);
  • Fate and transport of emerging contaminants in soil;
  • Air pollution/aerosol/order control;
  • Sustainable materials for environmental pollution mitigation;
  • Bioelectrochemical system for sustainable environment;
  • Separation processes for sustainable environment;
  • Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration.

Prof. Dr. Ramaraj Boopathy
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Biofuel
  • Wastewater Treatment
  • Bioremediation
  • Anaerobic Digestion
  • Biodegradation

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 4916 KiB  
Article
Development of a Novel Adsorbent Prepared from Dredging Sediment for Effective Removal of Dye in Aqueous Solutions
by Abdelkader Ouakouak, Messameh Abdelhamid, Barhoumi Thouraya, Hadj-Otmane Chahinez, Grabi Hocine, Noureddine Hamdi, Achmad Syafiuddin and Raj Boopathy
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10722; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112210722 - 13 Nov 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2154
Abstract
This study proposed a novel and low-cost adsorbent prepared from dredging sediment (DSD) for effective removal of dye in aqueous solutions. The adsorption efficiency and behavior of the DSD adsorbent toward the crystal violet (CV), a cationic dye, were investigated via batch experiments. [...] Read more.
This study proposed a novel and low-cost adsorbent prepared from dredging sediment (DSD) for effective removal of dye in aqueous solutions. The adsorption efficiency and behavior of the DSD adsorbent toward the crystal violet (CV), a cationic dye, were investigated via batch experiments. The results showed that DSD samples contain mainly clay minerals (illite and kaolinite) and other mineral phases. In addition, DSD is a mesoporous material (Vmesopore = 94.4%), and it exhibits a relatively high surface area (~39.1 m2/g). Adsorption experiments showed that the solution’s pH slightly affects the adsorption process, and a pH of 11 gave a maximum capacity of 27.2 mg/g. The kinetic data of CV dye adsorption is well described by the pseudo–second-order and the Avrami models. The Langmuir and Liu isotherm models provide the best fit for the adsorption equilibrium data. The monolayer adsorption capacity of Langmuir reached 183.6, 198.0, and 243.6 mg/g at 293, 308, and 323 K, respectively. It was also found that the adsorption process was spontaneous (−ΔG°), exothermic (−∆H°), and increased the randomness (+∆S°) during the adsorption operation. The primary mechanisms in CV dye adsorption were ion exchange and pore filling, whereas electrostatic attraction was a minor contribution. In addition, three steps involving intraparticle diffusion occur at the same time to control the adsorption process. The results of this study highlight the excellent efficiency of DSD material as an ecofriendly sorbent for toxic dyes from water media. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
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18 pages, 35582 KiB  
Article
Reduction of Dust on Solar Panels through Unipolar Electrostatic Traveling Wave
by Murat Altıntaş and Serdal Arslan
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(19), 9121; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11199121 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2527
Abstract
In this study, a novel electrostatic cleaning scheme has been applied to a new designed and developed electrode having high cleaning efficiency. In this method, a high voltage, four-channel, 1 Hz square wave signal is applied to a specially designed electrode array. Models [...] Read more.
In this study, a novel electrostatic cleaning scheme has been applied to a new designed and developed electrode having high cleaning efficiency. In this method, a high voltage, four-channel, 1 Hz square wave signal is applied to a specially designed electrode array. Models of the electric field distribution of the proposed electrode array were developed and analyzed using Ansys Maxwell simulation software and printed circuits boards (PCBs) were produced. The performance of dust removal using the electrodes was evaluated. A 1 MW solar power plant was taken as a case study, and performance and cost were compared with the classical panel cleaning method (wet cleaning system). Our study has shown that the electrostatic cleaning method can be carried out with lower cost and higher efficiency than existing methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
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11 pages, 2310 KiB  
Article
Conversion of Glucose to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, Levulinic Acid, and Formic Acid in 1,3-Dibutyl-2-(2-butoxyphenyl)-4,5-diphenylimidazolium Iodide-Based Ionic Liquid
by Megawati Zunita, Deana Wahyuningrum, Buchari, Bunbun Bundjali, I Gede Wenten and Ramaraj Boopathy
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 989; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11030989 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2406
Abstract
The separation process between 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and trace glucose in glucose conversion is important in the biphasic system (aqueous–organic phase), due to the partial solubility property of HMF in water. In addition, the yield of HMF via the dehydration reaction of glucose in [...] Read more.
The separation process between 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and trace glucose in glucose conversion is important in the biphasic system (aqueous–organic phase), due to the partial solubility property of HMF in water. In addition, the yield of HMF via the dehydration reaction of glucose in water is low (under 50%) with the use of Brønsted acid as a catalyst. Therefore, this study was conducted to optimize the production and separation of products by using a new hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL), which is more selective than water. The new IL (1,3-dibutyl-2-(2-butoxyphenyl)-4,5-diphenyl imidazolium iodide) [DBDIm]I was used as a solvent and was optimized for the dehydration reaction of glucose to make a more selective separation of HMF, levulinic acid (LA), and formic acid (FA). [DBDIm]I showed high performance as a solvent for glucose conversion at 100 °C for 120 min, with a yield of 82.2% HMF, 14.9% LA, and 2.9% FA in the presence of sulfuric acid as the Brønsted acid catalyst. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
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Review

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17 pages, 980 KiB  
Review
Shifting from Conventional to Organic Filter Media in Wastewater Biofiltration Treatment: A Review
by Zhang Zhan Loh, Nur Syamimi Zaidi, Achmad Syafiuddin, Ee Ling Yong, Raj Boopathy, Ahmad Beng Hong Kueh and Dedy Dwi Prastyo
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(18), 8650; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11188650 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4089
Abstract
Biofiltration is a promising wastewater treatment green technology employed to remove various types of pollutants. The efficiency of biofiltration relies on biofilm, and its performance is significantly influenced by various factors such as dissolved oxygen concentration, organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time, temperature, [...] Read more.
Biofiltration is a promising wastewater treatment green technology employed to remove various types of pollutants. The efficiency of biofiltration relies on biofilm, and its performance is significantly influenced by various factors such as dissolved oxygen concentration, organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time, temperature, and filter media selection. The existing biofilters utilize conventional media such as gravel, sand, anthracite, and many other composite materials. The material cost of these conventional filter materials is usually higher compared to using organic waste materials as the filter media. However, the utilization of organic materials as biofilter media has not been fully explored and their potential in terms of physicochemical properties to promote biofilm growth is lacking in the literature. Therefore, this review critically discusses the potential of shifting conventional filter media to that of organic in biofiltration wastewater treatment, focusing on filtration efficiency-influenced factors, their comparative filtration performance, advantages, and disadvantages, as well as challenges and prospective areas of organic biofilter development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
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27 pages, 333 KiB  
Review
Causes, Factors, and Control Measures of Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens—A Critical Review
by Erin Leslie, Jason Hinds and Faisal I. Hai
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(10), 4474; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11104474 - 14 May 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2997
Abstract
This review critically analyses the chemical and physical parameters that influence the occurrence of opportunistic pathogens in the drinking water distribution system, specifically in premise plumbing. A comprehensive literature review reveals significant impacts of water age, disinfectant residual (type and concentration), temperature, pH, [...] Read more.
This review critically analyses the chemical and physical parameters that influence the occurrence of opportunistic pathogens in the drinking water distribution system, specifically in premise plumbing. A comprehensive literature review reveals significant impacts of water age, disinfectant residual (type and concentration), temperature, pH, and pipe materials. Evidence suggests that there is substantial interplay between these parameters; however, the dynamics of such relationships is yet to be elucidated. There is a correlation between premise plumbing system characteristics, including those featuring water and energy conservation measures, and increased water quality issues and public health concerns. Other interconnected issues exacerbated by high water age, such as disinfectant decay and reduced corrosion control efficiency, deserve closer attention. Some common features and trends in the occurrence of opportunistic pathogens have been identified through a thorough analysis of the available literature. It is proposed that the efforts to reduce or eliminate their incidence might best focus on these common features. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
36 pages, 6884 KiB  
Review
Recent Advancements of UF-Based Separation for Selective Enrichment of Proteins and Bioactive Peptides—A Review
by Enny Ratnaningsih, Reynard Reynard, Khoiruddin Khoiruddin, I Gede Wenten and Ramaraj Boopathy
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 1078; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11031078 - 25 Jan 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4028
Abstract
Proteins are one of the primary building blocks that have significant functional properties to be applied in food and pharmaceutical industries. Proteins could be beneficial in their concentrated products or isolates, of which membrane-based filtration methods such as ultrafiltration (UF) encompass application in [...] Read more.
Proteins are one of the primary building blocks that have significant functional properties to be applied in food and pharmaceutical industries. Proteins could be beneficial in their concentrated products or isolates, of which membrane-based filtration methods such as ultrafiltration (UF) encompass application in broad spectra of protein sources. More importantly, selective enrichment by UF is of immense interest due to the presence of antinutrients that may dominate their perspicuous bioactivities. UF process is primarily obstructed by concentration polarization and fouling; in turn, a trade-off between productivity and selectivity emerges, especially when pure isolates are an ultimate goal. Several factors such as operating conditions and membrane equipment could leverage those pervasive contributions; therefore, UF protocols should be optimized for each unique protein mixture and mode of configuration. For instance, employing charged UF membranes or combining UF membranes with electrodialysis enables efficient separation of proteins with a similar molecular weight, which is hard to achieve by the conventional UF membrane. Meanwhile, some proposed strategies, such as utilizing ultrasonic waves, tuning operating conditions, and modifying membrane surfaces, can effectively mitigate fouling issues. A plethora of advancements in UF, from their membrane material modification to the arrangement of new configurations, contribute to the quest to actualize promising potentials of protein separation by UF, and they are reviewed in this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
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28 pages, 902 KiB  
Review
A Review of Pretreatment Methods to Enhance Solids Reduction during Anaerobic Digestion of Municipal Wastewater Sludges and the Resulting Digester Performance: Implications to Future Urban Biorefineries
by Bimi Shrestha, Rafael Hernandez, Dhan Lord B. Fortela, Wayne Sharp, Andrei Chistoserdov, Daniel Gang, Emmanuel Revellame, William Holmes and Mark E. Zappi
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(24), 9141; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10249141 - 21 Dec 2020
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4243
Abstract
The rapid increase in the population is expected to result in the approaching of design capacity for many US wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) over the next decade. WWTPs treat both municipal and industrial wastewater influents, resulting in the production of biosolids after digestion. [...] Read more.
The rapid increase in the population is expected to result in the approaching of design capacity for many US wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) over the next decade. WWTPs treat both municipal and industrial wastewater influents, resulting in the production of biosolids after digestion. Biogas, a potential recovered alternative energy source, is also produced as an output from successful anaerobic digestion. More than 7M of dry tons/year of biosolids produced in the US are most often disposed in either landfills or land-applied (~80%). These options are becoming more challenging to implement due to increases in transportation costs and tipping fees, decreases in the availability of landfill/landfarm space, and most importantly, increased regulations. This situation is strongly encouraging WWTPs to find alternatives for the disposal of biosolids. Developing alternative management/disposal options for biosolids are evolving. One of the most attractive alternative option from a sustainability perspective are biorefineries (converts waste to commercial products), which are a fast-growing option given the push toward circular urban source economies (little to no waste generation). Anaerobic digestion has been widely applied in WWTPs to reduce the volume of activated sludge due to its low energy requirements, effective handling of fluctuations due to organic loading rate, relative flexibility with temperature and pH changes, and since biogas is produced that can be transformed into energy. Various pretreatment methods for waste sludges prior to digestion that have been studied to reduce solids production and increase the energetic content of the biogas are presented and discussed. Solids handling and management, which comprises ~60% of the operational cost of a WWTP, is estimated to save more than $100 M annually by achieving at least 20% reduction in the annual production of biosolids within the US. This review incorporates an assessment of various pretreatment methods to optimize the anaerobic digestion of waste sludges with a focus on maximizing both biosolids reduction and biogas quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

19 pages, 1659 KiB  
Case Report
Sustainable Urban Water Management in China: A Case Study from Guangzhou and Kunming
by Shengnan Yang, Yiying Huang, Mohanasundar Radhakrishnan and Eldon R. Rene
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(21), 10030; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112110030 - 26 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2974
Abstract
In China, the notion of a water sensitive city has gained popularity in urban water management as a result of the detrimental effects of flooding and pollution caused by developmental activities. Urban systems and their interrelationships are critical for long-term urban water management [...] Read more.
In China, the notion of a water sensitive city has gained popularity in urban water management as a result of the detrimental effects of flooding and pollution caused by developmental activities. Urban systems and their interrelationships are critical for long-term urban water management and water sensitivity. This article is a case study considering how a strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat (SWOT) analysis-based approach to urban water management interventions in Guangzhou and Kunming cities (China) enables decision makers to identify solutions for cities to become more water-sensitive and resilient. The similar difficulties and rewards with respect to the contexts of both cities were synthesized using SWOT analysis. The contextual SWOT analysis, in conjunction with the comprehensive inclusion of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in intervention planning in these cities, revealed that a water-sensitive-cities approach requires the establishment of a comprehensively multi-objective rainwater management system; this approach would have the goals of reducing rainwater draining sources, controlling processes and adaptive measures, and governing the system to make it more resilient. The water strategy should be holistic and adaptive, capable of providing a broad range of ecological services and other social benefits consistent with the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals, and adaptable to other Chinese cities seeking to achieve water sensitivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Energy-Environment Nexus (WEEN-2021))
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