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Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Centralized wastewater collection and treatment systems are energy-intensive and costly processes to maintain. Such systems require high investment costs upfront in long-distance wastewater collection systems, which also incur high operation and maintenance expenses and suffer from high water losses and environmental and human health impacts. Several sources in literature are pointing toward a shift from conventional, centralized water services to alternative strategies involving more decentralized reuse, resource efficiency, energy and nutrient recovery, and the flexibility to effectively manage emerging contaminants. This Special Issue aims to address state-of-the-art findings on resource-recovery-based decentralized wastewater services, which address the demands of a reliable technology, economic feasibility, and environmental benefits, as well as transitioning into more sustainable services.

Dr. Yang Liu
Dr. Hyung-Sool Lee
Guest Editors

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Keywords

decentralized water services
resource recovery
water–energy nexus
circular economy
restorative developments

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2197 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Viability of a Single-Stage Unsaturated-Saturated Granular Activated Carbon Biofilter for Greywater Treatment

by Ahmed Sharaf, Bing Guo, David C. Shoults, Nicholas J. Ashbolt and Yang Liu

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8847; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12218847 - 24 Oct 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3032

Abstract

Compared with conventionally collected sewage, source-diverted greywater has a higher potential for on-site treatment and reuse due to its lower contaminant levels and large volume. A new design of granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilters was developed by incorporating unsaturated and saturated zones in a single stage to introduce an efficient, passive, and easy-to-operate technology for greywater on-site treatment at the household scale. The design was customized for its intended application considering various aspects including the reactor’s configuration, packing media, and feeding strategy. With the highest hydraulic and organic loadings of 1.2 m³ m⁻² d⁻¹ and 3.5 kg COD m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively, and the shortest retention time of 2.4 h, the system maintained an average total chemical oxygen demand removal rate of 94% with almost complete removal of nutrients throughout its 253 days of operation. The system showed a range of reduction efficacy towards five surrogates representing viruses, bacteria, and Cryptosporidium and Giardia (oo)cysts. A well-functioning biofilm was successfully developed, and its mass and activity increased over time with the highest values observed at the top layers. The key microbes within the biofilter were revealed. Feasibility of the proposed technology was investigated, and implications for design and operation were discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralized Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery)

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Other

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11 pages, 2064 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceBrief Report

Examination of Extracellular Polymer (EPS) Extraction Methods for Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR) Biomass

by Mohammed A. Galib, Timothy Abbott and Hyung-Sool Lee

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12584; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132212584 - 15 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2534

Abstract

Membrane bioreactor fouling is a complex process, which is typically driven by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), a complex mixture of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, humic substances, and other intercellular polymers. While much is known about fouling in aerobic membrane reactors, far less is known about fouling in anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR). Much of this knowledge, including EPS extraction methods, has been extrapolated from aerobic processes and is commonly assumed to be comparable. Therefore, several extraction methods commonly used for aerobic EPS quantification, including ultrasonication, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and formaldehyde plus sodium hydroxide (CH₂O+NaOH), were evaluated to determine the most suitable extraction method for EPS of anaerobic microorganisms in an AnMBR. To maximize EPS yields, each extraction was performed four times. Experimental results showed that the EDTA method was best for EPS quantification, based on chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and protein yields: 1.43 mg COD/mg volatile suspended solids (VSS), 0.14 mg DOC/mg VSS, and 0.11 mg proteins/mg VSS. In comparison, the CH₂O+NaOH method maximized the extraction of carbohydrates (0.12 mg carbohydrates/mg VSS). However, multiple extraction cycles with EDTA and ultrasonication exhibited lower extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations compared to CH₂O+NaOH extractions, indicating lower levels of released intracellular substances. Successive EPS extractions over four cycles are better able to quantify EPS from anaerobic microorganisms, since a single extraction may not accurately reflect the true levels of EPS contents in AnMBRs, and possibly in other anaerobic processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralized Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery)

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