Genera complying denitrifying phosphorus removal community contribute excellent SND-PR in a pilot cyclic SBR: Effect of DO, settling and recirculation rate on process performance.

This work investigated the role of operational conditions and typical functional microbes to maximize the nutrient removal efficiency of a pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system (100 m/d) that treated municipal wastewater. The pilot system was operated in five phases, including start-up and four runs at variable cycle times (2.0, 1.

Role of intracellular storage polymers in simultaneous biological nutrient removal and resources recovery.

Simultaneous biological nutrient removal (SBNR) using an anaerobic-anoxic-oxic phase is the key feature of advanced wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Removing ammonia, total nitrogen, and phosphorus concurrently with organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater is essential to meeting stringent effluent discharge standards via SBNR in WWTPs. More insight into the mechanisms of SBNR, i.

Emerging contaminants in conventional and advanced biological nutrient removal based wastewater treatment plants in India- insights into the removal processes.

Emerging contaminants (ECs) in the environment are a cause of concern due to their potential toxic effects. The study investigates the fate of 20 ECs covering a wide range of physical-chemical properties in ten full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The plants were based on conventional technologies such as waste stabilization pond, upflow sludge blanket reactor, activated sludge process, and biological nutrient removal-based technologies such as anoxic-aerobic process, anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process, biodenipho process, sequencing batch reactor, and densadeg-biofor process.

Fate of emerging contaminants in a sequencing batch reactor and potential of biological activated carbon as tertiary treatment for the removal of persisting contaminants.

The study aims to understand the occurrence and removal of 20 emerging contaminants (ECs) in each unit process of a sequencing batch reactor-based wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and explore the potential of biological activated carbon (BAC) for the treatment of residual ECs and organic matter in the secondary effluent. Analgesic-acetaminophen, anti-inflammatory drug-ibuprofen, and stimulant-caffeine were detected at high concentrations in the influent. Most of the removal was observed in the biological treatment stage in the SBR basins.

Evaluation of sludge quality in Indian sewage treatment plants to develop quality control indices.

Dewatered sludges from twenty-two sewage treatment facilities were characterized to develop the quality control indices in India. This study used fertilizer index (FI) and clean index (CI) as a tool for categorizing sludge utilization into different classes (A, B, C and limited use classes LU-1, LU-2, LU-3) by their fertilizing potential, toxicity level, pathogen presence, and vector attraction reduction criteria. The findings revealed that total P (as PO), total N, and K (as KO) in the sludge samples ranged from 0.

Removal of emerging contaminants in conventional and advanced biological wastewater treatment plants in India-a comparison of treatment technologies.

Emerging contaminants (ECs) are a growing concern for the environment and human health. The study investigates 20 commonly reported ECs in 10 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in urban to semi-urban settlements of north India over two years in the summer and winter. The selected plants were based on waste stabilization pond (WSP), up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), activated sludge process (ASP), anoxic-aerobic process (AO), anaerobic-anoxic-oxic process, biodenipho process, sequencing batch reactor, and densadeg-biofor process.

Investigating a broad range of emerging contaminants in a set of anthropogenically impacted environmental compartments.

Environmental compartments are repositories of probably thousands of emerging contaminants (ECs) released along with treated/untreated wastewater. Despite extensive studies on the detection of ECs in surface water, other environmental compartments such as sediments and groundwater are yet to be thoroughly investigated. To assess the heavy anthropogenic impact on the environment, 24 environmental samples comprising of surface water, sediment and groundwater collected from the Yamuna River basin of India were analyzed via target and suspect screening.

Occurrence, removal, and mass balance of contaminants of emerging concern in biological nutrient removal-based sewage treatment plants: Role of redox conditions in biotransformation and sorption.

The study investigates the fate of 20 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in two full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) based on the Biodenipho™ (WWTP 1) and anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (WWTP 2) processes. Samples of both the dissolved and solid phases (particulate and sludge) from all the wastewater and sludge processing-related units were studied using the mass balance approach to understand the distribution of CECs. The total mass load removal efficiency for anti-inflammatory (4), antibiotics (4), and hormones (5) was 76, 46, 93%, and 72, 38, 90% from WWTP 1 and 2, respectively.

A systematic approach of method development for analysis of multiple classes of emerging contaminants in wastewater: a case study of a biological nutrient removal based plant.

Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, synthetic hormones, and industrial manufacturing additives are used worldwide, and their residues are frequently detected in wastewater. In this study, a sensitive and selective method was developed and validated for the detection and quantification of 14 Emerging Contaminants (ECs) with various physico-chemical properties frequently found in wastewater. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) allowed for extraction and concentration of the compounds.

Ecotoxicological risk evaluation and regulatory compliance of endocrine disruptor phthalates in a sustainable wastewater treatment scheme.

Due to their pervasive applications, phthalic acid esters or phthalates have ample presence in all environmental compartments. A principal source of their existence in freshwater is phthalate-laden wastewater treatment plant effluents. For its sustainable operation and biogas production, wastewater treatment scheme of up flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and polishing pond is more prevalent in developing countries.

Role of treatment configuration in simultaneous removal of priority phthalic acid esters and nitrogen in a post anoxic integrated biofilm activated sludge system.

To develop future wastewater treatment systems, focus is to improve/investigate existing biological wastewater treatment processes for the concurrent treatment of conventional pollution parameters (essentially nitrogen) and micro pollutants. Majority of the existing biological wastewater treatment systems were not designed for the removal of micro pollutants. This study focuses on understanding the role of treatment configuration for efficient removal of nitrogen and priority phthalic acid esters (PAEs) from real municipal wastewater in an integrated biofilm activated sludge (IBAS) system.

Diethylhexyl phthalate removal in full scale activated sludge plants: Effect of operational parameters.

Removal of emerging contaminants (ECs) is a serious concern in wastewater industry especially for public acceptance of reclaimed water. Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is one of the ubiquitous and detectable plasticizers in municipal wastewater across the globe. Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) has prioritized it for the establishment of discharge regulations.

Performance evaluation of a decentralized wastewater treatment system in India.

A Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System (DEWATS) provides an economically feasible and efficient wastewater treatment solution especially in developing countries. It has an enormous potential for developing a sustainable environmental sanitation system. In this study, the treatment efficiency of eight DEWATS plants was evaluated in the state of Maharashtra, India, for their performance in terms of selected physico-chemical parameters of the wastewater.

Environmental and economic performance evaluation of municipal wastewater treatment plants in India: a life cycle approach.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Moreover, an economic evaluation was also addressed using life cycle cost (LCC) approach. Emissions associated with electricity production for operating the WWTPs, emissions from the treated effluent and hazardous heavy metals emissions have been identified as the main contributors to the overall environmental impact.

Technical, hygiene, economic, and life cycle assessment of full-scale moving bed biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment in India.

Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is a highly effective biological treatment process applied to treat both urban and industrial wastewaters in developing countries. The present study investigated the technical performance of ten full-scale MBBR systems located across India. The biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solid, pathogens, and nutrient removal efficiencies were low as compared to the values claimed in literature.

Occurrence of phthalates in aquatic environment and their removal during wastewater treatment processes: a review.

Phthalates are plasticizers and are concerned environmental endocrine-disrupting compounds. Due to their extensive usage in plastic manufacturing and personal care products as well as the potential to leach out from these products, phthalates have been detected in various aquatic environments including drinking water, groundwater, surface water, and wastewater. The primary source of their environmental occurrence is the discharge of phthalate-laden wastewater and sludge.

Environmental impact assessment of a package type IFAS reactor during construction and operational phases: a life cycle approach.

In the present study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used to analyse the environmental impacts associated with the construction and operational phases of an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor treating municipal wastewater. This study was conducted within the boundaries of a research project that aimed to investigate the implementation related challenges of a package type IFAS reactor from an environmental perspective. Along with the LCA results of the construction phase, a comparison of the LCA results of seven operational phases is also presented in this study.

Effect of intermittent aeration on microbial diversity in an intermittently aerated IFAS reactor treating municipal wastewater: A field study.

In the present study, the effect of three intermittent aeration (IA) cycles on treatment performance and microbial diversity was investigated in an integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor treating municipal wastewater. The results showed that IA strategies were able to achieve efficient removal of organics and nitrogen ranging between 90 and 95% and 70 and 80%, respectively, however the phosphorus removal was found to be inversely proportional to the duration of aeration off time in each IA cycle. The microscopic analysis revealed that the suspended and attached biomass had compact morphology and open floc structure, respectively.

Effect of intermittent aeration strategies on treatment performance and microbial community of an IFAS reactor treating municipal waste water.

This study investigated the effect of various intermittent aeration (IA) cycles on organics and nutrient removal, and microbial communities in an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor treating municipal waste water. Average effluent biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) values were noted as 20, 50, 30, 12 and 1.5 mgL, respectively, in continuous aeration mode.

Comparative assessment of phthalate removal and risk in biological wastewater treatment systems of developing countries and small communities.

Phthalates are widely used in plastic and personnel care products. Being non-steroid endocrine disrupting compounds, their exposure have toxic effects on aquatic life and human health. The aim of this study was a comparative assessment of their fate and risk in full scale wastewater treatment along with influence of seasonal variations.

Contamination level of four priority phthalates in North Indian wastewater treatment plants and their fate in sequencing batch reactor systems.

The contamination level of four phthalates in untreated and treated wastewater of fifteen wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and their fate in a full scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) based WWTP was evaluated in this study. The four phthalates were diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). All compounds were present in untreated wastewater with DEHP being present in the highest mean concentration of 28.

Degradation of aldrin and endosulfan in rotary drum and windrow composting.

Removal efficiencies, kinetics and degradation pathways of aldrin, endosulfan α and endosulfan β in vegetable waste were evaluated during rotary drum and conventional windrow composting. The highest percentage removal of aldrin, endosulfan α and endosulfan β in rotary drum composting was 86.8, 83.

Environmental performance of an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor treating actual municipal wastewater during start-up phase.

The present study summarizes the start-up performance and lessons learned during the start-up and optimization of a pilot-scale plant employing integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) process treating actual municipal wastewater. A comprehensive start-up was tailored and implemented to cater for all the challenges and problems associated with start-up. After attaining desired suspended biomass (2,000-3,000 mg/L) and sludge age (∼7 days), the average biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals were observed as 77.