Simultaneous removal of emerging contaminants and disinfection for municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent quality improvement: a systemic analysis of the literature.

This work presents a bibliographic review of the literature regarding the simultaneous removal of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and disinfection in domestic wastewater matrices. These two responses are usually evaluated independently, as most attention has been centered on the discussion over the removal of CECs in the last 10 years. However, the simultaneous removal of CECs and pathogens from wastewater has been recently brought to the spotlight, especially considering the removal of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

LED irradiated photo-Fenton for the removal of estrogenic activity and endocrine disruptors from wastewater treatment plant effluent.

The goal of this work was to evaluate the performance of the LED irradiated photo-Fenton process on the removal of (i) estrogenic activity and (ii) seven endocrine disruptors (EDs) (4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and estriol) from real wastewater treatment plant effluent (WWTPE). EDs are a group of contaminants of emerging concern present in WWTPE and which may be recognized by hormone receptors, thus harming animal and human health. The yeast estrogenic screen test (YES) was used to quantify estrogenic activity promoted by EDs in WWTPE samples before and after photo-Fenton treatment.

Applicability of statistical analysis for performance and reliability evaluation of large-scale water treatment plants with direct filtration systems.

Water treatment plants (WTPs) are extremely important in basic sanitation services because of their association with human health by producing safe drinking water. Thus, their proper operation is of utmost relevance and has led to the development of distinct performance evaluation methodologies. Direct filtration is a leading technology applied in WTPs.

Persulfate mediated solar photo-Fenton aiming at wastewater treatment plant effluent improvement at neutral PH: emerging contaminant removal, disinfection, and elimination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

This work investigated an innovative alternative to improve municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent (MWWTP effluent) quality aiming at the removal of contaminants of emerging concern (caffeine, carbendazim, and losartan potassium), and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), as well as disinfection (E. coli). Persulfate was used as an alternative oxidant in the solar photo-Fenton process (solar/Fe/SO) due to its greater stability in the presence of matrix components.

Aluminized surface to improve solar light absorption in open reactors: Application for micropollutants removal in effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plants.

This work proposes the evaluation of an aluminized surface on the bottom of open reactors to perform a photo-Fenton process, at circumneutral pH (using Fe III-Ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid complex), for elimination of micropollutants (MPs) in real effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plants (EMWWTP). Firstly, the strategy was to initially investigate the real EMWWTP spiked with several MPs (acetaminophen, diclofenac, carbamazepine, caffeine, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) with 20 and 100 μg L in a laboratory scale (evaluated by HPLC-UV) using a solar simulator. Finally, the removal of all MCs present in the real EMWWTP was monitored (evaluated by HPLC-MS) in a pilot-scale (90 L) in a raceway pond reactor (RPR).

Adequacy analysis of drinking water treatment technologies in regard to the parameter turbidity, considering the quality of natural waters treated by large-scale WTPs in Brazil.

This paper seeks to present a performance evaluation of large-scale water treatment plants and verify the adjustment of the treatment to the parameter turbidity of natural waters. Nonparametric and multivariate statistical tools were used to analyze raw water and treated water turbidity of a large on-line monitoring databank for the period from 2013 to 2015, from six large-scale treatment plants utilizing different technologies. Cluster analysis was able to differentiate adequately groups of treatment plants with similar raw and treated water quality.

Using multivariate techniques as a strategy to guide optimization projects for the surface water quality network monitoring in the Velhas river basin, Brazil.

Surface water quality monitoring networks are usually deployed and rarely re-evaluated with regard to their effectiveness. In this sense, this work sought to evaluate and to guide optimization projects for the water quality monitoring network of the Velhas river basin, using multivariate statistical methods. The cluster, principal components, and factorial analyses, associated with non-parametric tests and the analysis of violation to the standards set recommended by legislation, identified the most relevant water quality parameters and monitoring sites, and evaluated the sampling frequency.

Correction to: The use of multivariate statistical methods for optimization of the surface water quality network monitoring in the Paraopeba river basin, Brazil.

Unfortunately, the original version of this article was published online with error. The Tables 3 and 4 data was mixed up. The corrected Tables 3 and 4 are shown in the next page.

The use of multivariate statistical methods for optimization of the surface water quality network monitoring in the Paraopeba river basin, Brazil.

This study sought to evaluate and propose adjustments to the water quality monitoring network of surface freshwaters in the Paraopeba river basin (Minas Gerais, Brazil), using multivariate statistical methods. A total of 13,560 valid data were analyzed for 19 water quality parameters at 30 monitoring sites, over a period of 5 years (2008-2013). The cluster analysis grouped the monitoring sites in eight groups based on similarities of water quality characteristics.

Degradation of carbendazim in water via photo-Fenton in Raceway Pond Reactor: assessment of acute toxicity and transformation products.

This study aimed at investigating the degradation of fungicide carbendazim (CBZ) via photo-Fenton reactions in artificially and solar irradiated photoreactors at laboratory scale and in a semi-pilot scale Raceway Pond Reactor (RPR), respectively. Acute toxicity was monitored by assessing the sensibility of bioluminescent bacteria (Aliivibrio fischeri) to samples taken during reactions. In addition, by-products formed during solar photo-Fenton were identified by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS).

Evaluation of violations in water quality standards in the monitoring network of São Francisco River basin, the third largest in Brazil.

The São Francisco River is the largest river located entirely within Brazil, and water scarcity problems have been a major concern of Brazilian society and government. Water quality issues are also a concern and have worsened with the recent intensification of urbanization and industrialization. In this study, violations to water quality standards established by local legislation were calculated as a percentage for 26 selected parameters over a monitoring period of 14 years.

Degradation of ethylenethiourea pesticide metabolite from water by photocatalytic processes.

In this study, photocatalytic (photo-Fenton and H2O2/UV) and dark Fenton processes were used to remove ethylenethiourea (ETU) from water. The experiments were conducted in a photo-reactor with an 80 W mercury vapor lamp. The mineralization of ETU was determined by total organic carbon analysis, and ETU degradation was qualitatively monitored by the reduction of UV absorbance at 232 nm.

Removal of ethylenthiourea and 1,2,4-triazole pesticide metabolites from water by adsorption in commercial activated carbons.

This study evaluated the adsorption capacity of ethylenthiourea (ETU) and 1H-1,2,4-triazole (1,2,4-T) for two commercial activated carbons: charcoal-powdered activated carbon (CPAC) and bovine bone-powdered activated carbon (BPAC). The tests were conducted at a bench scale, with ETU and 1,2,4-T diluted in water, for isotherm and adsorption kinetic studies. The removal of the compounds was accompanied by a total organic carbon (TOC) analysis and ultraviolet (UV) reduction analysis.