Simulating Effluent Organic Matter Competition in Micropollutant Adsorption onto Activated Carbon Using a Surrogate Competitor.

Adsorption onto activated carbon is a promising option for removing organic micropollutants (OMPs) from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. The heterogeneity of activated carbons and adsorption competition between OMPs and adsorbable compounds of the effluent organic matter (EfOM) complicate the prediction of OMP removals. Thus, reliable and simple test systems are desirable.

Microbial community structure and function during abnormal curve development of substrate-induced respiration measurements.

Soil respiration measurements are an established method to test the abundance, activity and vitality of the soil microorganisms. However, abnormal progressions of soil respiration curves impede a clear interpretation of the data. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the microbial structure during the formation of phenomena like double peaks and terraces by analysis of the PLFA composition (phospholipid fatty acid composition).

Assessment of microbial respiratory activity of a manufactured gas plant soil after remediation using sunflower oil.

Microbial activity of a manufactured gas plant (MGP) soil, as well as remaining oil degradability, before and after remediation using sunflower oil was assessed. A sandy soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was collected from an MGP site in Berlin, Germany. Column solubilizations of PAHs from the field-moist soil and air-dried soil using sunflower oil as an extractant at an oil/soil ratio of 2:1 (v/m) were carried out to compare PAH removals from the soil under these two conditions.