Adaptable Plasmonic Membrane Sensors for Fast and Reliable Detection of Trace Low-Micrometer Microplastics in Lake Water.

In freshwater environments, low-micrometer microplastics (LMMPs) have captured significant attention due to their prevalence and toxicity. Yet, rapid detection of LMMPs (1-10 μm) at the single-particle level within complex freshwater matrices remains a hurdle. We developed an adaptable plasmonic membrane sensor for fast detection of individual LMMPs in eutrophic lake waters.

Enhancing selective ammonium transport in membrane electrochemical systems.

Recovering ammonia nitrogen from wastewater is a sustainable strategy that simultaneously addresses both nitrogen removal and fertilizer production. Membrane electrochemical system (MES), which utilizes electrochemical redox reactions to transport ammonium ions through cation exchange membranes, has been considered as an effective technology for ammonia recovery from wastewater. In this study, we develop a mathematical model to systematically investigate the impact of co-existing ions on the transport of ammonium (NH) ions in MES.

Bioelectrochemically-assisted ammonia recovery from dairy manure.

The sustainability of direct land application of dairy manure is challenged by significant nutrient losses. Bioelectrochemical systems for ammonia recovery offer a manure management strategy that can recover both ammoniacal and organic nitrogen as a stable ammonia fertilizer. In this research, a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was used to treat two types of dairy manure under a variety of imposed anode compartment conditions.

Ammonia recovery from organic nitrogen in synthetic dairy manure with a microbial fuel cell.

Increasing pressures on the animal and cropland agriculture sectors have led to the realization of problems with animal waste management and ammonia-based fertilizer supply. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are a new-age technology that offer a way to address these problems. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), one type of BES, are traditionally used for electricity generation from microbial degradation of organic matters, but can also be used to recover nutrients from wastes simultaneous with treatment.

The Application of Cation Exchange Membranes in Electrochemical Systems for Ammonia Recovery from Wastewater.

Electrochemical processes are considered promising technologies for ammonia recovery from wastewater. In electrochemical processes, cation exchange membrane (CEM), which is applied to separate compartments, plays a crucial role in the separation of ammonium nitrogen from wastewater. Here we provide a comprehensive review on the application of CEM in electrochemical systems for ammonia recovery from wastewater.

Electrochemical-Osmotic Process for Simultaneous Recovery of Electric Energy, Water, and Metals from Wastewater.

A highly-efficient, autonomous electrochemical-osmotic system (EOS) is developed for simultaneous recovery of electric energy, water, and metals from wastewater. We demonstrate that the system can generate a maximum electric power density of 10.5 W m using a spontaneous Fe/Cu galvanic cell, while simultaneously achieving copper recovery from wastewater.

Energy Efficiency of Electro-Driven Brackish Water Desalination: Electrodialysis Significantly Outperforms Membrane Capacitive Deionization.

Electro-driven technologies are viewed as a potential alternative to the current state-of-the-art technology, reverse osmosis, for the desalination of brackish waters. Capacitive deionization (CDI), based on the principle of electrosorption, has been intensively researched under the premise of being energy efficient. However, electrodialysis (ED), despite being a more mature electro-driven technology, has yet to be extensively compared to CDI in terms of energetic performance.

Tackle reverse solute flux in forward osmosis towards sustainable water recovery: reduction and perspectives.

Forward osmosis (FO) has emerged as a potentially energy-efficient membrane treatment technology to yield high-quality reusable water from various wastewater/saline water sources. A key challenge remained to be solved for FO is reverse solute flux (RSF), which can cause issues like reduced concentration gradient and loss of draw solutes. Yet no universal parameters have been developed to compare RSF control performance among various studies, making it difficult to position us in this "battle" against RSF.

Effects of current generation and electrolyte pH on reverse salt flux across thin film composite membrane in osmotic microbial fuel cells.

Osmotic microbial fuel cells (OsMFCs) take advantages of synergy between forward osmosis (FO) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to accomplish wastewater treatment, current generation, and high-quality water extraction. As an FO based technology, OsMFCs also encounter reverse salt flux (RSF) that is the backward transport of salt ions across the FO membrane into the treated wastewater. This RSF can reduce water flux, contaminate the treated wastewater, and increase the operational expense, and thus must be properly addressed before any possible applications.

Understanding Ammonium Transport in Bioelectrochemical Systems towards its Recovery.

We report an integrated experimental and simulation study of ammonia recovery using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). The transport of various species during the batch-mode operation of an MEC was examined experimentally and the results were used to validate the mathematical model for such an operation. It was found that, while the generated electrical current through the system tends to acidify (or basify) the anolyte (or catholyte), their effects are buffered by a cascade of chemical groups such as the NH3/NH4(+) group, leading to relatively stable pH values in both anolyte and catholyte.

Recovery of nitrogen and water from landfill leachate by a microbial electrolysis cell-forward osmosis system.

A microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)-forward osmosis (FO) system was previously reported for recovering ammonium and water from synthetic solutions, and here it has been advanced with treating landfill leachate. In the MEC, 65.7±9.

Understanding electricity generation in osmotic microbial fuel cells through integrated experimental investigation and mathematical modeling.

Osmotic microbial fuel cells (OsMFCs) are a new type of MFCs with integrating forward osmosis (FO). However, it is not well understood why electricity generation is improved in OsMFCs compared to regular MFCs. Herein, an approach integrating experimental investigation and mathematical model was adopted to address the question.