Start-Up of Chitosan-Assisted Anaerobic Sludge Bed Reactors Treating Light Oxygenated Solvents under Intermittent Operation.

Quality of the granular sludge developed during the start-up of anaerobic up-flow sludge bed reactors is of crucial importance to ensure the process feasibility of treating industrial wastewater such as those containing solvents. In this study, the microbial granule formation from suspended-growth biomass was investigated in two chitosan-assisted reactors. These reactors operated mimicking industrial sites working with night closures treating a mixture of ethanol, ethyl acetate, and 1-ethoxy-2-propanol.

Gender Diversity in STEM Disciplines: A Multiple Factor Problem.

Lack of diversity, and specifically, gender diversity, is one of the key problems that both technological companies and academia are facing these days. Moreover, recent studies show that the number of female students enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related disciplines have been decreasing in the last twenty years, while the number of women resigning from technological job positions remains unacceptably high. As members of a higher education institution, we foresee that working towards increasing and retaining the number of female students enrolled in STEM disciplines can help to alleviate part of the challenges faced by women in STEM fields.

Granulation and microbial community dynamics in the chitosan-supplemented anaerobic treatment of wastewater polluted with organic solvents.

The effect of chitosan on the development of granular sludge in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors (UASB) when treating wastewater polluted with the organic solvents ethanol, ethyl acetate, and 1-ethoxy-2-propanol was evaluated. Three UASB reactors were operated for 219 days at ambient temperature with an organic loading rate (OLR) of between 0.3 kg COD m d and 20 kg COD m d.

Dynamic mathematical modelling of the removal of hydrophilic VOCs by biotrickling filters.

A mathematical model for the simulation of the removal of hydrophilic compounds using biotrickling filtration was developed. The model takes into account that biotrickling filters operate by using an intermittent spraying pattern. During spraying periods, a mobile liquid phase was considered, while during non-spraying periods, a stagnant liquid phase was considered.

Microbial community analysis in biotrickling filters treating isopropanol air emissions.

The evolution of the microbial community was analysed over one year in two biotrickling filters operating under intermittent feeding conditions and treating isopropanol emissions, a pollutant typically found in the flexography sector. Each reactor was packed with one media: plastic cross-flow-structured material or polypropylene rings. The communities were monitored by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the 16S rRNA region.