Nutrient Removal and Recovery from Urine Using Bio-Mineral Formation Processes.

Harvesting nutrients from waste presents a promising initiative to advance and deliver the circular economy in the water sector while mitigating local shortages of mineral fertilizers worldwide. Urine, a small fraction of municipal wastewater, holds substantial amounts of nitrogen, orthophosphate (PO-P), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Separating urine aids targeted nutrient recovery, emissions reduction, and releasing capacity in wastewater treatment plants and taps into overlooked vital nutrients like magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K), essential for plant growth.

Predicting the potential of sludge dewatering liquors to recover nutrients as struvite biominerals.

Phosphorus and nutrient recovery from wastewater as mineral salts can support local replenishment of fertilisers and reduce mining, contributing to the circular economy. Wastewater and related streams are rich in nutrients, however; there is need to develop bio-based processes to recover them. This study investigates the fractions of phosphorus (P) used by to form struvite biominerals (bio-struvite) in wastewater sludge dewatering liquors.

Drug-eluting versus bare-metal stents for saphenous vein graft lesions.

A best evidence topic was written addressing the question 'in patients with saphenous vein graft lesions requiring percutaneous coronary intervention, do long-term clinical outcomes differ between drug-eluting and bare-metal stents?' Altogether 1466 papers were found, of which seven represented the best evidence. Although one major recent randomised trial was neutral, the weight of earlier evidence supports drug-eluting stents as standard of care. Bare-metal stents may represent a reasonable, efficacious, and less expensive alternative to drug-eluting stents in well selected patient groups.

The impact of polymer selection and dose on the incorporation of ballasting agents onto wastewater aggregates.

Ballasted flocculation is an efficient high-rate sedimentation process getting more attention as an advanced P removal technology for levels below 0.1 mg/L. The process is well-known yet only very few studies have investigated the interactions, within the matrix of wastewater, of coagulant, polymer and ballast, especially when it comes to polymer doses and types which are, in the industry, rather based on recommendations than scientific evidence.

Enhancing the anaerobic digestion process through carbon dioxide enrichment: initial insights into mechanisms of utilization.

Carbon dioxide (CO) enrichment of anaerobic digesters (ADs) without hydrogen addition has been demonstrated to provide a potential solution to manage CO streams generated in the water and organic waste sectors, with concomitant increases in methane (CH) production. This study investigates the CO utilization mechanisms, by considering chemical and biological pathways in food waste and sewage sludge ADs. Methanosaetaceae was observed to be the dominant methanogen in sewage sludge ADs (Abundance of 83.

The role of pH on the biological struvite production in digested sludge dewatering liquors.

Struvite production mediated by bacteria has opened up a new route for phosphorus recovery from wastewater streams but its application to digested sludge dewatering liquors is not yet well understood. This study investigates the growth and biological struvite production of selected bacteria in wastewater liquors with pHs between 5.7 to 9.

Understanding the growth of the bio-struvite production Brevibacterium antiquum in sludge liquors.

Biological struvite (bio-struvite) production through biomineralization has been suggested as an alternative to chemically derived struvite production to recover phosphorus from wastewater streams. In this study, statistical experimental design techniques were used to find the optimal growth rate (μ) of Brevibacterium antiquum in sludge liquors. Acetate, oleic acid, NaCl, NH-N, and Ca were shown to affect the growth rate of B.

Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects 15% of the Australian population and is a powerful and serious predictor of cardiovascular mortality yet continues to be under-recognised and undertreated. Diagnosis is simple and management is centred upon symptom relief and risk minimisation. While novel and specialised therapies play a role, the bulk of management is approachable and feasible.

Impacts of coagulation-flocculation treatment on the size distribution and bioavailability of trace metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) in municipal wastewater.

This study investigated the impact of coagulation-flocculation treatment on metal form and bioavailability in municipal wastewater. Real humus effluent samples were separated into particulate, colloidal and truly dissolved fractions before and after treatment with either ferric chloride (FeCl) or the biopolymer Floculan. Results revealed that both reagents effectively (≥48%) eliminated Cu, Pb and Zn from the particulate fraction and removed Cu and Zn from the colloidal fraction in conjunction with colloidal organic carbon (COC).

Performance and stability of sewage sludge digestion under CO enrichment: A pilot study.

Carbon dioxide (CO) injection in anaerobic digestion has recently been proposed as an interesting possibility to boost methane (CH) recovery from sludge and organic waste by converting a greenhouse gas into a renewable resource. This research assessed the effects of exogenous CO injection on performance and process stability of single-phase continuous anaerobic digesters. Two pilot scale reactors treating sewage sludge were operated for 130days.

Distribution of trace metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) between particulate, colloidal and truly dissolved fractions in wastewater treatment.

The distribution of Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn between particulate, colloidal and truly dissolved size fractions in wastewater from a trickling filter treatment plant was investigated. Samples of influent, primary effluent, humus effluent, final effluent and sludge holding tank returns were collected and separated into particulate (i.e.

Mercury and antimony in wastewater: fate and treatment.

It is important to understand the fate of Hg and Sb within the wastewater treatment process so as to examine potential treatment options and to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The fate of Hg and Sb was investigated for an activated sludge process treatment works in the UK. Relatively high crude values (Hg 0.

Nitrous oxide emissions and dissolved oxygen profiling in a full-scale nitrifying activated sludge treatment plant.

This paper reports findings from online, continuous monitoring of dissolved and gaseous nitrous oxide (N₂O), combined with dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonia loading, in a full-scale nitrifying activated sludge plant. The study was conducted over eight weeks, at a 210,000 population equivalent sewage treatment works in the UK. Results showed diurnal variability in the gaseous and dissolved N₂O emissions, with hourly averages ranging from 0 to 0.

A review of the impact and potential of intermittent aeration on continuous flow nitrifying activated sludge.

Intermittent aeration of activated sludge plants (ASPs) is a potential strategy that may help deliver reduced operational costs while providing an adequate effluent quality. This review paper critically assesses the implications of temporary turning aeration offin continuous flow nitrifying ASPs, including impact on dissolved oxygen concentrations, process biology and operational parameters. The potential savings and pitfalls of the approach are further illustrated through an example scenario.

Long-term (2-year) clinical events following transthoracic intramyocardial gene transfer of VEGF-2 in no-option patients.

Background: The short-term clinical impact of intramyocardial gene transfer (GT) of the angiogenic protein vascular endothelial growth factor-2 (VEGF-2) has been previously reported to significantly reduce Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina class and to prolong exercise treadmill test (ETT) time. We describe the safety and long-term events (>1 year) in consecutive, nonrandomized, patients who received intramyocardial VEGF-2.

Methods: Thirty patients with intractable CCS class III or IV angina and no options for revascularization underwent direct intramyocardial GT of VEGF-2 naked DNA via limited thoracotomy at total doses of 0.

One-year follow-up of direct myocardial gene transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor-2 using naked plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid by way of thoracotomy in no-option patients.

This phase I open label, dose-escalating study shows that gene transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor-2 naked deoxyribonucleic acid by direct myocardial injection by way of thoracotomy in patients with Canadian Cardiovascular Society class 3 or 4 angina is feasible and safe. The procedure is well tolerated, with few major adverse cardiac events at 1 year, and without complications directly related to gene expression. In this prospective, nonblinded study, the procedure is associated with clinical improvement; however, there was no angiographic evidence of angiogenesis and there is a great potential for a sham or placebo effect in the study patients.

Therapeutic angiogenesis by gene transfer in critical limb and myocardial ischemia.

Cardiovascular atherosclerotic diseases remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Despite the significant progress that has been made in the management of these diseases using medical, surgical and percutaneous therapies over the last three decades, there remains a significant population of patients who are not optimal candidates for surgical or percutaneous revascularization. Substantial research has focused on the administration of angiogenic growth factors, either as recombinant protein or by gene transfer, to promote the development of supplemental collateral blood vessels that will constitute endogenous bypass conduits around occluded native arteries; a strategy termed "therapeutic angiogenesis".

Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels after intramuscular and intramyocardial gene transfer of VEGF-1 plasmid DNA.

The purpose of this study was to document the kinetics of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein release into the systemic circulation after phVEGF gene transfer for therapeutic angiogenesis. VEGF plasma levels were measured by ELISA in 64 patients undergoing gene transfer of plasmid DNA: intramuscular in 34 patients with peripheral artery disease, and intramyocardial in 30 patients with coronary disease. Baseline plasma VEGF was highly variable and not normally distributed.

Phase 1/2 placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-escalating trial of myocardial vascular endothelial growth factor 2 gene transfer by catheter delivery in patients with chronic myocardial ischemia.

Background: This phase 1/2 study investigated the safety of percutaneous catheter-based gene transfer of naked plasmid DNA encoding for vascular endothelial growth factor 2 (phVEGF2) to left ventricular (LV) myocardium in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalating study of inoperable patients with class III or IV angina.

Methods And Results: A steerable deflectable 8F catheter with a 27-gauge needle at its distal tip was advanced percutaneously to the endocardial surface of the LV in 19 patients (age, 61+/-2 years) with chronic myocardial ischemia who were not candidates for conventional revascularization. Patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive 6 injections (total volume, 6.

Angiogenic gene therapy: pre-clinical studies and phase I clinical data.

Over the last three decades, significant progress has been made in the management of patients with atherosclerotic coronary and peripheral vascular diseases using medical, surgical, and percutaneous therapies. Despite these advances, there remains a significant population of patients who are not optimal candidates for surgical or percutaneous revascularization. These patients continue to suffer from the debilitating symptoms of their disease and remain at risk for myocardial infarction, limb loss, or death.