Articles tagged with Sewage Treatment
Emerging microbially-powered technologies can convert up to 35% of wastewater's chemical energy into electricity and extract valuable nutrients. This approach could power agriculture, global sanitation and its own treatment, while reducing pollution and overcoming regulatory obstacles.
Researchers explore how METs convert organic waste into electricity, fuels, fertilizers, and usable water. Pilot deployments demonstrate its potential to reclaim energy from 359 billion cubic meters of wastewater annually.
Researchers at Princeton University have found a way to use treated wastewater instead of pure water for hydrogen production, reducing treatment costs by up to 47% and energy costs by about 62%. The method involves acidifying the water with sulfuric acid, which maintains ion conductivity and enables continuous hydrogen production.
A study by Brazilian scientists predicts that climate change will significantly impact the country's underground reservoirs, reducing groundwater supply across Brazil. This will increase the risk of water shortages in several regions, especially the Southeast and South.
A Norwegian University of Science and Technology doctoral thesis presents a creative method to remove organic pollutants from wastewater using sunlight and small droplets of oil. The technology uses titanium dioxide nanoparticles to stabilize the oil droplets, which act as tiny chemical reactors to break down pollutants.
The article discusses how emerging contaminants like agricultural pesticides and medicines are impacting water quality in developing countries. The presence of these pollutants is linked to toxic effects on humans and ecosystems, with many being undetected or under-regulated.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University found that foaming plastic carriers promote 44 times more biofilm formation, enhancing wastewater treatment. Adding waste biomass further improves performance, especially in nitrate removal during the moving bed biofilm reactor process.
A new study from Colorado State University suggests that transitioning to green wastewater-treatment approaches, financed through carbon markets, could save $15.6 billion and reduce CO2-equivalent emissions by 30 million tonnes over 40 years. The research explores the potential economic tradeoffs of switching to green infrastructure an...
Rice University engineers have developed a hybrid urban water supply system that combines conventional, centralized water sources with reclaimed wastewater to save energy and reduce freshwater use. The system is also more resilient against disruptions such as hurricanes and flooding.
Researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University developed a system to assess water quality challenges in Suzhou, China. The study found that the city's water capacity has increased since 2001 due to effective water management measures.
Researchers at the University of California - Riverside have developed a low-cost technology using biochar to remove harmful compounds from reclaimed water, making it safe for agricultural reuse. The biochar-based polishing systems have shown promising results in removing antibiotics and resistant bacteria, potentially reducing the spr...
Researchers analysed wastewater from 10 cities to detect chemical and biological markers of health, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals and disease-causing viruses. The study found that analysing wastewater on a large scale could spot new outbreaks of diseases in communities early on.
A WVU engineer has developed a technology that can treat urine on site rather than at a centralized wastewater treatment facility, allowing for the recovery of nitrogen as a valuable fertilizer. The approach enables quick treatment and promotes the reduction of nutrient discharge into lakes and rivers.
Researchers have designed a new anaerobic reactor using polyurethane foam, reducing nitrogen removal costs in Brazil. The system achieves high nitrogen removal efficiency by creating an environment that optimizes denitrification.
Researchers have identified Velamenicoccus archaeovorus, an ultramicrobacterium that devours Methanosaeta cells in sewage treatment plants, leading to a new understanding of biomass conversion and recycling in deep sediments. The giant protein encoded by the gene enables it to dissolve cells.
Researchers are working on developing low-cost, environmentally benign materials that can selectively remove nutrients from municipal and agricultural wastewaters. The goal is to create novel materials for the recovery of phosphates and nitrates, which could become valuable, environmentally friendly fertilizers for agricultural fields.
A University of Cincinnati biologist found that even small concentrations of estrogen in water can lead to a gender ratio imbalance and smaller fish populations. The study used least killifish, which have live young, and found that exposure to estrogen resulted in more females than males.
A team of Florida State University researchers discovered that microwave treatment can remove three times the amount of lead from biosolids compared to conventional methods. This innovative process could reduce processing costs by over 60% and make biosolids safer for use in agriculture.
Researchers at Rutgers University discovered that bacteria in wastewater plants transform commonly used pharmaceuticals and personal care products into new contaminants, which may harm aquatic environments. The study highlights the need for further evaluation of these emerging contaminants and their potential risks to human health.
Researchers found that fish living downstream from sewage treatment plants must work at least 30% harder just to survive due to the presence of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants. This increased metabolic rate reduces their energy for vital functions such as movement, evading predators, and reproduction.
Researchers in Brazil and the Netherlands explore using single-cell algae to remove pollutants from sewage waste, producing large amounts of biomass for composting. The decentralized system could enable small communities to treat their own black water, reducing the need for industrial-scale fertilizers.
New research from USC reveals a 100-fold decrease in lead and 400-fold decrease in copper and cadmium in Southern California's coastal waters over the past four decades. The cleaner water is attributed to improvements in sewage treatment regulations and phasing out of leaded gasoline.
A new study finds that sewage treatment plants can be a significant source of antibiotic-resistant genes in waterways. Researchers detected three genes that make bacteria resistant to tetracycline antibiotics at a facility on Lake Superior, highlighting the potential for even high-tech plants to contribute to the problem.
The team is studying 14 locations along the Passaic River to determine the effect of combined sewer overflows on water quality. They are also analyzing samples for bacteria in dry and wet weather events to understand pollution patterns.
A new study shows that Poo-Gloos can provide treatment that meets pollution-control requirements, reducing costs for towns outgrowing their waste-treatment lagoons. The devices consistently achieved high levels of treatment, reducing biological oxygen demand by up to 92%.
A recent study found that the implementation of federal regulations on treating sewage has significantly lowered pathogen levels in biosolids. The study analyzed data from 18 wastewater treatment plants and found that pathogens have dropped by 94-99% since 1993.
A study found that quaternary amines in household cleaning products can form NDMA when mixed with chloramine. This process is of concern to health officials as sewage treatment plants may not remove all these precursors, potentially leading to environmental contamination.
Pyrethroids, widely used home pesticides, found in California rivers and sewage treatment outflow, posing threat to fish food supply and aquatic life. Researchers warn of potential toxicity to resident organisms in streams.
Scientists have developed a way to modify nanoparticles in sewage treatment plants, potentially closing off the gateway for environmental spread. Uncoated nanoparticles remain in effluent streams, while coated ones aggregate into solid residue.
Researchers found that DMSO inhibits key enzymes in sewage treatment plants, affecting their ability to break down organic matter. This can lead to reduced treatment efficiency and increased emissions of untreated pollutants into the environment.