APPLICATION AND PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT OF AEROBIC GRANULAR SLUDGE TECHNOLOGY IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Recently an extensive studies have been carried out on aerobic granular sludge technology in both laboratory and technical scale. Aerobic granules are compact, spherical microbial consortia created by a spontaneous immobilization. Amongst their advantages are a very good settling ability, long biomass age and simultaneous pollutant removal in the granule structure that enables full biological treatment of wastewater in a single reactor. This review outlines up-to-date information on granule formation, morphology, microbial structure as well as on the applications of aerobic granular sludge technology for wastewater treatment including the treatment of high-nitrogen wastewater with a low COD/N ratio and wastewater of high toxicity. Aerobic granular sludge technology is presented as both environmentally and financially attractive alternative to wastewater treatment systems based on activated sludge or biofilm. This paper also reports on already existing full-scale installations in world and seeks to explore the potential of aerobic granular sludge within the Polish conditions

Biopolymers in Aerobic Granular Sludge—Their Role in Wastewater Treatment and Possibilities of Re-Use in Line with Circular Economy

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology for wastewater treatment ensures better quality effluent and higher process sustainability than wastewater treatment systems based on activated sludge. One of the reasons for the better operational results of AGS systems is the high content of extracellular polymers (EPS) in the granule structures. EPS produced during granulation have a very complex composition with a predo minance of polysaccharides and proteins, and one of the main components, alginate, may have a wide variety of practical applications. This review summarizes up-to-date information on the composition of EPS in AGS, the manner in which their production and composition are affected by the operational parameters of wastewater treatment, and the effects of EPS in biomass on wastewater treatment and sludge management. Additionally, the possibility of polymer recovery from AGS is presented together with information regarding potential applications based on the newest findings. Re-use of AGS-derived polymers will increase the sustainability of wastewater treatment processes by making them more economical and reducing the amount of sludge that requires management

Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Energy

This Special Issue titled “Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Energy” aims to compile the latest research and challenges in the field of wastewater treatment and energy production to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment [...

Effect of Emerging Micropollutants on the Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge

The recovery of valuable resources from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has received a great deal of attention as part of the concept of a circular economy. Anaerobic digestion for stabilizing sewage sludge in WWTPs, which produces biogas and stabilized biosolids, is a mature technology used worldwide. However, despite the necessity of achieving safe and reliable organic recycling, studies on the effect of some emerging micropollutants on this process are rare. This knowledge gap is of growing relevance because of the increasing use of some endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), microplastics (MPs), and engineered nanoparticles (NPs) in industry and human life. These compounds are ubiquitous in wastewater streams and, therefore, may have serious effects on the course of the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge, raising concerns about their effects on the environment. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms by which selected EDCs, MPs, and NPs affect the valorization of sewage sludge, with a focus on the production of CH4, H2, and volatile fatty acids. This study takes into consideration the performance during all stages of anaerobic digestion, the shifts in microbial abundance and diversity, and the activity of key enzymes during the treatment process