A State-of-the-Art Review on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Removal Using DifferentWastewater Treatment Strategies

In addition to the numerous health effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has considered other emerging effects such as water-related impacts worthy of deep investigation. In this regard, the transmission cycles of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from fecal, vomiting, and sputum routes to sewage have led health authorities to diagnose, prevent, and use novel wastewater treatment technologies. Once they enter the gastrointestinal canal of a healthy person, viral particles can infect via the nominal amount of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) present in alimentary canal epithelial cell surfaces and further infect lung, heart, kidney, and other organs. The current review highlights the detection, status, and fate of SARS-CoV-2 from sewage treatment facilities to water bodies. Besides, it addresses the potential wastewater treatment processes to cope with various viruses, especially SARS-CoV-2. Many processes can manage contaminated wastewater and solid wastes over the long term, including membrane technologies, disinfectants, UV-light and advanced oxidation methods like photocatalysis, ozonation, hydrogen peroxide, nanomaterials, and algae. Future work must focus on implementing the selected actions for the treatment of the wastewater released from the COVID-19 hospitals and self-quarantine centers to better regulate future waves of SARS-CoV-2

Evaluation of direct and alternating current on nitrate removal using a continuous electrocoagulation process: Economical and environmental approaches through RSM

This study aims to investigate the effects of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) for nitrate removal and its operating costs by using a continuous electrocoagulation (CEC) process. For this purpose, two series of 31 experiments, which were designed by response surface method (RSM), were carried out in both cases of the AC and the DC modes. In each series, the effect of selected parameters, namely, initial nitrate concentration, inlet flow rate, current density and initial pH along with their interactions on the nitrate removal efficiency as well as its operating costs, as responses, were investigated separately. According to the analysis of variance (ANOVA), there is a reasonable agreement between achieving results and the experimental data for both responses. The nitrate removal in the AC mode was slightly more efficient than that of the DC mode. In addition, the average operating costs of the DC mode, including the energy and the electrode consumption for the CEC process were achieved 54 US$/(kg nitrate removed); whereas this amount was calculated 29 US$/(kg nitrate removed) for the AC mode. Therefore, the average of the operating costs was improved more than 40% using the AC mode, which was mainly related to reduction of aluminum electrode consumption

A critical review of state-of-the-art electrocoagulation technique applied to COD-rich industrial wastewaters

Electrocoagulation(EC)isoneoftheemergingtechnologiesingroundwaterandwastewatertreatmentasitcombinesthebenefits of coagulation, sedimentation, flotation, and electrochemical oxidation processes. Extensive research efforts implementing EC technologyhavebeenexecutedoverthelastdecadetotreatchemicaloxygendemand(COD)-richindustrialwastewaterswiththe aim to protect freshwater streams (e.g., rivers, lakes) from pollution. A comprehensive review of the available recent literature utilizingECtotreat wastewater withhighCODlevelsispresented.Inaddition,recommendationsareprovidedforfuturestudies to improve the EC technology and broaden its range of application. This review paper introduces some technologies which are often adopted for industrial wastewater treatment. Then, the EC process is compared with those techniques as a treatment for COD-richwastewater. The EC process is consideredasthe mostprivilegedtechnologybydifferent researchgroupsowingtoits ability to deal with abundant volumes of wastewater. After, the application of EC as a single and combined treatment for CODrichwastewatersisthoroughlyreviewed.Finally,thisreviewattemptstohighlightthepotentialsandlimitationsofEC.Relatedto the EC process in batch operation mode, the best operational conditions are found at 10 V and 60 min of voltage and reaction time, respectively. These last values guarantee high COD removal efficiencies of > 90%. This review also concludes that considerably large operation costs of the EC process appears to be the serious drawback and rendersit asanunfeasibleapproach for handling of COD rich wastewaters. In the end, this review has attempted to highlights the potential and limitation of EC and suggests that vast notably research in the field of continuous flow EC system is essential to introduce this technology as a convincing wastewater technology

Electrocoagulation as a Promising Defluoridation Technology from Water: A Review of State of the Art of Removal Mechanisms and Performance Trends

Fluoride ions present in drinking water are beneficial to human health when at proper concentration levels (0.5–1.5 mg L−1), but an excess intake of fluoride (>1.5 mg L−1) may pose several health problems. In this context, reducing high fluoride concentrations in water is a major worldwide challenge. The World Health Organization has recommended setting a permissible limit of 1.5 mg L−1. The application of electrocoagulation (EC) processes has received widespread and increasing attention as a promising treatment technology and a competitive treatment for fluoride control. EC technology has been favourably applied due to its economic effectiveness, environmental versatility, amenability of automation, and low sludge production. This review provides more detailed information on fluoride removal from water by the EC process, including operating parameters, removal mechanisms, energy consumption, and operating costs. Additionally, it also focuses attention on future trends related to improve defluoridation efficiency

Positive environmental effects of the coronavirus 2020 episode: a review

The outbreak of COVID-19 has made a global catastrophic situation that caused 1,039,406 deaths out of 35,347,404 infections, and it will also cause significant socio-economic losses with poverty increasing from 17.1 to 25.9%. Although the spreading rate of COVID-19 is very high on October 6, 2020, the death rate is still less than 2.94%. Nonetheless, this review article shows that the lockdown has induced numerous positive impacts on the environment and on energy consumption. For instance, the lockdown has decreased the electricity demand by 30% in Italy, India, Germany, and the USA, and by 12–20% in France, Germany, Spain, India, and the UK. Additionally, the expenditure of the fuel supply has been decreased by 4% in 2020 as compared to the previous years (2012–2019). In particular, The global demand for coal fuel has been reduced by 8% in March and April 2020 as compared to the same time in 2019. In terms of harmful emissions, the lockdowns reduced the emissions of nitrous oxides by 20–30% in China, Italy, France, Spain, and by 77.3% in São Paulo, Brazil. Similarly, the particulate matter level has been reduced from 5–15% in Western Europe, to 200% in New Delhi, India, which in turn has enhanced the air quality in a never-seen manner in recent times. In some places, such as New York, USA, CO2 emission was also reduced by 5–10%. The water quality, in several polluted areas, has also been remarkably enhanced, for example, the dissolved oxygen content in the Ganga River, India, has increased by about 80%. Traffic congestion has also been reduced worldwide, and in some areas, it has been reduced by 50%, such as New York and Los Angeles, USA. Overall, while the COVID-19 pandemic has shrinked the global economy by 13–32%, the pandemic has also clearly benefited to other sectors, which must be considered as the spotlight for the permanent revival of the global ecosystem

A systematic diagnosis of state of the art in the use of electrocoagulation as a sustainable technology for pollutant treatment: An updated review

Electrocoagulation (EC) and electrocoagulation-flotation (ECF) are of widespread interest owing to their effectiveness for the simultaneous abatement of a broad range of pollutants in drinking and waste waters, but their capability can vary significantly depending on the operating conditions. The effect of operating conditions on the performance of EC has been the subject of much debate over the last few decades. This review aims to focus on the application of EC/ECF processes for pollutants removal under different operating conditions, emphasizing the principal issues that compose the foundation of EC/ECF. It has been found that the current density (typically 1–20 mA/cm2), type of electrode (Al or Fe), and electrolysis time are the key process parameters that influence performance. Although some key mechanisms of pollutant abatement in EC/ECF processes have been identified, recent studies have begun to reveal how the underlying removal mechanisms using the EC/ECF processes depend on the nature of pollutant. Key mechanisms of pollutant abatement include charge neutralization, reduction– oxidation, and precipitation/co-precipitation. The development of improved or innovative cell designs, as well as systematic modeling of EC reactors, are needed. Future research focused on hybrid technologies with cost-effective energy supply may lead to innovative treatment options for wastewater treatment

Electrocoagulation as a promising defluoridation technology from water: A review of state of the art of removal mechanisms and performance trends

Fluoride ions present in drinking water are beneficial to human health when at proper concentration levels (0.5-1.5 mg L-1), but an excess intake of fluoride (>1.5 mg L-1) may pose several health problems. In this context, reducing high fluoride concentrations in water is a major worldwide challenge. The World Health Organization has recommended setting a permissible limit of 1.5 mg L-1. The application of electrocoagulation (EC) processes has received widespread and increasing attention as a promising treatment technology and a competitive treatment for fluoride control. EC technology has been favourably applied due to its economic effectiveness, environmental versatility, amenability of automation, and low sludge production. This review provides more detailed information on fluoride removal from water by the EC process, including operating parameters, removal mechanisms, energy consumption, and operating costs. Additionally, it also focuses attention on future trends related to improve defluoridation efficiency. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland