Sludge management modeling to enhance P-recovery as struvite in wastewater treatment plants

[EN] Interest in phosphorus (P) recovery and reuse has increased in recent years as supplies of P are declining. After use, most of the P remains in wastewater, making Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) a vital part of P recycling. In this work, a new sludge management operation was studied by modeling in order to recover Pin the form of struvite and minimize operating problems due to uncontrolled P precipitation in WWTPs. During the study, intensive analytical campaigns were carried out on the water and sludge lines. The results identified the anaerobic digester as a "hot spot" of uncontrolled P precipitation (9.5 gP/kg sludge) and highlighted possible operating problems due to the accumulation of precipitates. A new sludge line management strategy was simulated therefore using DESASS (c) software, consisting of the elutriation of the mixed sludge in the mixing chamber, to reduce uncontrolled P precipitation and to obtain a P-rich stream (primary thickener supernatant) to be used in a crystallization process. The key operating parameters were found to be: the elutriation flow from the mixing chamber to the primary thickener, the digestion flow and the sludge blanket height of the primary thickener, with optimized values between 70 and 80 m(3)/d, 90-100 m(3)/d and 1.4-1.5 m, respectively. Under these operating conditions, the preliminary results showed that P concentration in the primary thickener overflow significantly increased (from 38 to 100 mg PO4-P/L), which shows that this stream is suitable for use in a subsequent crystallization reactor to recover P in the form of struvite. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work was co-financed by the European Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE +) as part of the PHORWater Project (LIFE12 ENV/ES/000441).Martí Ortega, N.; Barat, R.; Seco Torrecillas, A.; Pastor Alcañiz, L.; Bouzas Blanco, A. (2017). Sludge management modeling to enhance P-recovery as struvite in wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Environmental Management. 196:340-346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.12.074S34034619

Implementation of a global P-recovery system in urban wastewater treatment plants

[EN] Current wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) paradigm is moving towards the so-called water resource recovery facilities in which sewage is considered a source of valuable resources. In particular, urban WWTPs are crucial systems to enhance phosphorus (P) recycling. This paper evaluates the implementation of a P-recovery system in Calahorra WWTP combining the operation of a new sludge line configuration coupled to a struvite crystallisation reactor at demonstration-scale. This new configuration consisted in the elutriation in the gravity thickener of the mixed sludge contained in the mixing chamber in order to reduce the phosphate load to the anaerobic digestion. The results indicated that the P available in the primary sludge overflow was nearly five times more than the obtained for the conventional configuration (1.88 vs. 0.39 gP/kg sludge treated), and the uncontrolled P precipitation inside the anaerobic digester was reduced by 43%. Regarding the total P entering the WWTP, 19% of the total P could be recovered with the new configuration proposed in comparison with 9% in the previous conventional configuration. The average recovery efficiency in the crystallisation plant was 86.9 0.4%, yielding a struvite recovery of 8.0 +/- 0.6 kg/d (0.67 +/- 0.04 kg/m(3) fed to the crystalliser). The potential struvite production with the new configuration would be around 41 kg/d (15 t/y) crystallising the thickener supernatant which could be increased up to around 103 kg/d (38 t/y) treating all the P enriched streams (thickener supernatant and centrate streams). The paper demonstrates that WWTPs can contribute to reduce P scarcity, resulting in environmental and economic benefits. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work was co-financed by the European Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE +) as part of the PHORWater Project (LIFE12 ENV/ES/000441). The authors also like to acknowledge the support received from Consorcio de Aguas y Residuos de La Rioja and from EDAR del Cidacos (Calahorra).Bouzas Blanco, A.; Martí Ortega, N.; Grau, S.; Barat, R.; Mangin, D.; Pastor Alcañiz, L. (2019). Implementation of a global P-recovery system in urban wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Cleaner Production. 227:130-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.126S13014022

Alkylphenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in eastern Mediterranean Spanish coastal marine bivalves

This paper reports the first results on alkylphenol pollution in edible bivalves from the Spanish coast. Two sampling campaigns (July 2006 and July 2007) were carried out to determine the concentration of nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), and eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialys) and clams (Donax trunculus) at 14 sampling sites along the eastern Mediterranean Spanish coast. The results show that NP is the predominant alkylphenol, being the port of Valencia the most polluted area (up to 147 mu g/kg wet weight in clams). Moving away from the ports the concentration of NP in bivalves decreased. OP concentration was below its detection limit in most of the studied areas and its maximum concentration (6 mu g/kg w/w) was measured in clams from the port of Sagunto. The presence of low levels of PAHs was observed in most of the studied areas. The total PAHs concentration (i.e., sum of the eight measured PAHs) achieved a maximum value of 10.09 mu g/kg w/w in the north coast of Valencia city. The distribution pattern of the individual PAHs showed that both pollution sources petrogenic and pyrolytic were present in the sampled areas. Fluoranthene was the most abundant PAH in mussels while benzo(b)fluoranthene in clams. The maximum concentration of 10 mu g/kg w/w for benzo(a)pyrene established by the European Commission was never reached, indeed sampled bivalves showed concentrations 10 times lower than this reference value. Thus, they can be considered safe for human consumption. Despite the low contamination levels, the results show an overall pollution of bivalves by alkylphenol and PAHs as well as an increment in the number of polluted areas from 2006 to 2007. Thus, periodical sampling campaigns should be carried out to monitor the long-term tendency of these toxic and persistent pollutants. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.Financial support from Conselleria de Medio Ambiente, Agua, Urbanismo y Vivienda de la Generalitat Valenciana (Application of Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC on endocrine disruptors and priority substances in coastal areas in the Comunidad Valenciana) is gratefully acknowledged.Bouzas Blanco, A.; Aguado García, D.; Martí Ortega, N.; Pastor, J.; Herraez, R.; Campins, P.; Seco Torrecillas, A. (2011). Alkylphenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in eastern Mediterranean Spanish coastal marine bivalves. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 176(1-4):169-181. doi:10.1007/s10661-010-1574-5S1691811761-4Antizar-Ladislao, B. (2009). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polycholirnated biphenyls, phthalates and organotins in northern Atlantic Spain’s coastal marine sediments. 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POPs in edible clams from different Italian and European markets and possible human health risk. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46, 879–886.Boscolo, R., Cacciatore, F., & Giovanardi, O. (2007). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in transplanted Manila clams (Tapes philippinarum) from the Lagoon of Venice as assessed by PAHs/shell weight index: A preliminary study. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 55, 485–493.Campíns, P., Verdú, J., Sevillano, A., Molins, C., & Herráez, R. (2008). New micromethod combining miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion and in-tube in-valve solid-phase microextraction for estimating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bivalves. Journal of Chromatography A, 1211, 13–21.David, A., Fenet, H., & Gomez, E. (2009). Alkylphenols in marine environments: Distribution monitoring strategies and detection considerations. Marine Pollution Bulletin. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.04.021 .EC (2000). Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy. Official Journal of the European Communities, L, 327, 1.EC (2005). Commission regulation (EC) No 2008/2005 of 4 February 2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 as regards polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Official Journal of the European Communities, L, 34, 3.Ferrara, F., Fabietti, F., Delise, M., Piccioli-Bocca, A., & Funari, E. (2001). Alkylphenolic compounds in edible mollusc of the Adriatic Sea (Italy). Environmental Science and Technology, 35, 3109–3112.Francioni, E., A. de L. R., Wagener, Scofield, A. L., Depledge, M. H., & Cavalier, B. (2007). Evaluation of the mussel Perna perna as a biomonitor of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and effects. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54, 329–338.Gilroy, D. J. (2000). Derivation of shellfish harvest reopening criteria following the new Carissa oil spill in Coos Bay, Oregon. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 60, 317–329.Goldberg, E. D., & Bertine, K. K. (2000). Beyond the mussel watch—New directions for monitoring marine. Science of the Total Environment, 247, 165–174.Grandby, K., & Spliid, N. H. (1995). Hydrocarbon and organochlorines in common mussels from the Kattegat and the Belts and their relation to condition indices. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 30, 74–82.Isobe, T., Nishiyama, H., Nakashima, A., & Takada, H. (2001). Distribution and behavior of nonylphenol, octylphenol, and nonylphenol monoethoxylate in Tokyo metropolitan area: Their association with aquatic particles and sedimentary distributions. Environmental Science and Technology, 35, 1041–1049.Isobe, T., Takada, H., Kanai, M., Tsutsumi, S., Isobe, K. O., Boonyatumanond, R., et al. (2007). Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals in South and Southeast Asian mussels. Environmental Monitoring Assessment, 135, 423–440.Jackson, J. E. (2003). A user’s guide to principal components. NJ: Wiley.Khairy, M. A., Kolb, M., Mostafa, A. R., EL-Fiky, A., & Bahadir, M. (2009). Risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a Mediterranean semienclosed basin affected by human activities (Abu Qui Bay, Egypt). Journal of Hazardous Material. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.04.084 .Koh, C. H., Khim, J. S., Kannan, K., Villeneuve, D. L., Senthil Kumar, K., & Giesy, J. P. (2004). Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 2,3,7,8-TCDD equivalents (TEQs) in sediment from the Hyeongsan River, Korea. Environmental Pollution, 132, 489–501.Law, R. J., Kelly, C. A., Baker, K. L., Langford, K. H., & Bartlett, T. (2002). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments, mussels and crustacea around a former gasworks site in Shoreham-by-Sea, UK. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 44, 903–911.Li, D., Dong, M., Shim, W. J., Yim, U. H., Hong, S., & Kannan, N. (2008). Distribution characteristics of nonylphenolic chemicals in Masan Bay environments. Korea. Chemosphere, 71, 1162–1172.Massara Paletto, V., Commendatore, M. G., & Esteves, J. L. (2008). Hydrocarbon levels in sediments and bivalve mollusks from Bahía Nueva (Patagonia, Argentina): An assessment of probable origin and bioaccumulation factors. Baseline/Marine Pollution Bulletin, 56, 2082–2105.Navarro, A., Endo, S., Gocht, T., Barth, J. A. C., Lacorte, S., Barceló, D., et al. (2009). Sorption of alkylphenols on Ebro River sediments: Comparing isotherms with field observations in river water and sediments. Environmental Pollution, 157, 698–703.Nesto, N., Romano, S., Moschino, V., Mauri, M., & Da Ros, L. (2007). Bioaccumulation and biomarker responses of trace metals and micro-organic pollutants in mussels and fish from the Lagoon of Venice, Italy. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 55, 469–484.OSPAR Commision (2000). Quality Status Report 2000. London: OSPAR.Palma-Fleming, H., Asencio, A. J., & Gutierrez, E. (2004). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments and mussels of Corral Bay, south central Chile. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 6, 229–233.Senthil Kumar, K., Sajwan, K. S., Richardson, J. P., & Kannan, K. (2008). Contamination profiles of heavy metals, organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and alkylphenols in sediment and oyster collected from marsh/estuarine Savannah GA, USA. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 56, 136–162.Solé, M., Porte, C., Barceló, D., & Albigés (2000). Bivalves residue analysis for the assessment of coastal pollution in the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 40(9), 746–753.Soares, A., Guieysse, B., Jefferson, B., Cartmell, E., & Lester, J. N. (2008). Nonylphenol in the environment: A critical review on occurrence, fate, toxicity and treatment in wastewaters. Environmental International, 34, 1033–1049.Soriano, J. A., Viñas, L., Franco, M. A., González, J. J., Ortiz, L., Bayona, J. M., et al. (2006). Spatial and temporal trends of petroleum hydrocarbons in wild mussels from the Galician coast (NW Spain) affected by the Prestige oil spill. Science of the Total Environment, 370, 80–90.White, K. L. (1986). An overview of immunotoxicology and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part C: Environmental Carcinogenesis & Ecotoxicology Reviews, 2, 163–202

Exploring the limits of anaerobic biodegradability of urban wastewater by AnMBR technology

[EN] Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) can achieve maximum energy recovery from urban wastewater (UWW) by converting influent COD into methane. The aim of this study was to assess the anaerobic biodegradability limits of urban wastewater with AnMBR technology by studying the possible degradation of the organic matter considered as non-biodegradable as observed in aerobic membrane bioreactors operated at very high sludge retention times. For this, the results obtained in an AnMBR pilot plant operated at very high SRT (140 days) treating sulfate-rich urban wastewater were compared with those previously obtained with the system operating at lower SRT (29 to 70 days). At 140 days SRT the organic matter biodegraded by the AnMBR system accounted for 64.4% of the influent COD (45.9% was removed by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), and only 18.5% was converted into methane, highlighting the strong competition between SRB and methanogenic archaea (MA) when treating sulfate-rich wastewater). Almost half of the methane produced (46%) was dissolved in the permeate and most of it was recovered by a degassing membrane. The organic matter biodegraded by the AnMBR system was similar to the influent anaerobic biodegradability determined by wastewater characterization assays (68.5% of the influent COD), indicating that nearly all the influent's biodegradable organic matter had been removed. This percentage of degraded COD was similar to that obtained in previous studies working at 70 days SRT, showing that the limit of anaerobic biodegradability was already reached in this SRT. The organic matter considered as non-biodegradable according to wastewater characterization assays therefore was not seen to degrade in the AnMBR pilot plant, even at very high SRT. Once the biodegraded COD is close to the influent's anaerobic biodegradability, increasing the SRT is not justified as it only leads to higher operational costs for the same biogas production. These findings support the use of mathematical models for AnMBR design since they accurately represent the behaviour of these systems in a wide range of operating conditions.This research project was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO, Project CTM2014-54980-C2-2-R). The authors are also grateful for the support received from the Generalitat Valenciana via CPI-16-155 fellowships.Seco Torrecillas, A.; Mateo-Llosa, O.; Zamorano-López, N.; Sanchis-Perucho, P.; Serralta Sevilla, J.; Martí Ortega, N.; Borrás Falomir, L.... (2018). Exploring the limits of anaerobic biodegradability of urban wastewater by AnMBR technology. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. 4(11):1877-1887. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ew00313kS18771887411Li, W.-W., & Yu, H.-Q. (2011). From wastewater to bioenergy and biochemicals via two-stage bioconversion processes: A future paradigm. Biotechnology Advances, 29(6), 972-982. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2011.08.012Shin, C., & Bae, J. (2018). Current status of the pilot-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatments of domestic wastewaters: A critical review. Bioresource Technology, 247, 1038-1046. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.09.002EEA , Performance of water utilities beyond compliance (Technical report No. 5/2014) , Luxemburg , 2014Martin, I., Pidou, M., Soares, A., Judd, S., & Jefferson, B. (2011). Modelling the energy demands of aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment. Environmental Technology, 32(9), 921-932. doi:10.1080/09593330.2011.565806JEISON, D., & VANLIER, J. (2007). Cake formation and consolidation: Main factors governing the applicable flux in anaerobic submerged membrane bioreactors (AnSMBR) treating acidified wastewaters. Separation and Purification Technology, 56(1), 71-78. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2007.01.022Pretel, R., Robles, A., Ruano, M. V., Seco, A., & Ferrer, J. (2014). The operating cost of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treating sulphate-rich urban wastewater. Separation and Purification Technology, 126, 30-38. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2014.02.013Cashman, S., Ma, X., Mosley, J., Garland, J., Crone, B., & Xue, X. (2018). Energy and greenhouse gas life cycle assessment and cost analysis of aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactor systems: Influence of scale, population density, climate, and methane recovery. Bioresource Technology, 254, 56-66. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.060Ozgun, H., Dereli, R. K., Ersahin, M. E., Kinaci, C., Spanjers, H., & van Lier, J. B. (2013). A review of anaerobic membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment: Integration options, limitations and expectations. Separation and Purification Technology, 118, 89-104. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2013.06.036Lin, H., Peng, W., Zhang, M., Chen, J., Hong, H., & Zhang, Y. (2013). A review on anaerobic membrane bioreactors: Applications, membrane fouling and future perspectives. Desalination, 314, 169-188. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2013.01.019Giménez, J. B., Martí, N., Ferrer, J., & Seco, A. (2012). Methane recovery efficiency in a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAnMBR) treating sulphate-rich urban wastewater: Evaluation of methane losses with the effluent. Bioresource Technology, 118, 67-72. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2012.05.019Glória, R. M., Motta, T. M., Silva, P. V. O., Costa, P. da, Brandt, E. M. F., Souza, C. L., & Chernicharo, C. A. L. (2016). STRIPPING AND DISSIPATION TECHNIQUES FOR THE REMOVAL OF DISSOLVED GASES FROM ANAEROBIC EFFLUENTS. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 33(4), 713-721. doi:10.1590/0104-6632.20160334s20150291Scherer, E., & Wichmann, K. (2000). Treatment of Groundwater Containing Methane - Combination of the Processing Stages Desorption and Filtration. Acta hydrochimica et hydrobiologica, 28(3), 145-154. doi:10.1002/1521-401x(200003)28:33.0.co;2-vD. Schippers and R.Schotsman , Recovery and beneficial use of water-based methane, Water21 , 2010 , pp. 34–35Crone, B. C., Garland, J. L., Sorial, G. A., & Vane, L. M. (2016). Significance of dissolved methane in effluents of anaerobically treated low strength wastewater and potential for recovery as an energy product: A review. Water Research, 104, 520-531. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2016.08.019Cookney, J., Mcleod, A., Mathioudakis, V., Ncube, P., Soares, A., Jefferson, B., & McAdam, E. J. (2016). Dissolved methane recovery from anaerobic effluents using hollow fibre membrane contactors. Journal of Membrane Science, 502, 141-150. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2015.12.037Hatamoto, M., Yamamoto, H., Kindaichi, T., Ozaki, N., & Ohashi, A. (2010). Biological oxidation of dissolved methane in effluents from anaerobic reactors using a down-flow hanging sponge reactor. Water Research, 44(5), 1409-1418. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2009.11.021Pretel, R., Robles, A., Ruano, M. V., Seco, A., & Ferrer, J. (2013). Environmental impact of submerged anaerobic MBR (SAnMBR) technology used to treat urban wastewater at different temperatures. Bioresource Technology, 149, 532-540. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2013.09.060Lubello, C., Caffaz, S., Gori, R., & Munz, G. (2009). A modified Activated Sludge Model to estimate solids production at low and high solids retention time. Water Research, 43(18), 4539-4548. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2009.08.001L. Cabrera , F.García-Usach , J.Ribes , A.Seco , J. J.Morenilla , F.Llavador and J.Ferrer , Estudio de la producción de fangos en bioreactores de membranas aerobios con elevados valores de tiempo de retención celular, Fangos y lodos , 2009 , vol. 7 , pp. 1–3Giménez, J. B., Robles, A., Carretero, L., Durán, F., Ruano, M. V., Gatti, M. N., … Seco, A. (2011). Experimental study of the anaerobic urban wastewater treatment in a submerged hollow-fibre membrane bioreactor at pilot scale. Bioresource Technology, 102(19), 8799-8806. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2011.07.014Robles, Á., Durán, F., Ruano, M. V., Ribes, J., Rosado, A., Seco, A., & Ferrer, J. (2015). Instrumentation, control, and automation for submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors. Environmental Technology, 36(14), 1795-1806. doi:10.1080/09593330.2015.1012180R. E. Moosbrugger , M. C.Wentzel , G. A.Ekama and G. R.Marais , Simple Titration Procedures to Determine H2CO3 * Alkalinity And Short-chain Fatty Acids In Aqueous Solutions Containing Known Concentrations Of Ammonium, Phosphate And Sulphide Weak Acid/Bases. WRC Report No. TT 57/92, UCT Research Report W 74 , 1992Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. , G.Tchobanoglous , F.Burton and H.David Stensel , Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse , McGraw-Hill Education , 2002D. A. Stahl and R.Amann , in Nucleic Acid Techniques in Bacterial Systematics, Sequencing and Hybridization Techniques in Bacterial Systematics , 1991 , pp. 205–248Crocetti, G., Murto, M., & Björnsson, L. (2006). An update and optimisation of oligonucleotide probes targeting methanogenic Archaea for use in fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). Journal of Microbiological Methods, 65(1), 194-201. doi:10.1016/j.mimet.2005.07.007Daims, H., Brühl, A., Amann, R., Schleifer, K.-H., & Wagner, M. (1999). The Domain-specific Probe EUB338 is Insufficient for the Detection of all Bacteria: Development and Evaluation of a more Comprehensive Probe Set. Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 22(3), 434-444. doi:10.1016/s0723-2020(99)80053-8C. W. Gellings and K. E.Parmenter , Energy efficiency in fertilizer production and use. In Knowledge for Sustainable Development , Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), Eolss Publisher , Oxford , 2004 , vol. II , pp. 419–450J. B. Giménez , Estudio del tratamiento anaerobio de aguas residuales urbanas en biorreactores de membrana (Doctoral Thesis) , Universitat de València , Valencia , 2014Giménez, J. B., Martí, N., Robles, A., Ferrer, J., & Seco, A. (2014). Anaerobic treatment of urban wastewater in membrane bioreactors: evaluation of seasonal temperature variations. Water Science and Technology, 69(7), 1581-1588. doi:10.2166/wst.2014.069Robles, A., Ruano, M. V., Ribes, J., & Ferrer, J. (2012). Sub-critical long-term operation of industrial scale hollow-fibre membranes in a submerged anaerobic MBR (HF-SAnMBR) system. Separation and Purification Technology, 100, 88-96. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2012.09.010Robles, A., Ruano, M. V., Ribes, J., & Ferrer, J. (2013). Factors that affect the permeability of commercial hollow-fibre membranes in a submerged anaerobic MBR (HF-SAnMBR) system. Water Research, 47(3), 1277-1288. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2012.11.055Ferrer, J., Pretel, R., Durán, F., Giménez, J. B., Robles, A., Ruano, M. V., … Seco, A. (2015). Design methodology for submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR): A case study. Separation and Purification Technology, 141, 378-386. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2014.12.018Regueiro, L., Veiga, P., Figueroa, M., Alonso-Gutierrez, J., Stams, A. J. M., Lema, J. M., & Carballa, M. (2012). Relationship between microbial activity and microbial community structure in six full-scale anaerobic digesters. 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New frontiers from removal to recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater in the Circular Economy

[EN] Nutrient recovery technologies are rapidly expanding due to the need for the appropriate recycling of key elements from waste resources in order to move towards a truly sustainable modern society based on the Circular Economy. Nutrient recycling is a promising strategy for reducing the depletion of non-renewable resources and the environmental impact linked to their extraction and manufacture. However, nutrient recovery technologies are not yet fully mature, as further research is needed to optimize process efficiency and enhance their commercial applicability. This paper reviews state-of-the-art of nutrient recovery, focusing on frontier technological advances and economic and environmental innovation perspectives. The potentials and limitations of different technologies are discussed, covering systems based on membranes, photosynthesis, crystallization and other physical and biological nutrient recovery systems (e.g. incineration, composting, stripping and absorption and enhanced biological phosphorus recovery).Robles Martínez, Á.; Aguado García, D.; Barat, R.; Borrás Falomir, L.; Bouzas Blanco, A.; Bautista-Giménez, J.; Martí Ortega, N.... (2020). New frontiers from removal to recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater in the Circular Economy. Bioresource Technology. 300:1-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122673S11830

Maximizing resource recovery from urban wastewater through an innovative facility layout

[EN] This research work proposes an innovative layout for urban wastewater treatment based on anaerobic technology, microalgal cultivation and membrane technology. The proposed Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) system can treat urban wastewater efficiently, complying with legal discharge limits and allowing for resource recovery, i.e. energy, nutrients and reclaimed water. In addition, the proposed layout produces less solid wastes than a conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and it is possible to recover energy as biogas, not only from the original wastewater sources but also from the biomass generated in the WRRF system

Resource recovery from sulphate-rich sewage through an innovative anaerobic-based water resource recovery facility (WRRF)

[EN] This research work proposes an innovative water resource recovery facility (WRRF) for the recovery of energy, nutrients and reclaimed water from sewage, which represents a promising approach towards enhanced circular economy scenarios. To this aim, anaerobic technology, microalgae cultivation, and membrane technology were combined in a dedicated platform. The proposed platform produces a high-quality solid- and coliform-free effluent that can be directly discharged to receiving water bodies identified as sensitive areas. Specifically, the content of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus in the effluent was 45 mg COD.L-1 , 14.9 mg N.L-1 and 0.5 mg P.L-1 , respectively. Harvested solar energy and carbon dioxide biofixation in the form of microalgae biomass allowed remarkable methane yields (399 STP L CH 4.kg(-1) CODinf ) to be achieved, equivalent to theoretical electricity productions of around 0.52 kWh per m 3 of wastewater entering the WRRF. Furthermore, 26.6% of total nitrogen influent load was recovered as ammonium sulphate, while nitrogen and phosphorus were recovered in the biosolids produced (650 +/- 77 mg N.L-1 and 121.0 +/- 7.2 mg P.L-1).This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO, Projects CTM2014-54980-C2-1-R and CTM2014-54980-C2-2-R) jointly with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which are gratefully acknowledged. This research was also supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport via two pre-doctoral FPU fellowships (FPU14/05082 and FPU15/02595) and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness via two pre-doctoral FPI fellowships (BES-2015-071884, BES-2015-073403) and one Juan de la Cierva contract (FJCI-2014-21616). The authors would also like to acknowledge the support received from Generalitat Valenciana via two VALithornd post-doctoral grants (APOSTD/2014/049 and APOSTD/2016/104) and via the fellowships APOTI/2016/059 and CPI-16-155, as well as the financial aid received from the European Climate KIC association for the 'MAB 2.0' Project (APIN0057_ 2015-3.6-230_ P066-05) and Universitat Politecnica de Valencia via a pre-doctoral FPI fellowship to the seventh author.Seco Torrecillas, A.; Aparicio Antón, SE.; Gonzalez-Camejo, J.; Jiménez Benítez, AL.; Mateo-Llosa, O.; Mora-Sánchez, JF.; Noriega-Hevia, G.... (2018). Resource recovery from sulphate-rich sewage through an innovative anaerobic-based water resource recovery facility (WRRF). Water Science & Technology. 78(9):1925-1936. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2018.492S19251936789Bair, R. A., Ozcan, O. O., Calabria, J. L., Dick, G. H., & Yeh, D. H. (2015). 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The outcome of boosting mitochondrial activity in alcohol-associated liver disease is organ-dependent.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) accounts for 70% of liver-related deaths in Europe, with no effective approved therapies. Although mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the earliest manifestations of alcohol-induced injury, restoring mitochondrial activity remains a problematic strategy due to oxidative stress. Here, we identify methylation-controlled J protein (MCJ) as a mediator for ALD progression and hypothesize that targeting MCJ may help in recovering mitochondrial fitness without collateral oxidative damage. APPROACH AND RESULTS C57BL/6 mice [wild-type (Wt)] Mcj knockout and Mcj liver-specific silencing (MCJ-LSS) underwent the NIAAA dietary protocol (Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 5% (vol/vol) ethanol for 10 days, plus a single binge ethanol feeding at day 11). To evaluate the impact of a restored mitochondrial activity in ALD, the liver, gut, and pancreas were characterized, focusing on lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis, intestinal permeability, and microbiota composition. MCJ, a protein acting as an endogenous negative regulator of mitochondrial respiration, is downregulated in the early stages of ALD and increases with the severity of the disease. Whole-body deficiency of MCJ is detrimental during ALD because it exacerbates the systemic effects of alcohol abuse through altered intestinal permeability, increased endotoxemia, and dysregulation of pancreatic function, which overall worsens liver injury. On the other hand, liver-specific Mcj silencing prevents main ALD hallmarks, that is, mitochondrial dysfunction, steatosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, as it restores the NAD + /NADH ratio and SIRT1 function, hence preventing de novo lipogenesis and improving lipid oxidation. CONCLUSIONS Improving mitochondrial respiration by liver-specific Mcj silencing might become a novel therapeutic approach for treating ALD.This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Programa Retos-Colaboración RTC2019-007125-1 (for Jorge Simon and Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar); Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Retos a la Sociedad AGL2017- 86927R (for F.M.); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Proyectos de Investigación en Salud DTS20/00138 and DTS21/00094 (for Jorge Simon and Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar, and Asis Palazon. respectively); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias co-founded by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund, “Investing in your future” PI19/00819, “Una manera de hacer Europa” FIS PI20/00765, and PI21/01067 (for Jose J. G. Marin., Pau Sancho-Bru,. and Mario F. Fraga respectively); Departamento de Industria del Gobierno Vasco (for Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar); Asturias Government (PCTI) co-funding 2018-2023/ FEDER IDI/2021/000077 (for Mario F. Fraga.); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades MICINN: PID2020-117116RB-I00, CEX2021-001136-S PID2020-117941RB-I00, PID2020-11827RB-I00 and PID2019-107956RA-100 integrado en el Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y Innovación, cofinanciado con Fondos FEDER (for Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar, Francisco J Cubero., Yulia A Nevzorova and Asis Palazon); Ayudas Ramón y Cajal de la Agencia Estatal de Investigación RY2013-13666 and RYC2018- 024183-I (for Leticia Abecia and Asis Palazon); European Research Council Starting Grant 804236 NEXTGEN-IO (for Asis Palazon); The German Research Foundation SFB/TRR57/P04, SFB1382-403224013/ A02 and DFG NE 2128/2-1 (for Francisco J Cubero and Yulia A Nevzorova); National Institute of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) 1U01AA026972-01 (For Pau Sancho-Bru); Junta de Castilla y León SA074P20 (for Jose J. G. Marin); Junta de Andalucía, Grupo PAIDI BIO311 (for Franz Martin); CIBERER Acciones Cooperativas y Complementarias Intramurales ACCI20-35 (for Mario F. Fraga); Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte FPU17/04992 (for Silvia Ariño); Fundació Marato TV3 201916-31 (for Jose J. G. Marin.); Ainize Pena-Cearra is a fellow of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/ EHU); BIOEF (Basque Foundation for Innovation and Health Research); Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar and Teresa C. Delgado.); Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC Scientific Foundation) Rare Tumor Calls 2017 (for Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar); La Caixa Foundation Program (for Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar); Proyecto Desarrollo Tecnologico CIBERehd (for Maria Luz Martinez-Chantar); Ciberehd_ISCIII_MINECO is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III.S

Psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of instruments to measure neck pain disability

[EN] Background. The NDI, COM and NPQ are evaluation instruments for disability due to NP. There was no Spanish version of NDI or COM for which psychometric characteristics were known. The objectives of this study were to translate and culturally adapt the Spanish version of the Neck Disability Index Questionnaire (NDI), and the Core Outcome Measure (COM), to validate its use in Spanish speaking patients with non-specific neck pain (NP), and to compare their psychometric characteristics with those of the Spanish version of the Northwick Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). Methods. Translation/re-translation of the English versions of the NDI and the COM was done blindly and independently by a multidisciplinary team. The study was done in 9 primary care Centers and 12 specialty services from 9 regions in Spain, with 221 acute, subacute and chronic patients who visited their physician for NP: 54 in the pilot phase and 167 in the validation phase. Neck pain (VAS), referred pain (VAS), disability (NDI, COM and NPQ), catastrophizing (CSQ) and quality of life (SF-12) were measured on their first visit and 14 days later. Patients' self-assessment was used as the external criterion for pain and disability. In the pilot phase, patients' understanding of each item in the NDI and COM was assessed, and on day 1 test-retest reliability was estimated by giving a second NDI and COM in which the name of the questionnaires and the order of the items had been changed. Results. Comprehensibility of NDI and COM were good. Minutes needed to fill out the questionnaires [median, (P25, P75)]: NDI. 4 (2.2, 10.0), COM: 2.1 (1.0, 4.9). Reliability: [ICC, (95%CI)]: NDI: 0.88 (0.80, 0.93). COM: 0.85 (0.75,0.91). Sensitivity to change: Effect size for patients having worsened, not changed and improved between days 1 and 15, according to the external criterion for disability: NDI: -0.24, 0.15, 0.66; NPQ: -0.14, 0.06, 0.67; COM: 0.05, 0.19, 0.92. Validity: Results of NDI, NPQ and COM were consistent with the external criterion for disability, whereas only those from NDI were consistent with the one for pain. Correlations with VAS, CSQ and SF-12 were similar for NDI and NPQ (absolute values between 0.36 and 0.50 on day 1, between 0.38 and 0.70 on day 15), and slightly lower for COM (between 0.36 and 0.48 on day 1, and between 0.33 and 0.61 on day 15). Correlation between NDI and NPQ: r = 0.84 on day 1, r = 0.91 on day 15. Correlation between COM and NPQ: r = 0.63 on day 1, r = 0.71 on day 15. Conclusion. Although most psychometric characteristics of NDI, NPQ and COM are similar, those from the latter one are worse and its use may lead to patients' evolution seeming more positive than it actually is. NDI seems to be the best instrument for measuring NP-related disability, since its results are the most consistent with patient's assessment of their own clinical status and evolution. It takes two more minutes to answer the NDI than to answer the COM, but it can be reliably filled out by the patient without assistanceS

Psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of instruments to measure neck pain disability

Background: The NDI, COM and NPQ are evaluation instruments for disability due to NP. There was no Spanish version of NDI or COM for which psychometric characteristics were known. The objectives of this study were to translate and culturally adapt the Spanish version of the Neck Disability Index Questionnaire (NDI), and the Core Outcome Measure (COM), to validate its use in Spanish speaking patients with non-specific neck pain (NP), and to compare their psychometric characteristics with those of the Spanish version of the Northwick Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). Methods: Translation/re-translation of the English versions of the NDI and the COM was done blindly and independently by a multidisciplinary team. The study was done in 9 primary care Centers and 12 specialty services from 9 regions in Spain, with 221 acute, subacute and chronic patients who visited their physician for NP: 54 in the pilot phase and 167 in the validation phase. Neck pain (VAS), referred pain (VAS), disability (NDI, COM and NPQ), catastrophizing (CSQ) and quality of life (SF-12) were measured on their first visit and 14 days later. Patients' self-assessment was used as the external criterion for pain and disability. In the pilot phase, patients' understanding of each item in the NDI and COM was assessed, and on day 1 test-retest reliability was estimated by giving a second NDI and COM in which the name of the questionnaires and the order of the items had been changed. Results: Comprehensibility of NDI and COM were good. Minutes needed to fill out the questionnaires [median, (P25, P75)]: NDI. 4 (2.2, 10.0), COM: 2.1 (1.0, 4.9). Reliability: [ICC, (95%CI)]: NDI: 0.88 (0.80, 0.93). COM: 0.85 (0.75,0.91). Sensitivity to change: Effect size for patients having worsened, not changed and improved between days 1 and 15, according to the external criterion for disability: NDI: -0.24, 0.15, 0.66; NPQ: -0.14, 0.06, 0.67; COM: 0.05, 0.19, 0.92. Validity: Results of NDI, NPQ and COM were consistent with the external criterion for disability, whereas only those from NDI were consistent with the one for pain. Correlations with VAS, CSQ and SF-12 were similar for NDI and NPQ (absolute values between 0.36 and 0.50 on day 1, between 0.38 and 0.70 on day 15), and slightly lower for COM (between 0.36 and 0.48 on day 1, and between 0.33 and 0.61 on day 15). Correlation between NDI and NPQ: r = 0.84 on day 1, r = 0.91 on day 15. Correlation between COM and NPQ: r = 0.63 on day 1, r = 0.71 on day 15. Conclusion: Although most psychometric characteristics of NDI, NPQ and COM are similar, those from the latter one are worse and its use may lead to patients' evolution seeming more positive than it actually is. NDI seems to be the best instrument for measuring NP-related disability, since its results are the most consistent with patient's assessment of their own clinical status and evolution. It takes two more minutes to answer the NDI than to answer the COM, but it can be reliably filled out by the patient without assistance