Open-air storage with and without composting as post-treatment methods to degrade pharmaceutical residues in anaerobically digested and dewatered sewage sludge

Over a period of 12 months, the fate of three hormones, 12 antibiotics and 30 pharmaceutically active substances (PhACs) was investigated during open-air storage without and with composting of anaerobically digested and dewatered sewage sludge. The effect of oxidation conditions during storage on degradation of hormones and PhACs in the sludge biomass was also examined. Under summer and winter conditions in Uppsala County, Sweden. two field-scale sludge windrows were constructed: open-air storage of sewage sludge windrow without composting (NO-COM)) and open-air storage windrow with composting (COM). NO-COM achieved effective removal of Sigma Hormones (85%) and Sigma Antibiotics (95%), but lower removal of Sigma PhACs (34%), during the study year. The top layers of the sludge pile had significantly lower concentrations of Sigma PhACs (3100-5100 ng/g ash) than deeper layers (8000-11,000 ng/g ash). After one year of composting, the degradation in the COM windrow resulted in concentrations of Sigma Hormones

How effective is the retention of microplastics in horizontal flow sand filters treating stormwater?

Microplastics accumulate in stormwater and can ultimately enter freshwater recipients, and pose a serious risk to aquatic life. This study investigated the effectiveness of lab-scale horizontal flow sand filters of differing lengths (25, 50 and 100 cm) in retaining four types of thermoplastic microplastics commonly occurring in stormwater runoff (polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate). Despite the differences in particle shape, size and density, the study revealed that more than 98% of the spiked microplastics were retained in all filters, with a slightly increased removal with increased filter length. At a flow rate of 1 mL/min and after one week of operation, 62–84% of the added microplastics agglomerated in the first 2 cm of the filters. The agglomerated microplastics included 96% of high-density fibers. Larger-sized particles were retained in the sand media, while microplastics smaller than 50 μm were more often detected in the effluent. Microplastics were quantified and identified using imaging based micro Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The efficient retention of microplastics in low-flow horizontal sand filters, demonstrated by the results, highlights their potential importance for stormwater management. This retention is facilitated by various factors, including microplastic agglomeration, particle sedimentation of heavy fibers and favorable particle-to-media size ratios.</p

Themes of stakeholder participation in greywater management in rural communities in Jordan

This paper aims at documenting the experience of the Environmental Research Center at the Royal Scientific Society in stakeholder participation in greywater management (treatment and reuse) in the rural communities in the northeastern Badia of Jordan. Stakeholders participating in the management process included local people, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, governmental authorities, scientists and experts from universities and research institutions. The local stakeholders committee, NGOs, CBOs and local people have participated in capacity-building programs, data collection, situation analysis, problems identification, selection of types and locations of treatment technologies and construction and operation of treatment units and reuse projects. Experts, scientists and governmental entities contributed to the development of a treatment technology selection matrix and identification the best technology that suits the study area. The study reveals that the incorporation of input from a broad range of sectors and stakeholders during the project insured cooperative management of the greywater resources and enhanced project quality and ownership

Open-air storage with and without composting as post-treatment methods to degrade pharmaceutical residues in anaerobically digested and dewatered sewage sludge

Over a period of 12 months, the fate of three hormones, 12 antibiotics and 30 pharmaceutically active substances (PhACs) was investigated during open-air storage without and with composting of anaerobically digested and dewatered sewage sludge. The effect of oxidation conditions during storage on degradation of hormones and PhACs in the sludge biomass was also examined. Under summer and winter conditions in Uppsala County, Sweden. two field-scale sludge windrows were constructed: open-air storage of sewage sludge windrow without composting (NO-COM)) and open-air storage windrow with composting (COM). NO-COM achieved effective removal of Sigma Hormones (85%) and Sigma Antibiotics (95%), but lower removal of Sigma PhACs (34%), during the study year. The top layers of the sludge pile had significantly lower concentrations of Sigma PhACs (3100-5100 ng/g ash) than deeper layers (8000-11,000 ng/g ash). After one year of composting, the degradation in the COM windrow resulted in concentrations of Sigma Hormones (&lt;LOD), Sigma Antibiotics (&lt;LOD), while the Sigma PhCAs was 5% (730 ng/g ash) of initial (13,000 ng/g ash). The half-life of substances during composting in COM was within 7-100 days for all substances except ibuprofen (156 days). The first-order degradation constant (K) was the lowest for ibuprofen (0.0045 day(-1)) and the highest for oxazepam (0.0805 day(-1)). In conclusion, composting of sludge was effective in degrading the target hormones, antibiotics, and PhACs

Combined Vertical-Horizontal Flow Biochar Filter for Onsite Wastewater Treatment—Removal of Organic Matter, Nitrogen and Pathogens

This study investigated the performance of a combined vertical-horizontal flow biochar filter (VFF-HFF) system in terms of organic matter, total nitrogen (Tot-N), Escherichia coli and Salmonella removal and explored the effects of hydraulic loading rate (HLR) on pollutant removal. The combined VFF-HFF system used biochar as the filter medium and comprised two stacked sections: (i) an aerobic vertical flow filter (VFF) in which the wastewater percolated through the biochar medium in unsaturated mode and (ii) a horizontal flow filter (HFF), in which the biochar was saturated with water and had limited access to air, to enable anaerobic conditions and enhance the denitrification process. The system was tested over 126 weeks using real wastewater applied at different HLR (23, 31, 39 L m&minus;2 day&minus;1). The results showed that long-term removal of organic matter in the entire system was 93 &plusmn; 3%, with most (87 &plusmn; 5%) occurring in the VFF. For Tot-N, the long-term removal was 71 &plusmn; 12%, with increasing trends for nitrification in the VFF and denitrification in the HFF. Mean long-term nitrification efficiency in the VFF was 65 &plusmn; 15% and mean long-term denitrification efficiency in the HFF 49 &plusmn; 14%. Increasing HLR from 23 to 31 L m&minus;2 day&minus;1 increased the nitrification efficiency from 42 to 61%. Increasing the HLR further to 39 L m&minus;2 day&minus;1 decreased the denitrification efficiency from 45 to 25%. HLR had no significant effects on VFF and HFF performance in terms of E. coli and Salmonella removal, although the VFF achieved a 1.09&ndash;2.1 log10 unit reduction and the HFF achieved a 2.48&ndash;3.39 log10 unit reduction. Thus, long-term performance, i.e., removal of pollutants measured during the last 52 weeks of the experiment, was satisfactory in terms of organic matter and nitrogen removal, with no signs of clogging, indicating good robustness of the combined VFF-HFF biochar filter system

Themes of stakeholder participation in greywater management in rural communities in Jordan [Arabic version]

English version available in IDRC Digital Librar

Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Pollutant Levels in Wastewater and the Waters of the Zarqa River, Jordan

Assamra wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is the largest treatment facility in Jordan. Treated wastewater is discharged into the Zarqa River (ZR) and used to irrigate fodder and vegetables. ZR also includes surface runoff, stormwater, and raw wastewater illegally discharged into the river. This study examined pharmaceutically active compounds (PhAC) in water resources in the ZR basin. Samples of WWTP influent and effluent and river water from four sites along ZR were collected. Concentrations of 18 target antibiotics, one stimulant, and 15 other PhACs were determined in the samples. Five antibiotics were detected in WWTP influent (510-860 ng L-1 for n-ary sumation Antibiotics) and six in the effluent (2300-2600 ng L-1 for n-ary sumation Antibiotics). Concentrations in the effluent of all antibiotics except clarithromycin increased by 2- to 5-fold compared with those in influent, while clarithromycin concentration decreased by around 4- fold (from 308 to 82 ng L-1). WWTP influent and effluent samples contained 14 non-antibiotic PhACs, one simulant, and six antibiotics at detectable concentrations. The dominant PhACs were paracetamol (74% of n-ary sumation PhACs) in the influent and carbamazepine (78% of n-ary sumation PhACs) in the effluent. At ZR sampling sites, carbamazepine was the dominant PhAC in all cases (800-2700 ng L-1). The antibiotics detected in WWTP effluent were also detected at the ZR sites. In summary, water in ZR is contaminated with PhACs, including antibiotics, and wastewater discharge seems to be the main pathway for this contamination. The occurrence of antibiotics and other PhACs in the irrigated soil requires investigation to assess their fate

Potential of Biochar Filters for Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Effects of Biochar Type, Physical Properties and Operating Conditions

The potential of biochar as a filter medium for onsite wastewater treatment was investigated in five sub-studies. Sub-study 1 compared pollutant removal from wastewater using pine-spruce biochar, willow biochar and activated biochar (undefined biomass) filters. Sub-study 2 investigated the effects of particle size (0.7, 1.4 and 2.8 mm) on pollutant removal using pine-spruce biochar filters. In sub-studies 3 and 4, the effects of the hydraulic loading rate (HLR; 32&#8315;200 L m&#8722;2) and organic loading rates (OLR; 5&#8315;20 g biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) m&#8722;2) on pollutant removal using pine-spruce biochar filters were investigated, while sub-study 5 compared pollutant removal in pine-spruce biochar filters and in sand. The removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (Tot-N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), phosphates (PO4-P) and total phosphorus (Tot-P) was monitored in all sub-studies. All types of biochar and all particle sizes of pine-spruce biochar achieved a high degree of removal of organic material (COD &gt; 90%). Removal of Tot-P and PO4-P was higher in willow biochar and activated biochar (&gt;70%) than in pine-spruce biochar during the first two months, but then decreased to similar levels as in pine-spruce biochar. Among the particle sizes tested, 0.7 mm pine-spruce biochar showed the lowest amount of Tot-P removal, while 2.8 mm pine-spruce biochar showed the lowest level of NH4-N removal. Different OLRs and HLRs did not influence COD removal (94&#8315;95%). Pine-spruce biochar showed a better degree of removal of Tot-N than sand. In conclusion, biochar is a promising filter medium for onsite wastewater treatment as a replacement or complement to sand, achieving high and robust performance regardless of the parent material, particle size or loading conditions