Fate of endocrine disruptor compounds in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor

[EN] The occurrence and fate of three groups of micropollutants - alkylphenols, pentachlorophenol and hormones - were studied in a pilot plant consisting of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor (University of Cape Town configuration - UCT). Under anaerobic conditions, the octylphenol and technical-nonylphenol soluble concentrations increased producing negative degradation ratios (i.e., -175 and -118%, respectively). However, high 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A degradation ratios (92 and 59% for 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A, respectively) as well as complete pentachlorophenol, estrone, 17 beta-estradiol and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol removal were observed. Under aerobic conditions (UCT), octylphenol, technical-nonylphenol, 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A degradation ratios were higher than 84%. The AnMBR thus removes a high proportion of 4-n-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol, estrone, 17 beta-estradiol and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol, but requires a later post-treatment process (such as UCT) to improve bisphenol-A, octylphenol and technical-nonylphenol degradation ratios. The overall AnMBR-UCT degradation ratios were 48% and 70% for octylphenol and technical-nonylphenol, respectively, and higher than 97% for 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A. The AnMBR produced a higher micropollutant accumulation in the sludge than the UCT: removal by adsorption in the AnMBR process was between 0.5 and 10%, and less than 0.5% in the UCT process. The combination of AnMBR and UCT technologies produces an effluent stream with low concentrations of micropollutants.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO, CTM2011-28595-C02-01 and CTM2011-28595-C02-02) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).Abargues Llamas, MR.; Ferrer, J.; Bouzas Blanco, A.; Seco Torrecillas, A. (2018). Fate of endocrine disruptor compounds in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology (Online). 4(2):226-233. https://doi.org/10.1039/c7ew00382jS2262334

P-recovery in a pilot-scale struvite crystallisation reactor for source separated urine systems using seawater and magnesium chloride as magnesium sources

[EN] Practical recovery of a non-renewable nutrient, such as phosphorus (P), is essential to support modern agriculture in the near future. The high P content of urine, makes it an attractive source for practicing the recovery of this crucial nutrient. This paper presents the experimental results at pilot-plant scale of struvite crystallisation from a source-separated urine stream using two different magnesium sources, namely magnesium chloride and seawater. The latter was chosen as sustainable option to perform P-recovery in coastal areas. Real seawater was used to assess in a more realistic way its efficiency to precipitate P as struvite, since its composition (with noticeable concentration of ions such as Ca2+, SO42¿, Na+, ¿) could lead to the formation of impurities and other precipitates. 0.99¿g of struvite was obtained per litre of urine irrespective of the operational conditions tested. In all tested conditions, precipitation efficiencies exceeded 90% and recovery efficiencies were higher than 87%, with an average struvite crystal size higher than 110¿¿m (and up to 320¿¿m, depending on the experimental conditions) in the harvested struvite samples. Almost pure struvite was obtained when MgCl2 was used as precipitant, while amorphous calcium phosphate and other impurities appeared in the precipitates using seawater as magnesium source. However, the lower settling velocity of the amorphous precipitates in comparison with the struvite precipitates suggests that their separation at industrial scale could be relatively straightforward.This research work was possible thanks to FCC Aqualia participation in INNPRONTA 2011 IISIS IPT-20111023 project (partially funded by The Centre for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) and supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness).Aguado García, D.; Barat, R.; Bouzas Blanco, A.; Seco Torrecillas, A.; Ferrer, J. (2019). P-recovery in a pilot-scale struvite crystallisation reactor for source separated urine systems using seawater and magnesium chloride as magnesium sources. The Science of The Total Environment. 672:88-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.485S889667

Micropollutants removal in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor and in an aerobic conventional treatment plant

The paper expresses an attempt to tackle the problem due to the presence of micropollutants in wastewater which may be able to disrupt the endocrine system of some organisms. These kinds of compounds are ubiquitously present in municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. The aim of this paper is to compare the fate of the alkylphenols-APs (4-(tert-octyl)) phenol, t-nonylphenol and 4-p-nonylphenol and the hormones (estrone, 17ß-estradiol and 17¿-ethinylestradiol) in a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAMBR) pilot plant and in a conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (CTP). The obtained results are also compared with the results obtained in a previous study carried out in an aerobic MBR pilot plant. The results showed that the APs soluble concentrations in the SAMBR effluent were always significantly higher than the CTP ones. Moreover, the analyses of the suspended fraction revealed that the AP concentrations in the SAMBR reactor were usually higher than in the CTP reactor, indicating that under anaerobic conditions the APs were accumulated in the digested sludge. The aerobic conditions maintained both in the CTP system and in the aerobic MBR favoured the APs and hormones degradation, and gave rise to lower concentrations in the effluent and in the reactor of these systems. Furthermore, the results also indicated that the degradation of APs under aerobic conditions was enhanced working at high solid retention time (SRT) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) values. © IWA Publishing 2012.This research was financially supported by the Government of the Region of Valencia (Generalitat Valenciana), within the research project 'Application of Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC on endocrine disruptors and priority substances in coastal areas in the Comunidad Valenciana' and by the Spanish Research Foundation (MICINN, project CTM2008-060809-C02-01/TECNO), within the research project 'Feasibility of the SAMBR technology to treat urban wastewater, and the technical and economic feasibility to industrial implementation'.Agargues Llamas, MR.; Robles Martínez, Á.; Bouzas Blanco, A.; Seco Torrecillas, A. (2012). Micropollutants removal in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor and in an aerobic conventional treatment plant. Water Science and Technology. 65(12):2242-2250. doi:10.2166/wst.2012.145S22422250651

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

Assessment of cross-flow filtration as microalgae harvesting technique prior to anaerobic digestion: Evaluation of biomass integrity and energy demand

[EN] In the present study, the effect of cross-flow filtration (CFF) on the overall valorization of Chlorella spp. microalgae as biogas was assessed. The effect of CFF on microalgae cell integrity was quantified in terms of viability which was correlated with the anaerobic biodegradability. The viability dropped as the biomass concentration increased, whereas anaerobic biodegradability increased linearly with the viability reduction. It was hypothesized that a stress-induced release and further accumulation of organic polymers during CFF increased the flux resistance which promoted harsher shear-stress conditions. Furthermore, the volume reduction as the concentration increased entailed an increase in the specific energy supply to the biomass. The energy demand was positive in the whole range of concentrations studied, yielding an overall energy efficiency as high as 22.9% for the highest concentration studied. Specifically, heat requirements were lower than electricity requirements only when the biomass concentrations exceeded 10 g COD.L-1.This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness with the support from the European Commission through the European Regional Development Funds (MINECO, CTM2011-28595-C02-01 and CTM2011-28595-C02-02), which are gratefully acknowledged. The authors would also express their gratitude to the Education, Investigation, Culture and Sports Council from the Valencian Generality for the Post-Doctoral fellowship awarded to Juan Bautista Gimenez Garcia (APOSTD/2016/104).Giménez García, J.; Bouzas Blanco, A.; Carrere, H.; Steyer, J.; Ferrer, J.; Seco Torrecillas, A. (2018). Assessment of cross-flow filtration as microalgae harvesting technique prior to anaerobic digestion: Evaluation of biomass integrity and energy demand. Bioresource Technology. 269:188-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.08.052S18819426

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. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 11, 85–91.Asikainen, A. H., Kuusisto, M. P., Hiltunen, M. A., & Ruuskanen, J. (2002). Occurrence and destruction of PAHs, PCBs, ClPhs, ClBzs, and PCDD/Fs in ash from gasification of straw. Environmental Science and Technology, 36, 2193–2197.Barreira, L. A., Mudge, S. M., & Bebianno, M. J. (2007). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in clams Ruditapes decussatus (Linnaeus, 1758). Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 9, 187–198.Baumard, P., Budzinski, H., & Garrigues, P. (1998). PAHs in Arcachon Bay, France: Origin and biomonitoring of caged organisms. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 36, 577–586.Baumard, P., Budzinski, H., Garrigues, P., Narbonne, J. F., Burgeot, T., Miche, X., et al. (1999). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) burden of mussels (Mytilus sp.) in different marine environments in relation with sediment PAH contamination, and bioavailability. Marine Environmental Research, 47, 415–439.Binelli, A., & Provini, A. (2003). 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

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). Feasibility of anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR) for onsite sanitation and resource recovery (nutrients, energy and water) in urban slums. Water Science and Technology, 72(9), 1543-1551. doi:10.2166/wst.2015.349Barat, R., Serralta, J., Ruano, M. V., Jiménez, E., Ribes, J., Seco, A., & Ferrer, J. (2013). Biological Nutrient Removal Model No. 2 (BNRM2): a general model for wastewater treatment plants. Water Science and Technology, 67(7), 1481-1489. doi:10.2166/wst.2013.004Batstone, D. J., Hülsen, T., Mehta, C. M., & Keller, J. (2015). Platforms for energy and nutrient recovery from domestic wastewater: A review. Chemosphere, 140, 2-11. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.10.021Bilad, M. R., Arafat, H. A., & Vankelecom, I. F. J. (2014). Membrane technology in microalgae cultivation and harvesting: A review. 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