Weighing environmental advantages and disadvantages of advanced wastewater treatment of micro-pollutants using environmental life cycle assessment

Much research and development effort is directed towards advances in municipal wastewater treatment aiming at reducing the effluent content of micro-pollutants and pathogens. The objective is to further reduce the eco-toxicity, hormone effects and pathogenic effects of the effluent. Such further polishing of the effluent, however, involves an environmental trade-off: the reduction in eco-toxicity, hormone effects, etc. will happen at the expense of increased resource- and energy consumption. Obviously, at some point of further advances, there must be an 'environmental break-even'.This trade-off was investigated using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and based on a literature review of advanced treatment performance. The LCA evaluation comprised sand filtration, ozonation and MBRs and assessed the effect of extending existing tertiary treatment with these technologies on a variety of micro-pollutants being: heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni), endocrine disruptors (E2 and EE2), PAH, DEHP, and detergents (LAS & NPE).It was found, in some of the studied scenarios, that more environmental impact may be induced than removed by the advanced treatment. The study showed that for the 3 technologies, sand filtration has the best balance between prevented and induced impacts, and sand filtration proved to have a net environmental benefit under the assumptions used in the study. But the outcome of the study suggests that this is not always the case for ozonation and MBR.     

Combined use of microbiological and non-microbiological data to assess treatment efficacy.

The treatment efficacy for reducing Campylobacter concentrations by a drinking water treatment plant was assessed using a stochastic Monte Carlo model. The goal of the study was to reduce uncertainty of the results by combining microbiological and non-microbiological data in an advanced treatment assessment. Combining raw water Campylobacter and E. coli data reduced the uncertainty on raw water (peak) concentrations five-fold. Similar improvement was achieved for rapid sand filtration. Ozone disinfection was modelled based on ozone concentrations, contact time and temperature. Since this data was available, whereas most microbiological analyses at this point were negative, uncertainty was reduced three-fold. The slow sand filtration assessment could not be improved; however, since previous steps contained less uncertainty, this did not increase uncertainty by much. The study showed that using appropriate data for each treatment step can greatly reduce uncertainty in treatment assessment.     

Recalcitrant COD degradation by an integrated system of ozonation and membrane bioreactor.

In order to treat wastewater to a low residual COD-concentration such as 125 mg/L, classical biological treatment is not sufficient for many types of industry. This research focused on the integrated treatment of the wastewater of the paper industry, with a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and an oxidation step. The optimal configuration was examined. Screening tests with different types of oxidation showed that ozonation after biological treatment could reduce the COD with 40% with an ozone dose of 0.4-0.8g O3/g COD. BOD/COD ratio could be increased up to 0.19. Neither combination of ozone with UV and/or hydrogen peroxide nor the process H2O2/UV or (photo-)Fenton reagents gave any improvement in COD reduction or BOD increase, unless the doses were very high. Based on these results, an integrated system MBR-ozonation was designed, with recirculation of MBR effluent over ozonation. This test showed that reduction of COD up to 125 mg/L immediately behind the MBR required a lot of ozone. A technically feasible solution was to discharge the water after an extra ozonation step, which resulted in a high total ozone dosage. The alternative, the consecutive treatment activated sludge-ozonation-activated sludge, did not give a better COD-removal with the same ozone dose as the integrated concept. The economic evaluation proves that the integrated chemical and biological treatment is expensive for the paper industry if a low discharge limit of COD has to be complied with.     

On-site evaluation of the removal of 100 micro-pollutants through advanced wastewater treatment processes for reuse applications

The next challenge of wastewater treatment is to reliably remove micro-pollutants at the microgram per litre range in order to meet reuse applications and contribute to reach the good status of the water bodies. A hundred priority and relevant emerging substances were measured to evaluate at full-scale the removal efficiencies of seven advanced treatment lines (one membrane bioreactor process and six tertiary treatment lines) that were designed for reuse applications. To reliably compare the processes, specific procedures for micro-pollutants were applied for sampling, analysis and calculation of removal efficiencies. The membrane bioreactor process allowed to upgrade the removal efficiencies of about 20% of the substances measured, especially those that were partially degraded during conventional processes. Conventional tertiary processes like high rate clarification, sand filtration and polishing pond achieved significant removal for some micro-pollutants, especially for adsorbable substances. Advanced tertiary processes, like ozonation, activated carbon and reverse osmosis were all very efficient to complete the removal of polar pesticides and pharmaceuticals; metals and less polar substances were better retained by reverse osmosis.     

Performance comparison of a pilot-scale membrane bioreactor and a full-scale sequencing batch reactor with sand filtration: treatment of low strength wastewater from a northern Canadian Aboriginal Community.

Northern Aboriginal communities in Canada suffer from poor wastewater treatment. Treatment systems on 75% of Manitoban Aboriginal communities produce substandard effluent despite the presence of sophisticated treatment systems. A 200-litre, pilot-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) was established on the Opaskwayak Cree Nation to investigate the feasibility of MBRs in mitigating Aboriginal wastewater treatment issues. The pilot system was remote controlled and monitored via the Internet using the program pcAnywhere. The community utilized two existing sequencing batch reactors (SBR) and three sand filters for wastewater treatment. The community wastewater was relatively weak and highly fluctuating which led to poorly settling sludge that readily fouled the sand filters. A comparison study between the MBR and SBR was undertaken from September to December 2003. Operated at a 10-hour hydraulic retention time and 20-day solids residence time, the MBR outperformed the SBR and sand filtration on BOD and suspended solids removal. Furthermore, the MBR showed high levels of nitrification despite relatively cold water temperatures.     

Screening of chemical oxidation processes and other methods for decolorization of urine for its re-use as toilet-flush liquid in ecological sanitation systems.

Because of its potential use as fertilizer, urine ("yellow water") is a resource originating from sanitation. Its separate collection in no-mix toilets is a beneficial aspect of ecological (source control) sanitation. In order to avoid dilution of the fertilizing nutrients with toilet flush water, the utilization of yellow water as toilet flush liquid seems to be advantageous. To be accepted for this purpose, urine has to be decolorized (and also deodorized). In this study activated carbon adsorption, irradiation with UV light of different wavelengths, the advanced oxidation processes ultrasound, UV/H2O2, and photocatalytic oxidation have failed to decolorize urine. Biological treatment caused brown colour of the treated urine. Only ozonation was successful in colour removal, although it did not affect TOC. In spite of darkening of yellow water during biological treatment (generation of humic substances), smaller ozone doses were required for decolorizing the biologically pre-treated urine than for original urine. Photocatalytic oxidation of biologically treated urine also removed brown colour, but the original yellow colour remained. In ozonated urine, yellow colour was reconstituted unless hydrogen peroxide was added. In addition to colour removal, ozone contributed to deodorization as a consequence of ammonia stripping and probably of phenol oxidation.     

Evaluation of MBR effluent characteristics for reuse purposes.

One of the advantages of MBR is its excellent effluent quality, which is suitable for a wide range of reuse purposes. We investigated the characteristics of MBR effluent and evaluated them based on the Japanese guideline for the reuse of treated wastewater. As the result, MBR effluent showed qualitative coaracteristics that satisfy the requirement except chromaticity for recreational purpose. Further treatment, such as by oxone or activated carbon, will be required to remove the remaining color. MBR shows high removal efficiency of bacteria and other hazardous microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium. We investigated the removal efficiency of virus by MBR using coliphage as an alternative index. The results showed that high removal efficiency for coliphage could be obtained by MBR. The removal mechanism appears to be that coliphage are attached to the activated sludge and thus rejected by the membrane together with activated sludge particles. With regard to the endocrine disrupters, no significant differences were observed between MBR and CAS in the removal of main endocrine disrupters.     

好氧颗粒污泥特质及其在工业废水处理中的应用

好氧颗粒污泥具有沉降性能好、承受有机负荷高等特质,较高的水力剪切力有助于形成结构密实、沉降性能良好的颗粒污泥,并可促进微生物的代谢活性,能有效地去除重金属和结构复杂的高分子有机物等难降解物质。     

Combined chemical analyses and biomonitoring at Avedoere wastewater treatment plant in 2002.

Influent--effluent monitoring by comprehensive chemical analyses was conducted at the Avedoere wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) during 2002. In one programme, the same samples were tested for algal toxicity by the ISO 8692 method. Based on evaluation of 17 hazardous substances (including 7 heavy metals), there was a quite good agreement between calculated and measured toxic units. In another programme, influent--effluent monitoring for 11 pharmaceuticals and specific hormones showed high removal rates, except for sulphamethizol and furosemide. High removal is probably due to WWTP operation with long SRTs. Effluent biomonitoring of freshwater mussels showed only bioaccumulation for: diethylphthalate, LAS, EOX as well as Cr and Ni. Surprisingly, no bioaccumulation could be observed for 100 other specific organic compounds and 8 other heavy metals (including Hg, Cd and Pb).     

Performance of enviss? stormwater filters: results of a laboratory trial

An experimental study was undertaken by Monash University to develop and test enviss? stormwater treatment and harvesting technologies - non-vegetated filtration systems with an extremely low footprint. This paper focuses on the water quality and hydraulic performance of two systems tested over a 'year' of operation in a Melbourne climate: (1) REUSE enviss? filters, designed for stormwater harvesting systems for non-potable supply substitution, and (2) WSUD enviss? filters, developed to treat urban stormwater prior to discharge to downstream systems. The presence of chlorine as a disinfection agent proved to be very efficient for the removal of microorganisms in REUSE enviss? filters. WSUD enviss? filters had the benefit of providing an elevated nutrient treatment performance, due to an extended depth of filter media. However, nutrient outflow concentrations (total nitrogen (TN) in particular) were found to increase during the testing period. Also, extended dry weather periods were found to have a detrimental effect on the treatment performance of almost all pollutants for both filters (nutrients, Escherichia coli and heavy metals). Although hydraulic conductivity results indicated two or three sediment trap replacements per year are required to maintain filtration rates, it is expected that the compressed loading rate schedule overestimated this maintenance frequency.     

长江科学院流域水环境专业研究进展及展望

分析了流域水环境专业的社会需求,阐述了长江科学院流域水环境专业的定位和主要研究方向,分6个方面介绍了流域水环境研究所创建5 a来取得的主要科研成果:①湖库富营养化水体和藻类治理技术;②农村水电生态环境影响评价方法及保护对策;③河湖纳污能力计算方法和评价技术;④水库对河流水沙与营养物质连续传输影响及生态响应机制;⑤重金属及环境激素污染水土体治理及生态修复技术;⑥地下水污染治理技术。最后对流域水环境专业在治江科研工作的几个重点研究领域进行了讨论和展望。     

改性膨润土处理重金属离子废水的研究进展

重金属离子对人体有害,在废水中很难处理,利用廉价吸附剂有效处理重金属离子,既经济又环保。膨润土价廉易得,比表面积大,吸附性好,是一种天然的矿物质吸附剂。文章总结了膨润土吸附重金属离子的机理,并分析了改性膨润土在吸附重金属离子方面的研究进展及存在问题,并提出了解决办法。     

污泥活性炭的制备及其用于重金属废水处理的研究进展

城市污水处理厂在处理污水的同时会产生大量的污泥,其含有大量有机物和有害物,性质不稳定,易腐化,如果处理不当,将会造成严重的环境污染和资源浪费.用城市污水处理厂污泥制备活性炭是20世纪80年代后期出现的一种新型利用途径,因其制备成本低,活性炭用途广泛,可以用于污水处理去除有毒有害物质,具有良好的环境效益和社会效益,引起国内外研究人员的关注.而有毒重金属对环境的严重威胁正逐渐成为全球性问题,活性炭吸附法是一种常用来处理重金属废水的方法.综述了国内外污泥制备活性炭的工艺方法,及在这些制备方法基础上对重金属废水的处理研究.     

Electro-Fenton as a feasible advanced treatment process to produce reclaimed water.

The feasibility of the electro-Fenton process to generate simultaneously both of the Fenton's reagent species (Fe2+/H2O2), was assessed as a potentially more economical alternative to the classical Fenton's reaction to produce reclaimed water. An air-saturated combined wastewater (mixture of municipal and laboratory effluents) was treated in discontinuous and continuous reactors at pH = 3.5. The discontinuous reactor was a 2 L electrochemical laboratory cell fitted with concentric graphite and iron electrodes. The continuous reactor tests used a pilot treatment system comprising the aforementioned electrochemical cell, two clarifiers and one sand filter. Several tests were carried out at different conditions of reaction time (0-60 min) and electrical current values (0.2-1.0 A) in the discontinuous reactor. The best operating conditions were 60 min and 1 A without filtration of effluents. At these conditions, in discontinuous and continuous reactors with filtration, the COD, turbidity and color removal were 65-74.8%, 77-92.3% and 80-100%, respectively. Fecal and total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella sp. were not detected at the end of the pilot treatment system. Electrogeneration of the Fenton's reagent is also economical; its cost is one-fifth the cost reported for Advanced Primary Treatment.     

Risk assessment for organic trace compounds in wastewater: comparison of conventional and advanced treatment.

The elimination of organic trace compounds in municipal wastewater was analysed at three German wastewater treatment plants. Additionally, the effects of advanced treatment, membrane filtration, adsorption and oxidation processes were investigated. To assess the ecotoxicity of effluents, a number of tools were used: substance-specific evaluation, case studies for combined effects and risk assessment on the basis of cumulative parameters. The results of the research projects revealed that aquatic environmental risks can be reduced significantly using advanced treatment technologies for wastewater treatment plants.     

Experimental study on municipal and industrial reclaimed wastewater refinement for agricultural reuse

The present study is aimed at verifying the possibility of reusing municipal and industrial reclaimed wastewaters for the irrigation of container-grown ornamental shrubs, paying attention to the refinery treatment. The research has been carried out in the district of Pistoia (Central Italy), which represents one of the main nursery areas in Europe. Two experimental sites, each consisting of a refinery treatment pilot plant (filtration and disinfection) and an agronomic area, were set-up. In this paper the attention is focused on the selection of the refinery treatment. The combined process of peracetic acid (PAA) and ultraviolet irradiation (UV) chosen for the disinfection treatment proved to be very effective for the inactivation of microorganisms for both municipal and industrial wastewaters. The high efficiency is recognised as being brought about by the formation of free radicals due to the photolysis of the PAA when in the presence of the UV rays. A preliminary cost analysis has been carried out in order to highlight the most economically advantageous solution which guarantees the compliance to the Italian limits for wastewater reuse in agriculture (Escherichia Coli 10 CFU/100 mL).     

防控日益严重的水土重金属污染之我见

当前我国水土重金属污染严重。1996年颁布的GB8978—1996《污水综合排放标准》仍然是现行执法的依据,它明确规定排放的污染物按其性质分为两类,"汞、镉、铬、砷、铅、镍、铍、银"8种重金属为第一类污染物,要求不分行业和污水排放方式,也不分受纳水体的功能类别,一律在车间或车间处理设施排出口取样,必须满足最高允许排放浓度标准的规定。它完全不同于一般常规污染物可利用水环境容量,实行总量达标控制原则。这体现了对持久蓄积性污染物实行封闭零排放的原则精神。但目前从水质的监测、评价到污染物的削减控制过程中,存在着一系列背离和混淆两类污染物排放标准和控制要求的问题。防治重金属污染的任务十分艰巨,它涉及许多行业、部门和学科专业。为扭转当前我国水土重金属严重污染的局面,首先应从端正环保系统的技术路线开始;在重金属污染防治中,防要大于治、先于治;当前最紧迫的是从源头控制污染源的继续超量排放,而监控源头必先端正技术路线。     

Removal of nitrogen, phosphorus and other priority (hazardous) substances from WWTP effluent.

More stringent effluent criteria will be required in the near future for the so-called priority substances listed in the Annex of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC. This includes heavy metals, volatile and semi-volatile organic substances, pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls. The Fraunhofer Institute suggested FHI values for these substances in water. National Dutch legislation, the Vierde Nota WaterHuishouding (NWH) introduced in 1998 'maximum tolerable risk concentrations' (MTR). These include requirements for nutrients: P(tot) < 0.15 mg/l and N(tot) < 2.2 mg/l. The MTR values are being used until the FHI values become effective. Investigation into possible effluent polishing techniques is required in order to reach these objectives. During pilot research with tertiary denitrifying multi-media and biological activated carbon filtration at the WWTP Utrecht in The Netherlands, simultaneous nutrient removal to MTR quality was observed. Furthermore, simultaneous removal of heavy metals, 17beta-estradiol, bisphenol A and nonylphenols to extreme low concentrations by denitrifying activated carbon filtrated is achieved.     

AOPs with ozone and UV radiation in drinking water: contaminants removal and effects on disinfection byproducts formation.

In this study, the advanced oxidation with ozone and UV radiation (with two low pressure UV lamps, at 254 and 185 nm wavelength) were experimented on a surface water in order to study the removal of two odorous compounds (geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol) and a pesticide (metolachlor), the influence on organic compounds (UV absorbance and THM precursors) and bromate formation. Different batch tests were performed with ozone concentration up to 10 mg/L, UV dose up to 14,000 J/m2 and a maximum contact time of 10 minutes. The main results show that metolachlor can be efficiently removed with ozone alone while for geosmin and MIB a complete removal can be obtained with the advanced oxidation of ozone (with concentration of 1.5-3 mg/L and contact time of 2-3 minutes) with UV radiation (with doses of 5,000-6,000 J/m2). As concerns the influence on the organic precursors, all the experimented processes show a medium removal of about 20-40% for UV absorbance and 15-30% for THMFP (trihalomethanes formation potential). As concerns bromate formation, the advanced oxidation of ozone/UV 254 nm shows a bromate formation that is about 40% lower with respect to conventional oxidation with ozone.     

Environmental risk assessment of surface water and sediments in Copenhagen harbour

The environmental risk assessment of Holmen, a former naval base, included characterisation of the sediments with regard to pollution with xenobiotics, heavy metals, nutrients and bacteria, and ecotoxicity. A simple hydraulic model was established, and the release of substances from the sediment to the water was assessed. Sediment biotests with Corophium volutator and porewater biotests with Skeletonema costatum and Acartia tonsa were conducted. The sediment was characterised as strongly contaminated in the major parts of the investigated area. Based on the application of the acid volatile sulfide method it was concluded that practically none of the heavy metals were bioavailable. Both the sediment and the porewater from a number of stations were toxic. The toxicity did not appear to be attributable to the content of heavy metals, more likely to other contaminants. Furthermore, the sediment, which has served as a sink for accumulation of contaminants over a period of many years, also may constitute a source of contamination due to potential release of heavy metals and xenobiotics from the sediment to the water in some areas. The release appears to give rise to concentrations above the EU Water Quality Objectives at some stations.