The role of aluminum in slow sand filtration

Engineering enhancement of slow sand filtration has been an enigma in large part because the mechanisms responsible for particle removal have not been well characterized. The presumed role of biological processes in the filter ripening process nearly precluded the possibility of enhancing filter performance since interventions to enhance biological activity would have required decreasing the quality of the influent water. In previous work, we documented that an acid soluble polymer controls filter performance. The new understanding that particle removal is controlled in large part by physical chemical mechanisms has expanded the possibilities of engineering slow sand filter performance. Herein, we explore the role of naturally occurring aluminum as a ripening agent for slow sand filters and the possibility of using a low dose of alum to improve filter performance or to ripen slow sand filters.     

Retention and removal of pathogenic bacteria in wastewater percolating through porous media: a review

Properly designed biological filters or infiltration systems have the capacity to significantly reduce effluent concentrations of pathogenic microorganisms in wastewater. The retention and elimination of microbial cells in biological wastewater filter systems is influenced by several factors. In this review, these factors are discussed. Immobilization of microbial cells moving through a porous media is influenced by mechanisms such as physical straining as well as adsorption to porous media. The grain size of porous media and bacterial cell size are important factors affecting the straining of bacteria, as are the hydraulic loading rate or the extent of clogging layer development in the filter. Adsorption of cells to the porous media is influenced by the content of organic matter, degree of biofilm development, and electrostatic attraction due to ion strength of the solution or electrostatic charges of cell- and particle surfaces. The rate of inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms, in adsorbed or liquid phases, has been shown to be affected by abiotic and biotic factors such as moisture content, pH, temperature, organic matter, bacterial species, predation, and antagonistic symbiosis between microorganisms in the system.     

生物填料塔净化恶臭废气的研究

以水产饲料企业生产废气中的H2S、NH3和三甲胺为处理对象,研究了生物填料塔净化恶臭废气的性能,考察了进气浓度、流量、循环液喷淋密度对恶臭净化率的影响.采用单负荷、双负荷（H2S、NH3）、三负荷3种方式进气,探讨了恶臭组分之间的相互作用.结果表明：对H2S的净化率保持在100%;对NH,的净化率随进气浓度或气体流量的增加而降低,且H2S的存在有利于NH3的去除,而三甲胺的存在则对NH3的净化表现出竞争抑制作用;对三甲胺的净化效果较好,且H,S和NH3的存在对其净化无明显影响.     

Bacteria removal in septic effluent: influence of biofilm and protozoa

Numerous biological, physical and chemical parameters are involved in the retention and removal of bacteria in wastewater treatment systems. Biological parameters, such as biofilms and protozoa grazing activity, are often mentioned but few studies provide a better understanding of their influence. In this study, the effect of bacterivorous protozoa on pathogenic indicator bacteria removal was investigated in septic effluent and in the presence of a biofilm coating glass slides. Endogenous bacteria from septic effluent were quantified. First, bacteria removal was compared between septic effluents treated or not with an inhibitor of protozoa (cycloheximide). The mortality rates were 10 times lower in treated effluent (96 CFU mL(-1) d(-1)) than in untreated effluent (1100 CFU mL(-1) d(-1)). Secondly, the efficiency of bacteria removal was studied (i) with a biofilm surface and active protozoa, (ii) with a biofilm surface and inactivated protozoa, (iii) with a clean surface. Protozoa in the presence of a biofilm were responsible for 60% of bacteria removal. Biofilm without protozoa and a clean surface each removed similar quantities of bacteria. Grazing by protozoa could be an important biological mechanism for bacterial elimination in wastewater treatment systems.     

Behavior of two differently radiolabelled 17alpha-ethinylestradiols continuously applied to a laboratory-scale membrane bioreactor with adapted industrial activated sludge

The fate of two differently labelled radioactive forms of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) was studied during the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process. The laboratory-scale MBR specially designed for studies with radioactive compounds was operated using a synthetic wastewater representative of the pharmaceutical industry and the activated sludge was obtained from a large-scale MBR treating pharmaceutical wastewater. By applying in MBR a concentration of 8 g/L mixed liquor solid suspension and a sludge retention time of 25 days over the whole test period (35 days), the removal performance of C-, N- and P-ranged between 80% and 95%. Balancing of radioactivity could demonstrate that real mineralization is <1%, while radioactivity mainly remained sorbed in the reactor, resulting in a removal of approximately 80%. The same metabolite pattern in the radiochromatograms for the two different labelling protocols led us to assume that the elimination pathway does not involve the removal of the ethinyl group from EE2 molecule.     

BAC滤池对浊度和颗粒数的控制研究

传统的贾第鞭毛虫和隐孢子虫（简称“两虫”）检测方法存在诸多不足，为此选用浊度和颗粒数作为“两虫”的替代指标，以对浊度和颗粒物的去除率来衡量生物活性炭（BAC）滤池对“两虫”的控制效果。试验结果表明：采用颗粒数表征滤后水水质比采用浊度更适宜。过滤初期颗粒数从峰值降到50个／mL以下所需的时间比浊度降到0．1NTU所需的时间多1h左右。正常过滤期间BAC滤池进水浊度一般在0．1NTU以下，经过BAC滤池处理后，浊度得到进一步降低，平均去除率为52．7％。炭层对浊度的去除率为56．4％，其出水浊度基本上都低于0．05NTU，而砂层对浊度不但没有去除能力，反而使出水浊度平均上升了约3．7％。炭层对颗粒物的平均去除率为33．3％，砂层对颗粒物的平均去除率为8．5％。     

GAC,UF,RO去除饮用水中氯仿,四氯化碳性能的试验研究

研究了粒状活性炭（ＧＡＣ）,超滤（ＵＦ）和反渗透（ＲＯ）对自来水中氯仿和四氯化碳的去除性能,探讨了ＧＡＣ对氯仿和四氯化碳去除的物理吸附和微生物降解机理。试验发现ＵＦ膜对氯仿和四氯化碳的快速吸附与脱附现象,并讨论了ＲＯ膜对不同浓度氯仿、四氯化碳的去除效果和作用机理。     

Wind tunnel-based testing of a photoelectrochemical oxidative filter-based air purification unit in coronavirus and influenza aerosol removal and inactivation

Recirculating air purification technologies are employed as potential means of reducing exposure to aerosol particles and airborne viruses. Toward improved testing of recirculating air purification units, we developed and applied a medium-scale single-pass wind tunnel test to examine the size-dependent collection of particles and the collection and inactivation of viable bovine coronavirus (BCoV, a betacoronavirus), porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV, an alphacoronavirus), and influenza A virus (IAV), by a commercial air purification unit. The tested unit, the Molekule Air Mini, incorporates a MERV 16 filter as well as a photoelectrochemical oxidating layer. It was found to have a collection efficiency above 95.8% for all tested particle diameters and flow rates, with collection efficiencies above 99% for supermicrometer particles with the minimum collection efficiency for particles smaller than 100 nm. For all three tested viruses, the physical tracer-based log reduction was near 2.0 (99% removal). Conversely, the viable virus log reductions were found to be near 4.0 for IAV, 3.0 for BCoV, and 2.5 for PRCV, suggesting additional inactivation in a virus family- and genus-specific manner. In total, this work describes a suite of test methods which can be used to rigorously evaluate the efficacy of recirculating air purification technologies.     

The effectiveness of stand alone air cleaners for shelter-in-place

Stand-alone air cleaners may be efficient for rapid removal of indoor fine particles and have potential use for shelter-in-place (SIP) strategies following acts of bioterrorism. A screening model was employed to ascertain the potential significance of size-resolved particle (0.1-2 microm) removal using portable high efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) air cleaners in residential buildings following an outdoor release of particles. The number of stand-alone air cleaners, air exchange rate, volumetric flow rate through the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, and size-resolved particle removal efficiency in the HVAC filter were varied. The effectiveness of air cleaners for SIP was evaluated in terms of the outdoor and the indoor particle concentration with air cleaner(s) relative to the indoor concentration without air cleaners. Through transient and steady-state analysis of the model it was determined that one to three portable HEPA air cleaners can be effective for SIP following outdoor bioaerosol releases, with maximum reductions in particle concentrations as high as 90% relative to conditions in which an air cleaner is not employed. The relative effectiveness of HEPA air cleaners vs. other removal mechanisms was predicted to decrease with increasing particle size, because of increasing competition by particle deposition with indoor surfaces and removal to HVAC filters. However, the effect of particle size was relatively small for most scenarios considered here. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of a screening analysis suggest that stand-alone (portable) air cleaners that contain high efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) filters can be effective for reducing indoor fine particle concentrations in residential dwellings during outdoor releases of biological warfare agents. The relative effectiveness of stand-alone air cleaners for reducing occupants' exposure to particles of outdoor origin depends on several factors, including the type of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) filter, HVAC operation, building air exchange rate, particle size, and duration of elevated outdoor particle concentration. Maximum particle reductions, relative to no stand-alone air cleaners, of 90% are predicted when three stand-alone air cleaners are employed.     

对强化生物除磷机理与工艺认识误区的剖析

结合国际上生物除磷机理与工艺的最新进展,分析了目前我国在污水生物除磷工艺研发和运行中存在的一些认识误区。基于成熟的生物除磷生化代谢机理,指出反硝化除磷菌（DPB）是一种广泛存在于一些强化生物除磷（EBPR）工艺中的聚磷菌（PAOs）,无需特殊培养;对于市政污水,EBPR工艺中出现的聚糖原茵（GAOs）一般不会成为聚磷茵（PAOs／DPB）的竞争者而严重影响系统的除磷功能。针对强化生物除磷工艺的认识误区,指出污泥龄（SRT）是设计的关键参数,在最不利细菌生长的冬季,控制SRT〉12 d即可使EBPR保持较好的硝化与脱氮除磷效果;在污水生物处理除磷工艺选择上,“厌氧池＋氧化沟”只是污水处理升级而演变出的一种被动型工艺,并非最佳的EBPR工艺选择;此外倒置A^2／O工艺由于忽略了聚磷菌所需的进水碳源及DPB的作用,并不一定能改进EBPR的生物除磷效果。     

Biodegradability and change of physical characteristics of particles during anaerobic digestion of domestic sewage

At the high-rate anaerobic treatment of domestic sewage, both biological and physical processes play an important role. Therefore, the anaerobic biodegradability of raw, paper-filtered and membrane-filtered sewage and black water has been investigated in batch experiments. Additionally, the effect of anaerobic digestion on physical characteristics, like particle size, surface tension and zeta-potential, of the present particles is studied. The biodegradability of domestic sewage and black water at 30 degrees C is almost similar (71-74%). Moreover, a high methanogenesis of the colloidal fraction in domestic sewage (86 +/- 3%) is achieved, showing that the low removal of colloidal particles in continuous high-rate anaerobic reactors is due to low physical removal rather than biodegradability. The lowest biodegradability is demonstrated for the dissolved fraction (62%). The results show that after anaerobic digestion the average radius of particles with diameter < 4.4 and < 0.45 microns increased for domestic sewage, while it decreased for black water. Part of the surface-active components in domestic sewage is not biodegraded during anaerobic batch digestion, as indicated by the development of the surface tension. The negative zeta-potential of all particles hardly changes during digestion, showing that colloidal interactions were not affected by anaerobic digestion.     

Identification and quantification of nitrogen removal in a rotating biological contactor by 15N tracer techniques

High autotrophic nitrogen removal rates of 858mg NL(-1) day(-1) or 1.55g Nm(-2) day(-1) were obtained in a lab-scale rotating biological contactor treating an ammonium rich influent. It was postulated that ammonium was removed as dinitrogen gas by a sequence of aerobic ammonium oxidation to nitrite taking place in the outer biofilm layer and anaerobic ammonium oxidation with nitrite as electron acceptor occuring in the deeper biofilm layer. Chemical evidence for anaerobic ammonium oxidation within intact biofilm sludge from a lab-scale rotating biological contactor could be provided, without direct identification of responsible organisms catalysing this reaction. 15N tracer techniques were used for identification and quantification of nitrogen transformations. In batch tests with biofilm sludge at dissolved oxygen concentrations lower than 0.1mgL(-1), ammonium and nitrite did react in a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1.43 thereby forming dinitrogen. 15N isotope dilution calculations revealed that anaerobic ammonium oxidation was the major nitrogen transformation leading to concomitant ammonium and nitrite removal. Isotopic analysis of the produced biogas showed that both ammonium-N and nitrite-N were incorporated in N(2).     

Comparison of Capture Efficiencies Measured by Tracer Gas and Aerosol Tracer Techniques

Abstract The capture efficiency of an exhaust device was evaluated using a tracer gas (helium diluted in air), and an aerosol tracer of varying particle size distributions. Helium concentrations were measured by mass spectrometry, and those of the aerosol were evaluated using optical and photometric particle counters in order to follow the temporal evolution of the concentrations. This experimental study confirms the theoretical results obtained from mathematical simulations (CFD), and from the simple study of the particle relaxation time and sedimentation velocity of particles. It demonstrates that the transfer of an aerosol to a square local exhaust system of 20×20 cm² is nearly identical to that of a gas when all the following conditions are fulfilled:

• ? diameter of particles less than about 30 μm;
• ? low initial particle emission velocity (of a few tens of cm/s);
• ? direct capture and short transfer times between the source and the capture system (less than a few seconds).

It is then possible to use the tracer gas technique to measure the capture efficiency of an aerosol if the above-mentioned conditions are fulfilled.     

Physical modelling of solute transport in porous media: evaluation of an imaging technique using UV excited fluorescent dye

The development and evaluation of a 2-dimensional physical model, which is designed to assist in the characterisation of complex solute transport problems in porous media, is described. The laboratory model is a transparent 2-dimensional porous media of nominal thickness and uses a non-invasive imaging technique in conjunction with a fluorescent dye tracer (sodium fluorescein) to monitor solute movements. Under ultraviolet (UV) illumination the dye emits visible light which is imaged by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera. The image is processed to estimate the 2-dimensional distribution of tracer concentrations. The system can successfully model a simple contaminant plume within a homogenous porous matrix constructed from glass beads (60-100 microm). Experimental results show that transverse dispersion coefficient was 3.9 x 10(-10) m2/s when sodium fluorescein transported in porous matrix with a walter velocity of 5.71 x 10(-6) m/s. The low transverse dispersion coefficient suggests that the molecular diffusion of solute cannot be neglected under low velocity of the water. The advantages of using UV rather than an ordinary light system are a reduction in noise and experimental errors. Errors due to light dispersion within the model are shown to be negligible for the current model. Since contaminant with aromatic rings are usually fluorescent and biological samples can be labelled by fluorescent dye, this imaging technique using UV excited fluorescent dye will be used to investigate biodegradation process in porous media.     

城镇污水处理厂尾水中氮磷形态及光谱特征分析

为了进一步探究污水厂尾水排放对受纳水体的潜在影响,选取巢湖流域采用3种典型处理工艺(氧化沟、SBR、A²/O工艺)的7座污水厂为研究对象,分析了尾水中氮、磷的形态及水体中溶解性有机质(DOM)的光谱特征。结果表明,不同工艺对TN、TP、COD等指标均具有很好的去除效果且无明显差异。尾水中颗粒态总氮(PN)占比在13.4%以下,主要以溶解态总氮(DTN)形式存在,其中溶解态无机氮(DIN)占比高于溶解态有机氮(DON)。尾水中颗粒态总磷(PP)占比在10.1%~66.7%,磷主要以溶解态总磷(DTP)形式存在,其中溶解态无机磷(DIP)占比在60%以上。DOM的三维荧光光谱显示,不同工艺尾水中的DOM均具有4类荧光特征峰,其中腐殖酸类物质C峰与紫外区类富里酸物质A峰较为明显。根据DOM的荧光特性参数(HIX值<4、FI值>1.9、BIX值>1.0),各污水厂出水中的DOM主要为自生来源。由此表明,污水处理厂削减了大量的入河碳、氮、磷等负荷,其尾水可用于城市河道生态补水水源,实现城市污水资源再生利用。     

I型组合梁截面的局部与整体相关屈曲

在弯扭失稳(LTB)和受压翼缘局部失稳(FLB)2种极限状态下,根据钢结构规范(AISCLRFD360-10)得到的具有紧密腹板且没有紧密翼缘或细长翼缘的I型梁截面的名义受弯承载力可能偏低。该方法的主要假设是LTB和FLB是2个独立的状态,之间无相互作用。本文采用ABAQUS建立三维有限元模型对没有紧密翼缘或细长翼缘的I型梁进行非线性分析。通过估算具有不同翼缘长细比的局部屈曲的I型组合钢梁的抗弯承载力,以验证AISC-LRFD方法的适用性。研究发现整体和局部屈曲能力相差加大,故应考虑FLB和LTB之间的相关屈曲作用;对本文给出的梁还应考虑其局部屈曲后性能。     

Biological degradation of pharmaceuticals in municipal wastewater treatment: proposing a classification scheme

A simple classification scheme is suggested to characterize the biological degradation of micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals, musk fragrances and estrogens during wastewater treatment. The scheme should be a basis for the discussion about potential removal efficiencies. Hence, the biological degradation of 25 pharmaceuticals, hormones and fragrances was studied in batch experiments at typical concentration levels using activated sewage sludge originating from nutrient-eliminating municipal wastewater treatment plants. Since pseudo first-order degradation kinetics was observed for all compounds down to ng L(-1) levels, the removal rates can be predicted for various reactor configurations. Therefore dilution of wastewater (e.g. by extraneous water) is expected to reduce the degree of biological removal. Wastewater segregation and treatment at the source are therefore to be favoured for elimination of persistent micropollutants over centralized end-of-pipe treatment. For reactor configurations typical for nutrient removal in municipal wastewater, the derived formula for predicting removal allows the identification of three groups of micropollutants according to their degradation constant k(biol): compounds with k(biol)<0.1 L g(SS)(-1)d(-1) are not removed to a significant extent (<20%), compounds with k(biol)>10 L g(SS)(-1)d(-1) transformed by >90% and in-between moderate removal is expected. Based on the degradation of a heterogeneous group of 35 compounds (including literature data), state of the art biological treatment schemes for municipal wastewater are not efficient in degrading pharmaceuticals: only 4 out of 35 compounds are degraded by more than 90% while 17 compounds are removed by less than 50%.     

Bacteriophage MS-2 removal by submerged membrane bioreactor

A membrane bioreactor (MBR) may serve as a pre-disinfection or disinfection unit, in addition to its solid/liquid separation and biological conversion functions, to produce sewage effluent of high quality. This bench-scale pilot study focuses on investigating the performance of a submerged MBR in pathogen removal and the factors affecting the removal, using a 0.4-microm hollow-fiber membrane module submerged in an aeration tank and bacteriophage MS-2 as the indicator organism. Removal of the MS-2 phage was found to be contributed by physical filtration by the membrane itself, biomass activity in the aeration tank and bio-filtration achieved by the biofilm developed on the membrane surface. The membrane alone gave poor virus removal (0.4+/-0.1 log) but the overall removal increased substantially with the presence of biomass and the membrane-surface-attached biofilm. The contributions of the suspended biomass and attached biofilm to the phage removal are dependent on the inter-related parameters including the concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), the sludge retention time (SRT) and the food to mass (F/M) ratio. The correlations between effluent flux/trans-membrane pressure and virus removal give evidence that phage removal in the MBR is most likely susceptible to both biological and physical factors including the quantity and property of the biomass and the biofilm and the membrane pore size reduction.     

Virus removal within a soil infiltration zone as affected by effluent composition, application rate, and soil type

The column studies presented in this paper simulated the infiltrative surface of onsite wastewater systems where effluent is applied and where a biomat may form. Two bacteriophages, MS-2 and PRD-1, were used as surrogates for human pathogenic enteric viruses during two tracer tests. A vacuum manifold was used to simulate the drainage effects of an underlying unsaturated soil profile, allowing for the collection of percolate samples at 4 cm immediately below the infiltrative surface. The impact of effluent applied (septic tank effluent (STE) or a simulated ground water), soil type (medium sand or sandy loam), hydraulic loading rate (5 or 25 cm/day) and method of application (four equivalent daily doses or 24 equivalent micro-doses per day) on the removal of viruses were investigated. These unsaturated mini column experiments demonstrated that the removal of viruses within an infiltrative surface zone (of approximately 4 cm) generally improved over time under the conditions studied. An exception occurred in sand-filled columns dosed with STE where the removal of PRD-1 decreased after a period of effluent application. Statistical analysis conducted on the calculated percent removal demonstrated that the quality of the effluent applied to the infiltrative surface is important for removal of MS-2 and PRD-1. Hydraulic loading rate also proved important in the removal of viruses. At the time of tracer test 2, columns dosed at the higher HLR (25 cm/day) had higher percent removals for both MS-2 and PRD-1. Soil type altered the removal of PRD-1 at the time of the second tracer test, at which time sandy loam had higher removal rates for PRD-1. No significant differences were observed between columns dosed four times daily and those dosed 24 times daily for either bacteriophage at either of the tracer test time points. These data suggest that over a relatively short period of operation the infiltrative surface of soil based wastewater treatment systems can achieve much higher removal then initially measured shortly after startup.     

Nutrient removal from effluents by an artificial wetland: Influence of rhizosphere aeration and preferential flow studied using bromide and dye tracers

Sewerage and effluents from rural industry can be treated by percolation through the root zones of emergent macrophytes growing in a gravel substratum. The hydrology of these systems is complex, being driven by both gravity and transpiration, and so measurements of nutrient transformations within the systems are complicated by incomplete mixing. Pulse addition of dye and bromide tracers concurrently with nutrients, has been used in one such experimental artificial wetland to investigate the rates and processes of nutrient removal. The tracer was used for comparison to compensate for incomplete mixing and concentration caused by evapotranspiration. Nitrogen removal efficiency is dependent on sequential mineralization of organic nitrogen to ammonium-nitrogen, followed by nitrification of the ammonium to nitrate or nitrite and denitrification of nitrate or nitrite to gaseous nitrogen products. The effluent from a rendering plant was dominated by organic and ammonium-nitrogen, and efficiency of nitrogen removal was probably impaired by inadequate rates of mineralization and nitrification. Aeration is required for the latter process. Apparently the macrophytes were not introducing sufficient oxygen into the effluent for nitrification to be complete. This may reflect an inadequate outward radial diffusion of oxygen into the rhizosphere, or the effects of channelling of the effluent in preferential flow paths around the aerating root masses, requiring changes in system design.