Comparative Assessment of Sludge Pre‐Treatment Techniques to Enhance Sludge Dewaterability and Biogas Production

Effectiveness of ultrasonication, microwave technologies, and enzyme addition prior to anaerobic digestion is investigated using sludge samples taken from the secondary settling tank of a domestic wastewater treatment plant to improve methane production, enhance dewaterability characteristics of the sludge, and to reduce excess sludge. Microwave pre‐treatment (1500 W, 10 min at 175 °C) results in better extra digester performance (compared to the control reactor) in terms of methane production (25 m³ ton^?1 suspended solids (SS)) than ultrasound (no improvement) and enzyme pre‐treatment (11 m³ ton^?1 SS). While methane production is not improved as a result of ultrasonication pre‐treatment (15 000 kJ kg^?1 SS), a noticeable increase (19%) is observed in the case of microwave pre‐treatment. Higher compactibility values are obtained after ultrasonication and microwave application compared to the control (i.e., from 7.1 to 8.7 and 9.2%, respectively) before anaerobic digestion. Although ultrasonication and microwave application decrease the dewaterability of the raw sludge (capillary suction time (CST) from 827 to 1364 and 2290 s, respectively), similar dewaterability results are obtained at the end of the anaerobic digestion process for all pre‐treated sludge samples. An economic assessment of this study shows that pre‐treatment with microwave results in more than 10‐fold less net cost compared to the enzyme application.     

Biokinetics of Nitrification in the Activated Sludge Process with Bioaugmentation

A laboratory study was conducted to determine the effect of bioaugmentation on nitrification performance in activated sludge process for treating municipal wastewaters. Two continuous flow bench-scale activated sludge systems consisting of 3 reactors each were operated for 30 months. The bacterial culture product used in bioaugmentation contained supplementary heterotrophic and nitrifying microorganisms. Parameters investigated included wastewater strength, hydraulic detention time, and sludge age in an activated sludge reactor system, which were low, medium and high strength; 6, 12, and 24 hours detention time; and 5, 10, and 20 days sludge age. A first reaction order mathematical model was developed for the nitrification process. Statistical fitting of the experimental data to the mathematical model allowed for determination of nitrification rate constant, decay coefficients, minimum aeration time required for initiation of the nitrification process, and the ability of the system to perform nitrification for the applied operation conditions. The results indicated that bioaugmentation improved nitrification at higher influent strength and at longer sludge age, did initiate nitrification earlier in the reactors, and did not affect the nitrification rate nor the decay coefficients.     

Treatment of Malting Wastewater in a Granular Sludge Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR)

Aerobic granular sludge was successfully cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating wastewater from the malting process with a high content of particulate organic matter. At an organic loading rate of 3.2 kg/(m³ d) COD_total and an influent particle concentration of 0.95 g/L MLSS an average removal of 50% in COD_total and 80% in COD_dissolved could be achieved. A comparison of granular and flocculent sludge grown under the same operating conditions showed no significant difference in removal efficiency although granules exhibited a higher metabolic activity in terms of specific oxygen uptake rate (r_{O2, X}). Two distinct mechanisms of particle removal were observed for granular sludge: during initial granule formation, particles were incorporated into the biofilm matrix. For mature granules, a high level of protozoa growth on the granule surface accounted for the ability to remove particulate COD. Combined evaluation of the development in MLSS content and sludge bed settling rate (i.e., mean derivative of the normalized sludge volume) was found to be an adequate method for monitoring the characteristic settling properties of a granulizing sludge bed. By means of this method, a distinct substrate gradient out of several operating conditions was concluded to have the biggest impact on the formation of aerobic granular sludge.     

Occurrence of Phthalates in Sewage Sludge from Three Wastewater Treatment Plants in Istanbul,Turkey

Phthalates are considered priority pollutants because of their potential adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. The objectives of this study were to determine the occurrence of five phthalates (DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP, and DEHP) in sewage sludge and to determine the seasonal variability of these contaminants at three (Bahçe?ehir, Pa?aköy, and Tuzla) full‐scale municipal and domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Istanbul, Turkey. Mass balance was also calculated for DEHP at Tuzla WWTP sludge treatment units. DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP, and DEHP concentrations in sewage sludge ranged from 1.4 to 2.7 mg/kg dry weight (dw), 1.1 to 2.8, 0.6 to 4.6, 2.8 to 6.2, 18 to 490 mg/kg dw, respectively. Phthalate concentrations from the Bahçe?ehir and Pa?aköy WWTPs met the limit (100 mg/kg dw) of Turkey national sludge regulation and the Europe Union draft of sludge directive for land application, whereas phthalate concentrations from Tuzla WWTP exceeded the maximum permissible concentration. Phthalate concentrations did not show seasonal variations for Bahçe?ehir and Pa?aköy WWTPs, which receive mainly household wastewater while some fluctuations were observed DEP, DBP, and DEHP at Tuzla WWTP which has a lot of industrial wastewater contribution. The mass balance showed that approximately 17% of DEHP in the primary and secondary sludge was removed by anaerobic digestion, while 43% returned back to the beginning of the WWTP and 40% remained in the dewatered sludge. This study suggests that phthalates in sludge from WWTPs with industrial wastewater contribution may limit the use of sludge for land application.     

Effects of Fenton Pre‐Treatment on Waste Activated Sludge Properties

Fenton process was investigated for the purpose of biological sludge disintegration. The Box–Wilson experimental design was employed to evaluate the effects of major process variables (Fe(II) and H₂O₂ concentrations) on both disintegration and dewatering performance of sludge. Results showed that 4 g Fe(II)/kg total solids (TSs) and 60 g H₂O₂/kg TS are efficient for floc disintegration. Fenton pre‐treatment enhanced the biodegradability of sludge. For 4 g Fe(II)/kg TS and 60 g H₂O₂/kg TS, 19.4% higher methane production was achieved compared to raw sludge in biochemical methane potential assay. Fenton pre‐treatment resulted in the release of organic sludge components into the liquid phase. For 4 g Fe(II)/kg TS and 60 g H₂O₂/kg TS, dissolved organic carbon and total nitrogen in sludge's supernatant increased by 75.74 and 60.60%, respectively. Fenton pre‐treatment enhanced the filterability of sludge and it can be applied for conditioning purpose before mechanical dewatering units.     

Experiences with the use of mass-density maps in residual gravity forward modelling

In many modern local and regional gravity field modelling concepts, the short-wavelength gravitational signal modeled by the residual terrain modelling (RTM) technique is used to augment global geopotential models, or to smooth observed gravity prior to data gridding. In practice, the evaluation of RTM effects mostly relies on a constant density assumption, because of the difficulty and complexity of obtaining information on the actual distribution of density of topographic masses. Where the actual density of topographic masses deviates from the adopted value, errors are present in the RTM mass-model, and hence, in the forward-modelled residual gravity field. In this paper we attempt to overcome this problem by combining the RTM technique with a high-resolution mass-density model. We compute RTM gravity quantities over New Zealand, with different combinations of elevation models and mass-density assumptions using gravity and GPS/levelling measurements, precise terrain and bathymetry models, a high-resolution mass-density model and constant density assumptions as main input databases. Based on gravity observations and the RTM technique, optimum densities are detected for North Island of ~2500 kg m^?3, South Island of ~2600 kg m^?3, and the whole New Zealand of ~2590 kg m^?3. Comparison among the three sets of residual gravity disturbances computed from different mass-density assumptions show that, together with a global potential model, the high-resolution New Zealand density model explains ~89.5% of gravitational signals, a constant density assumption of 2670 kg m^?3 explains ~90.2%, while a regionally optimum mass-density explains ~90.3%. Detailed comparison shows that the New Zealand density model works best over areas with small residual heights. Over areas with larger residual heights, subsurface density variations appear to affect the residual gravity disturbance. This effect is found to reach about 30 mGal over Southern Alpine Fault. In order to improve the RTM modelling with mass-density maps, a higher-quality mass-density model that provides radially varying mass-density data would be desirable.     

Application of Electrodialysis in Water Treatment

Desalination experiments by means of electrodialysis were carried out with a pilot plant of Soviet origin. Brackish water of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast with different fresh-water concentrations and 135… 700 mg/1 salt was used as the salt water. The applied electrode voltages were 100… 400 V. In dependence on other conditions such as flow rate, temperature etc., there were determined the energy demand (referred to the removal of 1 kg salt) and the desalination effect. A mathematical model for calculating the energy consumption is derived from the experimental findings.     

分享创新经验发展中的小岛国减灾研讨会于2005年10月27～29日在非洲毛里求斯举行

发展中的第三世界小岛国是极易遭受自然灾害的一组特殊群体。热带风暴、飓风、台风、洪水、海洋巨涌、地震、滑坡、海啸以及火山喷发等自然灾害经常以不同的组合形式同时袭击这一组特殊脆弱的群体。为促进这一特殊群体减灾经验的交流,第三世界科学组织网络（TWNSO）、第三世界科学院（TWAS）、联合国发展计划署（UNDP）、毛里求斯大学联合组织了本次会议。会议在准备前期,广泛接受拟交流经验的书面申报。     

Purification Limits of the Activated Sludge Process

Basic principles determining and substantiating the contents of organics in secondary effluents were formulated and discussed. It has been shown that the activated sludge process, if optimally designed and operated, can produce secondary effluents with soluble carbonaceous BOD₅ values below 5 mg/1 and suspended solids concentrations approaching 10 mg/1. While the total values of BOD₅ are significantly influenced by SS concentrations, the total values of COD are influenced mostly by soluble refractory organics present in raw wastewaters and formed in the process as microbial waste products.     

Blanket peat erosion and sediment yield in an upland reservoir catchment in the southern Pennines,UK

This paper investigates temporal variations in fluxes of peat and other sediment in the catchment of March Haigh Reservoir, West Yorkshire. Long‐term estimates of sediment yield were derived from a study of reservoir sediments. Magnetic properties were used to correlate ten cores to a master profile dated using ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs. A ¹⁴C date suggests that most of the organic component of the sediment is allochthonous and derived from peat eroded from the catchment. Organic sediment yields suggest low catchment erosion rates between 1838 and 1963. Blanket peat erosion increased significantly after 1963, and peaked between 1976 and 1984. Estimates of total sediment yield range between 2 and 28 t km^?2 a^?1. These yields are significantly lower than those from some previous studies examining reservoir sedimentation in other blanket peat‐covered catchments. The low yield estimates may be due to relatively low rates of erosion in the basin, but may also be partly explained by maintenance of silt traps during the early life of the reservoir and removal of sediment by scouring. Sedimentation within the reservoir is spatially variable, and bathymetry and sediment source appear to be the dominant controls on sedimentation patterns within the reservoir. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Growth of Micromycetes in Activated Sludge Media

Today already numerous micromycetes are a recognized part of the biocenosis of growth in receiving waters strongly polluted by organically rich waste waters and of growth on biofilter media surfaces. The principal representatives are some Deuteromycetes, Mucorales and Saccharomycetaceae, whereas the so-called true aquatic fungi (Oomycetes) with the exception of Leptomitus lacteus are practically absent. The growth of micromycetes in activated sludge remains still an unanswered question. Generally, the filaments in the activated sludge are ascribed to filamentous bacteria and as long as fungi were isolated from activated sludge their presence has been reported only in the form of spores. The nitrogen deficiency with regard to carbon present in the waste water is considered as one of the factors enhancing the development of fungi in the activated sludge. In a series of 13 tests carried out on laboratory-scale batch models using synthetic waste water, where the carbon source was glucose and the nitrogen source was (a) sodium nitrate, (b) ammonium sulphate, and (c) peptone, the fungal growth was studied in different models with the BOD:N ratio varying from 20 to 1000. The models were seeded with thickened activated sludge from the municipal sewage works. The sludge did not contain any microscopically detectable forms of fungoid growth. It was found that the fungi in activated-sludge medium grow well and both in the forms of single cells, occuring independently and in chains, as well as in the form of long branched filaments. In some instances, the micromycetes formed up to 80 to 100 per cent of the biocenosis of the activated-sludge flocs, but the dependency of their development on the increasing BOD:N ratios in the waste water has not been ascertained. Fifteen species of micromycetes were isolated and identified, and in addition several representatives of Saccharomycetaceae, which were not identified.     

Experiences with unexploded ordnance discrimination using magnetometry at a live-site in Montana

Advanced discrimination methods and careful optimization of operational procedures are critical for efficient remediation of unexploded ordnance (UXO) contaminated sites. In this paper, we report on our experiences with a 200 acre magnetic survey that was collected and processed under production survey conditions at Chevallier Ranch, Montana. All anomalies with fitted moments above 0.05 Am² were excavated. During the survey the magnetic remanence metric was predicted but not used to guide the discrimination. The retrospective analysis presented here reveals that discrimination using remanence would have significantly reduced the total number of anomalies (with good dipolar fits) that needed to be excavated, from 524 to 290 while still recovering all 69 UXO. The false alarm rate (FAR = number of non-UXOs excavated divided / number of UXO found) was reduced from 6.3 to 2.9. At a cut-off of 75% remanence, 77% of anomalies due to shrapnel and metallic debris and 64% of geological anomalies were rejected.Geological anomalies due to variations in magnetite concentration introduced a significant human-element into the interpretation process. Three different interpreters added a total of 305 additional anomalies that were not fit with a dipole model and which were later found to be non-UXO. Between 40 and 50% of anomalies picked by the two relatively inexperienced interpreters who analyzed the data turned out to be geology, as compared to 14% for an experienced interpreter. Critical analysis of results, operator training and feedback from the UXO technicians validating the anomaly are essential components towards improving the quality and consistency of the anomaly interpretations. This is consistent with the tenants of Total Quality Management (TQM). We compare the actual FAR that resulted during the survey when there was little feedback between UXO technician validation results, to a hypothetical result that could have been achieved had there been a constant feedback system in place at the onset of operations. Feedback would have significantly reduced the number of geological anomalies and decreased the FAR from 10.7 to 4.0.The hypothetical results presented here demonstrate the value of using TQM principles to guide the UXO remediation process. They further show that improvements in the efficiency and costs of UXO remediation require both technological advances and operational optimization of the technology when implemented in a production setting. Furthermore, by treating geophysical modeling and UXO validation as separate entities, both with respect to contracting and operational reporting, there is little incentive for the geophysicist to leave an anomaly off the dig-sheet. Only potential negative consequences will result if that anomaly is later found to be a UXO. An incentive based mechanism that rewards the geophysicist for reductions in follow-on costs would have a strong potential to reduce the number of unnecessary excavations, and hence reduce the total cost of the UXO remediation effort.     

Characteristics of Activated Sludge in an Anoxic Baffled Reactor

This study characterized sludge from an anoxic baffled reactor (ABR) used to treat textile dyeing wastewater. The process was run over 150 days. On day 152, five sludge samples were collected from compartments 1–5 of the ABR and a set of captive tests was conducted to investigate their particle size distributions (PSDs), dye biosorption and biodegradation properties, and dehydrogenase activity (DHA). The results indicated that the PSD of the five sludge samples from the ABR were similar. Methylene blue biosorption to the sludge samples followed the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model and the actual biosorption process was controlled by external and intraparticle diffusion, simultaneously. After the sludge samples were cultivated for 24 h, the acid red GR dye removal efficiencies were 59.5, 68.3, 76.4, 61.5, and 65.4%, respectively. Eliminating dye biosorption, the dye biodegradation efficiencies were only 38.8, 46.3, 52.6, 48.3, and 46.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the DHA values were 28.2, 45.3, 56.5, 41.0, and 35.0 µg TF mL^?1 h^?1, respectively, and the DHA variation was in accordance with the dye biodegradation efficiency variation.     

CBCT在牙中牙诊断和治疗中的临床应用

目的:探讨CBCT在牙中牙诊断及治疗中的临床应用价值。方法:对3例经X线根尖片或曲面体层摄片发现的牙中牙病例进行CBCT扫描。利用CBCT三维重建影像,观察牙中牙的根管腔形态、内陷牙的数目和内陷牙髓腔的形状以及治疗后牙中牙内腔隙的封闭情况,并且与X线根尖片、曲面体层摄片比较。结果:CBCT能清晰显示牙中牙的根管腔形态、内陷牙的数目和内陷牙髓腔的形状以及治疗后牙中牙内腔隙的封闭情况等。结论:CBCT扫描能够全面地提供牙中牙治疗前后的影像信息,有利于牙中牙的诊断和治疗。     

Ability of Activated Sludge to Degrade Nitrobenzene in Municipal Wastewater

Both susceptibility to chemical oxidation and biodegradability of nitrobenzene are determined. Nitrobenzene is found to be resistant to chemical oxidation with potassium permanganate and is partially oxidized with potassium dichromate. Biodegradability is studied in a batch and in a flow-through system both with municipal and with artificially prepared wastewaters. Nitrobenzene present in municipal wastewater at 300 g/m³ concentrations is found to be biodegradable after adaptation of the biomass. In a flow-through system nitrobenzene is degradable at 400 g/m³ concentration. Concentrations exceeding 10 g/m³ inhibit the nitrification process.     

Vadose Zone Monitoring: Experiences and Trends in the United States

The vadose zone is the portion of the geologic profile above a perennial aquifer. Inclusion of mandatory vadose zone monitoring techniques as an approach to aquifer protect ion was first proposed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in the United States in 1978 and has since received increasing acceptance at federal and stale levels. The goals of a vadose zone characterization and monitoring effort are to establish background conditions, identify contaminant transport pathways, identify the extent and degree of existing contamination, establish the basis for monitoring network design, measure the parameters needed in a risk assessment, and provide detection of contaminant migration toward ground water resources. The benefits of vadose zone monitoring include early warning of contaminant migration, potential reduction of ground water monitoring efforts, reduction of contaminant spreading and volume, and reduced time and cost of remediation once a contaminant release occurs. Vadose zone characterization and monitoring techniques should be considered as critical hydrologic tools in the prevention of ground water resource degradation.     

The Influence of the TTC Concentration on the Determination of Activated Sludge Activity

For a correct determination of the activated sludge activity with the aid of TTC an optimum TTC concentration is required not only in the solution, but also as related to the biomass. Since TTC has toxic effects on bacteria, the selection of the optimum TTC concentration is connected with problems: in the suboptimal range the TTC concentration as referred to the existing bioactivity is too low, in the supraoptimal range the toxic effect does not permit any correct determination of activity. A generally optimum range cannot be stated due to the very different activities and sensitivities of the present bacterial populations. Therefore, the application of the TTC methods requires the simultaneous parallel application of different TTC concentrations and the determination of the activity in the plateau range of the relation between the TTC concentration and the formazan concentration formed.