污泥屏障渗透性及重金属阻截效果试验研究

目前,废弃物处置场渗滤液中的重金属污染物只能依靠极低渗透性的水力屏障来控制,还不存在利用化学场专门拦截重金属污染物的反应型屏障。在有机结合生活污泥的低渗透性与丰富的有机质和厌氧微生物特性的基础上,提出“污泥屏障”的构想。研究利用柔性壁渗透仪测量不同有效应力作用下生活污泥试样的渗透系数,并对渗出液的化学性质进行了监测,验证污泥屏障的可行性。试验结果表明：随着有效应力的增大,污泥试样干密度提高,渗透系数的对数值随孔隙比的减小线性降低。试样内部微生物厌氧呼吸形成的生物膜和无机物沉淀以及黏土颗粒双电层厚度的增大,也是污泥渗透系数降低的原因,污泥渗透系数仅为 数量级。另外,污泥强烈吸附能力及厌氧微生物呼吸作用形成的中-弱碱性还原环境,对渗透液中的Zn和Cd都起到了很好的拦截作用。     

Composting of olive processing wastes and tomato stalks together with sewage sludge or dairy manure

In this study, composting of olive pomace from three-phase oil production system, sewage sludge, dairy manure, and tomato stalks were carried out. The effects of carbon/nitrogen ratio on decomposition rate of composting were investigated with constant free air spaces of composting mixtures. Composting process was carried out in the aerobic reactors made of stainless steel which were monitored for 32 days. Temperature-controlled feedback system was operated based on the Rutgers strategy. Temperature, moisture, organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity total carbon, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorus as well as potassium were monitored during the composting process. In addition, mass and volume changes of the mixtures were determined. The highest degree of decomposition was determined for the mixture (carbon/nitrogen ratio of 20) based on the dry matter loss where the maximum amount of sewage sludge was used. On the other hand, maximum decomposition occurred at a carbon/nitrogen ratio of 23 for mixtures containing dairy manure. The increase in the use of olive pomace in mixtures had adverse effects on the decomposition process. The stabilization process in the mixture containing dairy manure lasted shorter than the mixtures containing sewage sludge.     

Changes in physical and chemical properties of three soil types in India as a result of amendment with fly ash and sewage sludge

The use of coal fly ash and domestic sewage sludge in agriculture is being considered as one of the methods for recycling of these wastes in an environmental beneficial manner. Mixtures with soil were prepared at different proportions of fly ash and sludge, either alone or in combination at a maximum application rate of 52 t ha^-1. The changes in the selected properties and heavy metal contents of three soil types in India were studied after incubating the respective mixtures for 90 days at near field capacity moisture level. Sewage sludge, due to its acidic and saline nature, high organic matter and heavy metals content, had more impact on soil properties than the fly ash. Sludge application produced several changes including an increase in available nitrogen, organic carbon, salinity and water-holding capacity of the soils. The concentrations of major cations and heavy metals also increased because of the sludge application and the pH was decreased. However, the levels of individual metal concentrations in all the mixture types were below the allowable limits prescribed by several environmental agencies. Using fly ash either alone or in equal quantity with sewage sludge had little influence on soil properties and heavy metal content. The relative availability (RA) of heavy metals in three soils amended with 52 t ha^-1 of sewage sludge was observed to be highest in oxisol, followed by alfisol and vertisol.     

Applicability of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for typical sewage of a small community: its biomass reactivation after shutdown

In this study, the characteristics of sewage of small community were determined for 6 months to ascertain the type of treatment required in subtropical conditions. The results demarcated sewage of this community as a medium-strength wastewater (chemical oxygen demand: 475 mg/L, biochemical oxygen demand: 240 mg/L and total suspended solids: 434 mg/L). Chemical oxygen demand to sulphate ratio of the sewage (11.6) established that it was amenable to anaerobic digestion. The temperature, strength, biodegradability and components of sewage were suitable for anaerobic digestion, and thus, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) was selected for its treatment. These reactors are often shutdown in small communities due to environmental and/or socio-economic factors. The ability of two UASB reactors, seeded with cow dung (UASB_CD) and activated sludge of a dairy treatment plant (UASB_ASDIT) to restart after a long idle period of 12 months, was investigated along with sludge analysis by scanning electron microscope. Biomass in both reactors reactivated rapidly after shutdown period and within 30 days after substrate feeding achieved uniform removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, chloride and oil and grease. Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of both reactors became uniform and remained close to 80% after 30 days through reactivation of microbes in sludge bed due to adequate food and temperature conditions. During restart-up, at an average organic loading rate of 0.902 kg COD/m³ per day, methane yields of 0.091 and 0.084 m³/kg COD removed were achieved for UASB_CD and UASB_ASDIT reactors, respectively.     

Exploitation of gold in a historic sewage sludge stockpile, Werribee, Australia: resource evaluation, chemical extraction and subsequent utilisation of sludge

Sewage sludges are dewatered end products of human sewage waste and are recognised repositories of organic pollutants and heavy metals. They may be considered targets for economic extraction of Au because of the documented Au content of sewage sludges worldwide which are of the order of some ore deposits currently mined for Au. They are also highly nutrient enriched (nitrogen and phosphorus) and therefore amenable to use as agricultural fertiliser or as covers for mine wastes. The sewage of Melbourne, Australia, a city with a current population of 3.3 million, was stockpiled in large, closed, lagoonal tanks from 1898 until 1980. In 1995 Echidna Mining, an Australian gold exploration company, acquired the exploration rights to the ground surrounding the historic sludge reserves and commenced a program of resource evaluation, utilising RNAA, INAA, GFAAS, ICP–MS and FLAAS to determine 31 elements, including Au, Ag, Sb, As, Cd, Hg, Zn, Cu, and Pb. The study was initiated to determine Au, Ag and other metal variations in both space and time and to investigate the economics of chemical extraction of the precious metals. A total of 149 samples from over 50 hand-auger drillholes to a depth up to 4 m have been analysed from the stockpiles, with Au assays yielding remarkably consistent results. Average grades of 0.77 g/t Au and 18.8 g/t Ag have been documented for a measured resource of 770,000 m³ (of an estimated 1.6–2.5 million m³ contained) at a density of 1.0 g/cm³ and an average moisture content of around 40%. Laboratory-based extractive metallurgy of the Werribee sludges has demonstrated that Au, Ag and Zn can be removed with relative ease by heap-leaching using modified conventional technology, albeit with prohibitive reagent consumption. The extraction of the precious metals also results in the variable removal of contaminant metals such as Cd, As, Sb, Hg and Cr which may render the sludges fit for sale as agricultural fertiliser, provided organic pollutants and pathogenic organisms are below governmental environmental protection limits, an area beyond the scope of this paper. Another potential avenue of the exploitation of sewage sludges is discussed: that of the utilisation of sludges to extract contaminant metals from waste water and contaminated mine waters, which we demonstrate on pure aqueous synthetic samples. This paper presents a study of the exploitation of an historic sludge resource for its contained Au and residue post-metal extraction.     

Ecotoxicological assessment of heavy metals in sewage sludge amended soils

Contamination of soils by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (e.g. Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd) from amendments of sewage sludge is subject to strict controls within the European Community in relation to total permissible metal concentrations, soil properties and intended use. This paper highlights the need for ecotoxicological data for the assessment of PTE impacts in addition to geochemical data alone. The soil microflora plays an essential role in determining levels of soil fertility, being intimately associated with the biogeochemical cycling of essential plant nutrients and the turnover of organic carbon. The measurement of soil microbiological parameters can provide insight into the impact of PTEs upon soil fertility, where geochemical analysis alone can often be inadequate to assess contaminant effects on essential components of the soil ecosystem. Microbial investigations were conducted on soils sampled from a well-controlled field experiment previously amended with specific types and rates of sewage sludge. Key microbiological parameters measured included the activity of the dehydrogenase enzyme and the presence and number of effective nitrogen fixing cells of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii capable of nodulating the host plant, white clover (Trifolium repens). Results were evaluated with respect to maximum permissible concentrations of PTEs in sludge amended soils, as stipulated under UK limit values and the European Directive 86/278/EEC. Important effects on the size of the Rhizobium population and dehydrogenase activity were apparent in soils samples in relation to the soil pH, sludge type, addition rates and the concentrations of PTE present.     

Chemical analysis of contaminated soil strengthened by the addition of lime

Strengthening of contaminated materials using inorganic cementitious agents is becoming more widely used in the UK. The method has particular advantages for bulk fill operations such as highway earthworks. Research has been done into the chemical characteristics of leachates and leached solid samples from a study into the long-term durability of a lime strengthened silt/pfa mixture amended with sewage sludge. This involved determinations of chemical composition and mineralogy, and geochemical modelling using . None of the heavy metals tested is present in the leachate at a concentration likely to pose a significant environmental threat, although some were present to a higher degree than expected based on the inorganic chemistry. This is ascribed to complexation of the heavy metals with dissolved organic matter.     

处置库污泥工程特性测试研究

对某填埋场污泥库中取样的污泥进行了岩土工程特性测试,包括有机质含量、含水率、界限含水率、颗粒级配、渗透系数、压缩固结特性及抗剪强度等。试验结果表明,与常规淤泥相比,污泥库中经一段时间降解后污泥有机质含量及含水率较高,平均值分别为45%和520%;污泥在历时2 a的生物降解作用下,污泥含水率、有机质含量沿深度呈较为明显的减少趋势;污泥具有极高的压缩性,压缩系数a100-200高达7 MPa-1;污泥的固结表现为非线性大变形特性,其固结系数在10-5～10-6 cm2/s,比淤泥低1～2个数量级,固结系数随压力的增加而显著减少;污泥的抗剪强度参数较小,其黏聚力为0,内摩擦角为14.7°。有机质含量高是污泥高含水率、高液塑性指数、高压缩性,低渗透性、低固结系数及低抗剪强度的本质原因。以上成果可为污泥库的固化处置、稳定分析等提供必要的参数。     

Reuse of dewatered sewage sludge conditioned with skeleton builders as landfill cover material

High water and organic content of sewage sludge constricts its reuse and disposal. It is often necessary to solidify/stabilize the dewatered sludge with solidifying agents before landfill disposal. In this study, the sewage sludge was conditioned with skeleton builders, i.e., fly ash and lime combined with ferric chloride for the purpose of improving the dewatering efficiency. The dewatered sewage sludge was then directly reused as landfill cover materials since the skeleton builders also play a role in solidification of sludge. The geotechnical properties of the dewatered sewage sludge were investigated. The results show that the plasticity index of the dewatered sludge increases compared to that of the dewatered sludge without any conditioner, and the permeability coefficient changes from 10^?8 to 10^?5 cm s^?1. Furthermore, the strength of specimens increase with curing days. Microstructure analyses reveal that the main hydrated products are calcium silicate hydrate and ettringite, which contribute to the solidification/stabilization of the dewatered sludge. The results indicate that the dewatered sewage sludge conditioned with skeleton builders can be used as landfill covers. This study provides an alternative for traditional sewage sludge treatment and disposal.     

陈化污泥理化特性对泥饼渗透性的影响研究

开展陈化污泥渗透特性研究对于填埋库污泥脱水减量作业具有重要指导意义。选取了8种不同陈化条件下的污泥,开展了压缩排水试验,测定了陈化污泥上清液中可溶性有机物含量和类型,以及陈化污泥聚合体粒径分布与滤液的Zeta电位,并通过皮尔逊相关性分析研究了陈化污泥各物理化学特性间的相互作用。结果表明,随着上清液中可溶性有机物含量的减少、相对腐质化程度的增高与滤液Zeta电位绝对值的增大,陈化污泥的可渗透性增大。同时,当陈化污泥聚合体趋于稳定和粒径增大时,包裹在聚合体中的有机物不易释放到上清液中,陈化污泥可渗透性增大。另外,由于陈化环境的影响,陈化污泥总有机含量变化与上清液中有机物含量变化缺乏一致性,依据陈化污泥有机质含量判断渗透性会造成错误。最后,建立了陈化污泥比阻的影响模型,对于预处理过程中如何改善陈化污泥渗透性具有参考意义。     

陈化污泥理化特性对泥饼渗透性的影响研究

开展陈化污泥渗透特性研究对于填埋库污泥脱水减量作业具有重要指导意义。选取了8种不同陈化条件下的污泥,开展了压缩排水试验,测定了陈化污泥上清液中可溶性有机物含量和类型,以及陈化污泥聚合体粒径分布与滤液的Zeta电位,并通过皮尔逊相关性分析研究了陈化污泥各物理化学特性间的相互作用。结果表明,随着上清液中可溶性有机物含量的减少、相对腐质化程度的增高与滤液Zeta电位绝对值的增大,陈化污泥的可渗透性增大。同时,当陈化污泥聚合体趋于稳定和粒径增大时,包裹在聚合体中的有机物不易释放到上清液中,陈化污泥可渗透性增大。另外,由于陈化环境的影响,陈化污泥总有机含量变化与上清液中有机物含量变化缺乏一致性,依据陈化污泥有机质含量判断渗透性会造成错误。最后,建立了陈化污泥比阻的影响模型,对于预处理过程中如何改善陈化污泥渗透性具有参考意义。     

Competitive adsorption of trace elements in calcareous soils as affected by sewage sludge,poultry manure,and municipal waste compost

The competitive adsorption of trace elements is a key issue in assessing the mobility of trace elements in calcareous soils and can be affected by disposal of sewage sludge, municipal waste, and poultry manure. The effect of municipal sewage sludge, poultry manure, and municipal waste compost on the sorption of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni) in surface samples of three calcareous soils was studied. As the applied concentrations increased, Cu and Cd adsorption increased, while Zn and Ni adsorption decreased in all treatments. Based on the distribution coefficient (K _d) values and proportion of increase or decrease in metal adsorption, the selectivity sequence in control and amended soils found was Cu ≫ Cd ≫ Ni > Zn and Cu ≫ Cd ≫ Zn > Ni, respectively. In general, among control and amended soils, control soils showed the highest K _d for Cd, Cu, and Ni, while sludge, poultry manure, and composted waste-amended soils had lowest K _d for Cd, Cu, and Ni, respectively. In the case of Zn, composted waste-amended and control soils had highest and lowest K _d, respectively. The present experimental results indicated that the addition of organic amendments to these calcareous soils reduced the sorption of Cd, Cu, and Ni. Thus, the effects of preferential adsorption and organic matter should be considered in assessing the risk associated with applying sewage sludge, poultry manure, and composted material to calcareous soils.     

Activated sludge properties in a submerged membrane bioreactor: effect of COD/TKN ratio of wastewater

The properties of activated sludge are very important in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) in terms of membrane fouling. The most important parameters affecting the membrane fouling can be listed as mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) concentration, soluble microbial products (SMPs), extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), floc size, aeration and viscosity of both supernatant and activated sludge. The COD/TKN ratio also affects the physical properties of sludge in MBR system. This study aimed to investigate the effect of chemical oxygen demand-to-total Kjeldahl nitrogen (COD/TKN) ratio of feed wastewater treated in an MBR on biological components of activated sludge. The activated sludge characteristics were determined by quantitative analyses such as MLSS, EPS, SMP, floc size distribution, zeta potential, relative hydrophobicity and capillary suction time in a submerged MBR treating simulated wastewater having different COD/TKN ratios (16, 56 and 107). The COD and TKN removal efficiencies were found to be almost equal in the sMBRs having different COD/TKN ratios. However, it was seen that the EPS content and SMP concentration in the supernatant increased with increasing COD/TKN ratio. The results indicated that the COD/TKN ratio of feed should be considered as an effective parameter on activated sludge properties in sMBR systems.     

Enzymatic activity as an indicator of regeneration processes in degraded soil reclaimed with various types of waste

Soil material sampled from a reclamation experiment established in a former “Jeziórko” Sulphur Mine was analysed. The reclamation was carried out on a soil-less substrate with a particle size distribution of slightly loamy sand characterised by high acidity and poor sorption capacity. The different variants of the experiment consisted in the addition of post-flotation lime, mineral fertilisation, sewage sludge, and mineral wool to the reclaimed soil-less substrate. Next, the plots prepared in this way were sown with a mixture of grasses. A plot without any reclamation treatments served as a control. The analyses consisted in the determination of soil enzymatic parameters. The results obtained revealed a positive effect of the reclamation treatments on the analysed properties. All wastes and combinations thereof introduced into the degraded substrate stimulated catalase, protease, and urease activity. The activity of the other enzymes, i.e. dehydrogenases and acid phosphatase, as well as the level of fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis increased only in objects treated with sewage sludge. In turn, in objects receiving mineral fertilisation, a decline in the acid phosphatase activity was noted. In objects treated with mineral wool, the level of stimulation was dependent on the mode of application of this additive. In general, a mixture of 500 m³ ha^?1 of mineral wool with the substrate proved more beneficial (with the exception of the acid phosphatase activity and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis). A higher increase in the analysed enzymatic parameters was also found in objects treated with sewage sludge combined with post-flotation lime than in objects where sewage sludge was used alone.     

Assessment of nutrient and heavy metal content and speciation in sewage sludge from different locations in Iran

More than 80% of sewage sludge (SS) produced in Iran is landfilled with high environmental impact. The chemical properties of SS produced from wastewater plants of cites of Arak, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Rasht, Saveh, Shiraz, Sanandaj, Tehran, Takestan, and Toyserkan were studied to assess the potential beneficial effects of their application to agricultural soil as sustainable SS management. The pH and EC values, total content and water-soluble concentration of nutrients and heavy metals, their water-extractable pools were determined, and their speciation was done through the NICA–Donnan model using the Visual MINTEQ software. Relatively high contents of N, P, and physiologically active cations indicated potential beneficial effects of SS for land application in the agro-ecosystems, whereas the heavy metal content depended on the SS production site, with higher levels found in the SS of the Arak and Saveh wastewater treatment plants. The pH value was the main factor controlling the metal speciation, with Cu and Pb having the highest affinity for the organic matter, and Zn and Mn being mainly present as free ions or inorganic species. Results showed that SS from different locations in Iran differed in their main chemical properties and elemental composition and that speciation analysis could be used to predict potential beneficial and harmful effects of SS, particularly upon the modeling of metal–organic complexes by the NICA–Donnan approach. Globally, our results confirmed that while the SS produced in Iran has potential suitable chemical properties for use in agriculture, their heavy metals load should not be ignored.

     

Activated sludge acclimation for toluene and DEHP degradation in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor

The effect of activated sludge acclimation on the biodegradation of toluene in the presence of a biodegradable non-aqueous phase liquid, di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor was characterized. The influence of the presence of DEHP, at a ratio of 0.1 % (volume ratio), and of the acclimation of activated sludge (AS) on the biodegradation of hydrophobic VOC was studied. AS was acclimated to both toluene and DEHP simultaneously. Using acclimated cells, 73 and 96 % improvement of the mean biodegradation rates was recorded for toluene and the organic solvent (DEHP), respectively, if compared to the values recorded in the absence of acclimation, during tests performed in Erlenmeyer flasks. Degradation rates were further improved by the use of acclimated AS in a reactor with a large head space; degradation yields for toluene and DEHP were above 99 and 89 %, respectively.     

Investigation of solid waste soil as road construction material

The geotechnical properties of solid waste soils for use as sub-base materials in road construction were investigated. A series of field tests and laboratory tests were performed to assess the physical and mechanical properties of the solid waste soils sampled from a landfill site, near to a riverside, which had been reclaimed over the last two decades. The tests showed that geotechnical properties are clearly affected by the magnitude of organic matter content. As the organic matter content increases, the maximum dry unit weight, the shear strength and bearing capacity of ground decrease, while the void ratio and compressibility increase. If the organic matter content is more than about 8% in solid waste soils, it is not suitable for use as a sub-base material in road construction due to the significant decrease of shear strength and bearing capacity.     

Anaerobic co-digestion of sewage and brewery sludge for biogas production and land application

In Thailand, sewage sludge production from the Bangkok metropolitan area can reach up to 63,000 ton/y by 2010. The Beer-Thai Company, Thailand, produces beer and generates lots of sludge as waste. Sewage sludge and brewery sludge can be used to generate energy which could be saved on the fossil fuels conventionally used as a source of energy. The possibility was explored to mix brewery sludge with sewage sludge at different mixing ratios for anaerobic digestion so that the energy can be generated as biogas and at the same time, digested sewage sludge can be used as fertilizer for agricultural applications. A batch anaerobic reactor under mesophilic condition for a digestion period of 40 days was used in the laboratory. The acrylic reactor was cylindrical with a working weight of 12 kg. The diameter was 23.7 cm and the height was 34.5 cm. Sludge mixtures at different ratios were fed into the reactors and the optimum mixing ratio was determined. Experimental results showed that the sludge mixture at ratio of 25:75 % by weight (sewage:brewery) yielded higher biogas production. A reduction in heavy metals and pathogens was observed at this ratio after the digestion indicating its safe use as fertilizer. Nitrogen content was about 4.95 % which is well above the commercial fertilizers. At optimum mixing ratio of 25:75, the amount of the generated biogas is 1.15×10⁶ m³/y. This large amount of biogas is equivalent to 1.44 million kWh/y of electricity, 561,000 L/y of diesel oil and 936,000 L/y of vehicle gasoline.     

5β-isomers of stanols and stanones as potential markers of sedimentary organic quality and depositional paleoenvironments

Organic molecules originating only from the in situ diagenesis of biogenic molecules are ideal geochemical fossils which may provide information essential for the characterization and reconstruction of depositional environments and subsequent chemical reactions during diagenesis. It is proposed herein that this is the case for the 5β-isomers of stanols and stanones produced during stenol hydrogenation in young aquatic sediments, if shown to be essentially free of any major anthropogenic pollution (particularly, sewage). In order to clarify the environmental factors controlling the production of the 5β-steroidal isomers from stenols in recent aquatic sediments, attempts were made to relate the occurrence of 5β-stanols to various environmental parameters. Positive correlations between elevated concentrations of 5β-stanols and the degree of autochthonous contribution to sedimentary organic matter were consistently found in various surface aquatic sediments from a wide variety of depositional environments and also in older sediments extending even to the late Pleistocene. According to this finding, it was concluded that the primary factor controlling the conversion of stenols to 5β-stanols through 5β-stanones in anaerobic aquatic sediments is probably the relative contribution of autochthonous organic matter suitable for microbial metabolism (i.e. metabolizable organic matter) to the sediments. Consequently, it is proposed that the 5β-isomers of stanols and stanones, at least in immature aquatic (marine and non-marine) sediments, can serve as primary markers for defining the quality of sedimentary organic matter (viz. the relative contribution of metabolizable organic materials to sedimentary organic matter) and as indicators for the types and rates of microbiological activities responsible for early diagenesis of organic matter in anaerobic sediments. It is also suggested that the combination of the 5β-steroidal isomers with organic source parameters will allow these compounds to assist in indicating oxic or anoxic depositional environments.     

Moving bed biofilm reactor to treat wastewater

This review carries out a comparative study of advanced technologies to design, upgrade and rehabilitate wastewater treatment plants. The study analyzed the relevant researches in the last years about the moving bed biofilm reactor process with only attached biomass and with hybrid biomass, which combined attached and suspended growth; both could be coupled with a secondary settling tank or microfiltration/ultrafiltration membrane as a separation system. The physical process of membrane separation improved the organic matter and NH₄ ⁺-N removal efficiencies compared with the settling tank. In particular, the pure moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor showed average chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand on the fifth day and total nitrogen removal efficiencies of 88.32, 90.84 and 60.17%, respectively, and the hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor had mean chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand on the fifth day and total nitrogen reduction percentages of 91.18, 97.34 and 68.71%, respectively. Moreover, the hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor showed the best efficiency regarding organic matter removal for low hydraulic retention times, so this system would enable the rehabilitation of activated sludge plants and membrane bioreactors that did not comply with legislation regarding organic matter removal. As the pure moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor performed better than the hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor concerning the total nitrogen removal under low hydraulic retention times, this system could be used to adapt wastewater treatment plants whose effluent was flowed into sensitive zones where total nitrogen concentration was restricted. This technology has been reliably used to upgrade overloaded existing conventional activated sludge plants, to treat wastewater coming from textile, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, paper mill or hospital effluents, to treat wastewater containing recalcitrant compounds efficiently, and to treat wastewater with high salinity and/or low and high temperatures.