The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Veera Gnaneswar Gude - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Wastewater Treatment in microbial fuel cells - An overview
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016Co-Authors: Veera Gnaneswar GudeAbstract:Environmental issues associated with water sanitation are not confined to developing countries alone but are the most basic human and environmental necessities all over the world. Wastewater sources are major causes for environmental pollution in surface and ground water bodies. Current Wastewater Treatment technologies are not sustainable to meet the ever growing water sanitation needs due to rapid industrialization and population growth, simply because they are energy- and cost-intensive leaving latitude for development of technologies that are energy-conservative or energy-yielding. For the present and future context, microbial fuel cells technology may present a sustainable and an environmentally friendly route to meet the water sanitation needs. Microbial fuel cell based Wastewater systems employ bioelectrochemical catalytic activity of microbes to produce electricity from the oxidation of organic, and in some cases inorganic, substrates present in urban sewage, agricultural, dairy, food and industrial Wastewaters. This article presents the potential for energy generation and comprehensive Wastewater Treatment in microbial fuel cells. The article provides an overview of recent literature with two specific aims. First, it provides an overview of current energy needs for Wastewater Treatment and potential energy recovery options followed by a comprehensive review of the principles of Wastewater Treatment, substrate utilization (organic removal), recent process developments, nutrient and metal removal capacities in microbial fuel cells. Several issues related to process performance, organic removal capacities and potential environmental impacts were discussed in detail. From the economic and life cycle assessment point of view, although recent developments in power production are encouraging, important discoveries in electrode materials, innovative and integrated process configurations along with experience in pilot scale studies are urgently required to determine the real potential of the microbial fuel cell technology to provide sustainable and energy-positive Wastewater Treatment.
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energy and water autarky of Wastewater Treatment and power generation systems
Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015Co-Authors: Veera Gnaneswar GudeAbstract:The energy-water nexus of the water supply, Wastewater Treatment and power generation systems has been well discussed. It is very clear that one source cannot be produced or supplied without involving the other source. Since the two systems are intertwined with mutual needs, it is difficult to resolve the issues associated with them in isolation. However, combined solutions through integrated approaches may not be feasible in all situations. Therefore, it is important to consider the energy or water autarky (self-sufficiency) of these systems. If these systems can achieve autarky for the energy and water needs independently, such configurations can be considered sustainable. This review paper presents the energy and water needs for water supply, Wastewater Treatment, and power generation systems and critically examines the potential opportunities for achieving energy and water autarky in these systems. A detailed view of the water supply and Wastewater Treatment systems’ energy footprint was presented and similarly the water footprint of various power plants. Different approaches for achieving energy autarky in the Wastewater Treatment systems as well as approaches for water autarky in the power generation systems were discussed. It is imperative that future developments should consider an integrated design approach to improve the overall system autarky by communicating between the two individual systems, by considering synergistic energy-water production, by collaborating resources planning and energy-water infrastructure synergies supported by science and system-based natural resource policies and regulations.
Diana Z. Sousa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Meta-omics approaches to understand and improve Wastewater Treatment systems
Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio Technology, 2015Co-Authors: Elisa Rodríguez, Pedro A. García-encina, Alfons J. M. Stams, Farai Maphosa, Diana Z. SousaAbstract:Biological Treatment of Wastewaters depends on microbial processes, usually carried out by mixed microbial communities. Environmental and operational factors can affect microorganisms and/or impact microbial community function, and this has repercussion in bioreactor performance. Novel high-throughput molecular methods (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics, metabolomics) are providing detailed knowledge on the microorganisms governing Wastewater Treatment systems and on their metabolic capabilities. The genomes of uncultured microbes with key roles in Wastewater Treatment plants (WWTP), such as the polyphosphate-accumulating microorganism “ Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis”, the nitrite oxidizer “ Candidatus Nitrospira defluvii” or the anammox bacterium “ Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis” are now available through metagenomic studies. Metagenomics allows to genetically characterize full-scale WWTP and provides information on the lifestyles and physiology of key microorganisms for Wastewater Treatment. Integrating metagenomic data of microorganisms with metatranscriptomic, metaproteomic and metabolomic information provides a better understanding of the microbial responses to perturbations or environmental variations. Data integration may allow the creation of predictive behavior models of Wastewater ecosystems, which could help in an improved exploitation of microbial processes. This review discusses the impact of meta-omic approaches on the understanding of Wastewater Treatment processes, and the implications of these methods for the optimization and design of Wastewater Treatment bioreactors.
Zhen He - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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towards sustainable Wastewater Treatment by using microbial fuel cells centered technologies
Energy and Environmental Science, 2013Co-Authors: Wenwei Li, Hanqing Yu, Zhen HeAbstract:Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been conceived and intensively studied as a promising technology to achieve sustainable Wastewater Treatment. However, doubts and debates arose in recent years regarding the technical and economic viability of this technology on a larger scale and in a real-world applications. Hence, it is time to think about and examine how to recalibrate this technology's role in a future paradigm of sustainable Wastewater Treatment. In the past years, many good ideas/approaches have been proposed and investigated for MFC application, but information is scattered. Various review papers were published on MFC configuration, substrates, electrode materials, separators and microbiology but there is lack of critical thinking and systematic analysis of MFC application niche in Wastewater Treatment. To systematically formulate a strategy of (potentially) practical MFC application and provide information to guide MFC development, this perspective has critically examined and discussed the problems and challenges for developing MFC technology, and identified a possible application niche whereby MFCs can be rationally incorporated into the Treatment process. We propose integration of MFCs with other Treatment technologies to form an MFC-centered Treatment scheme based on thoroughly analyzing the challenges and opportunities, and discuss future efforts to be made for realizing sustainable Wastewater Treatment.
Dick H. Eikelboom - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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minimization of excess sludge production for biological Wastewater Treatment
Water Research, 2003Co-Authors: Renze Van Houten, Arjan R. Borger, Dick H. EikelboomAbstract:Excess sludge Treatment and disposal currently represents a rising challenge for Wastewater Treatment plants (WWTPs) due to economic, environmental and regulation factors. There is therefore considerable impetus to explore and develop strategies and technologies for reducing excess sludge production in biological Wastewater Treatment processes. This paper reviews current strategies for reducing sludge production based on these mechanisms: lysis-cryptic growth, uncoupling metabolism, maintenance metabolism, and predation on bacteria. The strategies for sludge reduction should be evaluated and chosen for practical application using costs analysis and assessment of environmental impact. High costs still limit technologies of sludge ozonation-cryptic growth and membrane bioreactor from spreading application in full-scale WWTPs. Bioacclimation and harmful to environment are major bottlenecks for chemical uncoupler in practical application. Sludge reduction induced by oligochaetes may present a cost-effective way for WWTPs if unstable worm growth is solved. Employing any strategy for reducing sludge production may have an impact on microbial community in biological Wastewater Treatment processes. This impact may influence the sludge characteristics and the quality of effluent.
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minimization of excess sludge production for biological Wastewater Treatment
Water Research, 2003Co-Authors: Renze Van Houten, Arjan R. Borger, Dick H. EikelboomAbstract:Excess sludge Treatment and disposal currently represents a rising challenge for Wastewater Treatment plants (WWTPs) due to economic, environmental and regulation factors. There is therefore considerable impetus to explore and develop strategies and technologies for reducing excess sludge production in biological Wastewater Treatment processes. This paper reviews current strategies for reducing sludge production based on these mechanisms: lysis-cryptic growth, uncoupling metabolism, maintenance metabolism, and predation on bacteria. The strategies for sludge reduction should be evaluated and chosen for practical application using costs analysis and assessment of environmental impact. High costs still limit technologies of sludge ozonation-cryptic growth and membrane bioreactor from spreading application in full-scale WWTPs. Bioacclimation and harmful to environment are major bottlenecks for chemical uncoupler in practical application. Sludge reduction induced by oligochaetes may present a cost-effective way for WWTPs if unstable worm growth is solved. Employing any strategy for reducing sludge production may have an impact on microbial community in biological Wastewater Treatment processes. This impact may influence the sludge characteristics and the quality of effluent.
William T Sloan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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sustainable Wastewater Treatment how might microbial fuel cells contribute
Biotechnology Advances, 2010Co-Authors: Jung Rae Kim, Giuliano C Premier, Taeho Lee, Changwon Kim, William T SloanAbstract:The need for cost-effective low-energy Wastewater Treatment has never been greater. Clean water for our expanding and predominantly urban global population will be expensive to deliver, eats into our diminishing carbon-based energy reserves and consequently contributes to green house gases in the atmosphere and climate change. Thus every potential cost and energy cutting measure for Wastewater Treatment should be explored. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) could potentially yield such savings but, to achieve this, requires significant advances in our understanding in a few critical areas and in our designs of the overall systems. Here we review the research which might accelerate our progress towards sustainable Wastewater Treatment using MFCs: system control and modelling and the understanding of the ecology of the microbial communities that catalyse the generation of electricity.