Removal and recovery of nutrients from municipal sewage: Algal vs. conventional approaches

Abeysiriwardana-Arachchige, I.S.A.; Munasinghe-Arachchige, S.P.; Delanka-Pedige, H.M.K.; Nirmalakhandan, Nagamany

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2020.115709

Cited by 56 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Typically, precipitation of soluble phosphorus occurs with aluminum or iron salts, which convert it into insoluble P compounds [42]. Although easy to implement, chemical precipitation increases the cost of sewage treatment and the volume of sludge to be managed [43]. Biological processes exploit the ability of phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO) to accumulate P-PO 4 3− as polyphosphates in amounts exceeding their metabolic need [42].…”

Section: Phosphorusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review

et al. 2021

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The world is currently witnessing a rapid increase in sewage sludge (SS) production, due to the increased demand for wastewater treatment. Therefore, SS management is crucial for the economic and environmental sustainability of wastewater treatment plants. The recovery of nutrients from SS has been identified as a fundamental step to enable the transition from a linear to a circular economy, turning SS into an economic and sustainable source of materials. SS is often treated via anaerobic digestion, to pursue energy recovery via biogas generation. Anaerobically digested sewage sludge (ADS) is a valuable source of organic matter and nutrients, and significant advances have been made in recent years in methods and technologies for nutrient recovery from ADS. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview, describing the advantages and drawbacks of the available and emerging technologies for recovery of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) from ADS. This work critically reviews the established and novel technologies, which are classified by their ability to recover a specific nutrient (ammonia stripping) or to allow the simultaneous recovery of multiple elements (struvite precipitation, ion exchange, membrane technologies, and thermal treatments). This study compares the described technologies in terms of nutrient recovery efficiency, capital, and operational costs, as well as their feasibility for full-scale application, revealing the current state of the art and future perspectives on this topic.

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Section: Phosphorusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review

et al. 2021

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“…Abeysiriwardana-Arachchige et al [75] suggested a research approach for the treatment and recovery of wastewater based on algae (STaRR). Their findings revealed that the STARR device had a recovery output of 71.6% of nutrient phosphorus and that the removal of phosphorus per unit of energy consumption was calculated to be 0.1 g/kJ.…”

Section: Biofilm Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the Status and Improvement of Microalgal Phosphorus Removal from Municipal Wastewater

et al. 2021

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Phosphorus, as one of the main pollutants in municipal sewage, has received increasing attention recently. Phosphorus recovery also increases the sustainable development of municipal wastewater. Since algae have the ability to effectively redirect nutrients, including phosphorus, from municipal sewage to algae biomass, municipal sewage treatments involving microalgae have piqued the interest of many researchers. The phosphorus removal depends on the potential of the microalgae to absorb, preserve, or degrade phosphorus in municipal wastewater. It is, therefore, of great interest to study the mechanisms underlying the absorption, storage, and degradation of phosphorus by microalgae to ensure the viability of this phosphorus removal process in wastewater. The objectives of this review were to summarize phosphorus metabolism in microalgae, examine key external and internal factors impacting phosphorous removal by microalgae from wastewater, and examine the status of phosphorous-metabolism-related research to improve our understanding of microalgae-based municipal wastewater treatments. In addition, the methods of recovery of microalgae after phosphorous removal were summarized to ensure the sustainability of municipal wastewater treatment. Finally, a potential approach using nanomaterials was proposed to enhance the overall phosphorous removal performance in municipal wastewater through the addition of nanoparticles such as magnesium and iron.

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“…The residual BS obtained after sludge treatment are a rich source of organic and inorganic plant nutrients and may be a realistic substitute for fertilizers (Singh and Agrawal, 2008). N-fertilizers originating from waste sludge and livestock manure could be a viable option for partially fulfilling manufactured fertilizer requirements, thus reducing its energy and resource footprint (Abeysiriwardana-Arachchige et al, 2020). Sewage sludge has microbial biomass that store beneficial amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous suitable for crop growth (Petersen et al, 2003).…”

Section: Biofertilizermentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Biotechnology Management of Biosolids: Sustainable Ways to Produce Value—Added Products

Vaithyanathan

Cabana

2021

Front. Water

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Biosolids (BS) are organic dry matter produced from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The current yearly worldwide production of BS is estimated to be around 100–125 million tons and is expected to continuously increase to around 150–200 million tons by 2025. Wastewater treatment industries across the globe strive to achieve a green and sustainable manufacturing base for the management of enormous amounts of municipal BS, which are rich in nutrients and organic dry matter along with contaminants. The management of these organic-rich wastes through environmentally friendly recovery technologies is a major challenge. The need to improve waste biomass disposal by biological development and develop more economically viable processes has led to a focus on the transformation of waste resources into value-added products (VAP). This paper assesses the leading disposal methods (based on volume and contaminant reduction) and reviews the state of biotechnological processes for VAP recovery from municipal wastewater sludge (untreated solid waste residual) and BS (stabilized solid waste which meets criteria for its use in land). A review of the anaerobic and aerobic digestion processes is presented to provide a holistic overview of this growing research field. Furthermore, the paper also sheds light on the pollutant reduction and resource recovery approaches for enzymes, bioflocculants, bioplastics, biopesticides, and biogas as a mean to represent BS as a potential opportunity for WWTPs. However, only a few technologies have been implemented for VAP resource recovery and a shift from WWTPs to waste resource recovery facilities is still far from being achieved.

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Removal and recovery of nutrients from municipal sewage: Algal vs. conventional approaches

Cited by 56 publications

References 48 publications

Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review

Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review

Analysis of the Status and Improvement of Microalgal Phosphorus Removal from Municipal Wastewater

Integrated Biotechnology Management of Biosolids: Sustainable Ways to Produce Value—Added Products

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