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Processes
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Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination
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Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 11294

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Raluca Maria Hlihor

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Horticultural Technologies, Faculty of Horticulture, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Interests: heavy metals; environmental biotechnology; bioremediation; biosorption and bioaccumulation; environmental impact assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Isabela Maria Simion

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Department, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Interests: life cycle assessment; waste management; bioremediation; environmental biotechnology
Dr. Mihaela Rosca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Horticultural Technologies, Faculty of Horticulture, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Interests: persistent organic pollutants; heavy metals; biosorption and bioaccumulation; phytoremediation; process modelling and optimization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to their highly toxic effects on the environment, aquatic organisms and human health, the removal or degradation of persistent pollutants from our environment has been at the center of researchers’ attention. Unfortunately, some conventional methods used for wastewater treatment or soil remediation proved to be unfeasible due to their considered high costs and environmental impacts. We consider it opportune to further proceed in the investigation of non-conventional, low-cost and eco-friendly processes, such as bioremediation processes. These processes have proven their efficiency at the laboratory scale, while their upscaling still remains in a black box. Bioremediation, treated in an integrated manner by considering the synergy between two processes, could also be a success for technology transfer from the laboratory to pilot scale. Additionally, environmental, human health and economic impacts or design costs of bioremediation processes for technology transfer in treatment facilities still require investigation and our full attention. For example, by integrating life cycle assessment and life cycle cost methodologies for wastewater treatment processes in an early design phase, or a pre-design phase, we can identify justified environmental and economic design strategies linking to sustainable perspectives, not only from the industry point of view but also from the consumer point of view. These methodologies can be applied to the evaluation of products/processes/waste management. The aim of this Special Issue is focused on improving the knowledge within this field, as well as open new views and perspectives.

This Special Issue titled “Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination” seeks high-quality works focusing on the latest novel advances in bioremediation technology. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Remediation techniques for persistent pollutants;
  • Integrated remediation processes toward persistent pollutant removal/recovery;
  • Low-cost and eco-friendly processes for wastewater treatment and soil remediation;
  • Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost of bioremediation processes;
  • Process modeling and optimization.

Dr. Raluca Maria Hlihor
Dr. Isabela Maria Simion
Dr. Mihaela Rosca
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioremediation
  • heavy metal
  • persistent organic pollutants
  • life cycle assessment
  • life cycle cost

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 10098 KiB  
Article
Adsorption of Methylene Blue and Eriochrome Black T onto Pinecone Powders (Pinus nigra Arn.): Equilibrium, Kinetics, and Thermodynamic Studies
by Alper Solmaz
Processes 2024, 12(9), 2044; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12092044 - 22 Sep 2024
Viewed by 729
Abstract
In this study, methylene blue (MB) and eriochrome black T (EBT) dyes were removed with the waste Pinus nigra Arn. powders from Anatolian black pinecone (PC-PnA) within the framework of sustainability. UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy [...] Read more.
In this study, methylene blue (MB) and eriochrome black T (EBT) dyes were removed with the waste Pinus nigra Arn. powders from Anatolian black pinecone (PC-PnA) within the framework of sustainability. UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, and point of zero charge (pHpzc) analyses were performed for the characterization of PC-PnAs. The effects of pH, amount of adsorbent, time, initial concentration and temperature were determined by batch adsorption experiments. Four kinetic and isotherm models were examined, and error function tests were used for the most suitable model. According to this, the average pore diameters, mass losses at 103.9 and 721.6 °C and pHpzc values of PC-PnAs were found as 61.661 Å, 5.9%, 30%, and 5.77, respectively. Additionally, the most suitable kinetic and isotherm models for the removal of both dyes were Langmuir and pseudo-second-order. The maximum removal efficiencies (qmax) for MB and EBT dyes was calculated as 91.46 and 15.85 mg/g, respectively and the adsorption process was found to be endothermic. As a result, PC-PnA particles can be used as an alternative sorbent for the removal of MB and EBT dyes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination)
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15 pages, 2246 KiB  
Article
Environmental Assessment of Solid Recovered Fuel Production from Screening Waste Using a Life Cycle Assessment Approach
by Juan Jesús De la Torre Bayo, Montserrat Zamorano, Juan C. Torres-Rojo, Sara Pennellini, Jaime Martín-Pascual and Alessandra Bonoli
Processes 2024, 12(9), 1814; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091814 - 26 Aug 2024
Viewed by 644
Abstract
The circular economy, as a new model of waste management through energy self-sufficiency and valorisation, can be applied to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Screening waste from WWTP pretreatment is the only waste that is not energetically recovered and thus constrains the achievement of [...] Read more.
The circular economy, as a new model of waste management through energy self-sufficiency and valorisation, can be applied to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Screening waste from WWTP pretreatment is the only waste that is not energetically recovered and thus constrains the achievement of zero waste. Previous studies demonstrated the technical feasibility of producing solid recovered fuel (SRF) from this waste. Environmental benefits, including waste reduction, resource conservation, or reduced greenhouse gas emissions are analysed in this work. Environmental impact is quantified using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology through the SimaPro 9.2. software and the CML-IA baseline v3.08 impact methodology, that propose 11 impact categories. Five scenarios were established to compare current landfill disposal with the production of densified and non-densified SRF using solar and thermal drying. Within the system boundaries studied, from waste generation to SRF production, results show that landfill is the most environmentally damaging option while producing non-densified SRF using solar drying is the most environmentally viable scenario. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination)
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22 pages, 5836 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Work of Wastewater Treatment Plant “Ravda” in Summer and Winter Influenced by the Seasonal Mass Tourism Industry and COVID-19
by Magdalena Bogdanova, Ivaylo Yotinov and Yana Topalova
Processes 2024, 12(1), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12010192 - 15 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1833
Abstract
Mass tourism puts enormous pressure on wastewater treatment plants due to its expansive growth during the summer months. To adapt to the fluctuations, the Ravda wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) uses innovative methods and technologies, allowing for “shrinking” and “expanding” of the facilities according [...] Read more.
Mass tourism puts enormous pressure on wastewater treatment plants due to its expansive growth during the summer months. To adapt to the fluctuations, the Ravda wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) uses innovative methods and technologies, allowing for “shrinking” and “expanding” of the facilities according to the season. This has been built in stages over the years, with two separate biological treatment lines adapting to different numbers of tourists and to the quantity of influent wastewater. The aim of this study is to make a comparative assessment of the work of WWTP Ravda in the summer and winter seasons and its effectiveness, as well as to compare them. In addition, it examines the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when a much higher consumption of water per person was noted. Data were analyzed for the period of 2018–2022 inclusive, comparing influent and effluent BOD5 and COD in the summer and winter. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies were also tracked. The study shows that municipal wastewater treatment is effective, but much higher values, close to the maximum permissible discharge values, are observed during the tourist season. With the continued growth of the tourism sector, the Ravda wastewater treatment plant would not be able to cope with the discharge standards set by the Ministry of Environment and Water, so measures need to be taken promptly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination)
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15 pages, 2261 KiB  
Article
Microbiome Structure of Activated Sludge after Adaptation to Landfill Leachate Treatment in a Lab-Scale Sequencing Batch Reactor
by Mihaela Kirilova, Ivaylo Yotinov, Yovana Todorova, Nora Dinova, Stilyana Lincheva, Irina Schneider and Yana Topalova
Processes 2024, 12(1), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12010159 - 9 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1692
Abstract
During adaptation to waters that are rich in xenobiotics, biological systems pass through multiple stages. The first one is related to the restructuring of communities, pronounced destruction of the structure, and multiplication of active biodegradants. The purpose of the present research was to [...] Read more.
During adaptation to waters that are rich in xenobiotics, biological systems pass through multiple stages. The first one is related to the restructuring of communities, pronounced destruction of the structure, and multiplication of active biodegradants. The purpose of the present research was to describe the microbiome restructuring that occurs during the adaptation stage in landfill leachate treatment. In a model SBR (sequencing batch reactor), a 21-day purification process of landfill leachate was simulated. Wastewater was fed in increasing concentrations. When undiluted leachate entered, the activated sludge structure disintegrated (Sludge Volume Index—4.6 mL/g). The Chemical Oxygen Demand and ammonium nitrogen concentration remained at high values in the influent (2321.11 mgO2/L and 573.20 mg/L, respectively). A significant amount of free-swimming cells was found, and the number of aerobic heterotrophs and bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter increased by up to 125 times. The Azoarcus-Thauera cluster (27%) and Pseudomonas spp. (16%) were registered as the main bacterial groups in the activated sludge. In the changed structure of the microbial community, Gammaproteobacteria, family Rhizobiaceae, class Saccharimonadia were predominantly represented. Among the suspended bacteria, Microbactericeae and Burkholderiaceae, which are known for their ability to degrade xenobiotics, were present in larger quantities. The enzymological analysis demonstrated that the ortho-pathway of cleavage of aromatic structures was active in the community. The described changes in the leachate-purifying microbial community appear to be destructive at the technological level. At the microbiological level, however, trends of initial adaptation were clearly outlined, which, if continued, could provide a highly efficient biodegradation community. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination)
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13 pages, 3230 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study of Rhodamine B Treatment: Assessing of Efficiency Processes and Ecotoxicity of By-Products
by Thomas Chadelaud, Hicham Zeghioud, Alonso Reynoso de la Garza, Omar Fuerte, Adriana Benítez-Rico, Messika Revel, Tomás E. Chávez-Miyauchi and Hayet Djelal
Processes 2023, 11(9), 2671; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092671 - 6 Sep 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2505
Abstract
In this work, a comparative study between two processes was performed—biodegradation and photocatalysis, as an advanced oxidation process—to discover which one is more efficient to degrade Rhodamine B, a synthetic dye widely used in the textile and food industries. The advantage of this [...] Read more.
In this work, a comparative study between two processes was performed—biodegradation and photocatalysis, as an advanced oxidation process—to discover which one is more efficient to degrade Rhodamine B, a synthetic dye widely used in the textile and food industries. The advantage of this study is that it correlates treatment efficiency with the ecotoxicity of the by-products resulting from the treatments. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been difficult to use activated sludge because of the risk factor of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, biodegradation tests were conducted with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in this study. For the photocatalysis assays, TiO2 doped with 5 per cent Cerium was used as a catalyst under UV light irradiation. S. cerevisiae cannot reduce RhB by biodegradation. However, a 13 per cent biosorption was observed with an uptake capacity of 4.2 mg g−1 dry matter of S. cerevisiae cultivated in the presence of 5 mg L−1 of RhB after 150 min. At a 5 mg L−1 of RhB concentration, the 6 h photocatalysis treatment led to 55% color removal and 8.6% COT reduction. The biodegradability of the photocatalyzed solution increased since the BOD5/COD ratio raised from 0.10 to 0.42. In the presence of glucose as a source of carbon, yeast can grow on the by-products generated by photocatalysis. The phytotoxicity of RhB in solution was measured using the germination index (GI) of watercress seeds. The GI decreases by 75% for an RhB solution of 100 mg L−1 compared to the control sample. The by-products of the photocatalytic treatment, using crustaceans Daphnia magna and conducted with solutions of Rhodamine B, induced a decrease of 24% in the GI. Lethality test. After 3 or 6 h of treatment, no increase in immobilization or mortality of D. magna was observed compared to the negative control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination)
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Review

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25 pages, 2664 KiB  
Review
Continuous Systems Bioremediation of Wastewaters Loaded with Heavy Metals Using Microorganisms
by Cătălina Filote, Mihaela Roșca, Isabela Maria Simion and Raluca Maria Hlihor
Processes 2022, 10(9), 1758; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10091758 - 2 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2540
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution is a serious concern of the modern era due to its widespread negative effects on human health and to the environment. Conventional technologies applied for the uptake of this category of persistent pollutants are complex, often expensive, and inefficient at [...] Read more.
Heavy metal pollution is a serious concern of the modern era due to its widespread negative effects on human health and to the environment. Conventional technologies applied for the uptake of this category of persistent pollutants are complex, often expensive, and inefficient at low metal concentrations. In the last few years, non-conventional alternatives have been studied in search of better solutions in terms of costs and sustainability. Microbial adsorbents are one of the biomass-based sorbents that have extensively demonstrated excellent heavy metals removal capacity even at low concentrations. However, most of the carried-out research regarding their application in wastewater treatment has been performed in discontinuous systems. The use of microorganisms for the uptake of metal ions in continuous systems could be an important step for the upscale of the remediation processes since it facilitates a faster remediation of higher quantities of wastewaters loaded with heavy metals, in comparison with batch systems removal. Thus, the current research aims to analyze the available studies focusing on the removal of metal ions from wastewaters using microorganisms, in continuous systems, with a focus on obtained performances, optimized experimental conditions, and the sustainability of the bioremoval process. The present work found that microbial-based remediation processes have demonstrated very good performances in continuous systems. Further sustainability analyses are required in order to apply the bioremediation technology in an optimized environmentally friendly way in large-scale facilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Approaches to Eco-Friendly Processes for Persistent Pollutants Contamination)
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