Tobamoviruses of two new species trigger resistance in pepper plants harbouring functional L alleles.

Tobamoviruses are often referred to as the most notorious viral pathogens of pepper crops. These viruses are not transmitted by invertebrate vectors, but rather by physical contact and seeds. In this study, pepper plants displaying mild mottle and mosaic symptoms were sampled in four different regions of Peru. Upon double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) tests, seven samples cross-reacted weakly with antibodies against pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), suggesting the presence of tobamoviruses. When employing RT-PCR, conserved primers amplified cDNA fragments of viruses from two putative new tobamovirus species in the samples. The complete genome of two representative isolates were, therefore, sequenced and analysed in silico. These viruses, which were tentatively named yellow pepper mild mottle virus (YPMMoV) and chilli pepper mild mottle virus (CPMMoV), shared highest nucleotide genome sequence identities of 83 and 85 % with bell pepper mottle virus (BpeMV), respectively. Mechanical inoculation of indicator plants with YPMMoV and CPMMoV isolates did not show any obvious differences in host ranges. These viruses were also inoculated mechanically on pepper plants harbouring different resistance L alleles to determine their pathotypes. Pepper plants carrying unfunctional L alleles (L0) to tobamoviruses were infected by all isolates and presented differential symptomatology for YPMMoV and CPMMoV. On the other hand, pepper plants carrying L1, L2, L3 and L4 alleles were resistant to all isolates, indicating that these viruses belong to pathotype P0.

Low virus diversity and spread in wild Capsicum spp. accessions from Ecuador under natural inoculum pressure.

Challenging wild plant accessions with pathogens is an initial approach for finding resistance genes for breeding programs. Viruses can be transmitted artificially by mechanical or arthropod-borne inoculation, but these experimental assays do not always reproduce natural conditions in the field. In this study, 56 wild Capsicum spp. accessions from Ecuador that were under natural inoculum pressure for six months were screened for virus infections by RNA sequencing. These plants exhibited low virus diversity in comparison to a commercial pepper cultivar that was used as a susceptible host. Subjecting numerous plants to natural infection prior to artificial assays may indicate promising accessions to track within virus/vector resistance breeding programs.

Understanding why fat, oil and grease (FOG) bioremediation can be unsuccessful.

Commercial kitchen wastewaters are typically strong organic and fat-rich effluents, often identified as major contributors to fatberg formation and associated blockages in sewers. Experimental trials were done using synthetic kitchen wastewater to understand the complex reactions involved in microbial remediation in grease traps/separators prior discharge in sewers. The principle organic components (FOG, carbohydrate and protein nitrogen), were varied using ranges observed in a previous study on real kitchen wastewater characterisation. A model bacterium, Bacillus licheniformis NCIMB 9375, was used to evaluate microbial utilisation of the different organic fractions in relation to fat, oil and grease (FOG) degradation. Novel results in the treatment of these effluents showed that, the presence and concentration of alternative carbon sources and the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (COD:N) had great influence on FOG-degradation response. For example, FOG removal decreased from 24 to 10 mg/l/h when glucose was substitute for starch at equivalent concentrations (500 mg/l); and from 26 to 5 mg/l/h when initial COD:N increased from 45:1 to 147:1. The dominant influence of COD:N was validated using a commercial bioadditive and real kitchen wastewater adjusted to different COD:N ratios, confirming the strong influence of kitchen wastewater composition on bioremediation outcomes. These results can therefore have major implications for biological management of FOG in kitchens and sewers as they provide a scientific explanation for bioremediation success or failure.

Characterisation of food service establishment wastewater and its implication for treatment.

Essential for the selection of a reliable treatment system is the characterisation of the effluent to treat. Kitchen wastewater (KWW) from food service establishments (FSEs) is a strong organic and fat-rich effluent whose characterisation has not been sufficiently addressed. KWW composition is highly variable and linked to the FSE's size, the type of meals prepared and the amount of water used during the cleaning. COD, TSS and fat content (FOG) are the most common parameters found in literature. However, other physical and chemical parameters (e.g. temperature, pH, oil droplets characteristics and trace elements), correlated to commercial kitchen cleaning practices rather than the specific effluent, but equally influential on the treatment efficiencies of both physical and biological methods, have hardly been investigated. A comprehensive characterisation of wastewaters from three food service establishments was used to generate data to support the selection of appropriate FOG mitigation methods. Two novel analytical methods were used to quantify the proportion of emulsified FOG and associated droplet size from different kitchen washing effluents. The results showed that more than 90% of the FOG from the dishwasher effluent and around 35% of sink one was emulsified, with droplet sizes less than 100 µm, well below the removal capabilities of conventional grease interceptors, but easily removed using biological means. From the WW composition results, a formula for predictive modelling was derived to represent average organic matter composition for kitchen wastewater as C20H38O10N, applicable in remediation processes. These results offer a good starting point for the design, operation, and optimisation of wastewater treatment systems of oil-rich KWW.

The Characterization of Feces and Urine: A Review of the Literature to Inform Advanced Treatment Technology.

The safe disposal of human excreta is of paramount importance for the health and welfare of populations living in low income countries as well as the prevention of pollution to the surrounding environment. On-site sanitation (OSS) systems are the most numerous means of treating excreta in low income countries, these facilities aim at treating human waste at source and can provide a hygienic and affordable method of waste disposal. However, current OSS systems need improvement and require further research and development. Development of OSS facilities that treat excreta at, or close to, its source require knowledge of the waste stream entering the system. Data regarding the generation rate and the chemical and physical composition of fresh feces and urine was collected from the medical literature as well as the treatability sector. The data were summarized and statistical analysis was used to quantify the major factors that were a significant cause of variability. The impact of this data on biological processes, thermal processes, physical separators, and chemical processes was then assessed. Results showed that the median fecal wet mass production was 128 g/cap/day, with a median dry mass of 29 g/cap/day. Fecal output in healthy individuals was 1.20 defecations per 24 hr period and the main factor affecting fecal mass was the fiber intake of the population. Fecal wet mass values were increased by a factor of 2 in low income countries (high fiber intakes) in comparison to values found in high income countries (low fiber intakes). Feces had a median pH of 6.64 and were composed of 74.6% water. Bacterial biomass is the major component (25-54% of dry solids) of the organic fraction of the feces. Undigested carbohydrate, fiber, protein, and fat comprise the remainder and the amounts depend on diet and diarrhea prevalence in the population. The inorganic component of the feces is primarily undigested dietary elements that also depend on dietary supply. Median urine generation rates were 1.42 L/cap/day with a dry solids content of 59 g/cap/day. Variation in the volume and composition of urine is caused by differences in physical exertion, environmental conditions, as well as water, salt, and high protein intakes. Urine has a pH 6.2 and contains the largest fractions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium released from the body. The urinary excretion of nitrogen was significant (10.98 g/cap/day) with urea the most predominant constituent making up over 50% of total organic solids. The dietary intake of food and fluid is the major cause of variation in both the fecal and urine composition and these variables should always be considered if the generation rate, physical, and chemical composition of feces and urine is to be accurately predicted.

Outcomes of augmented allograft figure-of-eight sternoclavicular joint reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) instability is a rare condition resulting in impaired function and shoulder girdle pain. Various methods for stabilizing the SCJ have been proposed, with biomechanical analysis demonstrating superior stiffness and peak load properties with a figure-of-8 tendon graft technique. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of SCJ reconstruction with an interference screw figure-of-8 allograft tendon technique. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a consecutive cohort of patients from 2007 to 2011 was performed for all patients undergoing SCJ reconstruction for instability. All patients were treated for SCJ instability with a figure-of-8 allograft reconstruction augmented by 2 tenodesis screws. Outcomes were performed with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, the shortened Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score, and the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain score for all patients. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 10 patients were included in the study, with an average follow-up of 38 months (range, 11.6-66.8 months). Preoperatively, the mean ASES score was 35.3 points (range, 21.7-55 points), whereas the postoperative mean ASES score increased to 84.7 points (range, 66.6-95 points). The mean VAS score improved from 7.0 (range, 5-10) before surgery to 1.15 (range, 0-3) at follow-up, and the QuickDASH score average was 17.0 points (range, 0 to 38.6 points). Minor postoperative complications were noted in 2 patients. CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent repair of SCJ instability by an augmented figure-of-8 allograft tendon reconstruction report marked improvements in both shoulder function and pain relief.

Possible introgression of B chromosomes between bee species (Genus Partamona ).

The origin of supernumerary (B) chromosomes is still a debated topic, with intra- and interspecific origins being the most plausible options. In the bee Partamona helleri, a sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker being specific to B chromosomes suggested the possibility of interspecific origin. Here, we search for this marker in 3 close relative species and perform DNA sequence comparison between species. The SCAR sequence does not show homology with other sequences in the databases, but does contain an open reading frame with sequence homology with a reverse transcriptase. Dot-blot hybridization using the SCAR marker as a probe confirmed that it is present in B-carrying, but not B-lacking larvae of P. helleri, and indicated its presence in adult individuals of P. cupira and P. criptica. Additionally, PCR amplification of the SCAR marker was successful on genomic DNA obtained from P. helleri and P. rustica larvae carrying B chromosomes, and on genomic DNA obtained from adult individuals of P. cupira, P. criptica and P. rustica. Finally, a comparison of the DNA sequence of the SCAR markers amplified from these 4 species showed very few nucleotide differences between the species. The complete association between B chromosome and SCAR presence and the scarce divergence observed for this DNA sequence between the 4 species analyzed suggest the possibility that this B chromosome has recently been transferred between species through several episodes of interspecific hybridization.

Hepatic injury correlates with apoptosis, regeneration, and nitric oxide synthase expression in canine chronic liver disease.

Assessment of the clinical severity, pathogenesis, and prognosis of canine chronic liver disease poses significant challenges to clinicians and pathologists, relating in part to a lack of standardized terminology and assessment methods and also to a lack of understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease in the dog. This study graded the severity of necroinflammatory activity in chronic liver disease in dogs using a modification of Ishak's grading scheme for human chronic liver disease and examined the association of grade score with hepatocellular apoptosis, regeneration, nitric oxide synthase isoform expression, copper and iron accumulation, and indicators of oxidative stress. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded hematoxylin and eosin (HE)-stained liver biopsies from 45 dogs with chronic liver disease and 55 healthy control dogs were graded for various morphologic components of liver injury and response. The cumulative score for grade of necroinflammatory activity was strongly and significantly correlated with immunoreactive labels for hepatocellular proliferation (Ki-67); apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3); inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lobular, portal, and septal stromal cells; endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in hepatocytes and lobular, portal, and septal stromal cells; and total stainable hepatic iron. A weaker significant correlation was found between grade and accumulation of hepatocellular copper. No significant correlation was found between grade and immunoreactivity for malondialdehyde-protein adducts. These results document a method for grading of the severity of necroinflammatory disease in canine liver biopsies and show an association with increased iNOS and eNOS expression.

Removal of phosphorus from trickling filter effluent by electrocoagulation.

As regulatory requirements for contaminants in wastewater discharged to the environment get stricter, alternative or additional treatment processes to those already being used are necessary. One contaminant of particular concern associated with discharging treated municipal wastewater to a receiving water body is phosphorus (P). A continuous scale electrocoagulation (EC) system was investigated as an alternative to conventional chemical addition for P removal from municipal wastewater. The EC process was optimized for iron dose delivery by changing the electrical current, electrode spacing and the reactor contact time, and a comparison was made with conventional ferric dosing through jar testing. Results showed that EC could achieve P removal to meet a P consent of 1 mg L⁻¹ at a dose of 154 mg L⁻¹ Fe. The process was shown to provide a supplementary benefit for chemical and biological oxygen demand removal of 86% and 82%, respectively, but gave no significant removal of other sanitary pollutants. When compared directly with conventional iron dosing, EC required approximately twice the iron dose. When electrical costs were also factored into the comparison, EC was shown to be approximately double the cost of conventional dosing and at present is not a feasible alternative to conventional coagulation using ferric chloride.

Pericytes modulate endothelial inflammatory response during bacterial infection.

Pericytes are located around blood vessels, in close contact with endothelial cells. We discovered that pericytes dampen pro-inflammatory endothelial cell responses. Endothelial cells co-cultured with pericytes had markedly reduced expression of adhesion molecules (PECAM-1 and ICAM-1) and proinflammatory cytokines (CCL-2 and IL-6) in response to bacterial stimuli (Brucella ovis, Listeria monocytogenes, or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide). Pericyte-depleted mice intraperitoneally inoculated with either B. ovis, a stealthy pathogen that does not trigger detectable inflammation, or Listeria monocytogenes, developed peritonitis. Further, during Citrobacter rodentium infection, pericyte-depleted mice developed severe intestinal inflammation, which was not evident in control mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of pericytes required connexin 43, as either chemical inhibition or silencing of connexin 43 abrogated pericyte-mediated suppression of endothelial inflammatory responses. Our results define a mechanism by which pericytes modulate inflammation during infection, which shifts our understanding of pericyte biology: from a structural cell to a pro-active player in modulating inflammation. IMPORTANCE: A previously unknown mechanism by which pericytes modulate inflammation was discovered. The absence of pericytes or blocking interaction between pericytes and endothelium through connexin 43 results in stronger inflammation, which shifts our understanding of pericyte biology, from a structural cell to a player in controlling inflammation.

Evaluation of engineered nanoparticle toxic effect on wastewater microorganisms: current status and challenges.

The use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in a wide range of products is associated with an increased concern for environmental safety due to their potential toxicological and adverse effects. ENPs exert antimicrobial properties through different mechanisms such as the formation of reactive oxygen species, disruption of physiological and metabolic processes. Although there are little empirical evidences on environmental fate and transport of ENPs, biosolids in wastewater most likely would be a sink for ENPs. However, there are still many uncertainties in relation to ENPs impact on the biological processes during wastewater treatment. This review provides an overview of the available data on the plausible effects of ENPs on AS and AD processes, two key biologically relevant environments for understanding ENPs-microbial interactions. It indicates that the impact of ENPs is not fully understood and few evidences suggest that ENPs could augment microbial-mediated processes such as AS and AD. Further to this, wastewater components can enhance or attenuate ENPs effects. Meanwhile it is still difficult to determine effective doses and establish toxicological guidelines, which is in part due to variable wastewater composition and inadequacy of current analytical procedures. Challenges associated with toxicity evaluation and data interpretation highlight areas in need for further research studies.

Eco-friendly chitosan production by Syncephalastrum racemosum and application to the removal of acid orange 7 (AO7) from wastewaters.

Due to the existence of new methodologies that have reduced the production costs of microbiological chitosan, this paper puts forward the use of agro-industrial residues in order to produce microbiological chitosan and to apply chitosan as an innovative resource for removing acid orange 7 (AO7) from wastewaters. The best culture conditions were selected by a full 24 factorial design, and the removal of the dye was optimized by a 23 central composite rotational design. The results showed that corn steep liquor (CSL) is an agro-industrial residue that can be advantageously used to produce microbiological chitosan with yields up to 7.8 g/kg of substrate. FT-IR spectra of the product showed typical peak distributions like those of standard chitosan which confirmed the extracted product was chitosan-like. The efficiency of removing low concentrations of AO7 by using microbiological chitosan in distilled water (up to 89.96%) and tap water (up to 80.60%) was significantly higher than the efficiency of the control (chitosan obtained from crustaceans), suggesting that this biopolymer is a better economic alternative for discoloring wastewater where a low concentration of the dye is considered toxic. The high percentage recovery of AO7 from the microbiological chitosan particles used favors this biopolymer as a possible bleaching agent which may be reusable.

Recovery of methane from anaerobic process effluent using poly-di-methyl-siloxane membrane contactors.

This paper demonstrates the potential for recovering dissolved methane from low temperature anaerobic processes treating domestic wastewater. In the absence of methane recovery, ca. 45% of the produced methane is released as a fugitive emission which results in a net carbon footprint of -0.47 kg CO(2e) m(-3). A poly-di-methyl-siloxane (PDMS) membrane contactor was applied to support sweep gas desorption of dissolved methane using nitrogen. The dense membrane structure controlled gaseous mass transfer thus recovery was maximised at low liquid velocities. At the lowest liquid velocity, V(L), of 0.0025 m s(-1), 72% of the dissolved methane was recovered. A vacuum was also trialled as an alternative to sweep-gas operation. At vacuum pressures below 30 mbar, reasonable methane recovery was observed at an intermediate V(L) of 0.0056 m s(-1). Results from this study demonstrate that dissolved methane recovery could increase net electrical production from low temperature anaerobic processes by ca. +0.043 kWh(e) m(-3) and reduce the net carbon footprint to +0.01 kg CO(2e) m(-3). However, further experimental work to optimise the gas-side hydrodynamics is required as well as validation of the long-term impacts of biofouling on process performance.

Bioaugmentation of pilot-scale slow sand filters can achieve compliant levels for the micropollutant metaldehyde in a real water matrix.

Metaldehyde is a polar, mobile, low molecular weight pesticide that is challenging to remove from drinking water with current adsorption-based micropollutant treatment technologies. Alternative strategies to remove this and compounds with similar properties are necessary to ensure an adequate supply of safe and regulation-compliant drinking water. Biological removal of metaldehyde below the 0.1 µg•L-1 regulatory concentration was attained in pilot-scale slow sand filters (SSFs) subject to bioaugmentation with metaldehyde-degrading bacteria. To achieve this, a library of degraders was first screened in bench-scale assays for removal at micropollutant concentrations in progressively more challenging conditions, including a mixed microbial community with multiple carbon sources. The best performing strains, A. calcoaceticus E1 and Sphingobium CMET-H, showed removal rates of 0.0012 µg•h-1•107 cells-1 and 0.019 µg•h-1•107 cells-1 at this scale. These candidates were then used as inocula for bioaugmentation of pilot-scale SSFs. Here, removal of metaldehyde by A. calcoaceticus E1, was insufficient to achieve compliant water regardless testing increasing cell concentrations. Quantification of metaldehyde-degrading genes indicated that aggregation and inadequate distribution of the inoculum in the filters were the likely causes of this outcome. Conversely, bioaugmentation with Sphingobium CMET-H enabled sufficient metaldehyde removal to achieve compliance, with undetectable levels in treated water for at least 14 d (volumetric removal: 0.57 µg•L-1•h-1). Bioaugmentation did not affect the background SSF microbial community, and filter function was maintained throughout the trial. Here it has been shown for the first time that bioaugmentation is an efficient strategy to remove the adsorption-resistant pesticide metaldehyde from a real water matrix in upscaled systems. Swift contaminant removal after inoculum addition and persistent activity are two remarkable attributes of this approach that would allow it to effectively manage peaks in metaldehyde concentrations (due to precipitation or increased application) in incoming raw water by matching them with high enough degrading populations. This study provides an example of how stepwise screening of a diverse collection of degraders can lead to successful bioaugmentation and can be used as a template for other problematic adsorption-resistant compounds in drinking water purification.

Comparison of PPCPs removal on a parallel-operated MBR and AS system and evaluation of effluent post-treatment on vertical flow reed beds.

The presence in the aquatic environment of xenobiotics such as Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) has emerged as an issue of concern. Upgrading sewage treatment quality with modern technologies such as Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs) and/or implementing a further posttreatment might mitigate the release of xenobiotics into surface waters. The performance of two processes treating municipal sewage, a MBR and an Activated Sludge (AS) unit, have been compared in terms of PPCPs removal. Moreover, their effluents were treated using vertical flow reed beds. Both systems were operated under similar conditions, more specifically Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT), maintained at 8 hours, and Sludge Retention Time (SRT) set at 6 and 20 days. Pharmaceuticals belong to therapeutic groups such as antiepileptics (carbamazepine) and analgesics (ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac), whereas the personal care products are musk fragrances (galaxolide and tonalide). Xenobiotics removals achieved in the MBR showed better results, particularly for the acidic drugs ibuprofen (87% vs. 50%) and naproxen (56% vs. 6%) operating at low SRT. After filtration through vertical flow reed-beds, PPCPs content in effluents was decreased, below 1 ppb in most cases, improving the effluent quality and confirming reed-beds as an interesting low cost alternative in order to attenuate xenobiotics contamination.

Integrating anaerobic processes into wastewater treatment.

Over the past decade, the concept of anaerobic processes for the treatment of low temperature domestic wastewater has been introduced. This paper uses a developed wastewater flowsheet model and experimental data from several pilot scale studies to establish the impact of integrating anaerobic process into the wastewater flowsheet. The results demonstrate that, by integrating an expanded granular sludge blanket reactor to treat settled wastewater upstream of the activated sludge process, an immediate reduction in imported electricity of 62.5% may be achieved for a treated flow of c. 10,000 m(3) d(-1). This proposed modification to the flowsheet offers potential synergies with novel unit processes including physico-chemical ammonia removal and dissolved methane recovery. Incorporating either of these unit operations can potentially further improve the flowsheet net energy balance to between +0.037 and +0.078 kWh m(-3) of produced water. The impact of these secondary unit operations is significant as it is this contribution to the net energy balance that facilitates the shift from energy negative to energy positive wastewater treatment.

Treatment of disinfection by-product precursors.

Formation of harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs), of which trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) are the major groups, can be controlled by removal of natural organic matter (NOM) before disinfection. In the literature, removal of precursors is variable, even with the same treatment. The treatment of DBP precursors and NOM was examined with the intention of outlining precursor removal strategies for various water types. Freundlich adsorption parameters and hydroxyl rate constants were collated from the literature to link treatability by activated carbon and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), respectively, to physico-chemical properties. Whereas hydroxyl rate constants did not correlate meaningfully with any property, a moderate correlation was found between Freundlich parameters and log K(ow), indicating activated carbon will preferentially adsorb hydrophobic NOM. Humic components of NOM are effectively removed by coagulation, and, where they are the principal precursor source, coagulation may be sufficient to control DBPs. Where humic species remaining post-coagulation retain significant DBP formation potential (DBPFP), activated carbon is deemed a suitable process selection. Anion exchange is an effective treatment for transphilic species, known for high carboxylic acid functionality, and consequently is recommended for carboxylic acid precursors. Amino acids have been linked to HAA formation and are important constituents of algal organic matter. Amino acids are predicted to be effectively removed by biotreatment and nanofiltration. Carbohydrates have been found to reach 50% of NOM in river waters. If the carbohydrates were to pose a barrier to successful DBP control, additional treatment stages such as nanofiltration are likely to be required to reduce their occurrence.

Modelling the energy demands of aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment.

A modelling study has been developed in which the energy requirements of aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are assessed in order to compare these two wastewater treatment technologies. The model took into consideration the aeration required for biological oxidation in aerobic MBRs (AeMBRs), the energy recovery from methane production in anaerobic MBRs (AnMBRs) and the energy demands of operating submerged and sidestream membrane configurations. Aeration and membrane energy demands were estimated based on previously developed modelling studies populated with operational data from the literature. Given the difference in sludge production between aerobic and anaerobic systems, the model was benchmarked by assuming high sludge retention times or complete retention of solids in both AeMBRs and AnMBRs. Analysis of biogas production in AnMBRs revealed that the heat required to achieve mesophilic temperatures (35 degrees C) in the reactor was only possible with influent wastewater strengths above 4-5 g COD L(-1). The general trend of the submerged configuration, which is less energy intensive than the sidestream configuration in aerobic systems, was not observed in AnMBRs, mainly due to the wide variation in gas demand utilized in anaerobic systems. Compared to AeMBRs, for which the energy requirements were estimated to approach 2 kWh m(-3) (influent up to 1 g COD L(-1)), the energy demands associated with fouling control in AnMBRs were lower (0.80 kWh m(-3) for influent of 1.14 g COD L(-1)), although due to the low fluxes reported in the literature capital costs associated with membrane material would be three times higher than this.

Development and calibration of a new mathematical model for the description of an ion-exchange process for ammonia removal in the presence of competing ions.

Ammonia ion removal and recovery via an ion-exchange process using zeolites is a promising alternative to traditional biological treatments. The analysis of its efficiency is not straightforward as it depends on various factors, such as the cation exchange capacity of the zeolite, amount of zeolite available, initial ammonia concentration, contact time, ammonia speciation depending on pH or the presence of competing ions. Mathematical modelling and simulation tools are very useful to analyse the effect of different operational conditions on the efficiency and optimal operation of the process. This paper experimentally analyses the effect that the presence of competing ions has on the efficiency of ammonia removal. This experimental work has shown a reduction of around 21% of ammonia removal efficiency in the presence of competing ions. The main contribution of this paper is the development new mathematical model able to describe the ion-exchange process in the presence of competing ions. The mathematical model developed is able to analyse the performance of the IEX process under different empty bed contact times, influent loads, pH and concentrations of competing ions. The capability of the model to reproduce real data has been proven comparing the experimental and simulation results. Finally, an exploration by simulation has been undertaken to show the potential of the mathematical model developed.

The impact of hydraulic retention time on the performance of two configurations of anaerobic pond for municipal sewage treatment.

Anaerobic ponds have the potential to contribute to low carbon wastewater treatment, however are currently restricted by long hydraulic residence time (HRT) which leads to large land requirements. A two-stage anaerobic pond (SAP) design was trialled against a single-stage control (CAP) over four HRTs down to 0.5 days, to determine the lowest HRT at which the ponds could operate effectively. No statistical differences were observed in particulate removal between the ponds over all four HRTs, suggesting solids loading is not a critical factor in AP design. Significantly higher biogas production rates were observed in the SAP than the CAP at 1.5 d and 1.0 d HRT, and microbial community profiling suggests the two-stage design may be facilitating spatial separation of the anaerobic digestion process along reactor length. Hydrogenotrophic methanogensis dominated over aceticlastic, with acetate oxidisation a likely degradation pathway. Experimental tracer studies were compared to CFD simulations, with the SAP showing greater hydraulic efficiency, and differences more pronounced at shorter HRTs. Greater flow recirculation between baffles was observed in CFD velocity profiles, demonstrating baffles can dissipate preferential flow patterns and increase effective pond volume, especially at high flow rates. The study demonstrates the potential of APs to be operated at shorter HRTs in psychrophilic conditions, presenting an opportunity for use as pre-treatments (in place of septic tanks) and primary treatment for full wastewater flows. Two-stage designs should be investigated to separate the stages of the anaerobic digestion process by creating preferential conditions along the pond length.