A long-term passive sampling approach for wastewater-based monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in Leipzig, Germany.

Wastewater-based monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 has become a promising and useful tool in tracking the potential spread or dynamics of the virus. Its recording can be used to predict how the potential number of infections in a population will develop. Recent studies have shown that the use of passive samplers is also suitable for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 genome copies (GC) in wastewater. They can be used at any site, provide timely data and may collect SARS-CoV-2 GC missed by traditional sampling methods. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of passive samplers for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 GC in wastewater in the long-term at two different scales. Polyethylene-based plastic passive samplers were deployed at the city-scale level of Leipzig at 13 different locations, with samples being taken from March 2021 to August 2022. At the smaller city district level, three types of passive samplers (cotton-cloth, unravelled polypropylene plastic rope and polyethylene-based plastic strips) were used and sampled on a weekly basis from March to August 2022. The results are discussed in relation to wastewater samples taken at the individual passive sampling point. Our results show that passive samplers can indicate at a city-scale level an accurate level of positive infections in the population (positive-rate: 86 %). On a small-scale level, the use of passive samplers was also feasible and effective to detect SARS-CoV-2 GC easily and cost-effectively, mirroring a similar trend to that at a city-scale level. Thus, this study demonstrated that passive samplers provide reproducible SARS-CoV-2 GC signals from wastewater and a time-integrated measurement of the sampled matrix with greater sensitivity compared to wastewater. We thus recommend the use of passive samplers as an alternative method for wastewater-based epidemiology. Passive samplers can in particular be considered for a better estimation of infections compared to incidence levels.

Evapotranspiration dynamics in aerated and non-aerated subsurface flow treatment wetlands.

This study reports the seasonal dynamics of evapotranspiration (ET) and evaporation (E) in different subsurface flow treatment wetlands operating in a temperate European climate. Daily water balances were compiled over the course of ten years (August 2010-July 2020). The study includes non-aerated horizontal flow wetlands (25 cm deep and 50 cm deep) as well as horizontal flow and vertical flow wetlands. The pilot systems were operated in planted and unplanted pairs, enabling Phragmites evapotranspiration rates (for planted systems) and evaporation rates (for unplanted systems) to be calculated. Evapotranspiration rates are highly seasonal. Aeration was observed to increase both evaporation and evapotranspiration rates. The overall percentage of inflow lost to ET was highest in non-aerated wetlands, due to the lower hydraulic load that they received compared to the aerated systems. Plant coefficients (Kp) relate measured evapotranspiration with the calculated reference evapotranspiration ETo. Wetlands planted with Phragmites display dynamic and highly seasonal values of Kp which are well-characterized by a sinusoidal curve during the growing season paired with a minimum (stable) value in the non-growing season. Aeration was observed to increase both evapotranspiration and evaporation rates. The concept of a Plant Scaling Factor (PSF) is introduced as a way of quantifying the "clothesline effect" observed in small treatment wetlands. Whereas unplanted systems effectively have a PSF of zero, the systems in this study (ranging in size from 5.6 to 6.2 m2) exhibited PSF values between 3.8 and 4.8 when the vegetation was fully mature.

Impact of various aeration strategies on the removal of micropollutants and biological effects in aerated horizontal flow treatment wetlands.

Two aerated horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetlands were studied over two years for the removal efficacy with respect of conventional wastewater parameters, micropollutants and effect-based methods. One wetland served as control and was aerated 24 h d-1 across 100% of the fractional length of the system. The second aerated horizontal flow treatment wetland was investigated under several aeration modes: first year with a zone of 85% aeration, followed by five months with a zone of 50% aeration and six months with a zone of 35% aeration. With 85% aeration, no significant difference in the removal efficacy as compared to the fully aerated control could be observed, except for E. coli, which were removed four times better in the control. No significant difference in removal efficacy for Total Organic Carbon, 5-day Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand, caffeine, and naproxen were observed. A 50% non-aerated zone reduced the overall removal efficacy of biological effects. The highest removal efficacy for the moderately biodegradable micropollutants benzotriazole and diclofenac was observed in the system with 50% aeration. This could be due to the sharp increase of dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation reduction potential at the passage from the non-aerated to the aerated zone (at 75% of the fractional length). The internal concentration profiles of caffeine, ibuprofen and naproxen varied from 12.5%, 25%, 50% to 75% fractional length due to redox shift, DO variations and other conditions. A reduction of the aerated zone to 35% of the fractional length results in reduced treatment efficacy for benzotriazole, diclofenac, acesulfame and biological effects but 50% aeration yielded as much degradation as the fully aerated control. These results indicate that less aeration could provide similar effluent water quality, depending on the pollutants of interest. E. coli and biological effects were removed best in the fully aerated system.

Removal of micropollutants and biological effects by conventional and intensified constructed wetlands treating municipal wastewater.

Seven treatment wetlands and a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were weekly monitored over the course of one year for removal of conventional wastewater parameters, selected micropollutants (caffeine, ibuprofen, naproxen, benzotriazole, diclofenac, acesulfame, and carbamazepine) and biological effects. The treatment wetland designs investigated include a horizontal subsurface flow (HF) wetland and a variety of wetlands with intensification (aeration, two-stages, or reciprocating flow). Complementary to the common approach of analyzing individual chemicals, in vitro bioassays can detect the toxicity of a mixture of known and unknown components given in a water sample. A panel of five in vitro cell-based reporter gene bioassays was selected to cover environmentally relevant endpoints (AhR: indicative of activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor; PPARγ: binding to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma; ERα: activation of the estrogen receptor alpha; GR: activation of the glucocorticoid receptor; oxidative stress response). While carbamazepine was persistent in the intensified treatment wetlands, mean monthly mass removal of up to 51% was achieved in the HF wetland. The two-stage wetland system showed highest removal efficacy for all biological effects (91% to >99%). The removal efficacy for biological effects ranged from 56% to 77% for the HF wetland and 60% to 99% for the WWTP. Bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQs) for AhR, PPARγ, and oxidative stress response were often below the recommended effect-based trigger (EBT) values for surface water, indicating the great benefit for using nature-based solutions for water treatment. Intensified treatment wetlands remove both individual micropollutants and mixture effects more efficiently than conventional (non-aerated) HF wetlands, and in some cases, the WWTP.

Assessing the life-cycle sustainability of algae and bacteria-based wastewater treatment systems: High-rate algae pond and sequencing batch reactor.

High Rate Algae Ponds (HRAPs) are a promising technology for the treatment of municipal wastewater in locations with sufficient space and solar radiation. Algae-based processes do not require aeration, and thus have the potential to be less energy-intensive than activated sludge processes. We used a combination of LCA and LCCA analysis to evaluate the sustainability of HRAP systems, using data from the construction and operation of two demonstration-scale systems in Almería and Cádiz, Spain. As a reference for comparison, we used data from an activated sludge-based Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) treatment system in operation in Leppersdorf, Germany, which has comparable removal rates for a similar inflow. We focused solely on the actual wastewater treatment aspect of these technologies, excluding sludge treatment from this analysis. Based on our analysis, the current HRAP technology is more energy-efficient than activated sludge-based SBRs and requires only 22% of its electricity consumption. In addition, HRAP is more advantageous both economically (0.18 €/m3 versus 0.26 €/m3) and environmentally, with both lower global warming and eutrophication potentials (146.27 vs. 458.27 × 10-3 kg CO2 equiv./m3; 126.14 vs. 158.01 × 10-6 kg PO4 equiv./m3). However, the Net Environmental Benefit of SBR was slightly more favorable than of HRAP because of the higher removal rate for nutrients of SBR.

Groundwater protection under water scarcity; from regional risk assessment to local wastewater treatment solutions in Jordan.

The infiltration of untreated wastewater into aquifers highly endangers the availability of fresh-water for human consumption in semi-arid areas. This growing problem of potable water scarcity urgently requires solutions for groundwater protection. Decision support systems for local wastewater treatments in settlements already exist. However, the main challenge of implementing these for regional groundwater protection is to identify where wastewater treatments are most efficient for the whole region. In this paper, we addressed this scale-crossing problem with an interdisciplinary approach that combines regional risk assessment and assessment of local wastewater treatment scenarios. We analysed the impact of polluting the groundwater using vulnerability, hazard, and risk assessments. Thus, we identified the need for semi-arid and karst-related adjustments, defined more suitable standards for wastewater hazard values, and accounted for the groundwater dynamics beyond the vertical flow paths. Using a lateral groundwater flow model, we analysed the impact of the pollution sources and linked the regional and local scale successfully. Furthermore, we combined the geoscientific results with the urban water engineering methods of area and cost assessments for local wastewater scenarios. Based on the example of the Wadi al Arab aquifer in Jordan, we showed that implementing an adapted treatment solution in one of the heavily polluted suburban settlements could reduce 12% of the aquifer pollution, which affects 93% of the potential aquifer users. This novel method helps to identify settlements with significant pollution impact on the groundwater, as well as the users, and also gives specific guidelines to establish the most efficient locally tailored treatment solution.

Modeling dynamics of organic carbon and nitrogen removal during aeration interruption in aerated horizontal flow treatment wetlands.

Despite recent developments in process-based modeling of treatment wetlands (TW), the dynamic response of horizontal flow (HF) aerated wetlands to interruptions of aeration has not yet been modeled. In this study, the dynamic response of organic carbon and nitrogen removal to interruptions of aeration in an HF aerated wetland was investigated using a recently-developed numerical process-based model. Model calibration and validation were achieved using previously obtained data from pilot-scale experiments. Setting initial concentrations for anaerobic bacteria to high values (≈ 35-70 mg L-1) and including ammonia sorption was important to simulate the treatment performance of the experimental wetland in transition phases when aeration was switched off and on again. Even though steady-state air flow rate impacted steady-state soluble chemical oxygen demand (CODs), ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) and oxidized nitrogen (NOx-N) concentration length profiles, it did not substantially affect corresponding effluent concentrations during aeration interruption. When comparing simulated with experimental results, it is most likely that extending the model to include mass transfer through the biofilm will allow to better explain the underlying experiments and to increase simulation accuracy. This study provides insights into the dynamic behavior of HF aerated wetlands and discusses assumptions and limitations of the modeling approach.

Modeling the relationship of aeration, oxygen transfer and treatment performance in aerated horizontal flow treatment wetlands.

Mechanical aeration is commonly used to improve the overall treatment efficacy of constructed wetlands. However, the quantitative relationships of air flow rate (AFR), water temperature, field oxygen transfer and treatment performance have not been analyzed in detail until today. In this study, a reactive transport model based on dual-permeability flow and biokinetic formulations of the Constructed Wetland Model No. 1 (CWM1) was developed and extented to 1) simulate oxygen transfer and treatment performance for organic carbon and nitrogen of two pilot-scale horizontal flow (HF) aerated wetlands (Test and Control) treating domestic sewage, and, 2) to investigate the dependence of oxygen transfer and treatment performance on AFR and water temperature. Both pilot-scale wetlands exhibited preferential flow patters and high treatment performance for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH4-N at AFRs of 128-700 L m-2 h-1. A reduction of the AFR in the Test system from 128 to 72 L h-1 m-2 substantially inhibited NH4-N removal. Conservative tracer transport as well as reactive transport of dissolved oxygen (DO), soluble and total chemical oxygen demand (CODs, CODt), NH4-N and NOx-N measured in pilot-scale experiments were simulated with acceptable accuracy (E1¯=0.39±0.26). An equation to estimate the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient was found to be: kLa,20=0.511ln(AFR). Simulated treatment performance depended on kLa,20 in a non-linear manner. A local sensitivity analysis of the calibrated parameters revealed porosity, hydraulic permeability and dispersion length of the fast flow field as well as kLa,20 as most important. An optimal AFR for a spatially and temporally continuous aeration pattern for treatment wetlands treating similar influent was estimated to 150-200 L h-1 m-2. This study provides insights into aeration mechanisms of aerated treatment wetlands and highlights the benefits of process modeling for in-depth system analysis.

Vertical flow constructed wetlands for decentralized wastewater treatment in Jordan: Optimization of total nitrogen removal.

The baseline performance of two full-scale vertical flow (VF) constructed wetlands operating in the arid climate of Jordan is presented in this study, within the context of the Jordanian Standards for reuse of treated wastewater. One system was a recirculating VF wetland, and the other was a single-pass two-stage VF wetland. Operational modifications were made to each treatment system, with the aim of improving Total Nitrogen (TN) removal. For the recirculating VF system, attached-growth media was added to the recirculation tank to provide increased surface area for growth of denitrifying bacteria. The modification showed a small but significant improvement in TN removal (8 mg/L less than the baseline phase; p = 0.004). Statistical analysis showed that 30% and 4.5% of the increase in compliance with the TN limits (Class A and Class B/C, respectively) could be attributed to the modification. The two-stage VF wetland was modified with a step-feeding line that introduced carbon-rich raw wastewater to the intermediate pump shaft just upstream of the second-stage filter. The modification also resulted in a small but significant improvement in TN removal (13 mg/L less than the baseline phase; p = 0.005). The increase in compliance with the TN standard due to the modification was estimated at 20% and 22% for Class A and B/C, respectively. The simple operational modifications proved to be effective for improving total nitrogen removal in arid climate VF wetland systems.

Side-by-side comparison of 15 pilot-scale conventional and intensified subsurface flow wetlands for treatment of domestic wastewater.

This study reports a systematic assessment of treatment efficacy for 15 pilot-scale subsurface flow constructed wetlands of different designs for CBOD5, TSS, TOC, TN, NH4-N, NO3-N, NO2-N, and E. coli over the course of one year in an outdoor study to evaluate the effects of design and plants. The systems consisted of a range of designs: horizontal flow (HF) with 50 and 25 cm depth, unsaturated vertical flow (VF) with sand or fine gravel, and intensified systems (horizontal and saturated vertical flow with aeration, and reciprocating fill and drain). Each system was built in duplicate: one was planted with Phragmites and one was left unplanted (with the exception of the reciprocating system, of which there was only one and it was unplanted). All systems were fed with the same primary-treated domestic wastewater. Effluent concentrations, areal and volumetric mass removal rates, and percent mass removal for the 15 systems are discussed. HF wetlands removed CBOD5, TSS, TN, NH4-N and E. coli by 73-83%, 93-95%, 17-41%, 0-27% and 1.5 log units, respectively. Unsaturated VF and aerated VF wetlands removed CBOD5, TSS, TN, NH4-N and E. coli by 69-99%, 76-99%, 17-40%, 69-99% and 0.9-2.4 log units, respectively. The aerated HF and reciprocating systems removed CBOD5, TSS, TN, NH4-N and E. coli by 99%, 99%, 43-70%, 94-99% and 3.0-3.8 log units, respectively. The aerated HF and reciprocating systems achieved the highest TN removal rate of all of the designs. Design complexity clearly enhanced treatment efficacy (HF < VF < Intensified, p < 0.001) during the first two years of plant growth while the presence of plants had minor effects on TN and NH4-N removal in the shallow HF design only.

Dynamics of emerging organic contaminant removal in conventional and intensified subsurface flow treatment wetlands.

Six pilot-scale treatment wetlands treating municipal wastewater were monitored for classical wastewater parameters and selected Emerging Organic Compounds (EOCs): caffeine (CAF), ibuprofen (IBU), naproxen (NPX), benzotriazole (BTZ), diclofenac (DCL), acesulfame (ACE) and carbamazepine (CBZ) on a weekly basis over the course of one year. Treatment efficacy of the wetland systems was compared to that of a municipal wastewater treatment plant adjacent to the research site (activated sludge technology). The aerated wetlands VAp and HAp, and the two-stage vertical flow system VGp + VSp showed the highest treatment efficacy (>70% removal on a mass basis) and comparable treatment efficacy to the conventional WWTP for removal of CAF, IBU, NPX, BTZ, and DCL. Annual mass removal of ACE in the WWTP was 50% and varied in the wetlands (depending on system design) from zero to 62%. On a mean monthly basis, ACE removal in the treatment wetlands VGp + VSp, VAp, HAp, R was high (> 90%) for six months of the year. Monthly mean mass removal of CBZ was negligible for the WWTP and all treatment wetland systems except H50p, which showed up to 49% mass removal in June. Monthly mean mass removals of classical wastewater parameters and readily biodegradable EOCs (represented by CAF, IBU, NPX) were most stable in the intensified wetland designs VAp, HAp, and R. A statistical analysis confirms that system complexity, aerobic conditions, and temperature have the highest correlation to overall pollutant removal in the treatment wetland systems, including EOCs of high to moderate biodegradability. First-order removal rate coefficents and temperature correction factors for EOCs are reported for the first time in the treatment wetland literature. Limitations on the use of these values in engineering design are discussed.

Emerging Biodegradation of the Previously Persistent Artificial Sweetener Acesulfame in Biological Wastewater Treatment.

The persistence of acesulfame (ACE) in wastewater treatment (and subsequently the aquatic environment) has led to its use as a marker substance for wastewater input into surface water and groundwater. However, ACE degradation of >85% during summer and autumn was observed in nine German wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Annual removal performance was more stable in larger plants, enhanced by low biological oxygen demand and impeded by water temperatures below 10 °C. Literature data suggest that the potential to degrade ACE emerged in WWTPs around the year 2010. This development is ongoing, as illustrated by ACE content in the German rivers Elbe and Mulde: Between 2013 and 2016 the ACE mass load decreased by 70-80%. In enrichment cultures with ACE as sole carbon source the carbonaceous fraction of ACE was removed completely, indicating catabolic biotransformation and the inorganic compound sulfamic acid formed in quantitative amounts. Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes suggests that several species are involved in ACE degradation, with proteobacterial species affiliated to Phyllobacteriaceae, Methylophilaceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, and Pseudomonas becoming specifically enriched. ACE appears to be the first micropollutant for which the evolution of a catabolic pathway in WWTPs has been witnessed. It can yet only be speculated whether the emergence of ACE removal in WWTPs in different regions of the world is due to independent evolution or to global spreading of genes or adapted microorganisms.

The new German standard on constructed wetland systems for treatment of domestic and municipal wastewater.

The German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste e.V. (DWA) has published a new standard for the dimensioning, construction, and operation of constructed wetlands for treatment of domestic and municipal wastewater. The changes to the standard are based on a wide range of experience gained in recent years in Germany and Europe. For the first time ever, the standard has been officially translated and published in English. This paper summarizes the new standard for secondary treatment of domestic wastewater with classical one-stage unsaturated vertical flow (VF) wetlands, VF wetlands with lava sand for treatment of wastewater from combined sewer systems, and actively aerated VF and horizontal flow (HF) flow wetlands. Two-stage unsaturated VF wetlands treating raw wastewater (French VF wetlands), are also included in the new standard. HF wetlands are no longer described in the standard for secondary treatment of domestic wastewater. This does not exclude their application. Existing HF wetland systems in Germany may continue to be operated so long as effluent parameters are met and proper operations and maintenance is ensured. This paper gives an overview of the new design standard, including key information on wastewater type and loading, as well as primary attributes of each wetland design.

Resilience of carbon and nitrogen removal due to aeration interruption in aerated treatment wetlands.

Treatment wetlands have long been used for domestic and industrial wastewater treatment. In recent decades, treatment wetland technology has evolved and now includes intensified designs such as aerated treatment wetlands. Aerated treatment wetlands are particularly dependent on aeration, which requires reliable air pumps and, in most cases, electricity. Whether aerated treatment wetlands are resilient to disturbances such as an aeration interruption is currently not well known. In order to investigate this knowledge gap, we carried out a pilot-scale experiment on one aerated horizontal flow wetland and one aerated vertical flow wetland under warm (Twater>17°C) and cold (Twater<10°C) weather conditions. Both wetlands were monitored before, during and after an aeration interruption of 6d by taking grab samples of the influent and effluent, as well as pore water. The resilience of organic carbon and nitrogen removal processes in the aerated treatment wetlands depended on system design (horizontal or vertical flow) and water temperature. Organic carbon and nitrogen removal for both systems severely deteriorated after 4-5d of aeration interruption, resulting in effluent water quality similar to that expected from a conventional horizontal sub-surface flow treatment wetland. Both experimental aerated treatment wetlands recovered their initial treatment performance within 3-4d at Twater>17°C (warm weather) and within 6-8d (horizontal flow system) and 4-5d (vertical flow system) at Twater<10°C (cold weather). In the vertical flow system, DOC, DN and NH4-N removal were less affected by low water temperatures, however, the decrease of DN removal in the vertical flow aerated wetland at Twater>17°C was twice as high as in the horizontal flow aerated wetland. The quick recovery of treatment performance highlights the benefits of aerated treatment wetlands as resilient wastewater treatment technologies.

Effect of design and operational conditions on the performance of subsurface flow treatment wetlands: Emerging organic contaminants as indicators.

Six pilot-scale subsurface flow treatment wetlands loaded with primary treated municipal wastewater were monitored over one year for classical wastewater parameters and a set of emerging organic compounds (EOCs) serving as process indicators for biodegradation: caffeine, ibuprofen, naproxen, benzotriazole, diclofenac, acesulfame, and carbamazepine. The wetland technologies investigated included conventional horizontal flow, unsaturated vertical flow (single and two-stage), horizontal flow with aeration, vertical flow with aeration, and reciprocating. Treatment efficiency for classical wastewater parameters and EOCs generally increased with increasing design complexity and dissolved oxygen concentrations. The two aerated wetlands and the two-stage vertical flow system showed the highest EOC removal, and the best performance in warm season and most robust performance in the cold season. These three systems performed better than the adjacent conventional WWTP with respect to EOC removal. Acesulfame was observed to be removed (>90%) by intensified wetland systems and with use of a tertiary treatment sand filter during the warm season. Elevated temperature and high oxygen content (aerobic conditions) proved beneficial for EOC removal. For EOCs of moderate to low biodegradability, the co-occurrence of aerobic conditions and low content of readily available carbon appears essential for efficient removal. Such conditions occurred in the aerated systems and with use of a tertiary treatment sand filter.

A new approach to implementing decentralized wastewater treatment concepts.

Planners and decision-makers in the wastewater sector are often confronted with the problem of identifying adequate development strategies and most suitable finance schemes for decentralized wastewater infrastructure. This paper research has focused on providing an approach in support of such decision-making. It is based on basic principles that stand for an integrated perspective towards sustainable wastewater management. We operationalize these principles by means of a geographic information system (GIS)-based approach 'Assessment of Local Lowest-Cost Wastewater Solutions'--ALLOWS. The main product of ALLOWS is the identification of cost-effective local wastewater management solutions for any given demographic and physical context. By using universally available input data the tool allows decision-makers to compare different wastewater solutions for any given wastewater situation. This paper introduces the ALLOWS-GIS tool. Its application and functionality are illustrated by assessing different wastewater solutions for two neighboring communities in rural Jordan.

Hydraulic characterization and optimization of total nitrogen removal in an aerated vertical subsurface flow treatment wetland.

In this study, a side-by-side comparison of two pilot-scale vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands (6.2 m(2)×0.85 m, q(i)=95 L/m(2) d, τ(n)=3.5 d) handling primary treated domestic sewage was conducted. One system (VA-i) was set to intermittent aeration while the other was aerated continuously (VAp-c). Intermittent aeration was provided to VA-i in an 8 h on/4 h off pattern. The intermittently aerated wetland, VA-i, was observed to have 70% less nitrate nitrogen mass outflow than the continuously aerated wetland, VAp-c. Intermittent aeration was shown to increase treatment performance for TN while saving 33% of running energy cost for aeration. Parallel tracer experiments in the two wetlands showed hydraulic characteristics similar to one Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR). Intermittent aeration did not significantly affect the hydraulic functioning of the system. Hydraulic efficiencies were 78% for VAp-c and 76% for VA-i.

Remediation of groundwater contaminated with MTBE and benzene: the potential of vertical-flow soil filter systems.

Field investigations on the treatment of MTBE and benzene from contaminated groundwater in pilot or full-scale constructed wetlands are lacking hugely. The aim of this study was to develop a biological treatment technology that can be operated in an economic, reliable and robust mode over a long period of time. Two pilot-scale vertical-flow soil filter eco-technologies, a roughing filter (RF) and a polishing filter (PF) with plants (willows), were operated independently in a single-stage configuration and coupled together in a multi-stage (RF+PF) configuration to investigate the MTBE and benzene removal performances. Both filters were loaded with groundwater from a refinery site contaminated with MTBE and benzene as the main contaminants, with a mean concentration of 2970±816 and 13,966±1998 µg L(-1), respectively. Four different hydraulic loading rates (HLRs) with a stepwise increment of 60, 120, 240 and 480 L m(-2) d(-1) were applied over a period of 388 days in the single-stage operation. At the highest HLR of 480 L m(-2) d(-1), the mean concentrations of MTBE and benzene were found to be 550±133 and 65±123 µg L(-1) in the effluent of the RF. In the effluent of the PF system, respective mean MTBE and benzene concentrations of 49±77 and 0.5±0.2 µg L(-1) were obtained, which were well below the relevant MTBE and benzene limit values of 200 and 1 µg L(-1) for drinking water quality. But a dynamic fluctuation in the effluent MTBE concentration showed a lack of stability in regards to the increase in the measured values by nearly 10%, which were higher than the limit value. Therefore, both (RF+PF) filters were combined in a multi-stage configuration and the combined system proved to be more stable and effective with a highly efficient reduction of the MTBE and benzene concentrations in the effluent. Nearly 70% of MTBE and 98% of benzene were eliminated from the influent groundwater by the first vertical filter (RF) and the remaining amount was almost completely diminished (∼100% reduction) after passing through the second filter (PF), with a mean MTBE and benzene concentration of 5±10 and 0.6±0.2 µg L(-1) in the final effluent. The emission rate of volatile organic compounds mass into the air from the systems was less than 1% of the inflow mass loading rate. The results obtained in this study not only demonstrate the feasibility of vertical-flow soil filter systems for treating groundwater contaminated with MTBE and benzene, but can also be considered a major step forward towards their application under full-scale conditions for commercial purposes in the oil and gas industries.

Mineralization of atrazine in agricultural soil: inhibition by nitrogen.

Microbial mineralization of atrazine was characterized in soils and liquid media in the presence of nitrogen fertilizer concentrations representing typical field applications. The mineralization of atrazine in soils varied between 6 and 99% after 18 d of incubation. Half-lives of between 0.99 and more than 18 d were obtained. Mineralization kinetics and degree are related by a reciprocal trend to concentrations of available nitrogen in the soil. In liquid media, half-lives were calculated as 0.12 d in the absence of fertilizer nitrogen and as 79 d in the presence of 1,000 mg/L of KNO3-N. Only 20% of atrazine was mineralized after 18 d of incubation in the presence of this concentration of KNO3-N, whereas greater than 90% mineralization occurred after 2 d of incubation in liquid medium without KNO3-N. The results demonstrate that the mineralization of atrazine is inhibited even at fertilizer nitrogen levels lower than typical field applications. Inhibition in soil is lower than that in liquid medium, possibly because of the higher complexity of the soil system. This may explain why atrazine that infiltrates to the groundwater is persistent. The microbial consortium of the soils was characterized, and seven species were identified. The degrading capacity of these species suggests that only three species are involved in the degradation of atrazine.