Waste water sulphur

Heavy metals contamination is posing severe threat to the soil health and environmental sustainability. Application of industrial and sewage waste as irrigation and growing urbanization and agricultural industry is the main reason for heavy metals pollution. Therefore, the present study was planned to assess the influence of different irrigation sources such as industrial effluents, sewage wastewater, tube well water, and canal water on the soil physio-chemical, soil biological, and enzymatic characteristics...

Phototrophic polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production is an emerging technology for recovering carbon and nutrients from diverse wastewater streams. However, reliable selection methods for the enrichment of PHA accumulating purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) in phototrophic mixed cultures (PMC) are needed. This research evaluates the impact of ammonia on the selection of a PHA accumulating phototrophic-chemotrophic consortium, towards the enrichment of PHA accumulating PPB. The culture was operated under light-feast/dark-aerated-famine and winter simulated-outdoor conditions (13...

Monitoring and quantification of nutrient movement in soils could help farmers and policy makers to formulate effective nutrient loss reduction strategies and waste management. The study was conducted to monitor and quantify vertical and lateral movements of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3 -N), phosphate (PO4 ) and sulphate-sulphur (SO4 -S) in soils around manure dumpsites in Abeokuta, southwest Nigeria. The dumpsites investigated include a flush-type poultry litter, poultry litter mixed with beddings of wood shavings and cattle and pig waste open dumpsites...

A novel sulphur-reducing bacterium was isolated from a pyrite-forming enrichment culture inoculated with sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant. Based on phylogenetic data, strain J.5.4.2-T.3.5.2T could be affiliated with the phylum Synergistota . Among type strains of species with validly published names, the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity value was found with Aminiphilus circumscriptus ILE-2T (89.2 %). Cells of the new isolate were Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, straight to slightly curved rods with tapered ends...

For many years, research on the microbial-dissolution of metals from ores or waste materials mainly focussed on the study of acidophilic organisms. However, most acidophilic bioleaching microorganisms have limited tolerance to high chloride concentrations, thereby requiring fresh water for bioleaching operations. There is a growing interest in the use of seawater for leaching purposes, especially in regions with less access to fresh water. Consequently, there is a need to find halophilic organisms with bioleaching potentials...

The Atalanti basin is an intensively cultivated area in central Greece, facing groundwater quality deterioration threats due to natural and anthropogenic-related contamination sources. A combination of statistical and hydrogeochemical techniques, and stable isotope compositions (δ2 H-H2 O and δ18 Ο-Η2 Ο, δ15 Ν-ΝΟ3 - and δ18 Ο-ΝΟ3 - , δ34 S-SO4 2- and δ18 O-SO4 2- ) were applied to elucidate the origin of salinity and nitrate contamination, and shed light on the potential associations between geogenic Cr(VI) and NO3 - sources and transformations...

Fe/S-bearing erdite flocculant has been proven to be effective in the precipitation of heavy metals from real electroplating wastewater, with the only drawback being the huge production of sludge. This sludge was rich in Fe/S/Zn/Cu/Ni and refractory to be recycled due to the extractant pollution by free Fe and the dissolution of sulphide. Herein, a multistep separation method was developed to dissolve sulphide and separate Fe prior to Zn/Cu/Ni. Results showed that more than 92% sludge was dissolved as Fe/Zn/Cu/Ni-rich leachate after the sludge was leached by nitric acid, with the rest of the remaining undissolved elemental sulphurs...

Converting peanut and sheanut shells into biochar is a smart strategy for recycling agricultural waste. Biochar was produced from peanut and sheanut shells at temperatures of 350 ± 5 °C and 700 ± 5 °C. The adsorption capacities for lead (Pb2+ ), cadmium (Cd2+ ) and mercury (Hg2+ ) in the binary systems were evaluated. In the binary systems with concentrations of 5 : 5 mg/L, 10 : 10 mg/L, 25 : 25 mg/L and 50 : 50 mg/L the removal efficiencies of GB350, SB350, GS350, GB700, SB700 and GS700 were 100% for Pb2+ and 88...

Globally, many populations suffer from a lack of access to basic sanitation facilities. This is partly caused by a combination of water resource shortages and the high cost of conventional centralised treatment systems. A novel decentralised treatment technology based on sub-critical hydrothermal processing of organic wastes at toilet-scale, contributes to addressing these economic and resource limitations. To be effective, this technology needs to satisfy a broad range of environmental and safety considerations, including the nature and quantity of formed gas products...

The large population residing in the northern region of India surrounding Delhi mostly depends on water of River Yamuna, a tributary of mighty Ganga for agriculture, drinking and various religious activities. However, continuous anthropogenic activities mostly due to pollution mediated by rapid urbanization and industrialization have profoundly affected river microflora and their function thus its health. In this study, potential of whole-genome metagenomics was exploited to unravel the novel consortia of microbiome and their functional potential in the polluted sediments of the river at Delhi...

The International Atomic Energy Agency has coordinated an international project addressing enhancements of methods for modelling the biosphere in post-closure safety assessments of solid radioactive waste disposal. This has resulted in the enhanced BIOMASS methodology that is described elsewhere in this special issue. To a large degree, the enhancements to the BIOMASS methodology arose from experience gained in applying the original methodology, both in the context of other international projects and in assessments of existing or proposed disposal facilities for solid radioactive wastes...

Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) can transform wet lignocellulosic biomass, which is not considered an effective biofuel for energy production at the industrial level, into a carbonaceous product called hydrochar (HC) that is suitable for combustion and a process water (PW). PW is an interesting by-product that can be valorised for biogas production via anaerobic digestion (AD). This study presents a new approach for the valorisation of garden and park wastes (GPW) by integrating HTC to generate HC for energy production, while PW is subjected to AD for biogas production...

This study used millet husk which is a waste and gum Arabic as binder to develop briquettes for domestic cooking in Northern Nigeria. The objective was to investigate the effect of particle sizes, compaction pressures and binder concentrations on the physical, mechanical and thermal characteristics of the briquettes. Furthermore, the study also accessed the economic viability of the usage of millet husk briquettes as fuel. Particle sizes of 0.3, 0.4, 0.6 and 1.7mm; compaction pressures of 10, 15, 20 and 25 MPa and binder concentrations (gum Arabic) of 25, 30, 35 and 40% were used to densify the millet husk mixed with gum Arabic at room temperature with the aid of hydraulic press...

The aim of the article is to determine the properties of fuel mixtures of Fischer-Tropsch naphtha fraction with traditional gasoline (petrol) to be able to integrate the production of advanced alternative fuel based on Fischer-Tropsch synthesis into existing fuel markets. The density, octane number, vapor pressure, cloud point, water content, sulphur content, refractive index, ASTM color, heat of combustion, and fuel composition were measured using the gas chromatography method PIONA. It was found that fuel properties of Fischer-Tropsch naphtha fraction is not much comparable to conventional gasoline (petrol) due to the high n-alkane content...

The aim of the present research work is to produce the activated carbon from raw jamun fruit seeds through physical, chemical and combined physico-chemical treatment for the removal of Fe (II) ions from contaminated water. The surface functionalized and surface modified adsorbents were characterized using different analytical techniques. The surface morphology of sorbents possesses rough surface that are amorphous in nature filled with pores that are obtained due to thermal and chemical treatments. The presence of functional groups in sorbents indicates the effective interaction with Fe (II) ions in water...

Adsorption of Pb(II) ions in aqueous systems by newly developed mixed biomass has been explored. Mixed biomass was prepared from agro-waste (raw Banyan tree bark, RBTB) and bacterial biomass (Pannonibacter phragmitetus). Chemical modification by sulphuric acid treatment of raw banyan tree bark (SMBTB) was accomplished for the effective separation of toxic Pb(II) ions from the aquatic system. FTIR, SEM and EDX analysis was utilized to deduce sorption characteristics of mixed biomass. Pb(II) ions maximal removal has occurred at pH-6...

The aim of this study was to assess the maturity indicators of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) enrichment with different byproduct of (sugar and fertilizer industry) sulphur (S). The concentration of total S (TS), water-soluble S (WSS), HCl extractable S and available S were significantly different in composts prepared through different byproduct of S with MSW. WSS varied from 4.6 to 5.9% of TS after 120 days of the composting period, whereas, available S varied from 14.5 - 8.6% of TS. S enriched MSW compost had lower C/N, C/S ratio and higher nitrification index as well as lower phyto-toxicity, demonstrating that composts are properly matured and stabilised...

There is now increasing interest in the creation of a more 'circular economy', with a particular aim to eliminate waste - by design, within which products are optimised to be reused, restored or returned. Here, a sulphur functionalised microporous biochar was synthesised from an abundant biomass waste material (cherry kernels), for the selective removal of Pb(II) from landfill leachate as a representative heavy metal. The production process utilises renewable waste material and removes toxic chemicals. Characterisation of the biochar showed that pyrolysis and functionalisation formed an adsorbent with a microporous structure and rich surface chemical functionality...

Acid mine waters (AMWs), generated in the processing of polymetallic sulphides, contain copper and zinc as the main valuable transition metal ions, which are typically removed by liming, due to their great environmental impact. In this context, this work proposes the integration of selective precipitation (SP) and ion-exchange (IX) processes for the separation and recovery of both valuable metals to encourage on-site and off-site management options promoting valorisation routes. Thus, the main objectives of this work were (i) the selective removal of Fe(III) and Al(III), using NaOH under pH control (pH < 5) to avoid the precipitation of Cu(II) and Zn(II) and (ii) the evaluation of a solvent-impregnated resin (Lewatit VP OC 1026, named VP1026) and a cation IX resin (Lewatit TP 207, named TP207) for the sequential extraction of both metal ions from AMW (batch and column experiments)...

The utilization of agricultural wastes is an attractive and viable option to reduce the environmental pollution and reverse the over-exploitation of fossil fuels. Now-a-days, the usage of fossil fuels has increased manifold causing twin serious problems such as depletion of limited source of fossil fuels and increase in environmental pollution with major consequences. In this study, briquettes were produced using sorghum panicles (SP) and pearl millet (PM) with different ratios (100:0, 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20, 90:10 and 0:100) using cassava starch as a binder with a planned compacting pressure level (200 kN) by exploring hydraulic compression method...