Economic impact analysis of combined sewer overflow regulations on East St. Louis, R81-12 /

Project no. 80.264.

The cost of land application of wastewater : a simulation analysis /

Item 16

Dietary analysis of the herbivorous hemiramphid Hyporhamphus regularis ardelio: an isotopic approach

The stable isotope values for a range of size classes of Hyporhamphus regularis ardelio from Moreton Bay, south-east Australia were determined. There was a positive linear relationship between 613 C and standard length (L-s) (delta(13)C = 0.034 Ls - 16-23; r(2) = 0.78). delta(13)C ranged from -8.48 to - 17.29 parts per thousand with the smallest size class (50 mm Ls) being on average 1.04 parts per thousand enriched with respect to that of zooplankton (Temora turbinata) and 7.97 parts per thousand depleted compared to Zostera capricorni. delta(13)C was positively correlated with Ls (P 0.0 1) with delta(15) N, ranging from 9.18 to 11.00 parts per thousand. Fish of all size classes were on average 2.32 and 7.63 parts per thousand more enriched than zooplankton and seagrass, respectively. Carbon isotope data indicate that H. r. ardelio commence life as carnivores and change to a diet in which seagrass is the primary carbon source. The dependence on animal matter, however, is always present. Due to the low percentage of nitrogen in Z. capricorni (2.5%) compared to zooplankton (9.1%) it appears that nitrogen from zooplankton is necessary throughout their life history with the carbon requirements for these fish coming chiefly from Z. capricorni. (c) 2005 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Heat and mass transfer during fry-drying of sewage sludge

Deep-frying, which consists of immersing a wet material in a large volume of hot oil, presents a process easily adaptable to dry rather than cook materials. A suitable material for drying is sewage sludge, which may be dried using recycled cooking oils (RCO) as frying oil. One advantage is that this prepares both materials for convenient disposal by incineration. This study examines fry-drying of municipal sewage sludge using recycled cooking oil. The transport processes occurring during fry-drying were monitored through sample weight, temperature, and image analysis. Due to the thicker and wetter samples than the common fried foods, high residual moisture is observed in the sludge when the boiling front has reached the geometric center of the sample, suggesting that the operation is heat transfer controlled only during the first half of the process followed by the addition of other mechanisms that allow complete drying of the sample. A series of mechanisms comprising four stages (i.e., initial heating accompanied by a surface boiling onset, film vapor regime, transitional nucleate boiling, and bound water removal) is proposed. In order to study the effect of the operating conditions on the fry-drying kinetics, different oil temperatures (from 120 to 180 degrees C), diameter (D = 15 to 25 mm), and initial moisture content of the sample (4.8 and 5.6 kg water(.)kg(-1) total dry solids) were investigated.

Eliminating non-renewable CO2 emissions from sewage treatment: An anaerobic migrating bed reactor pilot plant study

The aim of this work was to demonstrate at pilot scale a high level of energy recovery from sewage utilising a primary Anaerobic Migrating Bed Reactor (AMBR) operating at ambient temperature to convert COD to methane. The focus is the reduction in non-renewable CO2 emissions resulting from reduced energy requirements for sewage treatment. A pilot AMBR was operated on screened sewage over the period June 2003 to September 2004. The study was divided into two experimental phases. In Phase 1 the process operated at a feed rate of 10 L/h (HRT 50 h), SRT 63 days, average temperature 28 degrees C and mixing time fraction 0.05. In Phase 2 the operating parameters were 20 L/h, 26 days, 16 degrees C and 0.025. Methane production was 66% of total sewage COD in Phase 1 and 23% in Phase 2. Gas mixing of the reactor provided micro-aeration which suppressed sulphide production. Intermittent gas mixing at a useful power input of 6 W/m(3) provided satisfactory process performance in both phases. Energy consumption for mixing was about 1.5% of the energy conversion to methane in both operating phases. Comparative analysis with previously published data confirmed that methane supersaturation resulted in significant losses of methane in the effluent of anaerobic treatment systems. No cases have been reported where methane was considered to be supersaturated in the effluent. We have shown that methane supersaturation is likely to be significant and that methane losses in the effluent are likely to have been greater than previously predicted. Dissolved methane concentrations were measured at up to 2.2 times the saturation concentration relative to the mixing gas composition. However, this study has also demonstrated that despite methane supersaturation occurring, microaeration can result in significantly lower losses of methane in the effluent (< 11% in this study), and has demonstrated that anaerobic sewage treatment can genuinely provide energy recovery. The goal of demonstrating a high level of energy recovery in an ambient anaerobic bioreactor was achieved. An AMBR operating at ambient temperature can achieve up to 70% conversion of sewage COD to methane, depending on SRT and temperature. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The ecology of percolating filters containing a plastic filter medium in relation to their efficiency in The treatment of domestic sewage

The suitability of a new plastic supporting medium for biofiltration was tested over a three year period. Tests were carried out on the stability, surface properties, mechanical strength, and dimensions of the medium. There was no evidence to suggest that the medium was deficient in any of these respects. The specific surface (320m2m-3) and the voidage (94%) of the new medium are unlike any other used in bio-filtration and a pilot plant containing two filters was built to observe its effects on ecology and performance. Performance was estimated by chemical analysis and ecology studied by film examination and fauna counts. A system of removable sampling baskets was designed to enable samples to be obtained from two intermediate depths of filter. One of the major operating problems of percolating filters is excessive accumulation of film. The amount of film is influenced by hydraulic and organic load and each filter was run at a different loading. One was operated at 1.2m3m-3day-1 (DOD load 0.24kgm-3day-1) judged at the time to be the lowest filtration rate to offer advantages over conventional media. The other filter was operated at more than twice this loading (2.4m3m-3day-lBOD load 0.55kgm-3day-1) giving a roughly 2.5x and 6x the conventional loadings recommended for a Royal Commission effluent. The amount of film in each filter was normally low (0.05-3kgm(3 as volatile solids) and did not affect efficiency. The evidence collected during the study indicated that the ecology of the filters was normal when compared with the data obtained from the literature relating to filters with mineral media. There were indications that full ecological stability was yet to be reached and this was affecting the efficiency of the filters. The lower rate filter produced an average 87% BOD removal giving a consistent Royal Commission effluent during the summer months. The higher rate filter produced a mean 83% BOD removal but at no stage a consistent Royal Commission effluent. From the data on ecology and performance the filters resembled conventional filters rather than high rate filters.

The effect of catchment characteristics on sewage settling velocity grading

A procedure has been developed which measures the settling velocity distribution of particles within a complete sewage sample. The development of the test method included observations of particle and liquid interaction using both synthetic media and sewage. Comparison studies with two other currently used settling velocity test procedures was undertaken. The method is suitable for use with either DWF or storm sewage. Information relating to the catchment characteristics of 35 No. wastewater treatment works was collected from the privatised water companies in England and Wales. 29 No. of these sites were used in an experimental programme to determine the settling velocity grading of 33 No. sewage samples. The collected data were analysed in an attempt to relate the settling velocity distribution to the characteristics of the contributing catchment. Statistical analysis of the catchment data and the measured settling velocity distributions was undertaken. A curve fitting exercise using an S-shaped curve which had the same physical characteristics as the settling velocity distributions was performed. None of these analyses found evidence that the settling velocity distribution of sewage had a significant relationship with the chosen catchment characteristics. The regression equations produced from the statistical analysis cannot be used to assist in the design of separation devices. However, a grading curve envelope was produced, the limits of which were clearly defined for the measured data set. There was no evidence of a relationship between settling velocity grading and the characteristics of the contributing catchment, particularly the catchment area. The present empirical approach to settling tank design cannot be improved upon at present by considering the variation in catchment parameters. This study has provided a basis for future research into the settling velocity measurement and should be of benefit to future workers within this field.

Characteristics of the upper phase of bio-oil obtained from co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge with wood, rapeseed and straw

Sewage sludge was pyrolysed with 40% mixed wood, 40% rapeseed and 40% straw. The reason for the mixture of different biomass is to investigate the impact of co-pyrolysis on the upper phase of bio-oil in terms of changes to composition, elemental analysis, viscosity, water content, pH, higher heating value and acid number that could impact on their applications. The biomass was pyrolysed in a laboratory at 450 °C and bio-oil was collected from two cooling traps. The bio-oil obtained from co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge with wood, rapeseed and straw was analysed for composition using the gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The upper phase from the co-pyrolysis process was also characterised for ultimate analysis, higher heating values, water content, viscosity, pH and acid number. There was an increase in the amount of upper phase produced with co-pyrolysis of 40% rapeseed. It was also found that the upper phase from sewage sludge with mixed wood has the highest viscosity, acid number and lowest pH. The bio-oil containing 40% straw was found to have a pH of 6.5 with a very low acid number while the 40% rapeseed was found to have no acid number. Sewage sludge with 40% rapeseed was found to have the highest energy content of 34.8 MJ/kg, 40% straw has 32.5 MJ/kg while the 40% mixed wood pyrolysis oil has the lowest energy content of 31.3 MJ/kg. The 40% rapeseed fraction was found to have the highest water content of 8.2% compared to other fractions.

Thermal stability of sewage sludge pyrolysis oil

The stability of the oil phase obtained from intermediate pyrolysis process was used for this investigation. The analysis was based on standard methods of determining kinematic viscosity, gas - chromatography / mass - spectrometry for compositional changes, FT-IR for functional group, Karl Fischer titration for water content and bomb calorimeter for higher heaating values. The methods were used to determine changes that occurred during ageing. The temperatures used for thermal testing were 60 °C and 80 °C for the periods of 72 and 168 h. Methanol and biodiesel were used as solvents for the analysis. The bio-oil samples contained 10 % methanol, 10 % Biodiesel, 20 % Biodiesel and unstabilised pyrolysis oil. The tests carried out at 80 °C showed drastic changes compared to those at 60 °C. The bio-oil samples containing 20 % biodiesel proved to be more stable than those with 10 % methanol. The unstabilised pyrolysis oil showed the greatest changes in viscosity, composition change and highest increase in water content. The measurement of kinematic viscosity and gas chromatograph mass spectrometry were found to be more reliable for predicting the ageing process.

Combined effects of soil biotic and abiotic factors, influenced by sewage sludge incorporation, on the incidence of corn stalk rot.

Abstract: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the combined effects of soil bioticand abiotic factors on the incidence of Fusarium corn stalk rot, during four annual incorporations of two typesofsewagesludge intosoil ina 5-years field assay under tropical conditions and topredict the effectsof these variables on the disease. For each type of sewage sludge, the following treatments were included: control with mineral fertilization recommended for corn; control without fertilization; sewage sludge based on the nitrogen concentration that provided the same amount of nitrogen as in the mineral fertilizer treatment; and sewage sludge that provided two, four and eight times the nitrogen concentration recommended for corn. Increasing dosages of both types of sewage sludge incorporated into soil resulted in increased corn stalk rot incidence, being negatively correlated with corn yield. A global analysis highlighted the effect of the year of the experiment, followed by the sewage sludge dosages. The type of sewage sludge did not affect the disease incidence. Amultiple logistic model using a stepwise procedure was fitted based on the selection of a model that included the three explanatory parameters for disease incidence: electrical conductivity, magnesium and Fusarium population. In the selected model, the probability of higher disease incidence increased with an increase of these three explanatory parameters. When the explanatory parameters were compared, electrical conductivity presented a dominant effect and was the main variable to predict the probability distribution curves of Fusarium corn stalk rot, after sewage sludge application into the soil.

Sewage sludge as organic fertilizer in agriculture. A study of physico-chemical properties, agronomic efficiency and environmental safety, with a specific focus on tannery sludge

In recent decades, the use of organic fertilizers has gained increasing interest mainly for two reasons: their ability to improve soil fertility and the need to find a sustainable alternative to mineral and synthetic fertilizers. In this context, sewage sludge is a useful organic matrix that can be successfully used in agriculture, due to its chemical composition rich in organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and other micronutrients necessary for plant growth. This work investigated three indispensable aspects (i.e., physico-chemical properties, agronomic efficiency and environmental safety) of sewage sludge application as organic fertilizer, emphasizing the role of tannery sludge. In a comparison study with municipal sewage sludge, results showed that the targeted analyses applied (total carbon and nitrogen content, isotope ratio of carbon and nitrogen, infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis) were able to discriminate tannery sludge from municipal ones, highlighting differences in composition due to the origin of the wastewater and the treatment processes used in the plants. Regarding agronomic efficiency, N bioavailability was tested in a selection of organic fertilizers, including tannery sludge and tannery sludge-based fertilizers. Specifically, the hot-water extractable N has proven to be a good chemical indicator, providing a rapid and reliable indication of N bioavailability in soil. Finally, the behavior of oxybenzone (an emerging organic contaminant detected in sewage sludge) in soils with different physico-chemical properties was studied. Through adsorption and desorption experiments, it was found that the mobility of oxybenzone is reduced in soils rich in organic matter. Furthermore, through spectroscopic methods (e.g., infrared spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) the mechanisms of oxybenzone-humic acids interaction were studied, finding that H-bonds and π-π stacking were predominantly present.

Characterisation of the sewage microbiome in four European cities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by means of ecological and network modelling

The purpose of this work was to investigate possible patterns occurring in the sewage bacterial content of four cities (Bologna, Budapest, Rome, Rotterdam) over time (March 2020 - November 2021), also considering the possible effects of the lockdown periods due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The sewage metagenomics data were provided within VEO (Versatile Emerging infectious disease Observatory) project. The first analysis was the evaluation of the between samples diversity, looking for (dis)similarities among the cities, as well as among different time periods (seasonality). To this aim, we computed both similarity networks and Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) plots based on the Bray-Curtis metric. Then, the alpha-biodiversity of the samples was estimated by means of different diversity indices. By looking at the temporal behaviour of the biodiversity in the four cities, we noticed an abrupt decrease in both Rome and Budapest in the Summer of 2020, that is related to: the prevalence of some species when the minimum occurred, and the change in correlations among species (studied via correlation networks), which is enriched in the period of minimum biodiversity. Rotterdam samples seem to be very different with respect to those from the other cities, as confirmed by PCoA. Moreover, the Rotterdam time series is proved to be stable and stationary also in terms of biodiversity. The low variability in the Rotterdam samples seems to be related to the species of Pseudomonas genus, which are highly variable and plentiful in the other cities, but are not among the most abundant in Rotterdam. Also, we observed that no seasonality effect emerged from the time series of the four cities. Regarding the impact of lockdown periods due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from the limited data available no effect on the time series considered emerges. More samples will be soon available and these analyses will be performed also on them, so that the possible effects of lockdowns may be studied.

Analysis Of The Dna Fourier Transform-infrared Microspectroscopic Signature Using An All-reflecting Objective.

The Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) signature of dry samples of DNA and DNA-polypeptide complexes, as studied by IR microspectroscopy using a diamond attenuated total reflection (ATR) objective, has revealed important discriminatory characteristics relative to the PO2(-) vibrational stretchings. However, DNA IR marks that provide information on the sample's richness in hydrogen bonds have not been resolved in the spectral profiles obtained with this objective. Here we investigated the performance of an all reflecting objective (ARO) for analysis of the FT-IR signal of hydrogen bonds in DNA samples differing in base richness types (salmon testis vs calf thymus). The results obtained using the ARO indicate prominent band peaks at the spectral region representative of the vibration of nitrogenous base hydrogen bonds and of NH and NH2 groups. The band areas at this spectral region differ in agreement with the DNA base richness type when using the ARO. A peak assigned to adenine was more evident in the AT-rich salmon DNA using either the ARO or the ATR objective. It is concluded that, for the discrimination of DNA IR hydrogen bond vibrations associated with varying base type proportions, the use of an ARO is recommended.

Effect Of Platform Connection And Abutment Material On Stress Distribution In Single Anterior Implant-supported Restorations: A Nonlinear 3-dimensional Finite Element Analysis.

Although various abutment connections and materials have recently been introduced, insufficient data exist regarding the effect of stress distribution on their mechanical performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different abutment materials and platform connections on stress distribution in single anterior implant-supported restorations with the finite element method. Nine experimental groups were modeled from the combination of 3 platform connections (external hexagon, internal hexagon, and Morse tapered) and 3 abutment materials (titanium, zirconia, and hybrid) as follows: external hexagon-titanium, external hexagon-zirconia, external hexagon-hybrid, internal hexagon-titanium, internal hexagon-zirconia, internal hexagon-hybrid, Morse tapered-titanium, Morse tapered-zirconia, and Morse tapered-hybrid. Finite element models consisted of a 4×13-mm implant, anatomic abutment, and lithium disilicate central incisor crown cemented over the abutment. The 49 N occlusal loading was applied in 6 steps to simulate the incisal guidance. Equivalent von Mises stress (σvM) was used for both the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the implant and abutment in all the groups and the maximum (σmax) and minimum (σmin) principal stresses for the numerical comparison of the zirconia parts. The highest abutment σvM occurred in the Morse-tapered groups and the lowest in the external hexagon-hybrid, internal hexagon-titanium, and internal hexagon-hybrid groups. The σmax and σmin values were lower in the hybrid groups than in the zirconia groups. The stress distribution concentrated in the abutment-implant interface in all the groups, regardless of the platform connection or abutment material. The platform connection influenced the stress on abutments more than the abutment material. The stress values for implants were similar among different platform connections, but greater stress concentrations were observed in internal connections.

Is Thyroid Stunning Clinically Relevant? A Retrospective Analysis Of 208 Patients.

Current guidelines have advised against the performance of (131)I-iodide diagnostic whole body scintigraphy (dxWBS) to minimize the occurrence of stunning, and to guarantee the efficiency of radioiodine therapy (RIT). The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of stunning on the efficacy of RIT and disease outcome. This retrospective analysis included 208 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer managed according to a same protocol and followed up for 12-159 months (mean 30 ± 69 months). Patients received RIT in doses ranging from 3,700 to 11,100 MBq (100 mCi to 300 mCi). Post-RIT-whole body scintigraphy images were performed 10 days after RIT in all patients. In addition, images were also performed 24-48 hours after therapy in 22 patients. Outcome was classified as no evidence of disease (NED), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Thyroid stunning occurred in 40 patients (19.2%), including 26 patients with NED and 14 patients with SD. A multivariate analysis showed no association between disease outcome and the occurrence of stunning (p = 0.3476). The efficacy of RIT and disease outcome do not seem to be related to thyroid stunning.