J Environ Qual, 2005 Jan-Feb, 34(1), 336 - 41 Degradation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in Landscape Soils; Yang WC et al.; N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a potential carcinogen, was commonly found in treated wastewater as a by-product of chlorination . As treated water is increasingly used for landscape irrigation, there is an imperative need to understand the leaching risk for NDMA in landscape soils . In this study, adsorption and incubation experiments were conducted using landscape soils planted with turfgrass, ground cover, and trees . Adsorption of NDMA was negligibly weak (K(d) < 1) in all soils, indicating that NDMA has a high potential for moving with percolating water in these soils . Degradation of NDMA occurred at different rates among these soils . At 21 degrees C, the half-life (t(1/2)) of NDMA was 4.1 d for the ground cover soil, 5.6 d for the turfgrass soil, and 22.5 d for the tree soil . The persistence was substantially prolonged after autoclaving or when incubated at 10 degrees C . The rate of degradation was not significantly affected by the initial NDMA concentration or addition of organic and inorganic nutrient sources . The relative persistence was inversely correlated with soil organic matter content, soil microbial biomass, and soil dehydrogenase activity, suggesting the importance of microorganisms in NDMA degradation in these soils . These results suggest that the behavior of NDMA depends closely on the vegetation cover in a landscape system, and prolonged persistence and increased leaching may be expected in soils with sparse vegetation due to low organic matter content and limited microbial activity. J Environ Qual, 2005 Jan-Feb, 34(1), 174 - 83 Interpreting science in the real world for sustainable land application; Bastian RK; Today's land application practices are designed to effectively treat wastes, and have evolved from earlier practices that centered on cheap disposal with less regard for environmental protection . The major objectives of this paper are to (i) review how current land application practices, and our understanding of them, have evolved over time and (ii) explore how science is used (and sometimes misused or ignored) in the development of design, regulation, and management of sustainable land application . Land treatment technologies have been used effectively for the treatment and recycling of many types of wastewaters and organic residuals for many years . Extensive research and demonstration efforts, as well as experience with pilot- and field-scale projects, have provided the information about soil reactions with contaminants in wastewater and organic residuals needed to design and operate sustainable land application projects . Still, systematic research programs are as important today as ever to support studies aimed at producing information on how soil-based treatment and recycling systems work, to address new areas of concerns as they arise, and continue to improve the overall design, performance, and reliability of land application systems as sustainable soil treatment and recycling systems. J Environ Qual, 2005 Jan-Feb, 34(1), 129 - 38 Science of odor as a potential health issue; Schiffman SS et al.; Historically, unpleasant odors have been considered warning signs or indicators of potential risks to human health but not necessarily direct triggers of health effects . However, citizen complaints to public health agencies suggest that odors may not simply serve as a warning of potential risks but that odor sensations themselves may cause health symptoms . Malodors emitted from large animal production facilities and wastewater treatment plants, for example, elicit complaints of eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, nausea, diarrhea, hoarseness, sore throat, cough, chest tightness, nasal congestion, palpitations, shortness of breath, stress, drowsiness, and alterations in mood . There are at least three mechanisms by which ambient odors may produce health symptoms . First, symptoms can be induced by exposure to odorants (compounds with odor properties) at levels that also cause irritation or other toxicological effects . That is, irritation-rather than the odor-is the cause of the health symptoms, and odor (the sensation) simply serves as an exposure marker . Second, health symptoms from odorants at nonirritant concentrations can be due to innate (genetically coded) or learned aversions . Third, symptoms may be due to a copollutant (such as endotoxin) that is part of an odorant mixture . Objective biomarkers of health symptoms must be obtained, however, to determine if health complaints constitute health effects . One industry that is receiving much attention, worldwide, related to this subject is concentrated animal production agriculture . Sustainability of this industry will likely necessitate the development of new technologies to mitigate odorous aerial emissions . Examples of such "environmentally superior technologies" (EST) developed under the initiative sponsored through agreements between the Attorney General of North Carolina and Smithfield Foods and Premium Standard Farms are described. J Environ Qual, 2005 Jan-Feb, 34(1), 91 - 104 Occurrence and Fate of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Biosolids; Xia K et al.; Each year, large quantities of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are used worldwide . Once conveyed to wastewater treatment plants, PPCPs can remain unchanged or undergo partial or complete transformation during wastewater treatment processes before discharge into the environment via effluent and biosolids for land application . Biosolids can be a major sink for some PPCPs . Previous investigations have indicated that land application of biosolids may be a potential important route through which PPCPs enter the environment . However, no information is available on exactly how closely the concentrations of PPCPs in the environmental media are related to the land application of PPCP-containing biosolids . This paper reviews currently available information on the occurrence of PPCPs in biosolids, methods of analysis, the potential fate of PPCPs in biosolids-applied soils, and composting as a potential means for removal of PPCPs from biosolids. J Environ Qual, 2005 Jan-Feb, 34(1), 42 - 8 Sources of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Their Fate during Land Application of Wastes; Gerba CP et al.; The hazards associated with pathogens in land-applied animal and human wastes have long been recognized . Management of these risks requires an understanding of sources, concentrations, and removal by processes that may be used to treat the wastes; survival in the environment; and exposure to sensitive populations . The major sources are animal feeding operations, municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents, biosolids, and on-site treatment systems . More than 150 known enteric pathogens may be present in the untreated wastes, and one new enteric pathogen has been discovered every year over the past decade . There has been increasing demand that risks associated with the land treatment and application be better defined . For risks to be quantified, more data are needed on the concentrations of pathogens in wastes, the effectiveness of treatment processes, standardization of detection methodology, and better quantification of exposure. J Environ Qual, 2005 Jan-Feb, 34(1), 7 - 17 Sustainable land application: an overview; O'connor GA et al.; Man has land-applied societal nonhazardous wastes for centuries as a means of disposal and to improve the soil via the recycling of nutrients and the addition of organic matter . Nonhazardous wastes include a vast array of materials, including manures, biosolids, composts, wastewater effluents, food-processing wastes, industrial by-products; these are collectively referred to herein as residuals . Because of economic restraints and environmental concerns about land-filling and incineration, interest in land application continues to grow . A major lesson that has been learned, however, is that the traditional definition of land application that emphasizes applying residuals to land in a manner that protects human and animal health, safeguards soil and water resources, and maintains long-term ecosystem quality is incomplete unless the earning of public trust in the practices is included . This overview provides an introduction to a subset of papers and posters presented at the conference, "Sustainable Land Application," held in Orlando, FL, in January 2004 . The USEPA, USDA, and multiple national and state organizations with interest in, and/or responsibilities for, ensuring the sustainability of the practice sponsored the conference . The overriding conference objectives were to highlight significant developments in land treatment theory and practice, and to identify future research needs to address critical gaps in the knowledge base that must be addressed to ensure sustainable land application of residuals. Water Res, 2005 Jan-Feb, 39(2-3), 436 - 48 Epub 2004 Dec 01. Anaerobic on-site treatment of black water and dairy parlour wastewater in UASB-septic tanks at low temperatures; Luostarinen SA et al.; Anaerobic on-site treatment of synthetic black water (BW) and dairy parlour wastewater (DPWW) was studied in two-phased upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)-septic tanks at low temperatures (10-20 degrees C) . At all temperatures, total chemical oxygen demand (COD(t)) removal was above 90% with BW and above 80% with DPWW and removal of total suspended solids (TSS) above 90% with both wastewaters . Moreover, dissolved COD (COD(dis)) removal was approx . 70% with both wastewaters indicating good biological activity of the sludges . With BW, a single-phased reactor was found sufficient for good COD removals, while with DPWW, a two-phased process was required . Temperature optimum of reactor sludges was still 35 degrees C after long (398d) operation . Most of the nutrients from BW were removed with TSS, while with DPWW nutrient removal was low . In conclusion, UASB-septic tank was found feasible for (pre)treatment of BW and DPWW at low temperatures. Water Res, 2005 Jan-Feb, 39(2-3), 396 - 402 Epub 2004 Nov 30. Flow injection determination of p-aminophenol at trace level using inhibited luminol-dimethylsulfoxide-NaOH-EDTA chemiluminescence; Xu H et al.; A novel flow injection procedure was developed for the determination of p-aminophenol (PAP) based on the inhibition by PAP of the chemiluminescence from luminol-dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-NaOH-EDTA system . The method has merits of higher sensitivity, wider linear range, simpler procedure, and a more rapid analyzing speed . It is applicable for the determination of PAP in the range of 2.5x10(-10)-5.0x10(-8)gmL(-1) with a detection limit of 1.9x10(-10)gmL(-1) . The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 5.0x10(-9)gmL(-1) PAP is 0.78% (n=15) . The method has been successfully used to determine PAP in industrial wastewaters and environmental waters . Additionally, the inhibition mechanism was also discussed briefly. Water Res, 2005 Jan-Feb, 39(2-3), 389 - 95 Epub 2004 Nov 26. Mercury removal from water using activated carbons derived from organic sewage sludge; Zhang FS et al.; Various types of activated carbons were developed from organic sewage sludge (SS) using H(2)SO(4), H(3)PO(4) and ZnCl(2) as chemical activation reagents, and the removal of Hg(II) from aqueous solution by these carbons was effectively demonstrated . The quality of the activated carbons was dramatically improved owing to chemical activation . ZnCl(2) activated carbon had the highest capability for Hg(II) adsorption, followed by H(3)PO(4) and H(2)SO(4) activated carbons . The adsorption was greatly affected by Hg(II) concentration, solution pH and carbon dosage, and followed Lagergren first order rate equation and Freundlich isotherm model . Desorption results indicated that around 60% to 80% of the adsorbed Hg(II) could be recovered from the carbons to 0.1M HNO(3) solution by sonication treatment . Accordingly, it is believed that the activated carbons developed in this study are effective and practical for utilization in industrial wastewater treatment for mercury removal. Water Res, 2005 Jan-Feb, 39(2-3), 289 - 96 Epub 2004 Dec 01. Reuse of liquid, dewatered, and composted sewage sludge on agricultural land: effects of long-term application on soil and crop; Mantovi P et al.; To evaluate the effects of repeated sewage sludge applications in comparison to mineral fertilisers on a winter wheat-maize-sugar beet rotation, a field experiment on a silty-loam soil, in the eastern Po Valley (Italy), was carried out since 1988 . Municipal-industrial wastewater sludge as anaerobically digested, belt filtered (dewatered), and composted with wheat straw, has been applied at 5 and 10Mg DM ha(-1)yr(-1) . Biosolids gave crop yields similar to the highest mineral fertiliser dressing . However, with the higher rate of liquid and dewatered sludge, excessive N supply was harmful, leading to wheat lodging and poor quality of sugar beet and wheat crops . From this standpoint compost use was safer . Biosolids increased organic matter (OM), total N, and available P in the soil and reduced soil alkalinity, with more evident effects at the highest rate . Compost caused the most pronounced OM topsoil accumulation . Significant accumulations of total Zn and Cu were detected in amended topsoil, but no other heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb), whose total concentration remained well below the hazard limits . Biosolid applications significantly increased the content of N, P, Zn, and Cu in wheat grain, N and Cu in sugar beet roots, and only Cu in maize grain . The application of biosolids brought about notable benefits to soil fertility but it was associated with possible negative effects on water quality due to increased P availability and on soil ecology due to Zn accumulation. J Biotechnol, 2005 Feb 23, 115(4), 387 - 95 Epub 2004 Nov 11. Rapid cultivation of stable aerobic phenol-degrading granules using acetate-fed granules as microbial seed; Tay ST et al.; The aim of this study is to evaluate the utility of using aerobic acetate-fed microbial granules as a starting seed to rapidly develop stable aerobic phenol-degrading granules . Aerobic granules were first cultivated in four sequencing batch reactors with acetate as sole carbon source at a loading rate of 3.8kgm(-3)d(-1) . Phenol was then added to reactors R1, R2, R3 and R4 at loading rates of 0, 0.6, 1.2 and 2.4kgm(-3) d(-1), respectively . The granules acclimated quickly to the phenol loading, and stabilized only 1 week after phenol was introduced . The granules exhibited good settling ability with good biomass retention and good metabolic activity, as evidenced by the low SVI values, stable biomass concentrations and good removal of acetate and phenol . No significant inhibitory effects from phenol toxicity were observed at the intermediate loadings of 0.6 and 1.2kg phenol m(-3)d(-1), except for a slight lag in the ability of the granules to degrade phenol during the initial cycles . At the highest loading of 2.4kg phenol m(-3)d(-1), a sharp buildup of phenol was observed in reactor R4 because the granules were initially unable to degrade phenol . However, this buildup quickly dissipated as the granules adapted rapidly to the high phenol concentrations . The compact structure of the acetate-fed granules likely protected the microorganisms against phenol toxicity and facilitated microbial acclimation towards faster phenol degradation rates . This is the first study to demonstrate the benefits of using aerobic granules cultivated on benign substrates as microbial seed to produce granules to degrade toxic substrates . This concept of using granules to produce different granules can be extended to granule-based applications involving other toxic chemicals and other types of high-strength industrial wastewaters, where rapid reactor start-up and system stability are key considerations. J Chromatogr A, 2004 Dec 17, 1061(1), 19 - 26 Suitability of hollow fibre liquid-phase microextraction for the determination of acidic pharmaceuticals in wastewater by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry without matrix effects; Quintana JB et al.; The applicability of hollow fibre liquid-phase microextraction (LPME), as an alternative to solid-phase extraction (SPE), for the extraction/enrichment of acidic drugs (e.g . ibuprofen, clofibric acid, bezafibrate, etc.) from water samples prior to the determination by LC-ESI-MS-MS has been evaluated . After LPME method optimisation, it was found that this technique can provide very clean extracts, which do not lead to signal suppression during LC-ESI-MS-MS analysis of the analytes . The limits of quantification (0.5-42 ng/L) are suitable for the analysis of these drugs in wastewater . However repeatability needs to been improved (intra-day R.S.D . = 3.4-32%), which may be expected by automation and the development of commercially available devices and fibres specially prepared for analytical purposes . The method was finally applied to wastewater samples (treated and untreated) and results comparable to SPE were obtained. J Food Prot, 2004 Dec, 67(12), 2839 - 49 Irrigation water as source of foodborne pathogens on fruit and vegetables; Steele M et al.; Awareness is growing that fresh or minimally processed fruit and vegetables can be sources of disease-causing bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and helminths . Irrigation with poor-quality water is one way that fruit and vegetables can become contaminated with foodborne pathogens . Groundwater, surface water, and human wastewater are commonly used for irrigation . The risk of disease transmission from pathogenic microorganisms present in irrigation water is influenced by the level of contamination; the persistence of pathogens in water, in soil, and on crops; and the route of exposure . Groundwater is generally of good microbial quality, unless it is contaminated with surface runoff; human wastewater is usually of very poor microbial quality and requires extensive treatment before it can be used safely to irrigate crops; surface water is of variable microbial quality . Bacteria and protozoa tend to show the poorest survival outside a human host, whereas viruses and helminths can remain infective for months to years . Guidelines governing irrigation water quality and strategies to reduce the risk of disease transmission by foodborne pathogens in irrigation are discussed. J Hazard Mater, 2005 Jan 31, 117(2-3), 221 - 226 Adsorption of boron from boron-containing wastewaters by ion exchange in a continuous reactor; Yilmaz AE et al.; In this study, boron removal from boron-containing wastewaters prepared synthetically was investigated . The experiments in which Amberlite IRA 743, boron specific resin was used were carried out in a column reactor . The bed volume of resin, boron concentration, flow rate and temperature were selected as experimental parameters . The experimental results showed that percent of boron removal increased with increasing amount of resin and with decreasing boron concentration in the solution . Boron removal decreased with increasing of flow rate and the effect of temperature on the percent of total boron removal increased the boron removal rate . As a result, it was seen that about 99% of boron in the wastewater could be removed at optimum conditions. J Hazard Mater, 2005 Jan 31, 117(2-3), 135 - 9 Stripping as a pretreatment process of industrial oily wastewater; Poulopoulos SG et al.; In the present work, the potential of purifying an oily wastewater from a lubricant production unit, consisting mainly of alcohols, phenols and heavy linear saturated hydrocarbons, using the stripping process was examined . The effect of stripping gas flow (75-300 {Formula: see text} ) and system temperature (295-355K) on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the effluent was investigated . A decrease in COD content of 25-30% was achieved after 4h for stripping gas flow rates over 150 {Formula: see text} , whereas the rate of organic compounds removal was enhanced by increasing temperature up to 333K . At higher temperatures an effluent condensation was observed . Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of both liquid and gas phase showed that linear saturated hydrocarbons of high molecular weight were stripped out from the wastewater . The results are in agreement with the equilibrium ratio of these compounds as predicted from by theoretical calculations. J Hazard Mater, 2005 Jan 31, 117(2-3), 121 - 8 Dynamic adsorption of trinitrotoluene on granular activated carbon; Marinovic V et al.; The effects of trinitrotoluene (TNT) dynamic adsorption on granular activated carbon produced by 'Miloje Zakic', Serbia, are presented . The main task was to determine the conditions for TNT dynamic adsorption in order to remove the dissolved TNT from wastewater . The effects of temperature, concentration and flow rate in the chromatographic system were examined . Flow rates between 1 and 4dm(3)/h were used . The heights of activated carbon in the columns were 70 and 135mm while the diameter was 12mm . The experiments were conducted at different temperatures (10-60 degrees C) and TNT influent concentrations ranging from 32.76 to 171mg/dm(3) were used . The adsorption capacity of the activated carbon increased with increasing temperature, but it decreased with increasing input concentration and flow rate . The results obtained indicate that the influence of temperature is greater than was expected and the bed height and the amount of GAC used could be significantly lowered by increasing the temperature . The possibility of desorbing TNT from saturated activated carbon was also investigated . The amount of TNT adsorbed per mass unit of adsorbent was calculated using a model that optimally agreed with the experimental data. J Hazard Mater, 2005 Jan 31, 117(2-3), 113 - 9 Influence of iron on degradation of organic dyes in corona; Koprivanac N et al.; In this work application of AOPs such as Fenton process, aqueous phase high voltage electrical discharge (corona) and their combination have been studied for colored wastewater treatment . Experiments were conducted on water solutions of four different organic dyes, two azo dyes C.I . Mordant Yellow 10 (MY10) and C.I . Direct Orange 39 (DO39), and two reactive of azo type C.I . Reactive Red 45 (RR45) and C.I . Reactive Blue 137 (RB137) . The efficiency of studied AOPs has been estimated on the bases of UV-vis spectrophotometric and TOC measurements . The rate constants in the kinetic model have been determined . Experimental data have been compared with the developed mathematical model. J Environ Manage, 2005 Jan, 74(2), 107 - 10 Wastewater treatment with multilayer media of waste and natural indigenous materials; Rahman MA et al.; Wastewater treatment using waste materials (refuse concrete, waste paper and charcoal) and natural indigenous rocks (andesite, limestone, granite and nitrolite) in the form of multilayer media was investigated . The removal of suspended solids (SS), phosphate ion, nitrate ion, ammonium ion, toxic metals and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were evaluated for the multilayer wastewater treatment system . Effective removal of heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, mercury and lead was demonstrated . SS and phosphate ion were removed with relatively high efficiency and the COD after treatment was lessened using certain combinations of media . The present wastewater treatment system is simple, convenient and low cost . Therefore, this method can be applied in small scale plants for wastewater treatment in local and nonexclusive areas. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao, 2004 Oct, 15(10), 1926 - 30 {Accumulation of pollutants in sediments and their eco-toxicity in the wastewater irrigation channel of western Shenyang}; Song Y et al.; Sediment samples were collected from several sites in the upper, mid and lower reaches of the petroleum wastewater irrigation channel in western Shenyang of China, and the concentrations of their heavy metal Cd and mineral oil were determined . The results showed that pollutants were accumulated in all test sediments, with 400-12,500 mg x kg(-1) mineral oil and 1.6-27.2 mg x kg(-1) Cd . The sediments had significant inhibition effects on plant and earthworm . The inhibition rate of root elongation based on germination test was 10%-60% . During 14 d and 28 d exposure, the mortality rate of earthworm was 0%-70% and 0%-85%, and the inhibition rate of its body weight growth was -21.9%-17.7% and -18.6%-37.0%, respectively . It indicated that a long-term irrigation with wastewater resulted in the accumulation of pollutants in channel sediments and enhanced eco-toxicity . As an important source of pollution, the migration and release of pollutants in sediments possessed potential risks to underground water and soil. Huan Jing Ke Xue, 2004 Sep, 25(5), 112 - 5 {Effectiveness for medicine wastewater treatment biotechnology}; Cheng SP et al.; The effectiveness for the XZEH medicine wastewater treatment biotechnology was conducted . The results show that it needs to increase 28% of the aeration tank volume in order to meet the effluent COD concentration at the first grade wastewater discharge standard level in China . If the engineered strain Xhhh and informatics software (Ebis) were used, the specific degradation rate of Xhhh strain may be higher 128% than that of the natural bacterium XZ strain and the aeration tank needed may be 51% decreased . This should be a potential technical patch for improving the biotechnological effectiveness and making the effluent at the first grade discharge standard. Huan Jing Ke Xue, 2004 Sep, 25(5), 84 - 8 {Optimization of piggery wastewater treatment with combined anaerobic hydrolysis and SBR process}; Gao F et al.; Anaerobic sequence batch reactor and aerobic sequence batch reactor were combined to treat the piggery wastewater . The ASBR was used to digest the wastewater for primary organic matter removal . Infections of digestion time to the wastewater's BOD/COD and to the nitrogen removal in behind SBR were studied . The result indicated that the wastewater with 36 hours' digestion retained high BOD/COD ratio of about 0.4 . The nitrogen removal efficiency of this kind of wastewater in behind SBR was high with the effluent NH4+-N concentration less than 10 mg/L and a removal ratio higher than 99% . The total BOD5 removal ratio of A/O SBR was higher than 98% but the effluent COD(Cr) concentration couldn't meet the discharging standard before coagulating sedimentation. Chemosphere, 2005 Feb, 58(6), 817 - 22 Use of lees materials as an adsorbent for removal of organochlorine compounds or benzene from wastewater; Adachi A et al.; Lees materials such as wheat bran, rapeseed, linseed, okara (lees of bean curd), and sakekasu (sake lees) were found to effectively adsorb organochlorine compounds . The amounts of these compounds such as chloroform, dichloromethane, and benzene adsorbed were plotted against the equilibrium concentration of substances in solution on a logarithmic scale . A linear relationship was obtained, indicating that the adsorption reactions were of the Freundlich type . When the lees materials were applied to wastewater (pH: 10) containing 0.1g/l of dichloromethane, dichloromethane was removed from the wastewater in the range of 70-90% efficiency after 90min . There was a high correlation between the removal efficiency and the number of spherosomes, which are intracellular particles attributed to the uptake of organochlorine compounds. Chemosphere, 2005 Feb, 58(6), 759 - 766 Determination of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in wastewater effluents by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and fluorescence detection; Nakata H et al.; The occurrence of quinolone antibiotics (QAs) was investigated in wastewater effluents and surface river/lake waters in the US and Canada by using solid-phase extraction with mixed phase cation exchange disk cartridge and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and liquid chromatography fluorescence detection (LC-FLD) . Ofloxacin (OFL) was detected in secondary and final effluents of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in East Lansing, Michigan, at concentrations of 204 and 100ng/l, respectively . The mass flow calculation, estimated by multiplying the OFL concentration in the final effluent by the average influent volume of the WWTP, showed that the discharge of OFL to the river was 4.8g/day . The OFL concentrations in wastewater effluents measured in this study are comparable to or less than those observed in several European countries . QAs were not detected in river and lake waters analyzed in this study, which may due to dilution effects and to the higher detection limits, relative to those reported previously . OFL concentrations were approximately 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than the EC(50) concentrations for environmental bacterium . However, greater concentrations of other QAs in sewage sludge from WWTPs may result in cumulative effects . Considering that the sewage sludge is applied to the land as fertilizers, soil-dwelling organisms could experience greater exposures to such antibiotics . Monitoring studies of QAs in sewage from WWTPs and in sediment/soil near aquaculture facilities and livestock farms will be necessary for the evaluation of the environmental distribution and risk of these compounds. Chemosphere, 2005 Feb, 58(5), 585 - 593 Constructed treatment wetland: a study of eight plant species under saline conditions; Klomjek P et al.; A series of investigations was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using constructed treatment wetlands to remove pollutants from saline wastewater . Eight emergent plants; cattail, sedge, water grass, Asia crabgrass, salt meadow cordgrass, kallar grass, vetiver grass and Amazon, were planted in experimental plots and fed with municipal wastewater that was spiked with sodium chloride (NaCl) to simulate a saline concentration of approximately 14-16mScm(-1) . All macrophytes were found tolerant under the tested conditions except Amazon and vetiver grass . Nutrient assimilation of salt tolerant species was in the range of 0.006-0.061 and 0.0002-0.0024gm(-2)d(-1) for nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively . Treatment performances of planted units were found to be 72.4-78.9% for BOD(5), 43.2-56.0% for SS, 67.4-76.5% for NH(3)-N and 28.9-44.9% for TP . The most satisfactory plant growth and nitrogen assimilation were found for cattail (Typha angustifolia) though the plant growth was limited, whereas Asia crabgrass (Digitaria bicornis) was superior for BOD(5) removal . Both were evaluated again in a continuous flow constructed wetland system receiving saline feed processing wastewater . A high removal rate regularly occurred in long-term operating conditions . The reduction in BOD(5), SS, NH(3)-N and TP was in the range of 44.4-67.9%, 41.4-70.4%, 18.0-65.3% and 12.2-40.5%, respectively . Asia crabgrass often provided higher removal especially for BOD(5) and SS removal . Nutrient enriched wastewater promoted flourishing growth of algae and plankton in the surface flow system, which tended to reduce treatment performance. Chemosphere, 2005 Jan, 58(4), 423 - 37 Experimental design methodology for the preparation of carbonaceous sorbents from sewage sludge by chemical activation--application to air and water treatments; Rio S et al.; The objective of this study is to optimize experimental conditions of sorbent preparation from sewage sludge using experimental design methodology . Series of carbonaceous sorbents have been prepared by chemical activation with sulfuric acid . The sorbents produced were characterized, and their properties (surface chemistry, porous and adsorptive properties) were analyzed as a function of the experimental conditions (impregnation ratio, activation temperature and time) . Carbonaceous sorbents developed from sludge allow copper ion, phenol and dyes (Acid Red 18 and Basic Violet 4) to be removed from aqueous solution as well as VOC from gas phase . Indeed, according to experimental conditions, copper adsorption capacity varies from 77 to 83 mgg(-1), phenol adsorption capacity varies between 41 and 53 mgg(-1) and VOC adsorption capacities (acetone and toluene) range from 12 to 54 mgg(-1) . Each response has been described by a second-order model that was found to be appropriate to predict most of the responses in every experimental region . The most influential factors on each experimental design response have been identified . Regions in which optimum values of each factor were achieved for preparation of activated carbons suitable for use in wastewater and gas treatments have been determined using response surfaces methodology . In order to have a high mass yield and to minimize the energetic cost of the process, the following optimal conditions, 1.5 g of H(2)SO(4) g(-1) of sludge, 700 degrees C and 145 min are more appropriate for use of activated carbon from sludge in water and gas treatments. Chemosphere, 2005 Jan, 58(4), 417 - 22 Influence of redox mediators and metal ions on synthetic acid dye decolourization by crude laccase from Trametes hirsuta; Rodriguez Couto S et al.; In this paper, the effect of redox mediators on synthetic acid dye decolourization (Sella Solid Red and Luganil Green) by laccase from Trametes hirsuta cultures has been investigated . All the redox mediators tested, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) and Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR), led to higher activities than those obtained without mediators addition showing the suitability of the laccase/mediator system (LMS) in the decolourization of acid dyes . HBT was by far the most effective mediator, showing a decolourization percentage of 88% in 10min for Sella Solid Red and of 49% in 20min for Luganil Green . On the other hand, the stability of laccase against several metal ions, normally found in textile wastewater, was assessed . Laccase was stable at a concentration of 1mM for 7d against all the metal ions tested except for Zn(+2), CrO(4)(-2), Cd(+2), Cr(2)O(7)(-2), Fe(+2), Cu(+2) and especially Hg(+2) . When the concentration was increased to 10mM laccase stability decreased against all the metals assayed, in particular against Fe(+2) . In addition, the effect of metal ions on the decolourization process was also studied . It was found that Hg(+2) inhibited the dye decolourization process, being the presence of HBT absolutely required for dye decolourization. Environ Technol, 2004 Nov, 25(11), 1313 - 20 Decolorization of dyes from textile wastewater by Trametes versicolor; Amaral PF et al.; The white rot fungus Trametes versicolor was applied to the decolourisation of three synthetic textile dyes in the presence and absence of glucose . Different initial dye concentrations were tested and approximately 97% decolourisation was achieved . It was found that fungal metabolism induced by the glucose as well as the pH play an important role in the decolourisation process . This treatment was also applied to a real wastewater from a textile industry-dyeing sector leading to 92% decolourisation. Environ Technol, 2004 Nov, 25(11), 1257 - 63 A study on the reduction of hexavalent chromium in aqueous solutions by vinasse; Altundogan HS et al.; Hexavalent chromium introduced to the water ecosystem is an important issue due to the toxic effect it poses . The first step of conventional treatment of wastewaters containing hexavalent chromium is its reduction to chromium (III) which is less toxic . The use of industrial waste material for the reduction of chromium (VI) may be a new cost-effective alternative . In this study, Cr(VI) reduction characteristics of vinasse which is a waste material of alcohol production from sugar beet molasses was investigated . The parameters of pH, temperature, concentrations of initial Cr(VI) and vinasse on the reduction of Cr(VI) were examined as a function of time by applying batch tests . Cr(VI) was almost completely reduced within about 270 min in the concentrations of Cr(VI) and vinasse of 80 mg l(-1) and 200 ml l(-1), respectively, at pH 3.0 and 25 degrees C . The results showed that reduction time can be shortened by increasing acidity and vinasse concentration or decreasing Cr(VI) initial concentration . Cr(VI) reduction process was found be obey first order kinetic model of homogenous phase reactions . The temperature was found to have a positive effect on the reduction process and the activation energy of process was calculated as 46.07 kJ mol(-1) . Although the detoxification of wastewaters containing Cr(VI) via reducing it to Cr(III) by using vinasse seems to be cost-effective, the resulting effluent to be produced necessitates a further treatment to reduce organic pollution. Biotechnol Bioeng . 2004 Dec 22; {Epub ahead of print} Quantification of oxygen release by bulrush (Scirpus validus) roots in a constructed treatment wetland; Bezbaruah AN et al.; Amount of oxygen released by bulrush (Scirpus validus) roots has been quantified based on the radial oxygen loss (ROL) exhibited by the roots, the number and the length of active lateral roots, and the field plant density . It was found that wetland bulrush contains two types of active lateral roots (showing ROL), viz., laterals of brown and white main roots . The two laterals have distinct oxygen release characteristics . Based on the dissolved oxygen (DO) microprofiles of brown and white laterals, the ROLs were found to be approximately 61 ng O(2) cm(-2) root surface min(-1) and approximately 68 ng O(2) cm(-2) root surface min(-1), respectively, at bulk 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)) of 76 mg L(-1) . The respective average active root lengths of the brown and the white laterals were approximately 40 and approximately 1676 mum . Based on field and laboratory measurements, the average amount of oxygen released by bulrush was found to be 2.30 mg O(2) m(-2) wetland surface d(-1); of this approximately 71% is from the white roots . The results of this study indicate that plants do not release enough oxygen to meet the total oxygen demand of bulk wastewater, and therefore, constructed wetlands should be designed as an anaerobic or an aerobic-anaerobic hybrid system rather than as an aerobic system . However, the results of this study should be viewed in the background of possible errors (including a reactor design flaw), which might have made the measured oxygen release significantly lower than what plant roots actually release . Further studies are needed to quantify wetland plant oxygen release based on micro-scale measurements . (c) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Am J Epidemiol, 2005 Jan 1, 161(1), 62 - 72 The role of disease transmission and conferred immunity in outbreaks: analysis of the 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Eisenberg JN et al.; The authors examined two competing hypotheses regarding the cause of the 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin . The first was that oocyst contamination of the drinking-water influent, coupled with a treatment plant failure, resulted in a point-source outbreak . The second was that the outbreak was the result of transmission processes that amplified the oocyst concentration in the drinking-water effluent . Analysis of the model suggested that 1) transmission directly from person to person contributed 10% (95% confidence interval: 6%, 21%) of the total cases; 2) closing the drinking-water plant prevented 19% (95% confidence interval: 17%, 21%) of the additional cases of disease that occurred compared with the scenario in which the plant had not been closed, a result primarily driven by conferred immunity that resulted in depletion of the susceptible population; and 3) the outbreak was caused by a transmission cycle due to infectious persons shedding pathogens into the sewage, environmental transport of these pathogens via Lake Michigan to the drinking-water plant, and infection of susceptible persons via exposure to drinking water . The incidence data were consistent with this hypothesis . Further simulations suggested that increasing the distance between the wastewater effluent and the drinking-water influent may have prevented the outbreak. Lett Appl Microbiol, 2005, 40(1), 7 - 11 Involvement of lignin peroxidase in the decolourization of black olive mill wastewaters by Geotrichum candidum; Ayed L et al.; Abstract l . ayed, n . assas, s . sayadi and m . hamdi . 2004.Aim: Decolourization of black olive mill wastewaters (OMW) by depolymerization of phenolic compounds by Geotrichum candidum . Methods and Results: Our results show that G . candidum is able to grow on black OMW supplemented with carbon source and nitrogen . The Geotrichum growth decreased the pH and induced a 49% of colour removal when the black OMW was supplemented with glycerol and diammonium tartrate (20 mm ammonium) . An improvement of 10% of colour removal was observed when the culture was supplemented with veratryl alcohol . The decolourization was inhibited with glutamate as nitrogen source . Conclusion: Our results suggest the potential use of G . candidum in black OMW decolourization and support the concept that lignin peroxidase (LiP) of G . candidum is involved in the depolymerization of phenolic compounds . Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report of LiP production by G . candidum on OMW. J Appl Microbiol, 2005, 98(1), 155 - 62 Disinfection of feline calicivirus (a surrogate for Norovirus) in wastewaters; Tree JA et al.; Abstract j.a . tree, m.r . adams and d.n . lees . 2004.Aims: To compare the inactivation of feline calicivirus (FCV) (a surrogate for Norovirus, NV) with the reduction of a bacterial water quality indicator (Escherichia coli), a human enteric virus (poliovirus) and a viral indicator (MS2, FRNA bacteriophage), following the disinfection of wastewaters . Methods and Results: Bench-scale disinfection experiments used wastewater (sterilized by gamma-irradiation) seeded with laboratory-cultured organisms . Seeded primary effluent was treated with different doses of applied free chlorine (8, 16 and 30 mg l(-1)) . FCV and E . coli were easily inactivated by >4 log(10), within 5 min with a dose of 30 mg l(-1) of applied chlorine . Poliovirus was more resistant and a reduction of 2.85 log(10) was seen after 30 min, MS2 was the most resistant organism (1 log(10) inactivation) . In further experiments seeded secondary effluent was treated with different doses of u.v . irradiation . To achieve a 4-log(10) reduction of E . coli, FCV, poliovirus and MS2 doses of 5.32, 19.04, 27.51 and 62.50 mW s cm(-2), respectively, were required . Conclusions: Feline calicivirus and E . coli seeded in primary wastewater were very susceptible to chlorination compared with poliovirus and MS2 . In contrast, FCV seeded in secondary wastewater was more resistant to u.v . irradiation than E . coli but more sensitive than poliovirus and MS2 . Significance and Impact of the Study: FRNA phage was more resistant to inactivation than all the viruses tested . This suggests FRNA phage would be a useful and conservative indicator of virus inactivation following disinfection of wastewaters with chlorination or u.v . irradiation. Environ Int, 2005 Jan, 31(1), 133 - 46 The quality of Albanian natural waters and the human impact; Cullaj A et al.; Albania possesses a wealth of aquatic ecosystems, many of enormous natural and biological value, such as the Lakes Ohrid, Prespa and Shkodra, glacial lakes, river valleys, and coastal lagoons . Although many habitats are highly polluted by inorganic and organic wastes, detailed knowledge on the water quality is still lacking . For the first time, an environmental assessment of the water quality is presented and the main polluting sources identified . As a consequence, a systematic control and the establishment of routine monitoring of surface and groundwater is proposed, which elucidates the present environmental state and helps to develop new strategies of waste and wastewater management . It would help allow Albania to reach an international standard in environmental protection, as a part of UNECE Convention, the Mediterranean Action Plan, the MAP/UNEP Medpol Program and the Basel Convention. Environ Int, 2005 Jan, 31(1), 1 - 13 Phytoremediation of aquaculture wastewater for water recycling and production of fish feed; Ghaly AE et al.; Five plants were examined for their ability to remove nutrients from aquaculture wastewater and suitability as fish feed: alfalfa, white clover, oat, fall rye, barley . The seeds were first germinated in water in a hydroponic system, and the plants were fed wastewater from Tilapia production facility . Clover and alfalfa seeds were infected with fungus shortly after germination, and their roots were completely destroyed by day 14 . Oat, rye and barley had the fastest growth and showed greater tolerance to fungal disease compared with alfalfa and clover . Although substantial amounts of soluble and insoluble substances were released by the seeds during the germination period, the plants were able to remove all the pollutants in wastewater and significant portions of those released substances . The total reductions in total solids, COD, NO(3)-N, NO(2)-N, phosphate and potassium ranged from 54.7% to 91.0%, 56.0% to 91.5%, 82.9% to 98.1%, 95.9% to 99.5%, 54.5% to 93.6% and 99.6% to 99.8%, respectively . Oat, barley and rye grow well in this type of hydroponic system and can be used as a fish feed after being supplemented with fat, Ca, Na, Mn and Fe . Oil seeds and the chlorides of these elements could be added to these plants when formulating the fish feed . For a continuous operation, a two-unit system could be configured to allow for one week germination and one week cleaning and startup in one unit while the other unit is in operation. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 232 - 8 The oxygen isotope composition of dissolved anthropogenic phosphates: a new tool for eutrophication research? Gruau G, Legeas M, Riou C, Gallacier E, Martineau F, Henin O. High-precision oxygen isotope analyses were carried out on dissolved phosphate extracted from discharge waters from three wastewater treatment plants (WTP) located in western France, as well as on the different phosphate-based fertilizers applied by farmers in the same region . Measured delta(18)O values of phosphate from chemical fertilizers range from 19.6 to 23.1 per thousand, while those of phosphate from WTP discharge waters are more tightly grouped between 17.7 and 18.1 per thousand . The variablility in delta(18)O values of phosphate fertilizers is attributed to oxygen isotope variations of the phosphorite deposits from which France's fertilizers are manufactured . The significance of the delta(18)O values of phosphate from WTP discharge waters is less straightforward . At present, it is not clear whether these values are primary isotopic compositions corresponding, e.g., to the oxygen isotope composition of phosphate builders included in detergents (delta(18)O(P)=17.9 per thousand), or represent secondary values reflecting biological recycling of the phosphate in equilibrium with ambient WTP water The restricted difference in isotopic composition obtained between phosphate from fertilizers and phosphate from WTP discharge waters (<2 per thousand), as well as the fairly large internal isotopic variability observed in both end-members (1.5 per thousand), cast doubt about the possibility that the oxygen isotope composition could serve as a tracer for the source of anthropogenic phosphates in waters. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 221 - 231 Interactive fuzzy optimization for an economic and environmental balance in a river system; Lee CS et al.; An interactive fuzzy approach is applied to develop a water quality management plan in a river basin for solving multi-objective optimization problems involving vague and imprecise information related to data, model formulation, and the decision maker's preferences . This approach, originally proposed by Sakawa in 1983, is modified and presented as a sustainable water quality management strategy in which the decision makers and the environmental analysts put forward their views on three major economic and environmental factors: river water quality, assimilative capacity, and treatment cost of wastewater . This methodology is illustrated in a case study of multi-objective water quality management in the Tou-Chen River Basin in northern Taiwan . The incorporation of these three economic and environmental factors demonstrates the capability of the fuzzy interactive multi-objective optimization approach and also works suitably in water quality management in a river basin by the trade-off procedures. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 210 - 20 Urban wastewater and stormwater technologies in ancient Greece; Angelakis AN et al.; The status of urban sewerage and stormwater drainage systems in ancient Greece is reviewed, based on the results of archaeological studies of the 20th century . Emphasis is given to the construction, operation, and management of sewerage and stormwater drainage systems during the Minoan period (2nd millennium B.C.) . The achievements of this period in dealing with the hygienic and the functional requirements of palaces and cities, were so advanced that they can only be compared to modern urban water systems, developed in Europe and North America in the second half of the 19th century A.D . The advanced Minoan technologies were exported to all parts of Greece in later periods of the Greek civilization, i.e . in Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 154 - 70 Epub 2004 Nov 26. Treatment of phenol and cresols in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process: a review; Veeresh GS et al.; Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process has been successfully applied in the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewaters . Several researchers have investigated the suitability of the process for the treatment of phenols and phenolic wastewaters . The anaerobic treatment of phenols is still at an investigative stage . With increasing recognition of the UASB process, feasibility studies on the treatment of wastewater containing phenol and cresols (o-, m- and p- isomers) in UASB have been reviewed . It is reported that phenol concentration up to a range of 500-750mg/L is generally not inhibitory to the UASB process . Phenol concentrations greater than 500mg/L can be effectively treated with acclimatization of inocula, recirculation of the treated effluent and/or supplementing with co-substrates such as glucose, VFA and dilute molasses . The degradability of phenol is more than p-cresol, which in turn is more than m- and o-cresol. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 147 - 53 Is semi-flocculation effective as pretreatment to ultrafiltration in wastewater treatment? Shon HK, Vigneswaran S, Ngo HH, Ben Aim R. In this study, ferric chloride (FeCl(3)) flocculation was used as a pretreatment to ultrafiltration (UF) in treating synthetic wastewater containing synthetic organic matter (SOM) . The effect of flocculant dose was studied in terms of organic removal and membrane flux decline . The UF with optimum dose of FeCl(3) (68mgL(-1)) did not experience any flux decline during the whole operation of 6h . The preflocculation with a smaller dose of 20mgL(-1) of FeCl(3) led to a severe flux decline in the UF (more than 65% in 6h) . To understand the phenomenon of the flux decline of UF, the MW ranges of SOM removed by different doses of FeCl(3) and by the post treatment of UF were studied . Flocculation with at least 50mgL(-1) of FeCl(3) dose was found to be necessary to avoid any significant flux decline and to obtain superior DOC removal. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 89 - 96 Discoloration and mineralization of Orange II by using a bentonite clay-based Fe nanocomposite film as a heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst; Feng J et al.; Discoloration and mineralization of an azo dye Orange II was conducted by using a bentonite clay-based Fe nanocomposite (Fe-B) film as a heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst in the presence of UVC light and H(2)O(2) . Under optimal conditions (pH=3.0, 10mM H(2)O(2), and 1x8W UVC), 100% discoloration and 50-60% TOC removal of 0.2mM Orange II can be achieved in 90 and 120min, respectively . The mineralization kinetics of 0.2mM Orange II is much slower than the corresponding discoloration kinetics . Under the same conditions, the Fe leaching from the Fe-B-coated catalyst film is very low . The Fe-B-coated catalyst film could be used in the pre-treatment of wastewater for an integrated system consisting of a photochemical reactor and a biological reactor . Multi-run experimental results reveal that the Fe-B-coated catalyst film could have a long-term stability for the discoloration and mineralization of Orange II . A comparison between the performance of the Fe-B-coated catalyst film and a suspended Fe-B catalyst in the discoloration and mineralization of Orange II was also discussed. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 65 - 72 Synthesis of ettringite: a way to deal with the acid wastewaters of aluminium anodising industry; Alvarez-Ayuso E et al.; Synthesis of ettringite from acid wastewaters of the aluminium anodising industry has been studied as a possible route of reducing the emissions to the environment, recovering at the same time resource materials as a useful marketable mineral . Wastewaters of different concentrations have been subjected to the process of synthesis suspending calcium oxide and calcium aluminate powders at different time and pH conditions . High caustic alkalinity (pH approximately 12) and low sulphate concentrations (<0.1M) are the most suitable conditions to synthesise ettringite . The mineral characterisation has been performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), proving the high purity of the pursued solid product when hydrated in the appropriate sodium hydroxide concentrations . In such conditions, around 90% of the aluminium initially present in the wastewater solutions is recovered in the form of ettringite. Water Res, 2005 Jan, 39(1), 3 - 16 Non-agricultural sources of groundwater nitrate: a review and case study; Wakida FT et al.; Nitrate is often seen as an agricultural pollutant of groundwater and so is expected to be at higher concentrations in the groundwaters surrounding a city than in those beneath it . However the difference between rural and urban nitrate concentrations is often small, due to the non-agricultural sources of nitrogen that are concentrated in cities . This paper illustrates the source and significance of non-agricultural nitrogen for groundwater and presents a case study of nitrate loading in the city of Nottingham . Major sources of nitrogen in urban aquifers are related to wastewater disposal (on-site systems and leaky sewers), solid waste disposal (landfills and waste tips) . The major sources of nitrogen in the Nottingham area are mains leakage and contaminated land with approximately 38% each of a total load of 21kgNha(-1)year(-1). Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Dec 1, 38(23), 6385 - 95 Reproductive responses of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed in cages to influent of the Las Vegas Wash in Lake Mead, Nevada, from late winter to early spring; Snyder EM et al.; The Las Vegas Wash (LW) delivers tertiary-treated municipal wastewater effluent, nonpotable shallow groundwater seepage, and runoff from the urbanized Las Vegas Valley to Las Vegas Bay (LX) of Lake Mead . To investigate the potential for contaminants in LW influent to produce effects indicative of endocrine disruption in vivo, adult male and female common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were exposed in cages for 42-48 d at four sites in Lake Mead: LW, LX, and two reference locations in the lake . End points examined included gonadosomatic index; gonad histology; concentrations of plasma vitellogenin (VTG) and plasma sex steroids (17beta-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT)); plasma estrogen:androgen ratios (E2:T, E2:11-KT), in vitro production of T by gonad tissue, and hepatopancreas ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity . Few differences among fish caged at different sites were potentially attributable to exposure to contaminants Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Dec 1, 38(23), 6377 - 84 Dairy wastewater, aquaculture, and spawning fish as sources of steroid hormones in the aquatic environment; Kolodziej EP et al.; A suite of androgens, estrogens, and progestins were measured in samples from dairy farms, aquaculture facilities, and surface waters with actively spawning fish using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/ MS) to assess the potential importance of these sources of steroid hormones to surface waters . In a dairywaste lagoon, the endogenous estrogens 17beta-estradiol and estrone and the androgens testosterone and androstenedione were detected at concentrations as high as 650 ng/L . Samples from nearby groundwater monitoring wells demonstrated removal of steroid hormones in the subsurface . Samples from nearby surface waters and tile drains likely impacted by animal wastes demonstrated the sporadic presence of the steroids 17beta-estradiol, estrone, testosterone, and medroxyprogesterone, usually at concentrations near or below 1 ng/L . The endogenous steroids estrone,testosterone, and androstenedione were detected in the raceways and effluents of three fish hatcheries at concentrations near 1 ng/L . Similar concentrations were detected in a river containing spawning adult Chinook salmon . These results indicate that dairy wastewater, aquaculture effluents, and even spawning fish can lead to detectable concentrations of steroid hormones in surface waters and that the concentrations of these compounds exhibit considerable temporal and spatial variation. J Chromatogr A, 2004 Nov 26, 1058(1-2), 81 - 8 Determination of benzothiazoles from complex aqueous samples by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry following solid-phase extraction; Kloepfer A et al.; A method was developed for the determination of benzothiazoles from municipal wastewater, which may originate from their use as corrosion inhibitors, vulcanization accelerators or fungicides . Extraction is performed by SPE using a polymeric sorbent, followed by LC-MS analysis with electrospray ionization . Due to the diversity of the analytes, two LC-MS runs are required: 2-aminobenzothiazole, benzothiazole and 2-methylthiobenzothiazole are detected in the positive ion mode, while benzothiazole-2-sulfonic acid (BTSA), 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and 2-hydroxybenzothiazole are determined in the negative ion mode . Limits of quantification range from 20 to 200 ng/L in treated wastewater . Reliable quantification with R.S.D.s below 25% is achieved by standard addition in a limited number of samples of each sample series . A significant reduction of matrix effects in positive electrospray ionization is achieved by reducing the flow directed into the ESI-interface . When applied to untreated municipal wastewater most analytes were found at concentrations in the high ng/L- to low microg/L-range with the most polar BTSA being the dominant compound of this class . Removal of benzothiazoles in biological wastewater treatment appears to be limited. Ultrason Sonochem, 2005 Apr, 12(5), 331 - 7 Sonocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in the presence of TiO(2) catalysts and catalytic activity comparison of rutile and anatase; Wang J et al.; Rutile and anatase titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) powders were used as sonocatalysts for the degradation of methyl orange which was used as a model compound . Ultrasound was used as an irradiation source . It was found that the sonocatalytic degradation ratios of methyl orange in the presence of TiO(2) powder were much better than ones without any TiO(2), but the sonocatalytic activity of rutile TiO(2) particles was obviously higher than that of anatase TiO(2) particles . Although there are many factors influencing sonocatalytic degradation of methyl orange, the experimental results show that the best degradation ratio of methyl orange can be obtained when the experimental conditions of the initial methyl orange concentration of 10 mg/l, rutile TiO(2) added amount of 500 mg/l, ultrasonic frequency of 40 kHz, output power of 50 W, pH=3.0 and 40 degrees C within 150 min were adopted . In addition, the catalytic activity of reused rutile TiO(2) catalyst was also studied and found to be better than new rutile TiO(2) catalyst sometimes . All experimental results indicated that the method of the sonocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in the presence of TiO(2) powder was an advisable choice for treating non- or low-transparent organic wastewaters. J Colloid Interface Sci, 2005 Feb 15, 282(2), 314 - 9 The removal of textile dyes by diatomite earth; Erdem E et al.; The adsorption of some textile dyes by diatomite was investigated using Sif Blau BRF (SB), Everzol Brill Red 3BS (EBR), and Int Yellow 5GF (IY) . Adsorption of these textile dyes onto diatomite earth samples was studied by batch adsorption techniques at 30 degrees C . The adsorption behavior of textile dyes on diatomite samples was investigated using a UV-vis spectrophotometric technique . The effect of particle size of diatomite, diatomite concentration, the effect of initial dye concentrations, and shaking time on adsorption was investigated . Adsorption coverage over the surface of diatomite was studied using two well-known isotherm models: Langmuir's and Freundlich's . These results suggest that the dye uptake process mediated by diatomite has a potential for large-scale treatment of textile mill discharges . According to the equilibrium studies, the selectivity sequence can be given as IY > SB > EBR . Values of the removal efficiency of the dyes ranged from 28.60 to 99.23% . These results show that natural diatomite holds great potential to remove textile dyes from wastewater. Bioresour Technol, 2005 Apr, 96(6), 687 - 98 Recovery of protein from poultry processing wastewater using membrane ultrafiltration; Lo YM et al.; The feasibility of using ultrafiltration (UF) to recover protein from poultry processing wastewater (PPW) after primary treatment was investigated . By using polysulfone membrane with 30,000 molecular-weight-cut-off, almost all crude proteins in PPW were retained, subsequently reducing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluent to less than 200 mgL(-1) . Similar to the processing of proteinaceous materials, the average fluxes reached only 100 Lm(-2)h(-1) . By identifying the optimal values of key operation parameters, including pH, volumetric flow rate, and transmembrane pressure (6.74, 683 mLmin(-1) and 14 psi, respectively) using response surface methodology (RSM), the flux was improved to higher than 200 Lm(-2)h(-1) . Although severe membrane fouling was still inevitable after processing, flushing the membrane with a cleaning reagent was found capable of effectively restoring membrane performance. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(9), 237 - 44 Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from sewage sludge by anaerobic degradation; Christensen N et al.; Due to the hydrophobic nature of the polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) they are mostly bound to the sludge and escape aerobic treatment in a wastewater treatment plant . They therefore proceed directly to the anaerobic post treatment, terminate in the sludge, and can be released to the environment if land spreading is used . PAH degradation in anaerobic methanogenic systems has only recently been shown to occur . In this study we have assessed several factors of anaerobic PAH degradation by evaluating thermodynamic feasibility of degradation, assessing degradation at different temperatures, and investigating the enriched cultures using fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) . Thermodynamic calculations indicated that PAH degradation was possible under methanogenic conditions, in the presence of hydrogen utilizing methanogens . Removal of naphthalene and 1-methyl naphthalene depended both on temperature and the initial inoculum . Inocula sourced from contaminated land sites were the most effective . The enrichments were all a mixture of Bacteria, and Archaea, and the Archaea were generally identified as Methanobacteriales, using an order-specific probe . The bacteria were not specifically identified . The results indicate a syntrophic culture, with the bacteria oxidizing the naphthalene, and the Archaea converting the hydrogen produced by oxidation, to methane. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(9), 189 - 96 Reuse of wastewater sludge with marine clay as a new resource of construction aggregates; Tay JH et al.; The disposal of sludge from wastewater treatment presents highly complex problems to any municipality . Most of the sludge disposal methods have varying degrees of environmental impact . Hence, it is necessary to explore potential areas of reuse in order to alleviate sludge disposal problems and to conserve natural resources . Industrial sludge and marine clay are two forms of high-volume wastes . Using these wastes as a resource of raw materials to produce construction aggregates would enable large-scale sludge reuse . The aggregates were produced at various sludge-clay combinations containing 0, 20, 50, 80 and 100% clay contents, respectively . The pelletized aggregates displayed lower particle densities ranged between 1.48 and 2.25 g/cm3, compared to the density of granite at 2.56 g/cm3 . Good 28-day concrete compressive strength of 38.5 N/mm2 achieved by the 100% sludge aggregate was comparable to the value of 38.0 N/mm2 achieved of the granite control specimens . The leachate contamination levels from the aggregates after 150 days were found acceptable when used in concrete, indicating insignificant environmental contamination . The heat flow study showed increases in heat flow at the temperatures of 480 degrees C and between 660 degrees C and 900 degrees C, indicating a need for the extension of heating time around these temperatures. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(9), 177 - 82 Thermal drying of wastewater sludge with crack formation; Chen JB et al.; We examined in this work the drying characteristics of wastewater sludge . The drying flux of the constant-rate period for sludge cake could be up to 40% higher than that from a sand bed . Owing to the considerable volume shrinkage of cake, cracks would form and develop on the crack surface, which yielded three-dimensional but rather than the one-dimensional cake structure assumed in conventional drying theories . The crack length was fully developed in the first 30 min of drying, while the width of crack increased linearly with time . Using these data the drying flux from the cracks was estimated . Enhanced drying flux was noticeable which depended on the crack shape and the crossflow velocity. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(9), 155 - 60 Removal of dissolved copper(II) and zinc(II) by aerobic granular sludge; Xu H et al.; This study investigated the adsorption kinetics of dissolved copper(II) and zinc(II) by aerobic granular sludge . Two series of batch experiments were conducted at different initial copper(II), zinc(II) concentrations (Co) and initial granule concentrations (Xo) . Results showed that the biosorption kinetics of individual copper(II) and zinc(II) by aerobic granules were closely related to Co and Xo . The maximum biosorption capacity of individual copper(II) and zinc(II) by aerobic granules was 246.1 mg g(-1) and 180 mg g(-1), respectively . In order to theoretically interpret the results obtained, two kinetic models previously developed for biosorption were employed and compared in this study . It was found that the model proposed by Liu et al . (2003) could fit the experimental data very well, but the second-order model failed to fit the data in some cases . It appears that aerobic granules would be potential biosorbent with high efficiency for the removal of dissolved copper(II) and zinc(II) from wastewater. Arch Microbiol, 2005 Jan, 183(1), 1 - 8 Epub 2004 Dec 03. A novel 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase involved in the degradation of p-chloronitrobenzene by Comamonas strain CNB-1: purification, properties, genetic cloning and expression in Escherichia coli; Wu JF et al.; Comamonas strain CNB-1 was isolated from a biological reactor treating wastewater from a p-chloronitrobenzene production factory . Strain CNB-1 used p-chloronitrobenzene as sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and energy . A 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase was purified from cells of strain CNB-1 . The purified 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase had a native molecular mass of 130 kDa and was composed of alpha- and beta-subunits of 33 and 38 kDa, respectively . This enzyme is different from currently known 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenases in that it: (a) has a higher affinity for 2-amino-5-chlorophenol (K(m)=0.77 muM) than for 2-aminophenol (K(m)=0.89 muM) and (b) utilized protocatechuate as a substrate . These results suggested that 2-amino-5-chlorophenol, an intermediate during p-chloronitrobenzene degradation, is the natural substrate for this enzyme . N-terminal amino acids of the alpha- and beta-subunits were determined to be T-V-V-S-A-F-L-V and M-Q-G-E-I-I-A-E, respectively . A cosmid library was constructed from the total DNA of strain CNB-1 and three clones (BG-1, BG-2, and CG-13) with 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase activities were obtained . DNA sequencing of clone BG-2 revealed a 15-kb fragment that contained two ORFs, ORF9 and ORF10, with N-terminal amino acid sequences identical to those of the beta- and alpha-subunits, respectively, from the purified 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase . The enzyme was actively synthesized when the genes coding for the ORF9 and ORF10 were cloned into Escherichia coli. Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Nov 1, 38(21), 5809 - 14 Continuous electricity generation from domestic wastewater and organic substrates in a flat plate microbial fuel cell; Min B et al.; A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a device that converts organic matter to electricity using microorganisms as the biocatalyst . Most MFCs contain two electrodes separated into one or two chambers that are operated as a completely mixed reactor . In this study, a flat plate MFC (FPMFC) was designed to operate as a plug flow reactor (no mixing) using a combined electrode/proton exchange membrane (PEM) system . The reactor consisted of a single channel formed between two nonconductive plates that were separated into two halves by the electrode/PEM assembly . Each electrode was placed on an opposite side of the PEM, with the anode facing the chamber containing the liquid phase and the cathode facing a chamber containing only air . Electricity generation using the FPMFC was examined by continuously feeding a solution containing wastewater, or a specific substrate, into the anode chamber . The system was initially acclimated for 1 month using domestic wastewater orwastewater enriched with a specific substrate such as acetate . Average power density using only domestic wastewater was 72+/-1 mW/m2 at a liquid flow rate of 0.39 mL/min {42% COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal, 1.1 h HRT (hydraulic retention time)} . At a longer HRT = 4.0 h, there was 79% COD removal and an average power density of 43+/-1 mW/m2 . Power output was found to be a function of wastewater strength according to a Monod-type relationship, with a half-saturation constant of Ks = 461 or 719 mg COD/L . Power generation was sustained at high rates with several organic substrates (all at approximately 1000 mg COD/L), including glucose (212+/-2 mW/ m2), acetate (286+/-3 mW/m2), butyrate (220+/-1 mW/ m2), dextran (150+/-1 mW/m2), and starch (242+/-3 mW/ m2) . These results demonstrate the versatility of power generation in a MFC with a variety of organic substrates and show that power can be generated at a high rate in a continuous flow reactor system. Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Nov 1, 38(21), 5779 - 85 Influence of ultrasonic disintegration on sludge growth reduction and its estimation by respirometry; Rai CL et al.; Excess biomass generation during wastewater treatment is a great threat to the ecology if it is not properly disposed . Sludge growth reduction is one of the best ways to alleviate the problem . The present study focused in this direction employs ultrasound to disintegrate the floc without causing cell disruption . It has been found that a major size reduction that takes place at a lower energy input (3000 kJ/kg) and a further increase in energy input results only in minor changes . Sludge growth reduction is found to be of the order of 29% and energy efficient under flowthrough conditions . The effect of disintegration is substantiated by respirometric studies, microscopic examination, degree of inactivation, and degree of COD release. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2004 Dec, 70(12), 7372 - 7 Quantification of tetracycline resistance genes in feedlot lagoons by real-time PCR; Smith MS et al.; A new real-time PCR method is presented that detects and quantifies three tetracycline resistance (Tcr) genes {tet(O), tet(W), and tet(Q)} in mixed microbial communities resident in feedlot lagoon wastewater . Tcr gene real-time TaqMan primer-probe sets were developed and optimized to quantify the Tcr genes present in seven different cattle feedlot lagoons, to validate the method, and to assess whether resistance gene concentrations correlate with free-tetracycline levels in lagoon waters . The method proved to be sensitive across a wide range of gene concentrations and provided consistent and reproducible results from complex lagoon water samples . The log10 of the sum of the three resistance gene concentrations was correlated with free-tetracycline levels (r2 = 0.50, P < 0.001; n = 18), with the geometric means of individual resistance concentrations ranging from 4- to 8.3-fold greater in lagoon samples with above-median tetracycline levels (>1.95 microg/liter by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques) than in below-median lagoon samples . Of the three Tcr genes tested, tet(W) and tet(Q) were more commonly found in lagoon water samples . Successful development of this real-time PCR assay will permit other studies quantifying Tcr gene numbers in environmental and other samples. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao, 2004 Aug, 15(8), 1443 - 6 {Wastewater treatment efficiency of combined aluminum-starch flocculant}; Zhang K et al.; This paper examined the efficiency of a combined flocculants synthesized by aluminum and starch (noted as CAS) in treating kaolin suspension, domestic wastewater, municipal effluent and pulp-making wastewater . Jar test results showed that the flocculent performance of CAS was prior to polyaluminum-chloride (PAC) in treating different concentration kaolin suspension samples (100, 400 and 2000 mg x L(-1)) . The optimal dose of CAS to each sample was 3.0, 2.0 and 2.0 mg x L(-1), being 60%, 50% and 50% of PAC, respectively . CAS also showed a priority to PAC in removing the COD and turbidity of domestic and municipal effluents . When treating pulp-making wastewater, the optimal dose of CAS was 70% of PAC . The removal rate of COD was enhanced 10%, the sludge was reduced 40%, and the sediment time was greatly shortened . It was also identified that the optimal concentration required to affect flocculation depended on the concentration and the character of the wastewater within the range examined . CAS was more effective in treating high turbidity wastewater. Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Nov 15, 38(22), 6118 - 24 Decomposition of environmentally persistent perfluorooctanoic acid in water by photochemical approaches; Hori H et al.; The decomposition of persistent and bioaccumulative perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in water by UV-visible light irradiation, by H202 with UV-visible light irradiation, and by a tungstic heteropolyacid photocatalyst was examined to develop a technique to counteract stationary sources of PFOA . Direct photolysis proceeded slowly to produce CO2, F-, and short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids . Compared to the direct photolysis, H2O2 was less effective in PFOA decomposition . On the other hand, the heteropolyacid photocatalyst led to efficient PFOA decomposition and the production of F- ions and CO2 . The photocatalyst also suppressed the accumulation of short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids in the reaction solution . PFOA in the concentrations of 0.34-3.35 mM, typical of those in wastewaters after an emulsifying process in fluoropolymer manufacture, was completely decomposed by the catalyst within 24 h of irradiation from a 200-W xenon-mercury lamp, with no accompanying catalyst degradation, permitting the catalyst to be reused in consecutive runs . Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) measurements showed no trace of environmentally undesirable species such as CF4, which has a very high global-warming potential . When the (initial PFOA)/(initial catalyst) molar ratio was 10: 1, the turnover number for PFOA decomposition reached 4.33 over 24 h of irradiation. Environ Sci Technol, 2004 Nov 15, 38(22), 5834 - 41 Trichloroethylene adsorption by fibrous and granular activated carbons: aqueous phase, gas phase, and water vapor adsorption studies; Karanfil T et al.; The important adsorption components involved in the removal of trichloroethylene (TCE) by fibrous and granular activated carbons from aqueous solutions were systematically examined . Namely, adsorption of TCE itself (i.e., TCE vapor isotherms), water molecules (i.e., water vapor isotherms), and TCE in water (i.e., TCE aqueous phase isotherms) were studied, side-by-side, using 20 well-characterized surface-modified activated carbons . The results showed that TCE molecular size and geometry, activated carbon surface hydrophilicity, pore volume, and pore size distribution in micropores control adsorption of TCE at relatively dilute aqueous solutions . TCE adsorption increased as the carbon surface hydrophilicity decreased and the pore volume in micropores of less than 10 A, especially in the 5-8 A range, increased . TCE molecules appeared to access deep regions of carbon micropores due to their flat geometry . The results indicated that characteristics of both adsorbate (i.e., the molecular structure, size, and geometry) and activated carbon (surface hydrophilicity, pore volume, and pore size distribution of micropores) control adsorption of synthetic organic compounds from water and wastewaters . The important micropore size region for a target compound adsorption depends on its size and geometry. J Colloid Interface Sci, 2005 Jan 15, 281(2), 424 - 31 Removal of toxic metals from wastewater by Brazilian natural scolecite; Dal Bosco SM et al.; The cation-exchange capacity of Brazilian natural zeolite, identified as scolecite, was studied with the aim of evaluating its applications in wastewater control . We investigated the process of sorption of chromium(III), nickel(II), cadmium(II), and manganese(II) in synthetic aqueous effluents, including sorption isotherms of single-metal solutions at 298, 313, and 333 K, by batch experiments, and the influence of pH on the process . The results have demonstrated that removal of metals from specific metal solutions is best described by a Freundlich isotherm, in which the values obtained for the K(f) constants were in the following order: Cr > Mn > Cd > Ni . A Lagergren pseudo-second-order was the model that best described the sorption mechanism . The retention of metals was shown to be a function of the pH; the maximum binding capacity occurring at pH values around 6.0 . Thermodynamic data indicate the spontaneity of the endothermic cation-exchange process . The values of Delta G(0) suggest the following selectivity series at 298 K: Ni > Cr > Cd > Mn . The desorption process reaches equilibrium during the first 60 min of binding, suggesting that the mechanism involves specific sites located in the external surface of the scolecite. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(8), 119 - 24 Acidogenic pretreatment of wastewaters containing 2-nitrophenol; Jinadasa KB et al.; Anaerobic Toxicity Assay (ATA) tests were conducted on acidogenic cultures to assess the feasibility of using acidogenic processes to treat wastewaters containing 2-nitrophenol . Results indicated 2-nitrophenol could be removed with a removal efficiency of more than 98% . 2-aminophenol was identified as the major metabolite of the biotransformation of 2-nitrophenol . Reduction in inhibition potential of acidogenic pretreated effluent was observed in the aerobic process . EC50 values of 2-nitrophenol and 2-aminophenol were found to be 0.065 mM and 1.83 mM respectively. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(8), 169 - 76 Optimizing volatile fatty acid production in partial acidogenesis of swine wastewater; Yang K et al.; This research has been conducted based on the fact that acetic and butyric acids are favorable substrates for methanogens, and that a low level of propionic acid production during acidogenesis minimizes the inhibition effect on methanogenic growth . Raw swine wastewater was pretreated with ammonia stripping to enhance acidogenesis . The ammonia nitrogen concentration of less than 1.2 g/L did not significantly affect the biochemical acidogenic potential of swine wastewater . For acidogenesis of swine wastewater, a set of experiments were carried out to produce short chain volatile fatty acids (VFA) in laboratory-scale continuously stirred tank reactors . The production of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids associated with simultaneous changes in hydraulic retention time (HRT) and temperature was investigated . Response surface methodology was successfully applied to approximate the responses of the VFA productions . The optimum physiological conditions where the maximum acetic and butyric acids production occurred were 2.4 days HRT at 34 degrees C and 2.1 days HRT at 35 degrees C, respectively . The propionic acid production linearly increased as both HRT and temperature increased. Anal Sci, 2004 Nov, 20(11), 1599 - 603 Oligocarbazoles as ligands for lead-selective liquid membrane electrodes; Radecki J et al.; Oligocarbazoles have been applied as new ionophores in liquid membrane electrodes (ISEs) destined for lead(II) determination in water samples . The oligocarbazole-containing ISEs demonstrated a close-to-Nernstian potentiometric response towards Pb2+ in the activity range 10(-7)-10(-2) M . The selectivity coefficients measured by the matched potential method (MPM) confirmed their good selectivity against common interfering mono- and doubly charged cations . The oligocarbazole-containing ISEs do not respond towards protons . Their applicability has been checked by performing the recovery test while using a sample of wastewater. J Hazard Mater, 2004 Dec 10, 116(1-2), 135 - 45 Sorption of acid red 57 from aqueous solution onto sepiolite; Alkan M et al.; Sepiolite, a highly porous mineral, is becoming widely used as an alternative material in areas where sorptive, catalytic and rheological applications are required . High ion exchange capacity and high surface area and more importantly its relatively cheap price make it an attractive adsorbent . In this study, the adsorption of acid red 57 by natural mesoporous sepiolite has been examined in order to measure the ability of this mineral to remove coloured textile dyes from wastewater . For this purpose, a series of batch adsorption tests of acid red 57 from aqueous sepiolite solutions have been systematically investigated as a function of parameters such as pH, ionic strength and temperature . Adsorption equilibrium was reached within 1h . The removal of acid red 57 decreases with pH from 3 to 9 and temperature from 25 to 55 degrees C, whereas it increases with ionic strength from 0 to 0.5 mol L(-1) . Adsorption isotherms of acid red on sepiolite were determined and correlated with common isotherm equations such as Langmuir and Freundlich models . It was found that the Langmuir model appears to fit the isotherm data better than the Freundlich model . The physical properties of this adsorbent were consistent with the parameters obtained from the isotherm equations . Approximately, 21.49% weight loss was observed . The surface area value of sepiolite was 342 m2 g(-1) at 105 degrees C, and it increased to 357 m2 g(-1) at 200 degrees C . Further increase in temperature caused channel plugging and crystal structure deformation, as a result the surface area values showed a decrease with temperature . The data obtained from adsorption isotherms at different temperatures have been used to calculate some thermodynamic quantities such as the Gibbs energy, heat and entropy of adsorption . The thermodynamic data indicate that acid red 57 adsorption onto sepiolite is characterized by physical adsorption . The dimensionless separation factor (RL) have shown that sepiolite can be used for removal of acid red 57 from aqueous solutions . The sorption capacity of the sepiolite is comparable to the other available adsorbents, and it is quite cheaper. J Environ Sci (China), 2004, 16(5), 851 - 5 Electrochemical oxidation of polyethylene glycol in electroplating solution using paraffin composite copper hexacyanoferrate modified (PCCHM) anode; Bejankiwar RS et al.; Electrochemical oxidation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in an acidic (pH 0.18 to 0.42) and high ionic strength electroplating solution was investigated . The electroplating solution is a major source of wastewater in the printing wiring board industry . A paraffin composite copper hexacyanoferrate modified (PCCHM) electrode was used as the anode and a bare graphite electrode was used as the cathode . The changes in PEG and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations during the course of the reaction were monitored . The efficiency of the PCCHM anode was compared with bare graphite anode and it was found that the former showed significant electrocatalytic property for PEG and TOC removal . Chlorides present in the solution were found to contribute significantly in the overall organic removal process . Short chain organic compounds like acetic acid, oxalic acid, formic acid and ethylene glycol formed during electrolysis were identified by HPLC method . Anode surface area and applied current density were found to influence the electro-oxidation process, in which the former was found to be dominating . Investigations of the kinetics for the present electrochemical reaction suggested that the two stage first-order kinetic model provides a much better representation of the overall mechanism of the process if compared to the generalized kinetic model. J Environ Sci (China), 2004, 16(5), 808 - 12 Plasma induced degradation of Indigo Carmine by bipolar pulsed dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) in the water-air mixture; Zhang RB et al.; Degradation of the Indigo Carmine (IC) by the bipolar pulsed DBD in water-air mixture was studied . Effects of various parameters such as gas flow rate, solution conductivity, pulse repetitive rate and ect., on color removal efficiency of dying wastewater were investigated . Concentrations of gas phase o3 and aqueous phase H2O2 under various conditions were measured . Experimental results showed that air bubbling facilitates the breakdown of water and promotes generation of chemically active species . Color removal efficiency of IC solution can be greatly improved by the air aeration under various solution conductivities . Decolorization efficiency increases with the increase of the gas flow rate, and decreases with the increase of the initial solution conductivity . A higher pulse repetitive rate and a larger pulse capacitor C(p) are favorable for the decolorization process . Ozone and hydrogen peroxide formed decreases with the increase of initial solution conductivity . In addition, preliminary analysis of the decolorization mechanisms is given. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol . 2004 Nov 19; {Epub ahead of print} Treatment of dairy effluents in an aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor; Schwarzenbeck N et al.; Aerobic granular sludge can successfully be cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating dairy wastewater . Attention has to be paid to the fact that suspended solids are always present in the effluent of aerobic granular sludge reactors, making a post-treatment step necessary . Sufficient post-treatment can be achieved through a sedimentation process with a hydraulic retention time of 15-30 min . After complete granulation and the separation of biomass from the effluent, removal efficiencies of 90% COD(total), 80% N(total) and 67% P(total) can be achieved at a volumetric exchange ratio of 50% and a cycle duration of 8 h . Effluent values stabilize at around 125 mg l(-1) COD(dissolved) . The maximum applicable loading rate is nevertheless limited, as the stability of aerobic granules very much depends on the presence of distinct feast and famine conditions and the degradation of real wastewaters shows slower kinetics compared with synthetic wastewaters . As loading rate and volumetric exchange ratio are coupled in an SBR system, the potential of granular sludge for improving process efficiency is also limited. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 2004 Dec, 66(2), 217 - 25 Epub 2004 Dec. beta-Glucan synthase induction in mushrooms grown on olive mill wastewaters; Reverberi M et al.; beta-1-3-Glucan synthase activity and its induction by olive mill wastewaters (OMW) was studied in ten fungal strains (Auricularia auricula-judae, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus eryngii, Stropharia aeruginosa, Agrocybe aegerita, P . pulmonarius, Armillaria mellea, P . ferulae, P . ostreatus, P . nebrodensis) . A microtiter-based enzymatic assay on beta-1-3-glucan synthase activity was carried out on all mycelia growth both on the control medium and on OMW . Among the fungi assayed, L . edodes beta-1-3-glucan synthase was highly enhanced in OMW . The main components of OMW, i.e . phenols and lipids, were added separately to the control medium, to highlight the mechanism of L . edodes beta-1-3-glucan synthase induction . A Southern blot analysis and PCR with degenerated primers were carried out to detect the presence of fks1-like genes in these Basidiomycetes . The sequences obtained from the ten Basidiomycota were remarkably similar to fks1 from Filobasidiella neoformans . Spectrofluorimetric and RT-PCR analyses of beta-1-3-glucan synthase were performed on the mycelia of L . edodes . In this fungus, a strong stimulation of beta-1-3-glucan synthase mRNA and protein was recorded in the presence of OMW and phenols. Mar Pollut Bull, 2004 Dec, 49(11-12), 1013 - 24 Coastal pollution hazards in southern California observed by SAR imagery: stormwater plumes, wastewater plumes, and natural hydrocarbon seeps; Digiacomo PM et al.; Stormwater runoff plumes, municipal wastewater plumes, and natural hydrocarbon seeps are important pollution hazards for the heavily populated Southern California Bight (SCB) . Due to their small size, dynamic and episodic nature, these hazards are difficult to sample adequately using traditional in situ oceanographic methods . Complex coastal circulation and persistent cloud cover can further complicate detection and monitoring of these hazards . We use imagery from space-borne synthetic aperture radar (SAR), complemented by field measurements, to examine these hazards in the SCB . The hazards are detectable in SAR imagery because they deposit surfactants on the sea surface, smoothing capillary and small gravity waves to produce areas of reduced backscatter compared with the surrounding ocean . We suggest that high-resolution SAR, which obtains useful data regardless of darkness or cloud cover, could be an important observational tool for assessment and monitoring of coastal marine pollution hazards in the SCB and other urbanized coastal regions. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol, 2004 Oct, 139(1-3), 17 - 22 In vitro effects of wastewater treatment plant effluent on sea bass red blood cells; Boge G et al.; Red blood cells of marine fish have been used in suitable biological assays to study the (eco)toxicity of wastewater treatment plant effluents . The aim of the present work was to draw upon their more relevant effects on cell hemolysis, ATP content, osmotic resistance and cell volume regulation . Following physico-chemical treatment, treatment plant effluents showed a residual toxicity resulting from multiple impairment of cell metabolism and structures . The earliest and most sensitive effects were related to the regulation of intracellular osmotic pressure leading to decreased cell water volume . Such effects were also observed following short-term incubation in 10-fold diluted effluent . Other damages were found following incubation in non-diluted effluent . Membrane structure was affected leading to increased osmotic resistance . Later, a decrease of the intracellular ATP level was found, followed by hemolysis . The presence of glucose in the incubation medium lessened the fall in ATP content and hemolysis in the treated cells but also in control cells. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 273 - 80 The effect of public or private structures in wastewater treatment on the conditions for the design, construction and operation of wastewater treatment plants; Grunebaum T et al.; Organised in public or private structures, wastewater services have to cope with different framework conditions as regards planning, construction, financing and operation . This leads quite often to different modes of management . In recent years there has been a push for privatisation on the water sector in general, the reasons for which are manifold, ranging from access to external know-how and capital to synergistic effects through integration of wastewater treatment into other tasks of similar or equal nature . Discussed are various models of public/private partnership (PPP) in wastewater treatment, encompassing for example the delegation of partial tasks or even the proportional or entire transfer of ownership of treatment facilities to private third parties . Decisive for high performance and efficiency is not the legal or organisational form, but rather the clear and unmistakable definition of tasks which are to be assigned to the different parties, customers and all other partners involved, as well as of clear-cut interfaces . On account of the (of course legitimate) profit-oriented perspective of the private sector, some decision-making processes in relation to project implementation (design and construction) and to operational aspects will differ from those typically found on the public sector . This does apply to decisions on investments, financing and on technical solutions too . On the other hand, core competencies in wastewater treatment should not be outsourced, but remain the public bodies' responsibility, even with 'far-reaching' privatisation models . Such core competencies are all efforts geared to sustainable wastewater treatment as life-supporting provision for the future or as contribution to the protection of health and the environment and to the development of infrastructure . Major areas of wastewater treatment and other related tasks are reviewed . The paper concludes with a list of questions on the issue of outsourcing. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 257 - 63 Realisation of the EU Directive 91/271/EWG in Germany technical and economic effects from the perspective of an operator of large wastewater treatment plants; Obenaus F et al.; In the Federal Republic of Germany, the requirements on the effluent quality which wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with a design value larger than 100,000 PE must achieve in regard to the parameter Nanorg were increased by a national regulation on 01/08/2002 . The reason for this action was a pending threat of the European Court because of the insufficient realisation of the EU Municipal Wastewater Directive (91/271/EWG) . The report at hand describes the consequences of such an increase of the requirements for operators of WWTPs, using the example of Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband . The currently applicable demands in Germany are compared to those valid on a European level, and the current construction and performance state of the WWTPs operated by Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband is presented . The secure compliance with the increased requirements necessitates optimisation measures, but also construction measures; these are described in regard to their technical realisation and the prospective costs. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 243 - 8 Economic and environmental optimization of phosphorus removal; Clauson-Kaas J et al.; Do operating costs conform to environmental impact after introduction of charges on discharge of wastewater? A study on optimization of phosphorus removal at two Danish wastewater removal plants shows that this is actually the case . By measurement of inlet and outlet concentrations and of chemicals added it was possible to determine the relationships between chemical dosing and phosphorus discharge and thus calculate the operational cost and environmental impact of different dosing/discharge levels. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 163 - 9 Selection of an ultraviolet disinfection system for a municipal wastewater treatment plant; Kang SJ et al.; As part of an expansion to an average flow of 45.9 million gallons per day (174 mld), the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority wastewater treatment plant in the State of Michigan, USA, elected to install ultraviolet disinfection as a replacement for the existing chlorination process . This paper presents a unique methodology used in selecting the best system based on not only the life cycle costs, and O & M considerations but also the participation of the stakeholders . The Team members consisted of representatives of all departments at the Authority, and these Team members made the decision . The Team evaluated all criteria in the office, which was followed by verification at selected sites with similar types of equipment . The selected equipment then was pilot tested for validation of the dose-kill relationship under normal operation and also under reduced irradiation conditions . A low-pressure, high intensity system was selected, based on life-cycle cost, reliability, safety, and ease of operation . This paper describes the unique methodologies used in making that decision . The full-scale system is scheduled for start-up in Spring 2003. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 157 - 62 Reducing the total discharge from a large WWTP by separate treatment of primary effluent overflow; Hanner N et al.; At many large wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) the increased hydraulic load, caused by combined sewer systems during storm events, results in primary effluent overflow when the capacity of further treatment is exceeded . Due to stringent effluent standards, regulating the total discharge from the WWTPs, the Rya WWTP in Goteborg and the Sjolunda WWTP in Malmo will have to reduce the impact of primary effluent overflow . Separate, high rate, precipitation processes operated only during high flow conditions have been investigated in pilot units at the two WWTPs . Precipitation in existing primary settlers operated at a surface loading of 3.75 m/h removed phosphorus to 0.35 mg/l . The Actiflo process was also shown to remove suspended solids and phosphorus well . BOD was reduced by 50-60% . With such processes the overall effluent concentrations from the plants can be reduced significantly . Key upgrading features are small footprints, short start up time and high efficiency. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 131 - 8 A guideline for simulation studies of wastewater treatment plants; Langergraber G et al.; A guideline for simulation studies of wastewater treatment plants is proposed . The aim of the HSG-guideline is to define a reference quality level that helps to make the results of simulation studies comprehensible and comparable and therefore increases the quality and reliability of mathematical modelling in wastewater treatment . The paper gives a summary of the HSG-guideline, written by a group of university members from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 113 - 22 Optimisation of a large WWTP thanks to mathematical modelling; Printemps C et al.; Better controlling and optimising the plant's processes has become a priority for WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant) managers . The main objective of this project is to develop a simplified mathematical tool able to reproduce and anticipate the behaviour of the Tougas WWTP (Nantes, France) . This tool is aimed to be used directly by the managers of the site . The mathematical WWTP model was created using the software WEST . This paper describes the studied site and the modelling results obtained during the stage of the model calibration and validation . The good simulation results have allowed to show that despite a first very simple description of the WWTP, the model was able to correctly predict the nitrogen composition (ammonia and nitrate) of the effluent and the daily sludge extraction . Then, a second more detailed configuration of the WWTP was implemented . It has allowed to independently study the behaviour of each of four biological trains . Once this first stage will be completely achieved, the remainder of the study will focus on the operational use of a simplified simulator with the purpose of optimising the Tougas WWTP operation. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 79 - 85 Biological coating of EPDM-membranes of fine bubble diffusers; Wagner M et al.; Biological coatings on EPDM-membranes are a problem on many large wastewater treatment plants, as the oxygen supply of the micro-organisms is no longer guaranteed . Investigations prove that the pressure loss and the Shore A-hardness of the EPDM-membranes increase while on the other hand their softener content decreases accordingly . The detected coatings on the membrane surfaces and in the slits or holes of the membranes show extra-cellular organic substances (EPS), which, compared with fibrillar/filamented EPS usually found on surfaces in wastewater treatment plants, are viscous to a much greater extent . As, besides primary organic parts (carbon), the coatings on the membranes as well as in the slits or holes also consist of inorganic constituents (magnesium, silicon, and others), the authors assume that, the separating agent (and also inactive filler) talcum (magnesium silicate), used when producing the membranes, supports at least a first beginning of the coating . Superfine dust constituents and fibres, input via the compressed air, will build up inside the coating and consequently lead to a gradual clogging of the holes or slits . Besides chemical cleaning measures, the exchange of the EPDM-membranes against membranes of silicone would also be a possible measure to solve this problem . The market will decide, if, in the future, a cleaning or an exchange of the EPDM-membranes against membranes of silicone will be applied, but it has to be considered that the loss of softener is irreversible. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 45 - 8 Optimisation of Hamburg's wastewater treatment plants--three years of experience with the new concept; Ladiges G et al.; In the end of the year 1999 a new concept for Hamburg's wastewater treatment plants was commissioned to cope with the additional load of 250,000 PE which has been connected to the existing plant serving 1.85 million population equivalents . The new concept consists of an additional tank for the storage of sludge liquor to avoid peak nitrogen concentrations in the effluent of the plant . This solution has been developed within a study assessing a wide range of concepts with costs between initial {see symbol in text} 100 million and the final construction costs of {see symbol in text}1 million . Here the dynamic simulation showed to be a very efficient planning tool . Within the first three years of operation the chosen solution showed to be able to fulfil the requirements . In 2002 the concept has been improved by a few more measures, mainly the equipment of one of the storage tanks as a SAT tank for further cost effective nitrogen removal . For a further improvement of the treatment capacity additional measures are planned to be carried out within the next years. Water Sci Technol, 2004, 50(7), 9 - 17 Upgrading and expansion of the Käppala wastewater treatment plant . Operational experiences and results; Manhem P et al.; Kappala Association has the responsibility to receive and treat wastewater from 11 municipalities situated just north of Stockholm in Sweden . Running a tunnel system, 60 km long, and a treatment plant meets this responsibility . The plant is situated in Lidingo, northeast of Stockholm . The load 2002 corresponds to about 520,000 p.e . During the 1990s the plant was upgraded and expanded to meet an increasing population and more stringent discharge limits . Nitrogen removal was introduced . The expansion was done in two steps; the first step comprised a new plant beside the old one both situated in rock . This part, which included the filtration step, was taken into operation in 1998 . Then the old plant was upgraded to the same technical standard as the new part . His Majesty the King of Sweden inaugurated the whole new and upgraded plant in April 2000 . A total of 1.3 billion Swedish crowns were invested corresponding to about 140 million euro . The plant's performance is good . There is no trouble keeping the discharge limits, 10 mg/l for BOD7 and total nitrogen and 0.3 mg/l for phosphorus . However the bio-P process has not been altogether successful . We haven't been able to fulfill our goal to reduce the use of iron sulphate . We will during 2003 go on in our investigations concerning running the plant with a combination of bio-P and chemical precipitation. J Environ Health, 2004 Nov, 67(4), 16 - 9 Side-by-Side comparison of three sampling methods for aerosolized endotoxin in a wastewater treatment facility; Stephenson DJ et al.; Research studies have established the occurrence of adverse health effects in individuals exposed to organic dusts and water aerosols laden with endotoxin . To determine what exposure levels cause these health effects, it is necessary to quantify airborne endotoxin . Several scientific studies have demonstrated that the quantification of detectable endotoxin is affected by differences in sampling media, analytical method, and aerosol composition . The study reported here performed side-by-side endotoxin sampling using a liquid impinger, a glass fiber filter, and a polycarbonate filter in a wastewater treatment plant . Results show levels of detected endotoxin appear to be highest with the impinger . Coefficients of variation calculated for each sampling method show the glass fiber filter having the least variability when sampling was conducted at the highest endotoxin levels . Lastly, a Spearman rank order correlation test identified an apparent correlation between endotoxin levels obtained with the impinger and the glass fiber filter. Environ Technol, 2004 Oct, 25(10), 1123 - 9 Treatment of dairy wastewater using a vertical bed with passive aeration; Green M et al.; The aim of this research was to investigate the feasibility of treating liquid dairy wastes by a vertical bed equipped with an innovative passive aeration system . The vertical bed (32 liter) was operated by recirculating consecutive batches of liquid waste in the column . Batches of liquid waste were applied at two different rates: 1) each batch was recirculated for 72 hours, and 2) each batch was recirculated for 24 hours . Settled liquid dairy wastes (5000 mg l(-1) COD, 2000 mg l(-1) BOD and 2500 mg l(-1) TSS) were used in the experiments . When the reactor operated with each batch recirculating for 72 hours, the BOD and COD reduction were 66% and 40%, respectively . The vertical bed operated successfully without the need for an additional rest period . The main removal was observed to take place during the first 20 hours . No biomass or solids accumulation was observed indicating that the remaining 52 hours of recirculation were actually used for bed regeneration, i.e . integrated rest period . When the reactor operated with each batch recirculating for 24 hours, the system clogged after 21 days . An additional 24 day rest period was needed in order to free 94% of the initial void space . In this mode, the BOD and COD reduction were 67% and 47%, respectively . The overall COD removal in a complete operational cycle (feeding period followed by a rest period) was 467 g COD m(-3) d(-1) (996 g COD m(-2) d(-1)) . This value is 1.4 higher than the COD removal obtained in the 72 hour per batch mode and shows the advantage of conventional vertical bed operation of intensive feeding followed by rest period rather than a rest period integrated into the feeding cycle. J Virol Methods, 2004 Dec 15, 122(2), 147 - 52 Effects of freezing and storage temperature on MS2 viability; Olson MR et al.; Monitoring human enteric virus levels in domestic wastewater effluent is crucial to protecting human health . Occasionally, during intensive sampling, wastewater samples must be stored for later viral analysis . Little data exist regarding how enteric viruses survive during storage at different temperatures in secondary treated wastewater . During a field-scale study assessing pathogen removal performance by various onsite treatment technologies, the MS2 bacteriophage, an indicator of enteric viruses, was inoculated into septic tank (STE), sand filter, peat filter and constructed wetland (CW) effluents to determine virus decay at various storage temperatures . Virus stored at temperatures > or =10 degrees C and at -20 degrees C decayed nearly twice as fast as those stored at 4 degrees C or -80 degrees C . Decreased water quality decreased viral decay rates at 4 degrees C and -80 degrees C, with slowest decay occurring in STE and the fastest in sterile PBS and low pH peat effluent . In CW effluent after 8 days, less MS2 was inactivated when stored at 4 degrees C (20%) compared to -80 degrees C (58%); however, during extended storage (approximately 300 days), less MS2 was inactivated at -80 degrees C (75%) compared to 4 degrees C (93%) . We recommend that viruses in wastewater be stored in the dark at 4 degrees C unless storage for >40 days is necessary. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2004, 44(5), 323 - 47 A review of acrylamide: an industry perspective on research, analysis, formation, and control; Taeymans D et al.; Acrylamide is a synthetic monomer with a wide scope of industrial applications, m