Behavior of tetracycline and sulfamethazine with corresponding resistance genes from swine wastewater in pilot-scale constructed wetlands.

Four pilot-scale constructed wetlands (free water surface, SF; horizontal subsurface flow, HSF; vertical subsurface flows with different water level, VSF-L and VSF-H) were operated to assess their ability to remove sulfamethazine (SMZ) and tetracycline (TC) from wastewaters, and to investigate the abundance level of corresponding resistance genes (sulI, sulII, tetM, tetW and tetO) in the CWs. The results indicated that CWs could significantly reduce the concentration of antibiotics in wastewater, and the mass removal rate range of SMZ and TC were respectively 11%-95% and 85%-95% in the four systems on the basis of hydraulic equilibrium; further relatively high removal rate was observed in VSF with low water level. Seasonal condition had a significant effect on SMZ removal in the CWs (especially SMZ in SF), but TC removal in VSFs were not considered to have statistically significant differences in winter and summer. At the end period, the relative abundances of target genes in the CWs showed obvious increases compared to initial levels, ranging from 2.98 × 10(-5) to 1.27 × 10(-1) for sul genes and 4.68 × 10(-6) to 1.54 × 10(-1) for tet genes after treatment, and those abundances showed close relation to both characteristic of wastewater and configuration of CWs.

[Study on phosphorus removal capability of constructed wetlands filled with broken bricks].

Physico-chemical properties of broken bricks (BB) were determined, as well as its phosphorus adsorption ability. The results showed that BB was appropriate for enrichment of microorganisms and growth of plants as filter medium in CWs, in addition, BB had high phosphorus adsorption ability. A vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland (VSSF) filled with BB was constructed in order to investigate the phosphorus removal effect of domestic sewage, and the phosphorus removal mechanism of VSSF was also explored. The results showed that the phosphorus removal rate of VSSF was more than 90%, which remained stable when the hydraulic loading rate was 5 cm x d(-1) and the running time was 1 a; adsorption and precipitation within BB played the greatest role in phosphorus removal; distribution characteristics of total phosphorus in the filter media were attributed to the vertical flow state of wastewater in the system, besides, the contents and chemical forms of elements which could precipitate with phosphorus should be principal factors for the phosphorus removal processes of BB. Therefore, BB might be an ideal filter medium used in CWs.

Fermentative hydrogen production from soybean protein processing wastewater in an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) using anaerobic mixed consortia.

Fermentative H(2) production from soybean protein processing wastewater (SPPW) was investigated in a four-compartment anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) using anaerobic mixed cultures under continuous flow condition in the present study. After being inoculated with aerobic activated sludge and operated at the inoculants of 5.98 gVSS L(-1), COD of 5000 mg L(-1), HRT of 16 h and temperature of (35 ± 1) °C for 22 days, the ABR achieved stable ethanol-type fermentation. The specific hydrogen production rate of anaerobic activated sludge was 165 LH(2)kg MLVSS(-1) day(-1), the substrate conversion rate was 600.83 LH(2)kg COD(-1)and the COD removal efficiency was 44.73% at the stable operation status. The ABR system exhibited a better stability and higher hydrogen yields than continuous stirring tank reactor under the same operational condition. The experimental data documented the feasibility of substrate degradation along with molecular H(2) generation utilizing SPPW as primary carbon source in the ABR system.

The performance and phase separated characteristics of an anaerobic baffled reactor treating soybean protein processing wastewater.

A laboratory-scale anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) with four compartments using soybean protein processing wastewater as organic loading rates (OLRs) was investigated for the performance and phase separated characteristics. It was found that the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were 92-97% at 1.2-6.0kgCOD/m3d feeding. The dominated species, propionate and butyrate, were found in the 1st compartment. Acetate was dominated in the 2nd compartment and then decreased in the 3rd and 4th. Meanwhile, 93% volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were removed in the 3rd and 4th compartments. In the 1st compartment, biogas revealed carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2). The highest H2 yield was found in the 2nd compartment, thereafter decreased from the 2nd to 4th which corresponded to the increased of the methane (CH4) yield. It indicated that the proper anaerobic consortium in each separate compartment was developed along with substrate availability and specific environmental conditions.

[Theoretical analysis and experimental research of ozone gas mass transfer efficiency in activated sludge].

Based on theoretical analysis, a mathematic model was primarily set up to describe the relationship between the ozone mass transfer efficiency (U) and the systematic factors, including sludge concentration, input gas concentration, mixed liquor height h, observed gas velocity u(obs) and the bubble diameter d. By different experimental design, furthermore, the contribution of these factors for transfer efficiency was investigated respectively. The results show that the mixed liquor height h and bubble diameter d impacted the mass transfer efficiency of ozone more significantly, as compared to the other factors of sludge concentration, input gas concentration and observed gas velocity u(obs). When mixed liquor height h was 0.2 m, the ozone gas utilization U was only 0.45; when h was 0.8 m, U increased to 0.883; when h was 1.4, U was almost up to 1. The U and h show strong index relationship. For mixed liquor with h 0.8 m, when bubble diameter d decreased from 0.007 5 to 0.005, U increased from 0.89 to 0.96, and, for mixed liquor with h 0.6 m, similar increase from 0.8 to 0.93 was observed. According to the acquired experimental data, a quantitative expression among mass transfer efficiency U, mixed liquor height h and mean bubble diameter d, with R2 equal to 0.861 6, was finally obtained, as a reference tool for project design.