Rapidly growing global populations mandate greater crop productivity despite increasingly scarce natural resources, including freshwater. The adoption of sustainable agricultural practices seek to address such issues, but an unintended consequence is the exposure of agricultural soils and associated biota to emerging contaminants including azole pharmaceutical antifungals. We show that environmentally relevant exposure to three commonly prescribed azole antifungals can reduce mycorrhizal 33P transfer from the soil into the host plant. This suggests that exposure to azoles may have a significant impact on mycorrhizal\uffe2\uff80\uff90mediated transfer of nutrients in soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90plant systems. Understanding the unintended consequences of sustainable agricultural practices is needed to ensure the security and safety of future food production systems.
Summary
Sustainable farming practices are increasingly necessary to meet the demands of a growing population under constraints imposed by climate change. These practices, in particular the reuse of wastewater and amending soil with wastewater derived biosolids, provide a pathway for man\uffe2\uff80\uff90made chemicals to enter the agricultural environment.
Among the chemicals commonly detected in wastewater and biosolids are pharmaceutical azole antifungals. Fungi, in particular mycorrhiza\uffe2\uff80\uff90forming fungal symbionts of plant roots, are key drivers of nutrient cycling in the soil\uffe2\uff80\uff93plant system. As such, greater understanding of the impacts of azole antifungal exposure in agricultural systems is urgently needed.
We exposed wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. \uffe2\uff80\uff98Skyfall\uffe2\uff80\uff99) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to environmentally relevant concentrations of three azole antifungals (clotrimazole, miconazole nitrate and fluconazole). We traced the mycorrhizal\uffe2\uff80\uff90acquired 33P from the soil into the host plant in contaminated versus non\uffe2\uff80\uff90contaminated soils and found 33P transfer from mycorrhizal fungi to host plants was reduced in soils containing antifungals. This represents a potentially major disruption to soil nutrient flows as a result of soil contamination.
Our work raises the major issue of exposure of soil biota to pharmaceuticals such as azole antifungals, introduced via sustainable agricultural practices, as a potentially globally important disruptive influence on soil nutrient cycles. The impacts of these compounds on non\uffe2\uff80\uff90target organisms, beneficial mycorrhizal fungi in particular, could have major implications on security and sustainability of future food systems.
The aim of the present study was the direct comparison of two popular minerals, bauxite and palygorskite, as adsorbents for the removal of cephalexin (CPX) from aqueous solutions and the regeneration of the spent adsorbents through cold atmospheric plasma. Batch kinetics and isotherm studies were carried out to evaluate the effect of contact time, initial CPX concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH and temperature. The adsorbents were characterized by ATR-FTIR, N2 sorption, SEM and XRD, while several isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic models were evaluated attempting to shed light on the adsorption mechanisms. CPX adsorption on both adsorbents was better described by Langmuir model, with an adsorption capacity of 112.36\uffc2\uffa0mg/g for palygorskite and 11.79\uffc2\uffa0mg/g for bauxite. Thermodynamics revealed the endothermic and the spontaneous character of the process, indicating chemisorption as the main adsorption mechanism for both adsorbents. The pseudo-second-order and the Elovich models fitted satisfactorily the adsorption onto bauxite, while adsorption onto palygorskite was well presented by Weber\uffe2\uff80\uff93Morris model, indicating that pore diffusion is also involved in the process. The adsorption capacity of both minerals decreased significantly after being used for several adsorption cycles and then almost completely recovered (regeneration efficiency was 99.6% and 98% for palygorskite and bauxite, respectively) inside a novel cold plasma microbubble reactor energized by high-voltage nanopulses, revealing the potential of these adsorbents to be reused. In addition to the regeneration of the adsorbents, the cold plasma completely eliminated the CPX transferred from the solid to the aqueous phase during the regeneration process.This study aims to evaluate the application of ultrafiltration technology for the separation of particles and oil droplets and the recovery of ammonia from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) wastewater. Real HTL wastewater from the hydrothermal liquefaction of municipal sewage sludge was used in this study. Experiments were carried out using a submerged polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane with molecular weight cutoff of 100 kDa in combination with air stripping and addition to acid and base traps for recovery of volatiles. Results showed, that the best operation mode of ultrafiltration is with backwash cycles of the permeate, maintaining a flux lower than the critical flux of 6 L/h\u00b7m2. The setup led to fast stripping of ammonia, which was successfully recovered by 88% in the acid trap. This application can be considered an adequate first stage treatment of the HTL wastewater. The importance of this work is that it proves that membrane technology can be successful in treating complex real HTL wastewater, and is not only limited for applications using model solutions.", "keywords": ["info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/660", "550", "660", "ddc:660", "Hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater", "0211 other engineering and technologies", "Ultrafiltration", "Oil and particle removal", "02 engineering and technology", "Ammonia recovery", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "Chemical engineering", "Air stripping", "628", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.102427"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Journal%20of%20Water%20Process%20Engineering", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.102427", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.102427", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.102427"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-12-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106325", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:17:25Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-04-14", "title": "Life cycle assessment of struvite recovery and wastewater sludge end-use: A Flemish illustration", "description": "Phosphate rock (PR) has been designated as a Critical Raw Material in the European Union (EU). This has led to increased emphasis on alternative P recovery (APR) from secondary streams like wastewater sludge (WWS). However, WWS end-use is a contentious topic, and EU member states prefer different end-use pathways (land application/incineration/valorisation in cement kilns). Previous Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) on APRs from WWS reached contrasting conclusions; while most considered WWS as waste and highlighted a net benefit relative to PR mining and beneficiation, others viewed WWS as a resource and highlighted a net burden of the treatment. We used a combined functional unit (that views WWS from a waste as well as a resource perspective) and applied it on a Flemish wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with struvite recovery as APR technology. Firstly, a retrospective comparison was performed to measure the WWTP performance before and after struvite recovery and the analysis was complemented by uncertainty and global sensitivity analyses. The results showed struvite recovery provides marginal environmental benefits due to improved WWS dewatering and reduced polymer use. Secondly, a prospective LCA approach was performed to reflect policy changes regarding WWS end-use options in Flanders. Results indicated complete mono-incineration of WWS, ash processing to recover P and the subsequent land application appears to be less sustainable in terms of climate change, human toxicity, and terrestrial acidification relative to the status quo, i.e., co-incineration with municipal solid waste and valorisation at cement kilns. Impacts on fossil depletion, however, favour mono-incineration over the status quo.", "keywords": ["BURDENS", "PHOSPHORUS RECOVERY", "Wastewater sludge treatment", "LCA", "SEWAGE-SLUDGE", "GLOBAL SENSITIVITY-ANALYSIS", "PRODUCT", "7. Clean energy", "01 natural sciences", "ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS", "6. Clean water", "12. Responsible consumption", "Global sensitivity analysis", "Phosphorus recovery", "Prospective LCA", " Global sensitivity analysis", "13. Climate action", "Earth and Environmental Sciences", "Full Length Article", "BENEFITS", "11. Sustainability", "SHIFT", "Prospective LCA", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106325"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Resources%2C%20Conservation%20and%20Recycling", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106325", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106325", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106325"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.063", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:17:30Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2018-05-14", "title": "Retention soil filter as post-treatment step to remove micropollutants from sewage treatment plant effluent", "description": "Retention soil filters (RSFs) are a specific form of vertical flow constructed wetlands for the treatment of rain water and/or wastewater. We have tested 3 pilot RSFs to investigate removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and 14 different organic micropollutants (OMPs) from the effluent of a large scale sewage treatment plant (STP). Two of them were operated as conventional RSF with material (sand with CaCO3 and organic matter) from two different full-scale RSFs. The third pilot RSF contained filter material (sand with CaCO3) with additional biochar in the upper layer (0-10\u202fcm) and granulated activated carbon (GAC) in the lower layer (60-90\u202fcm). The filters were planted with Phragmites australis. The RSFs were operated and monitored for 3\u202fyears, and water samples were taken regularly at inflow, outflows and in 3 depths within the filters. In total 523 samples were taken. In the conventional RSF, best median removal was detected for galaxolide, diclofenac 4-hydroxy, metoprolol and clarithromycin (75-79%). No removal was seen for sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine. The DOC and OMP removal in the conventional RSFs was best in the upper layer with highest organic matter content, increased in time over the three years of operation and also with extended contact time. In the effluent of the RSF with GAC, 10 out of the 14 OMPs could not be detected; 4 OMPs were detected, but only metformin with removal\u202f<\u202f80%, thus showing a more efficient removal than the conventional RSF. A decrease in DOC removal was detected in the GAC layer (>88% to 60%) over the 2.5\u202fyears of operation. Biochar was most effective in OMP removal in the first operational year. It can be concluded that the increasing removal efficiency of the conventional RSF material - also present in the RSF with biochar and GAC - might mitigate the reduced efficiency of the sorbent additives biochar and GAC. This enables to extend the operational lifetime of the filters with acceptable removal rates. Finally, our study demonstrates that an RSF with GAC shows an enhanced removal of OMPs, which is a suitable post-treatment step for STPs.", "keywords": ["Constructed wetlands", "Granular activated carbon", "Sewage", "Wastewater treatment", "Waste Disposal", " Fluid", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "Water Purification", "Post-treatment step", "Soil", "Charcoal", "Micropollutants", "Retention soil filter", "Filtration", "Water Pollutants", " Chemical", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.063"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Science%20of%20The%20Total%20Environment", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.063", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.063", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.063"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140835", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:17:31Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-07-12", "title": "A chemical, microbiological and (eco)toxicological scheme to understand the efficiency of UV-C/H2O2 oxidation on antibiotic-related microcontaminants in treated urban wastewater", "description": "An assessment comprising chemical, microbiological and (eco)toxicological parameters of antibiotic-related microcontaminants, during the application of UV-C/H2O2 oxidation in secondary-treated urban wastewater, is presented. The process was investigated at bench scale under different oxidant doses (0-50\u00a0mg\u00a0L-1) with regard to its capacity to degrade a mixture of antibiotics (i.e. ampicillin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and trimethoprim) with an initial individual concentration of 100\u00a0\u03bcg\u00a0L-1. The process was optimized with respect to the oxidant dose. Under the optimum conditions, the inactivation of selected bacteria and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) (i.e. faecal coliforms, Enterococcus spp., Pseudomonasaeruginosa and total heterotrophs), and the reduction of the abundance of selected antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) (e.g. blaOXA, qnrS, sul1, tetM) were investigated. Also, phytotoxicity against three plant species, ecotoxicity against Daphnia magna, genotoxicity, oxidative stress and cytotoxicity were assessed. Apart from chemical actinometry, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling was applied to estimate the fluence rate. For the given wastewater quality and photoreactor type used, 40\u00a0mg\u00a0L-1 H2O2 were required for the complete degradation of the studied antibiotics after 18.9\u00a0J\u00a0cm-2. Total bacteria and ARB inactivation was observed at UV doses <1.5\u00a0J\u00a0cm-2 with no bacterial regrowth being observed after 24\u00a0h. The abundance of most ARGs was reduced at 16\u00a0J\u00a0cm-2. The process produced a final effluent with lower phytotoxicity compared to the untreated wastewater. The toxicity against Daphnia magna was shown to increase during the chemical oxidation. Although genotoxicity and oxidative stress fluctuated during the treatment, the latter led to the removal of these effects. Overall, it was made apparent from the high UV fluence required, that the particular reactor although extensively used in similar studies, it does not utilize efficiently the incident radiation and thus, seems not to be suitable for this kind of studies.", "keywords": ["Life sciences; biology", "info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/570", "570", "biology", "0211 other engineering and technologies", "Hydrogen Peroxide", "02 engineering and technology", "Wastewater", "Life sciences", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "Anti-Bacterial Agents", "13. Climate action", "616", "11. Sustainability", "Animals", "ddc:570", "Oxidation-Reduction", "Water Pollutants", " Chemical", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140835"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Science%20of%20The%20Total%20Environment", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140835", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140835", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140835"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-11-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156427", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:17:32Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-06-02", "title": "A review on antibiotics removal: Leveraging the combination of grey and green techniques", "description": "Antibiotics are currently a major source of concern around the world due to the serious risks posed to human health and the environment. The performance of the secondary wastewater treatment processes/technologies (representing grey process) and constructed wetlands (CWs) (typical green process) in removing antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) was reviewed. The result showed that the grey process mainly removes antibiotics, but does not significantly remove ARG, and some processes may even cause ARG enrichment. The overall treatment in CWs is better than WWTPs, especially for ARG. Vertical subsurface flow CWs (VFCWs) are more conductive to antibiotics removal, while horizontal subsurface flow CWs (HFCWs) have a better ARG removal. More importantly, this review admits and suggests that the combination of grey process with green process is an effective strategy to remove antibiotics and ARG. The most advantage of the combination lies in realizing complementary advantages, i.e. the grey process as the primary treatment while CWs as the polishing stage. The efficiency of such the hybrid system is much higher than either single treatment process.", "keywords": ["0211 other engineering and technologies", "02 engineering and technology", "Wastewater", "QD Chemistry", "Waste Disposal", " Fluid", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "Anti-Bacterial Agents", "3. Good health", "Biodegradation", " Environmental", "Wetlands", "TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering", "Humans", "Water Pollutants", " Chemical", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156427"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Science%20of%20The%20Total%20Environment", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156427", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156427", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156427"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-09-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104986", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:18:07Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-01-23", "title": "Tertiary treatment of real abattoir wastewater using combined acoustic cavitation and ozonation", "description": "Open AccessThis work reports the influence of ultrasound alone and combined with ozone for the treatment of real abattoir wastewater. Three different frequencies were studied(44, 300 and 1000 kHz) at an applied power of 40 W. The injected ozone dose was fixed at 71 mg/L and the treatment time varied from 1 to 60 min. Using ultrasound alone, 300 kHz was the only frequency showing a reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD, 18% reduction) and biological oxygen demand (BOD, 50% reduction), while no diminution in microbial content was measured for any of the frequencies studied. Combining ultrasound with ozone, on the contrary, led to a significant decrease in COD (44%) and BOD (78%) removal for the three frequencies under study. A complete inactivation of total coliforms (TC) was obtained, as well as a final value of 99 CFU/mL in total viable counts (TVC, 5 log reduction). That is, the ozonation-sonication combined system was the only treatment method (compared to sonication and ozonation alone) reaching direct discharge limits, as well as meeting drinking water standards for microbial disinfection (TC and TVC)", "keywords": ["Sonication", "Ozone", "Hydroxyl Radical", "500", "Wastewater", "Waste Disposal", " Fluid", "01 natural sciences", "Abattoirs", "6. Clean water", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104986"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Ultrasonics%20Sonochemistry", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104986", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104986", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104986"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-06-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.watres.2017.10.007", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:18:07Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2017-10-27", "title": "The role of operating parameters and oxidative damage mechanisms of advanced chemical oxidation processes in the combat against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes present in urban wastewater", "description": "An upsurge in the study of antibiotic resistance in the environment has been observed in the last decade. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly clear that urban wastewater is a key source of antibiotic resistance determinants, i.e. antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARB&ARGs). Urban wastewater reuse has arisen as an important component of water resources management in the European Union and worldwide to address prolonged water scarcity issues. Especially, biological wastewater treatment processes (i.e. conventional activated sludge), which are widely applied in urban wastewater treatment plants, have been shown to provide an ideal environment for the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance. The ability of advanced chemical oxidation processes (AOPs), e.g. light-driven oxidation in the presence of H2O2, ozonation, homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalysis, to inactivate ARB and remove ARGs in wastewater effluents has not been yet evaluated through a systematic and integrated approach. Consequently, this review seeks to provide an extensive and critical appraisal on the assessment of the efficiency of these processes in inactivating ARB and removing ARGs in wastewater effluents, based on recent available scientific literature. It tries to elucidate how the key operating conditions may affect the process efficiency, while pinpointing potential areas for further research and major knowledge gaps which need to be addressed. Also, this review aims at shedding light on the main oxidative damage pathways involved in the inactivation of ARB and removal of ARGs by these processes. In general, the lack and/or heterogeneity of the available scientific data, as well as the different methodological approaches applied in the various studies, make difficult the accurate evaluation of the efficiency of the processes applied. Besides the operating conditions, the variable behavior observed by the various examined genetic constituents of the microbial community, may be directed by the process distinct oxidative damage mechanisms in place during the application of each treatment technology. For example, it was shown in various studies that the majority of cellular damage by advanced chemical oxidation may be on cell wall and membrane structures of the targeted bacteria, leaving the internal components of the cells relatively intact/able to repair damage. As a result, further in-depth mechanistic studies are required, to establish the optimum operating conditions under which oxidative mechanisms target internal cell components such as genetic material and ribosomal structures more intensively, thus conferring permanent damage and/or death and preventing potential post-treatment re-growth.", "keywords": ["Titanium", "Photolysis", "Bacteria", "Sewage", "Sulfates", "Ultraviolet Rays", "0211 other engineering and technologies", "Drug Resistance", " Microbial", "Hydrogen Peroxide", "02 engineering and technology", "Wastewater", "Oxidants", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "Water Purification", "12. Responsible consumption", "Oxidative Stress", "Ozone", "Genes", " Bacterial", "13. Climate action", "Antibiotic resistance Advanced chemical oxidation Inactivation mechanisms Wastewater treatment", "Drug Resistance", " Bacterial", "11. Sustainability", "Oxidation-Reduction", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.10.007"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Water%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.watres.2017.10.007", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.watres.2017.10.007", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.watres.2017.10.007"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-02-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.025", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:18:07Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-05-09", "title": "Continuous ozonation of urban wastewater: Removal of antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli and antibiotic resistance genes and phytotoxicity", "description": "This work evaluated the removal of a mixture of eight antibiotics (i.e. ampicillin (AMP), azithromycin (AZM), erythromycin (ERY), clarithromycin (CLA), ofloxacin (OFL), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), trimethoprim (TMP) and tetracycline (TC)) from urban wastewater, by ozonation operated in continuous mode at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) (i.e. 10, 20, 40 and 60\u202fmin) and specific ozone doses (i.e. 0.125, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 gO3 gDOC- 1). As expected, the efficiency of ozonation was highly ozone dose- and contact time-dependent. The removal of the parent compounds of the selected antibiotics to levels below their detection limits was achieved with HRT of 40\u202fmin and specific ozone dose of 0.125 gO3 gDOC- 1. The effect of ozonation was also investigated at a microbiological and genomic level, by studying the efficiency of the process with respect to the inactivation of Escherichia coli and antibiotic-resistant E.\u00a0coli, as well as to the reduction of the abundance of selected antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The inactivation of total cultivable E.\u00a0coli was achieved under the experimental conditions of HRT 40\u202fmin and 0.25 gO3 gDOC-1, at which all antibiotic compounds were already degraded. The regrowth examinations revealed that higher ozone concentrations were required for the permanent inactivation of E.\u00a0coli below the Limit of Quantification (Heterotrophic nitrifiers are able to oxidize and remove ammonia from nitrogen\uffe2\uff80\uff90rich wastewaters but the genetic elements of heterotrophic ammonia oxidation are poorly understood. Here, we isolated and identified a novel heterotrophic nitrifier, Alcaligenes ammonioxydans sp. nov. strain HO\uffe2\uff80\uff901, oxidizing ammonia to hydroxylamine and ending in the production of N2 gas. Genome analysis revealed that strain HO\uffe2\uff80\uff901 encoded a complete denitrification pathway but lacks any genes coding for homologous to known ammonia monooxygenases or hydroxylamine oxidoreductases. Our results demonstrated strain HO\uffe2\uff80\uff901 denitrified nitrite (not nitrate) to N2 and N2O at anaerobic and aerobic conditions respectively. Further experiments demonstrated that inhibition of aerobic denitrification did not stop ammonia oxidation and N2 production. A gene cluster (dnfT1RT2ABCD) was cloned from strain HO\uffe2\uff80\uff901 and enabled E. coli accumulated hydroxylamine. Sub\uffe2\uff80\uff90cloning showed that genetic cluster dnfAB or dnfABC already enabled E. coli cells to produce hydroxylamine and further to 15N2 from (15NH4)2SO4. Transcriptome analysis revealed these three genes dnfA, dnfB and dnfC were significantly upregulated in response to ammonia stimulation. Taken together, we concluded that strain HO\uffe2\uff80\uff901 has a novel dnf genetic cluster for ammonia oxidation and this dnf genetic cluster encoded a previously unknown pathway of direct ammonia oxidation (Dirammox) to N2.
", "keywords": ["Alcaligenes ammonioxydans sp. nov.", "0301 basic medicine", "106014 Genomics", "Nitrogen", "HYDROXYLAMINE OXIDASE", "direct ammonia oxidation (Dirammox)", "OXIDATION", "REDUCTASE", "Water Purification", "THIOSPHAERA-PANTOTROPHA", "PYRUVIC-OXIME", "03 medical and health sciences", "heterotrophic nitrifier", "Ammonia", "106014 Genomik", "Escherichia coli", "Alcaligenes", "wastewater", "Nitrites", "106022 Mikrobiologie", "HETEROTROPHIC NITRIFICATION", "0303 health sciences", "PURIFICATION", "Sewage", "AEROBIC DENITRIFICATION", "Nitrification", "Aerobiosis", "6. Clean water", "NITROGEN", "FAECALIS", "Denitrification", "106022 Microbiology", "Oxidation-Reduction"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1462-2920.15751"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15751"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Environmental%20Microbiology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/1462-2920.15751", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/1462-2920.15751", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/1462-2920.15751"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-09-28T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/1758-2229.13187", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:19:49Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-07-22", "title": "Coupling the electrocatalytic dechlorination of 2,4\u2010D with electroactive microbial anodes", "description": "AbstractThis work proves the feasibility of dechlorinating 2,4\uffe2\uff80\uff90D, a customary commercial herbicide, using cathodic electrocatalysis driven by the anodic microbial electrooxidation of sodium acetate. A set of microbial electrochemical systems (MES) were run under two different operating modes, namely microbial fuel cell (MFC) mode, with an external resistance of 120\uffe2\uff80\uff89\uffce\uffa9, or microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) mode, by supplying external voltage (0.6\uffe2\uff80\uff89V) for promoting the (bio)electrochemical reactions taking place. When operating the MES as an MFC, 32% dechlorination was obtained after 72\uffe2\uff80\uff89h of treatment, which was further enhanced by working under MEC mode and achieving a 79% dechlorination. In addition, the biodegradability (expressed as the ratio BOD/COD) of the synthetic polluted wastewater was tested prior and after the MES treatment, which was improved from negative values (corresponding to toxic effluents) up to 0.135 in the MFC and 0.453 in the MEC. Our MES approach proves to be a favourable option from the point of view of energy consumption. Running the system under MFC mode allowed to co\uffe2\uff80\uff90generate energy along the dechlorination process (\uffe2\uff88\uff920.0120\uffe2\uff80\uff89kWh\uffe2\uff80\uff89mol\uffe2\uff88\uff921), even though low removal rates were attained. The energy input under MEC operation was 1.03\uffe2\uff80\uff89kWh\uffe2\uff80\uff89mol\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffe2\uff80\uff94a competitive value compared to previous works reported in the literature for (non\uffe2\uff80\uff90biological) electrochemical reactors for 2,4\uffe2\uff80\uff90D electrodechlorination. The activated sludge process is the most widely applied biotechnology and is one of the best ecosystems to address microbial ecological principles. Yet, the cultivation of core bacteria and the exploration of their physiology and ecology are limited. In this study, the core and novel bacterial taxon C. huifangae was cultivated and characterized. This study revealed that C. huifangae functioned as an important module hub in the activated sludge microbiome, and it potentially plays an important role in municipal wastewater treatment plants.
", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "activated sludge microbiome", "DATABASE", "DIVERSITY", "nitrogen and phosphorus removal", "GENOME ANNOTATION", "POLYPHOSPHATE-ACCUMULATING ORGANISMS", "12. Responsible consumption", "ACTIVATED-SLUDGE", "03 medical and health sciences", "SEARCH", "RNA", " Ribosomal", " 16S", "11. Sustainability", "microbial network", "Phylogeny", "WWTP", "0303 health sciences", "IDENTIFICATION", "Sewage", "Microbiota", "Betaproteobacteria", "core taxa", "15. Life on land", "6. Clean water", "COMMUNITY", "RNA", " Bacterial", "Casimicrobium huifangae", "13. Climate action", "Earth and Environmental Sciences", "BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL", "municipal wastewater treatment plant", "CARBON SOURCE"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/AEM.02209-19"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02209-19"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Applied%20and%20Environmental%20Microbiology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1128/aem.02209-19", "name": "item", "description": "10.1128/aem.02209-19", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1128/aem.02209-19"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-02-03T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1128/spectrum.01101-23", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:20:31Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-09-19", "title": "Bacteriophages limitedly contribute to the antimicrobial resistome of microbial communities in wastewater treatment plants", "description": "ABSTRACTBacteriophages are known as players in the transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) by horizontal gene transfer. In this study, we characterized the bacteriophage community and the associated ARGs to estimate the potential for phages to spread ARGs in aquatic ecosystems analyzing the intra- and extracellular DNA isolated from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) by shotgun metagenomics. We compared the phage antimicrobial resistome with the bacterial resistome and investigated the effect of the final disinfection treatment on the phage community and its resistome. Phage community was mainly composed by Siphoviridae and other members of the order Caudovirales . The final disinfection only marginally affected the composition of the phage community, and it was not possible to measure its effect on the antimicrobial resistome. Indeed, only three phage metagenome-assembled genomes (pMAGs) annotated as Siphoviridae , Padoviridae , and Myoviridae were positive for putative ARGs. Among the detected ARGs, i.e., dfr B6, rpo B mutants, and EF-Tu mutants, the first one was not annotated in the bacterial MAGs. Overall, these results demonstrate that bacteriophages limitedly contribute to the whole antimicrobial resistome. However, in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the antimicrobial resistome within a microbial community, the role of bacteriophages needs to be investigated.
IMPORTANCEWWTPs are considered hotspots for the spread of ARGs by horizontal gene transfer. In this study, we evaluated the phage composition and the associated antimicrobial resistome by shotgun metagenomics of samples collected before and after the final disinfection treatment. Only a few bacteriophages carried ARGs. However, since one of the detected genes was not found in the bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes, it is necessary to investigate the phage community in order to gain a comprehensive overview of the antimicrobial resistome. This investigation could help assess the potential threats to human health.
", "keywords": ["metagenomics", "bacteriophages", "11. Sustainability", "Bacteriophages", "metagenomic assembled genomes", "antimicrobial resistance", "antimicrobial resistome", "wastewater treatment plants", "Microbiology", "6. Clean water", "QR1-502", "12. Responsible consumption", "Research Article"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/spectrum.01101-23"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01101-23"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Microbiology%20Spectrum", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1128/spectrum.01101-23", "name": "item", "description": "10.1128/spectrum.01101-23", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1128/spectrum.01101-23"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-10-17T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3389/fmicb.2021.652173", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:22:19Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-06-11", "title": "Assessing METland\u00ae Design and Performance Through LCA: Techno-Environmental Study With Multifunctional Unit Perspective", "description": "Conventional wastewater treatment technologies are costly and energy demanding; such issues are especially remarkable when small communities have to clean up their pollutants. In response to these requirements, a new variety of nature-based solution, so-called METland\uffc2\uffae, has been recently develop by using concepts from Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (MET) to outperform classical constructed wetland regarding wastewater treatment. Thus, the current study evaluates two operation modes (aerobic and aerobic\uffe2\uff80\uff93anoxic) of a full-scale METland\uffc2\uffae, including a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted under a Net Environmental Balance perspective. Moreover, a combined technical and environmental analysis using a Net Eutrophication Balance (NEuB) focus concluded that the downflow (aerobic) mode achieved the highest removal rates for both organic pollutant and nitrogen, and it was revealed as the most environmentally friendly design. Actually, aerobic configuration outperformed anaero/aero-mixed mode in a fold-range from 9 to 30%. LCA was indeed recalculated under diverse Functional Units (FU) to determine the influence of each FU in the impacts. Furthermore, in comparison with constructed wetland, METland\uffc2\uffae showed a remarkable increase in wastewater treatment capacity per surface area (0.6 m2/pe) without using external energy. Specifically, these results suggest that aerobic\uffe2\uff80\uff93anoxic configuration could be more environmentally friendly under specific situations where high N removal is required. The removal rates achieved demonstrated a robust adaptation to influent variations, revealing a removal average of 92% of Biology Oxygen Demand (BOD), 90% of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), 40% of total nitrogen (TN), and 30% of total phosphorus (TP). Moreover, regarding the global warming category, the overall impact was 75% lower compared to other conventional treatments like activated sludge. In conclusion, the LCA revealed that METland\uffc2\uffae appears as ideal solution for rural areas, considering the low energy requirements and high efficiency to remove organic pollutants, nitrogen, and phosphates from urban wastewater.
", "keywords": ["Funtional Unit", "treatment wetlands", "Net Environmental Balance", "QS Ecology", "15. Life on land", "Microbiology", "01 natural sciences", "QR1-502", "6. Clean water", "12. Responsible consumption", "wastewater treatment", "03 medical and health sciences", "0302 clinical medicine", "life cycle assessment", "13. Climate action", "11. Sustainability", "TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering", "METland", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.652173"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Frontiers%20in%20Microbiology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3389/fmicb.2021.652173", "name": "item", "description": "10.3389/fmicb.2021.652173", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3389/fmicb.2021.652173"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-06-11T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.2166/wst.2012.618", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:21:58Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2013-01-11", "description": "This paper projects a positive outcome for large-scale algal biofuel and energy production when wastewater treatment is the primary goal. Such a view arises partly from a recent change in emphasis in wastewater treatment technology, from simply oxidising the organic matter in the waste (i.e. removing the biological oxygen demand) to removing the nutrients \uffe2\uff80\uff93 specifically nitrogen and phosphorus \uffe2\uff80\uff93 which are the root cause of eutrophication of inland waterways and coastal zones. A growing need for nutrient removal greatly improves the prospects for using new algal ponds in wastewater treatment, since microalgae are particularly efficient in capturing and removing such nutrients. Using a spreadsheet model, four scenarios combining algae biomass production with the making of biodiesel, biogas and other products were assessed for two of Australia\uffe2\uff80\uff99s largest wastewater treatment plants. The results showed that super critical water reactors and anaerobic digesters could be attractive pathway options, the latter providing significant savings in greenhouse gas emissions. Combining anaerobic digestion with oil extraction and the internal economies derived from cheap land and recycling of water and nutrients on-site could allow algal oil to be produced for less than US$1 per litre.
", "keywords": ["Wastewater", "01 natural sciences", "7. Clean energy", "6. Clean water", "12. Responsible consumption", "Waste Management", "Chlorophyta", "13. Climate action", "Biofuels", "11. Sustainability", "Anaerobiosis", "Biomass", "Oils", "Carbon Footprint", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Greg Threlfall, Tim Grant, Kurt Liffman, Tony Priestley, David F. Batten, George Freischmidt, D.A. Paterson, Tom Beer, Lucas Rye,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2012.618"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Water%20Science%20and%20Technology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.2166/wst.2012.618", "name": "item", "description": "10.2166/wst.2012.618", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.2166/wst.2012.618"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2013-02-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3389/fmicb.2018.01176", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:22:18Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2018-06-08", "title": "Enhanced Bacterial Fitness Under Residual Fluoroquinolone Concentrations Is Associated With Increased Gene Expression in Wastewater-Derived qnr Plasmid-Harboring Strains", "description": "Plasmids harboring qnr genes confer resistance to low fluoroquinolone concentrations. These genes are of significant clinical, evolutionary and environmental importance, since they are widely distributed in a diverse array of natural and clinical environments. We previously extracted and sequenced a large (\u223c185 Kbp) qnrB-harboring plasmid, and several small (\u223c8 Kbp) qnrS-harboring plasmids, from Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from municipal wastewater biosolids, and hypothesized that these plasmids provide host bacteria a selective advantage in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that often contain residual concentrations of fluoroquinolones. The objectives of this study were therefore to determine the effect of residual fluoroquinolone concentrations on the growth kinetics of qnr plasmid-harboring bacteria; and on the copy number of qnr plasmids and expression of qnr genes. Electrotransformants harboring either one of the two types of plasmids could grow at ciprofloxacin concentrations exceeding 0.5 \u03bcg ml-1, but growth was significantly decreased at concentrations higher than 0.1 \u03bcg ml-1. In contrast, plasmid-free strains failed to grow even at 0.05 \u03bcg ml-1. No differences were observed in plasmid copy number under the tested ciprofloxacin concentrations, but qnr expression increased incrementally from 0 to 0.4 \u03bcg ml-1, suggesting that the transcription of this gene is regulated by antibiotic concentration. This study reveals that wastewater-derived qnr plasmids confer a selective advantage in the presence of residual fluoroquinolone concentrations and provides a mechanistic explanation for this phenomenon.", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "0303 health sciences", "qnr genes", "Microbiology", "QR1-502", "6. Clean water", "fitness", "3. Good health", "wastewater treatment", "03 medical and health sciences", "qPCR expression analysis", "plasmid", "11. Sustainability", "qnr genes", " wastewater treatment", " plasmid", " qPCR expression analysis", " fitness"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Roberto B. M. Marano, Roberto B. M. Marano, Edouard Jurkevitch, Eddie Cytryn, Ella Kaplan, Ella Kaplan,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01176"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Frontiers%20in%20Microbiology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3389/fmicb.2018.01176", "name": "item", "description": "10.3389/fmicb.2018.01176", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01176"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-06-08T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/catal9030222", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:22:29Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-03-04", "title": "Immobilised Cerium-Doped Zinc Oxide as a Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Antibiotics and the Inactivation of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria", "description": "The threat of antibiotic resistance to the wellbeing of societies is well established. Urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs) are recognised sources for antibiotic resistance dissemination in the environment. Herein a novel cerium-doped zinc oxide (Ce-ZnO) photocatalyst is compared to ZnO and the benchmark TiO2-P25 in the immobilised form on a metallic support, to evaluate a photocatalytic process as a possible tertiary treatment in UWTPs. The catalysts were compared for the removal of two antibiotics, trimethoprim (TMP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and for the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain DH5-Alpha in isotonic sodium chloride solution and of autochthonous bacteria in real secondary wastewater. In real wastewater, E. coli and other coliforms were monitored, as well as the respective fractions resistant to ofloxacin and azithromycin. In parallel, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the respective sub-population resistant to ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin were also monitored. Photocatalysis with both ZnO and Ce-ZnO was faster than using TiO2-P25 at degrading the antibiotics, with Ce-ZnO the fastest against SMX but slower than undoped ZnO in the removal of TMP. Ce-ZnO catalyst reuse in the immobilised form produced somewhat slower kinetics maintained >50% of the initial activity, even after five cycles of use. Approximately 3 log10 inactivation of E. coli in isotonic sodium chloride water was recorded with reproducible results. In the removal of autochthonous bacteria in real wastewater, Ce-ZnO performed better (more than 2 log values higher) than TiO2-P25. In all cases, E. coli and other coliforms, including their resistant subpopulations, were inactivated at a higher rate than P. aeruginosa. With short reaction times no evidence for enrichment of resistance was observed, yet with extended reaction times low levels of bacterial loads were not further inactivated. Overall, Ce-ZnO is an easy and cheap photocatalyst to produce and immobilise and the one that showed higher activity than the industry standard TiO2-P25 against the tested antibiotics and bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
", "keywords": ["tertiary treatment", "wastewater disinfection", "antibiotic resistance", "Antibiotic resistance", "Tertiary treatment", "immobilised photocatalyst", "Immobilised photocatalyst", "02 engineering and technology", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "3. Good health", "Wastewater disinfection", "13. Climate action", "11. Sustainability", "Antibiotic resistance; Immobilised photocatalyst; Photocatalysis; Tertiary treatment; Wastewater disinfection; Catalysis; Physical and Theoretical Chemistry", "Photocatalysis", "0210 nano-technology", "photocatalysis", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/9/3/222/pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.iris.unisa.it/bitstream/11386/4723219/1/Zammit%20et%20al.%202019_Catalysts.pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/9/3/222/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9030222"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Catalysts", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/catal9030222", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/catal9030222", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/catal9030222"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-03-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/membranes12030255", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:22:35Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-02-24", "title": "Treatment of Hydrothermal-Liquefaction Wastewater with Crossflow UF for Oil and Particle Removal", "description": "This study aims to evaluate the application of ceramic ultrafiltration membranes in the crossflow mode for the separation of particles and oil in water emulsions (free oil droplets and micelles) from hydrothermal-liquefaction wastewater (HTL-WW) from the hydrothermal liquefaction of municipal sewage sludge. The experiments were carried out using one-channel TiO2 membranes with pore sizes of 30, 10 and 5 nm. The results showed that the highest stable permeability could be achieved with a membrane-pore size of 10 nm, which experienced less fouling, especially through pore blockage, in comparison to the two other pore sizes. Instead of observing an increase in the permeability, the application of a higher feed temperature as well as backwash cycles led to a clear increase in irreversible fouling due to the presence of surfactants in the HTL-WW. Among several physical and chemical cleaning methods, alkaline cleaning at pH 12 proved to be the most efficient in removing fouling and maintaining stable performance on a long-term basis. Ceramic-membrane ultrafiltration can be considered as an adequate first-stage treatment of real HTL wastewater.
", "keywords": ["Technology", "ddc:600", "hydrothermal-liquefaction wastewater; crossflow ultrafiltration; ceramic membranes; oil and particle removal", "Chemical technology", "hydrothermal-liquefaction wastewater", "600", "TP1-1185", "02 engineering and technology", "ceramic membranes", "crossflow ultrafiltration", "6. Clean water", "630", "Article", "Chemical engineering", "info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/600", "TP155-156", "0210 nano-technology", "oil and particle removal"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/3/255/pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/3/255/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12030255"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Membranes", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/membranes12030255", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/membranes12030255", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/membranes12030255"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-02-23T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/plants10061124", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-03T16:22:38Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-06-02", "title": "Lemna minor Cultivation for Treating Swine Manure and Providing Micronutrients for Animal Feed", "description": "The potential of Lemna minor to valorise agricultural wastewater into a protein-rich feed component to meet the growing demand for animal feed protein and reduce the excess of nutrients in certain European regions was investigated. Three pilot-scale systems were monitored for nine weeks under outdoor conditions in Flanders. The systems were fed with a mixture of the liquid fraction and the biological effluent of a swine manure treatment system diluted with rainwater in order that the weekly N and P addition was equal to the N and P removal by the system. The design tested the accumulation of elements in a continuous recirculation system. Potassium, Cl, S, Ca, and Mg were abundantly available in the swine manure wastewaters and tended to accumulate, being a possible cause of concern for long-operating recirculation systems. The harvested duckweed was characterised for its mineral composition and protein content. In animal husbandry, trace elements are specifically added to animal feed as micronutrients and, thus, feedstuffs biofortified with essential trace elements can provide added value. Duckweed grown on the tested mixture of swine manure waste streams could be considered as a source of Mn, Zn, and Fe for swine feed, while it is not a source of Cu for swine feed. Moreover, it was observed that As, Cd, and Pb content were below the limits of the feed Directive 2002/32/EC in the duckweed grown on the tested medium. Overall, these results demonstrate that duckweed can effectively remove nutrients from agriculture wastewaters in a recirculated system while producing a feed source with a protein content of 35% DM.
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