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The Fate Of Pharmaceuticals, Steroid Hormones, Phytoestrogens, Uv-Filters And Pesticides During Mbr Treatment, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

The Fate Of Pharmaceuticals, Steroid Hormones, Phytoestrogens, Uv-Filters And Pesticides During Mbr Treatment, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study examined the relationship between molecular properties and the fate of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) in the aqueous and solid phases during wastewater treatment by MBR. A set of 29 TrOCs was selected to represent pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters and pesticides that occur ubiquitously in municipal wastewater. Both adsorption and biodegradation/transformation were found responsible for the removal of TrOCs by MBR treatment. A connection between biodegradation and molecular structure could be observed while adsorption was the dominant removal mechanism for the hydrophobic (logD > 3.2) compounds. Highly hydrophobic (logD > 3.2) but readily biodegradable compounds did not accumulate in sludge. …


Effects Of Salinity Build-Up On Biomass Characteristics And Trace Organic Chemical Removal: Implications On The Development Of High Retention Membrane Bioreactors, Wenhai Luo, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, Kazuo Yamamoto, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Effects Of Salinity Build-Up On Biomass Characteristics And Trace Organic Chemical Removal: Implications On The Development Of High Retention Membrane Bioreactors, Wenhai Luo, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, Kazuo Yamamoto, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study investigated the impact of salinity build-up on the performance of membrane bioreactor (MBR), specifically in terms of the removal and fate of trace organic chemicals (TrOCs), nutrient removal, and biomass characteristics. Stepwise increase of the influent salinity, simulating salinity build-up in high retention MBRs, adversely affected the metabolic activity in the bioreactor, thereby reducing organic and nutrient removal. The removal of hydrophilic TrOCs by MBR decreased due to salinity build-up. By contrast, with the exception of 17α-ethynylestradiol, the removal of all hydrophobic TrOCs was not affected at high salinity. Moreover, salinity build-up had negligible impact on the residual …


Continuous Biotransformation Of Bisphenol A And Diclofenac By Laccase In An Enzymatic Membrane Reactor, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William Price, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, Ewan J. Mcadam, Saleh Faraj Magram, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Continuous Biotransformation Of Bisphenol A And Diclofenac By Laccase In An Enzymatic Membrane Reactor, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William Price, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, Ewan J. Mcadam, Saleh Faraj Magram, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

A novel enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) was explored for continuous removal of two trace organic contaminatnts (TrOCs) ubiquitously detected in wastewater - namely bisphenol A (BPA and diclofnac (DCF) - by a commercially available laccase from aspergillus oryzae.


Development Of A Predictive Framework To Assess The Removal Of Trace Organic Chemicals By Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, James Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Development Of A Predictive Framework To Assess The Removal Of Trace Organic Chemicals By Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, James Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study aims to develop a predictive framework to assess the removal and fate of trace organic chemicals (TrOCs) during wastewater treatment by anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). The fate of 27 TrOCs in both the liquid and sludge phases during AnMBR treatment was systematically investigated. The results demonstrate a relationship between hydrophobicity and specific molecular features of TrOCs and their removal efficiency. These molecular features include the presence of electron withdrawing groups (EWGs) or donating groups (EDGs), especially those containing nitrogen and sulphur. All seven hydrophobic contaminants were well removed (>70%) by AnMBR treatment. Most hydrophilic TrOCs containing EDGs …


Enhancement Of Removal Of Trace Organic Contaminants By Powdered Activated Carbon Dosing Into Membrane Bioreactors, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Long Nghiem, Jinguo Kang, William Price, Chul Park, Kazuo Yamamoto Sep 2015

Enhancement Of Removal Of Trace Organic Contaminants By Powdered Activated Carbon Dosing Into Membrane Bioreactors, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Long Nghiem, Jinguo Kang, William Price, Chul Park, Kazuo Yamamoto

Faisal I Hai

This study compared the removal efficiency of 22 widespread trace organic contaminants by a laboratory-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) with and without direct addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) into the activated sludge reactor over a period of 312 days. The removal of hydrophilic and biologically persistent trace organic contaminants was immediately improved to above 95% after the addition of PAC into MBR. However, a compound-specific gradual decrease in removal underscored the requirement for the addition of fresh PAC. Adsorption onto PAC-added sludge appeared to play a significant role in the relatively more effective aqueous phase removal of a few resistant …


Simultaneous Nitrification/Denitrification And Trace Organic Contaminant (Troc) Removal By An Anoxic-Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (Mbr), Hop Phan, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Hoa Dam, Ren Zhang, William Price, Andreas Broeckmann, Long Nghiem Sep 2015

Simultaneous Nitrification/Denitrification And Trace Organic Contaminant (Troc) Removal By An Anoxic-Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (Mbr), Hop Phan, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Hoa Dam, Ren Zhang, William Price, Andreas Broeckmann, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

Simultaneous nitrification/denitrification and trace organic contaminant (TrOC) removal during wastewater treatment by an integrated anoxic-aerobic MBR was examined. A set of 30 compounds was selected to represent TrOCs that occur ubiquitously in domestic wastewater. The system achieved over 95% total organic carbon (TOC) and over 80% total nitrogen (TN) removal. In addition, 21 of the 30 TrOCs investigated here were removed by over 90%. Low oxidation reduction potential (i.e., anoxic/anaerobic) regimes were conducive to moderate to high (50% to 90%) removal of nine TrOCs. These included four pharmaceuticals and personal care products (primidone, metronidazole, triclosan, and amitriptyline), one steroid hormone …


Introduction - A Review Of Membrane Reactors, Fausto Gallucci, Angelo Basile, Faisal Ibney Hai Sep 2015

Introduction - A Review Of Membrane Reactors, Fausto Gallucci, Angelo Basile, Faisal Ibney Hai

Faisal I Hai

In the last decades, membrane catalysis has been studied by several research and the significant progress in this field is summarized in several review articles (Armor 1998, Lin 2001, Lu 2007, Mcleary 2006, Sanchez 2002, Saracco 1994, Shu 1991). Considering a IUPAC definition (Koros 1996), a membrane reactor (MR) is a device for simultaneously performing a reaction (steam reforming, dry reforming, autothermal reforming, etc.) and a membrane-based separation in the same physical device. Therefore, the membrane not only plays the role of a separator, but also takes place in the reaction itself. The term Membrane Bioreactor (MBR), on the other …


Removal Of Pharmaceuticals, Steroid Hormones, Phytoestrogens, Uv-Filters, Industrial Chemicals And Pesticides By Trametes Versicolor: Role Of Biosorption And Biodegradation, Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Shufan Yang, Jinguo Kang, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Removal Of Pharmaceuticals, Steroid Hormones, Phytoestrogens, Uv-Filters, Industrial Chemicals And Pesticides By Trametes Versicolor: Role Of Biosorption And Biodegradation, Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Shufan Yang, Jinguo Kang, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study reports the removal of 30 diverse trace organic contaminants (TrOC) by live (biosorption þ biodegradation), intracellular enzyme-inhibited and chemically inactivated (biosorption only) whole-cell preparations and the fungal extracellular enzyme extract (predominantly laccase) from Trametes versicolor (ATCC 7731). Because phenolic substrates are amenable to degradation by laccase, all 14 phenolic TrOC were readily biodegraded. On the other hand, only eight of the 16 non-phenolic TrOC were readily biodegraded while the removal of hydrophilic TrOC (log D < 3) was negligible. With the exception of diclofenac, no non-phenolic TrOC were degraded by the extracellular enzyme extract. The whole-cell culture showed considerably …


Selection Of Forward Osmosis Draw Solutes For Subsequent Integration With Anaerobic Treatment To Facilitate Resource Recovery From Wastewater, Ashley J. Ansari, Faisal I. Hai, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Selection Of Forward Osmosis Draw Solutes For Subsequent Integration With Anaerobic Treatment To Facilitate Resource Recovery From Wastewater, Ashley J. Ansari, Faisal I. Hai, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

Forward osmosis (FO) can be used to extract clean water and pre-concentrate municipal wastewater to make it amenable to anaerobic treatment. A protocol was developed to assess the suitability of FO draw solutes for pre-concentrating wastewater for potential integration with anaerobic treatment to facilitate resource recovery from wastewater. Draw solutes were evaluated in terms of their ability to induce osmotic pressure, water flux, and reverse solute flux. The compatibility of each draw solute with subsequent anaerobic treatment was assessed by biomethane potential analysis. The effect of each draw solute (at concentrations corresponding to the reverse solute flux at ten-fold pre-concentration …


Sludge Cycling Between Aerobic, Anoxic And Anaerobic Regimes To Reduce Sludge Production During Wastewater Treatment: Performance, Mechanisms, And Implications, Galilee Semblante, Faisal Ibney Hai, Huu H. Ngo, Wenshan Guo, Sheng-Jie You, William Price, Long Nghiem Sep 2015

Sludge Cycling Between Aerobic, Anoxic And Anaerobic Regimes To Reduce Sludge Production During Wastewater Treatment: Performance, Mechanisms, And Implications, Galilee Semblante, Faisal Ibney Hai, Huu H. Ngo, Wenshan Guo, Sheng-Jie You, William Price, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

Alternate cycling of sludge in aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic regimes is a promising strategy that can reduce the sludge yield of conventional activated sludge (CAS) by up to 50% with potentially lower capital and operating cost than physical- and/or chemical-based sludge minimisation techniques. The mechanisms responsible for reducing sludge yield include alterations to cellular metabolism and feeding behaviour (metabolic uncoupling, feasting/fasting, and endogenous decay), biological floc destruction, and predation on bacteria by higher organisms. Though discrepancies across various studies are recognisable, it is apparent that sludge retention time, oxygen-reduction potential of the anaerobic tank, temperature, sludge return ratio and loading …


The Effects Of Mediator And Granular Activated Carbon Addition On Degradation Of Trace Organic Contaminants By An Enzymatic Membrane Reactor, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, Hao H. Ngo, Wenshan Guo, Saleh Faraj Magram, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

The Effects Of Mediator And Granular Activated Carbon Addition On Degradation Of Trace Organic Contaminants By An Enzymatic Membrane Reactor, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, Hao H. Ngo, Wenshan Guo, Saleh Faraj Magram, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

The removal of four recalcitrant trace organic contaminants (TrOCs), namely carbamazepine, diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole and atrazine by laccase in an enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) was studied. Laccases are not effective for degrading non-phenolic compounds; nevertheless, 22-55% removal of these four TrOCs was achieved by the laccase EMR. Addition of the redox-mediator syringaldehyde (SA) to the EMR resulted in a notable dose-dependent improvement (15-45%) of TrOC removal affected by inherent TrOC properties and loading rates. However, SA addition resulted in a concomitant increase in the toxicity of the treated effluent. A further 14-25% improvement in aqueous phase removal of the TrOCs was …


Removal Of Emerging Trace Organic Contaminants By Mbr-Based Hybrid Treatment Processes, Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Removal Of Emerging Trace Organic Contaminants By Mbr-Based Hybrid Treatment Processes, Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the complementarity of combining membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment with UV oxidation or high pressure membrane filtration processes such as nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) for the removal of trace organic contaminants (TrOC). The results suggest that the removal mechanisms of TrOC by either UV oxidation or NF/RO membrane filtration differ significantly from those of an MBR system. Thus, they can complement MBR treatment very well to significantly improve the removal of TrOC. MBR treatment can effectively remove hydrophobic and readily biodegradable hydrophilic TrOC. The remaining hydrophilic and biologically persistent TrOC were …


Removal And Fate Of Micropollutants In A Sponge-Based Moving Bed Bioreactor, Yunlong Luo, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Long Nghiem, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Siqing Xia, Zhiqiang Zhang, William Price Sep 2015

Removal And Fate Of Micropollutants In A Sponge-Based Moving Bed Bioreactor, Yunlong Luo, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Long Nghiem, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Siqing Xia, Zhiqiang Zhang, William Price

Faisal I Hai

This study investigated the removal of micropollutants using polyurethane sponge as attached-growth carrier. Batch experiments demonstrated that micropollutants could adsorb to non-acclimatized sponge cubes to varying extents. Acclimatized sponge showed significantly enhanced removal of some less hydrophobic compounds (logD < 2.5), such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, and estriol, as compared with non-acclimatized sponge. The results for bench-scale sponge-based moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) system elucidated compound-specific variation in removal, ranging from 25.9% (carbamazepine) to 96.8% (b-Estradiol 17-acetate) on average. In the MBBR system, biodegradation served as a major removal pathway for most compounds. However, sorption to sludge phase was also a notable …


Effects Of Iron Salt Addition On Biosolids Reduction By Oxic-Settling-Anoxic (Osa) Process, Galilee U. Semblante, Faisal I. Hai, Heriberto Bustamante, Nelly Guevara, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Effects Of Iron Salt Addition On Biosolids Reduction By Oxic-Settling-Anoxic (Osa) Process, Galilee U. Semblante, Faisal I. Hai, Heriberto Bustamante, Nelly Guevara, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

The oxic-settling anoxic (OSA) process interchanges activated sludge between alternating redox conditions (e.g., aerobic and anoxic) to reduce biosolids production. Iron salts addition to wastewater is performed to remove phosphorous, but this study demonstrated that it may impair OSA performance. Batch test results showed that the addition of iron salt (as Fe2+) decreased the volatile solids reduction of an intermittently aerated batch reactor (i.e., aerobic/anoxic), probably because iron reduced the destruction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that serve as the structural framework of sludge flocs. The effect of different FeCl2 dosages (0, 15, and 30 mg l−1) on the sludge …


Enhancement Of Trace Organic Contaminant Degradation By Crude Enzyme Extract From Trametes Versicolor Culture: Effect Of Mediator Type And Concentration, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, S Faraj Magram, William Price, Long Nghiem Sep 2015

Enhancement Of Trace Organic Contaminant Degradation By Crude Enzyme Extract From Trametes Versicolor Culture: Effect Of Mediator Type And Concentration, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, S Faraj Magram, William Price, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

The performance of two redox mediating compounds, namely 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) and syringaldehyde (SA), was compared in terms of enhancement of enzymatic degradation of a diverse set of 14 phenolic and 16 non-phenolic trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) and the toxicity of the treated media. Extracellular enzyme extract (predominantly containing laccase) from Trametes versicolor culture achieved efficient degradation (70-95%) of nine phenolic and one non-phenolic TrOCs. Mediator dosing extended the spectrum of efficiently degraded TrOCs to 13 phenolic and three non-phenolic compounds, with moderate improvements in removal of a few other non-phenolic compounds. TrOC removal efficiency improved significantly as the HBT dose …


Impact Of 1-Hydroxybenzotriazole Dosing On Trace Organic Contaminant Degradation By Laccase, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, S Faraj Magram, William Price, Long Nghiem Sep 2015

Impact Of 1-Hydroxybenzotriazole Dosing On Trace Organic Contaminant Degradation By Laccase, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, S Faraj Magram, William Price, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study investigated the removal of five selected non-phenolic trace organic contaminants (TrOC) by extracellular enzyme extract from a white-rot fungus. Except diclofenac, no other investigated non-phenolic TrOC were degraded by the extracellular enzyme extract. Improvement of enzymatic degradation of all TrOC was achieved in the presence of a redox mediator, namely, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT). However, the enhancement of degradation was mediator concentration-specific. A significant improvement in degradation at higher dosage than 0.1 mM (HBT) was achieved.


Comparison Between Sequential And Simultaneous Application Of Activated Carbon With Membrane Bioreactor For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Kuo-Lun Tung Sep 2015

Comparison Between Sequential And Simultaneous Application Of Activated Carbon With Membrane Bioreactor For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Kuo-Lun Tung

Faisal I Hai

The removal efficiency of 22 selected trace organic contaminants by sequential application of granular activated carbon (GAC) and simultaneous application of powdered activated carbon (PAC) with membrane bioreactor (MBR) was compared in this study. Both sequential application of GAC following MBR treatment (MBR–GAC) and simultaneous application of PAC within MBR (PAC–MBR) achieved improved removal (over 95%) of seven hydrophilic and biologically persistent compounds, which were less efficiently removed by MBR-only treatment (negligible to 70%). However, gradual breakthrough of these compounds occurred over an extended operation period. Charged compounds, particularly, fenoprop and diclofenac, demonstrated the fastest breakthrough (complete and 50–70%, in …


Coupling Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor Treatment For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal: Breakthrough Behaviour Of Persistent And Hydrophilic Compounds, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Coupling Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor Treatment For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal: Breakthrough Behaviour Of Persistent And Hydrophilic Compounds, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study investigated the removal of trace organic contaminants by a combined membrane bioreactor - granular activated carbon (MBR-GAC) system over a period of 196 days. Of the 22 compounds investigated here, all six hydrophilic compounds with electron-withdrawing functional groups (i.e., metronidazole, carbamazepine, ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprop and diclofenac) exhibited very low removal efficiency by MBR-only treatment. GAC post-treatment initially complemented MBR treatment very well; however, a compound-specific gradual deterioration of the removal of the above-mentioned problematic compounds was noted. While a 20% breakthrough of all four negatively charged compounds namely ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprop and diclofenac occurred within 1000-3000 bed volumes …


The Role Of Forward Osmosis And Microfiltration In An Integrated Osmotic-Microfiltration Membrane Bioreactor System, Wenhai Luo, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem, Menachem Elimelech Sep 2015

The Role Of Forward Osmosis And Microfiltration In An Integrated Osmotic-Microfiltration Membrane Bioreactor System, Wenhai Luo, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem, Menachem Elimelech

Faisal I Hai

This study investigates the performance of an integrated osmotic and microfiltration membrane bioreactor (O/MF-MBR) system for wastewater treatment and reclamation. The O/MF-MBR system simultaneously used microfiltration (MF) and forward osmosis (FO) membranes to extract water from the mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor. The MF membrane facilitated the bleeding of dissolved inorganic salts and thus prevented the build-up of salinity in the bioreactor. As a result, sludge production and microbial activity were relatively stable over 60 days of operation. Compared to MF, the FO process produced a better permeate quality in terms of nutrients, total organic carbon, as well as …


Coupling Powdered Activated Carbon (Pac) Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor (Mbr) Treatment For Enhanced Removal Of Trace Organics, Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Long Nghiem, Jinguo Kang, William Price Sep 2015

Coupling Powdered Activated Carbon (Pac) Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor (Mbr) Treatment For Enhanced Removal Of Trace Organics, Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Long Nghiem, Jinguo Kang, William Price

Faisal I Hai

the occurrence of trace organics such as pesticides, pharmaceutically active compounds, natural and synthetic hormones as well as varous industrial compounds in the aquatic environment is of great concern due to their potential adverse effects on human health and those of other biota. Therefore, the removal of these compounds from wastewater is an important consideration to ensure safe drinking water and better protection of the environment. In the literature, several techniques have been explored for trace organics removal, namely, conventional activated sludge, membrane bioreactors (MBRs), and absorptioin. However it has been found that neither MBR nor activated carbon on its …


Water Extraction From Mixed Liquor Of An Aerobic Bioreactor By Forward Osmosis: Membrane Fouling And Biomass Characteristics Assessment, Wenhai Luo, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Water Extraction From Mixed Liquor Of An Aerobic Bioreactor By Forward Osmosis: Membrane Fouling And Biomass Characteristics Assessment, Wenhai Luo, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study investigated membrane fouling and biomass characteristics during water extraction from mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor by a submerged forward osmosis (FO) system. As the sludge concentration in the reactor increased from 0 to 20 g/L, fouling of the FO membrane increased but was much less severe than that of a reference microfiltration membrane. The results also indicate that aeration can be used to effectively control membrane fouling. By increasing the draw solute concentration, as expected, the initial water flux was increased. However, there appears to be a critical water flux above which severe membrane fouling was encountered. …


Impact Of Hazardous Events On The Removal Of Nutrients And Trace Organic Contaminants By An Anoxic-Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor Receiving Real Wastewater, Hop V. Phan, Faisal I. Hai, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Jason P. Van De Merwe, Frederic D. L Leusch, Ren Zhang, William E. Price, Andreas Broeckmann, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Impact Of Hazardous Events On The Removal Of Nutrients And Trace Organic Contaminants By An Anoxic-Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor Receiving Real Wastewater, Hop V. Phan, Faisal I. Hai, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Jason P. Van De Merwe, Frederic D. L Leusch, Ren Zhang, William E. Price, Andreas Broeckmann, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

The impacts of four simulated hazardous events, namely, aeration failure, power loss, and chemical shocks (ammonia or bleach) on the performance of an anoxic-aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) receiving real wastewater were investigated. Hazardous events could alter pH and/or oxidation reduction potential of the mixed liquor and inhibit biomass growth, thus affecting the removal of bulk organics, nutrients and trace organic contaminants (TrOC). Chemical shocks generally exerted greater impact on MBR performance than aeration/power failure events, with ammonia shock exerting the greatest impact. Compared to total organic carbon, nutrient removal was more severely affected. Removal of the hydrophilic TrOCs that are …


Rejection And Fate Of Trace Organic Compounds (Trocs) During Membrane Distillation, Kaushalya Wijekoon, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Tzahi Cath, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Rejection And Fate Of Trace Organic Compounds (Trocs) During Membrane Distillation, Kaushalya Wijekoon, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Tzahi Cath, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

In this study, we examined the feasibility of membrane distillation (MD) for removing trace organic compounds (TrOCs) during water and wastewater treatment. A set of 29 compounds was selected to represent major TrOC groups, including pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters, industrial chemicals, and pesticides that occur ubiquitously in municipal wastewater. Results reported here suggest that rejection and fate and transport of TrOC during MD are governed by their volatility and, to a lesser extent, hydrophobicity. All TrOCs with pKH > 9 (which can be classified as non-volatile) were well removed by MD. Among the 29 TrOCs investigated in this study, three …


High Retention Membrane Bioreactors: Challenges And Opportunities, Wenhai Luo, Faisal Ibney Hai, William Price, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, Kazuo Yamamoto, Long Nghiem Sep 2015

High Retention Membrane Bioreactors: Challenges And Opportunities, Wenhai Luo, Faisal Ibney Hai, William Price, Wenshan Guo, Hao H. Ngo, Kazuo Yamamoto, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

Extensive research has focussed on the development of novel high retention membrane bioreactor (HR-MBR) systems for wastewater reclamation in recent years. HR-MBR integrates high rejection membrane separation with conventional biological treatment in a single step. High rejection membrane separation processes currently used in HR-MBR applications include nanofiltration, forward osmosis, and membrane distillation. In these HR-MBR systems, organic contaminants can be effectively retained, prolonging their retention time in the bioreactor and thus enhancing their biodegradation. Therefore, HR-MBR can offer a reliable and elegant solution to produce high quality effluent. However, there are several technological challenges associated with the development of HR-MBR, …


Removal Of Bisphenol A And Diclofenac By A Novel Fungal Membrane Bioreactor Operated Under Non-Sterile Conditions, Shufan Yang, Faisal I. Hai, Long D. Nghiem, Luong N. Nguyen, Felicity Roddick, William E. Price Sep 2015

Removal Of Bisphenol A And Diclofenac By A Novel Fungal Membrane Bioreactor Operated Under Non-Sterile Conditions, Shufan Yang, Faisal I. Hai, Long D. Nghiem, Luong N. Nguyen, Felicity Roddick, William E. Price

Faisal I Hai

Previous studies have confirmed significant removal of various trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) by white-rot fungal cultures under sterile batch test conditions. However, little is known about TrOC removal in continuous flow fungal reactors in a non-sterile environment. This study reports the removal of two TrOCs, namely, bisphenol A and diclofenac, by a fungal membrane bioreactor (MBR).


Degradation Of Azo Dye Acid Orange 7 In A Membrane Bioreactor By Pellets And Attached Growth Of Coriolus Versicolour, Faisal I. Hai, Kazuo Yamamoto, Fumiyuki Nakajima, Kensuke Fukushi, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Bo Jin Sep 2015

Degradation Of Azo Dye Acid Orange 7 In A Membrane Bioreactor By Pellets And Attached Growth Of Coriolus Versicolour, Faisal I. Hai, Kazuo Yamamoto, Fumiyuki Nakajima, Kensuke Fukushi, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Bo Jin

Faisal I Hai

The aim of this study was to systematically compare the degradation of azo dye acid orange 7 by spongy pellets and attached biofilm of Coriolus versicolour (NBRC 9791) in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) under non-sterile conditions. Mild stirring (35 rpm) resulted in spherical (φ = 0.5 cm), spongy pellets and concomitantly triggered high enzymatic activity of the fungus, allowing for excellent decolouration (>99%) of a synthetic wastewater containing the dye. However, bacterial contamination eventually damaged the fungus pellets, leading to decreased decolouration efficiency. Promotion of attached growth on a plastic support along with formation of spherical spongy pellets allowed …


A Review On The Occurrence Of Micropollutants In The Aquatic Environment And Their Fate And Removal During Wastewater Treatment, Yunlong Luo, Wenshan Guo, Huu Hao Ngo, Long Duc Nghiem, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jian Zhang, Shuang Liang, Xiaochang C. Wang Sep 2015

A Review On The Occurrence Of Micropollutants In The Aquatic Environment And Their Fate And Removal During Wastewater Treatment, Yunlong Luo, Wenshan Guo, Huu Hao Ngo, Long Duc Nghiem, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jian Zhang, Shuang Liang, Xiaochang C. Wang

Faisal I Hai

Micropollutants are emerging as a new challenge to the scientific community. This review provides a summary of the recent occurrence of micropollutants in the aquatic environment including sewage, surface water, groundwater and drinking water. The discharge of treated effluent from WWTPs is a major pathway for the introduction of micropollutants to surface water. WWTPs act as primary barriers against the spread of micropollutants. WWTP removal efficiency of the selected micropollutants in 14 countries/regions depicts compound-specific variation in removal, ranging from 12.5 to 100%. Advanced treatment processes, such as activated carbon adsorption, advanced oxidation processes, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and membrane bioreactors …


Trace Organic Contaminants In Biosolids: Impact Of Conventional Wastewater And Sludge Processing Technologies And Emerging Alternatives, Galilee U. Semblante, Faisal I. Hai, Xia Huang, Andrew S. Ball, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Sep 2015

Trace Organic Contaminants In Biosolids: Impact Of Conventional Wastewater And Sludge Processing Technologies And Emerging Alternatives, Galilee U. Semblante, Faisal I. Hai, Xia Huang, Andrew S. Ball, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This paper critically reviews the fate of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) in biosolids, with emphasis on identifying operation conditions that impact the accumulation of TrOCs in sludge during conventional wastewater and sludge treatment and assessing the technologies available for TrOC removal from biosolids. The fate of TrOCs during sludge thickening, stabilisation (e.g. aerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion, alkaline stabilisation, and composting), conditioning, and dewatering is elucidated. Operation pH, sludge retention time (SRT), and temperature have significant impact on the sorption and biodegradation of TrOCs in activated sludge that ends up in the sludge treatment line. Anaerobic digestion may exacerbate the estrogenicity …