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Retention efficiency for microplastic in a landscape estimated from empirically validated dynamic model predictions
No full textFilamentous marine Gram-positive Nocardiopsis dassonvillei biofilm as biocathode and its electron transfer mechanism
No full textHyperexpansion of genetic diversity and metabolic capacity of extremophilic bacteria and archaea in ancient Andean lake sediments
No full textImpacto de los usos del suelo y otros parámetros sobre la presencia de microplásticos en el suelo y en el agua subterránea: una revisión crítica
No full textMicrobial Electrochemical Strategies for recovering nutrients after treating and re-using urban wastewater from a University Campus
No full textApplication of Recycled Ultrafiltration Membranes in an Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (aMBR): A Validation Study
No full textA validation study using recycled ultrafiltration membranes (r-UF) on an aerobic membrane bioreactor (aMBR) was conducted for the first time. Four different polyethersulfone (PES) membranes were tested using synthetic urban wastewater (COD 0.4–0.5 g/L) during two experimental periods: (i) recycled ultrafiltration membrane (r-UF) and commercial UF membrane (molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) 150 kDa) (c-150 kDa); (ii) r-UF membrane modified by dip-coating using catechol (CA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) (mr-UF) and c-20 kDa membrane. Permeability, fouling behavior, and permeate quality were evaluated. Extensive membrane characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Permeate quality for r-UF and mr-UF membranes was excellent and comparable to that obtained using commercial membranes under similar conditions. Additionally, r-UF and mr-UF membranes presented a steadier performance time. Additionally, r-UF membrane demonstrated less tendency to be fouled (Rf, m−1) r-UF 7.92 ± 0.57 × 1012; mr-UF 9.90 ± 0.14 × 1012, c-150 kDa 1.56 ± 0.07 × 1013 and c-20 kDa 1.25 ± 0.50 × 1013. The r-UF membrane showed an excellent antibiofouling character. Therefore, r-UF membranes can be successfully implemented for wastewater treatment in aMBR, being a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to commercial membranes that can contribute to overcome membrane fouling and membrane replacement issues
Fate and effects of an environmentally relevant mixture of microplastics in simple freshwater microcosms
No full textMost studies assessing the effects of microplastics (MPs) on freshwater ecosystems use reference materials of a
certain size, shape, and polymer type. However, in the environment, aquatic organisms are exposed to a mixture
of different polymers with different sizes and shapes, resulting in different bioaccessible fractions and effects.
This study assesses the fate and effects of an environmentally relevant mixture of high-density polyethylene
(HDPE) fragments, polypropylene (PP) fragments, and polyester (PES) fibres in indoor freshwater microcosms
over 28 days. The MP mixture contained common polymers found in freshwater ecosystems, had a size range
between 50 and 3887 µm, and was artificially aged using a mercury lamp. The invertebrate species included in
the microcosms, Lymnea stagnalis (snail) and Lumbriculus variegatus (worm), were exposed to four MP concen�trations: 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 1 % of sediment dry weight. MPs fate was assessed by performing a balance of the
MPs in the surface water, water column, and sediment after a stabilization period and at the end of the exper�iment. Sedimentation rates per day were calculated (2.13 % for PES, 1.46 % for HDPE, 1.87 % for PP). The
maximum size of MPs taken up by the two species was determined and compared to the added mixture and their
mouth size. The size range taken up by L. variegatus was smaller than L. stagnalis and significantly different from
the size range in the added mixture. The No Observed Effect Concentrations (NOECs) for the reproduction factor
of L. variegatus and the number of egg clutches produced by L. stagnalis were 0.01 % and 0.1 % sediment dry
weight, respectively. The EC10 and EC50 for the same endpoint for L. stagnalis were 0.25 % and 0.52 %,
respectively. This study shows that current MP exposure levels in freshwater sediments can result in sub-lethal
effects on aquatic organisms, highlighting the importance of testing MP mixtures
Reverse Osmosis Membrane Engineering: Multidirectional Analysis Using Bibliometric, Machine Learning, Data, and Text Mining Approaches
No full textMembrane engineering is a complex field involving the development of the most suitable membrane process for specific purposes and dealing with the design and operation of membrane technologies. This study analyzed 1424 articles on reverse osmosis (RO) membrane engineering from the Scopus database to provide guidance for future studies. The results show that since the first article was published in 1964, the domain has gained popularity, especially since 2009. Thin-film composite (TFC) polymeric material has been the primary focus of RO membrane experts, with 550 articles published on this topic. The use of nanomaterials and polymers in membrane engineering is also high, with 821 articles. Common problems such as fouling, biofouling, and scaling have been the center of work dedication, with 324 articles published on these issues. Wang J. is the leader in the number of published articles (73), while Gao C. is the leader in other metrics. Journal of Membrane Science is the most preferred source for the publication of RO membrane engineering and related technologies. Author social networks analysis shows that there are five core clusters, and the dominant cluster have 4 researchers. The analysis of sentiment, subjectivity, and emotion indicates that abstracts are positively perceived, objectively written, and emotionally neutral