{"title":"Integrating photobioreactors and constructed wetlands for paper pulp industry wastewater treatment: A nature-based system approach","authors":"Josivaldo Sátiro , Leonardo Marchiori , Maria V. Morais , Talita Marinho , Lourdinha Florencio , Arlindo Gomes , Raul Muñoz , António Albuquerque , Rogério Simões","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.107237","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nature-based systems, such as constructed wetlands and photobioreactors, efficiently replicate natural processes for sustainable wastewater treatment. This study employed a hybrid methodology, combining a photobioreactor (NBS1) and a constructed wetland (NBS2) to enhance pollutant removal. The study was conducted over seven weeks (49 days) using raw wastewater from a paper pulp industry. Results indicated the system stabilized by the third week of operation. The system achieved the highest removal efficiencies at steady state, with 89 % for organic matter, 69 % for nitrogen, 59 % for phosphorus, and 81 % for total phenols. These results reflect the adaptive synergy between microalgae and bacteria in the photobioreactor, which facilitated the degradation of organic pollutants and nutrient cycling, combined with the contribution of wetlands plants in nutrient uptake and further pollutant removal. Biomass concentration in NBS1 stabilized from week 5 onwards at 600 mgVSS/L, suggesting that the microorganisms had reached a stationary growth phase. The values recorded for flocculation and sedimentation efficiency (89.7 ± 7.7 %) indicated that the biomass exhibited excellent sedimentation capacity, thus facilitating efficient biomass harvesting. Therefore, NBS1 and NBS2 offer viable nature-based solutions for industrial wastewater treatment, with low operating costs and environmental impacts, contributing to developing a circular economy in the paper pulp industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107237"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of water process engineering","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214714425003095","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Nature-based systems, such as constructed wetlands and photobioreactors, efficiently replicate natural processes for sustainable wastewater treatment. This study employed a hybrid methodology, combining a photobioreactor (NBS1) and a constructed wetland (NBS2) to enhance pollutant removal. The study was conducted over seven weeks (49 days) using raw wastewater from a paper pulp industry. Results indicated the system stabilized by the third week of operation. The system achieved the highest removal efficiencies at steady state, with 89 % for organic matter, 69 % for nitrogen, 59 % for phosphorus, and 81 % for total phenols. These results reflect the adaptive synergy between microalgae and bacteria in the photobioreactor, which facilitated the degradation of organic pollutants and nutrient cycling, combined with the contribution of wetlands plants in nutrient uptake and further pollutant removal. Biomass concentration in NBS1 stabilized from week 5 onwards at 600 mgVSS/L, suggesting that the microorganisms had reached a stationary growth phase. The values recorded for flocculation and sedimentation efficiency (89.7 ± 7.7 %) indicated that the biomass exhibited excellent sedimentation capacity, thus facilitating efficient biomass harvesting. Therefore, NBS1 and NBS2 offer viable nature-based solutions for industrial wastewater treatment, with low operating costs and environmental impacts, contributing to developing a circular economy in the paper pulp industry.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Water Process Engineering aims to publish refereed, high-quality research papers with significant novelty and impact in all areas of the engineering of water and wastewater processing . Papers on advanced and novel treatment processes and technologies are particularly welcome. The Journal considers papers in areas such as nanotechnology and biotechnology applications in water, novel oxidation and separation processes, membrane processes (except those for desalination) , catalytic processes for the removal of water contaminants, sustainable processes, water reuse and recycling, water use and wastewater minimization, integrated/hybrid technology, process modeling of water treatment and novel treatment processes. Submissions on the subject of adsorbents, including standard measurements of adsorption kinetics and equilibrium will only be considered if there is a genuine case for novelty and contribution, for example highly novel, sustainable adsorbents and their use: papers on activated carbon-type materials derived from natural matter, or surfactant-modified clays and related minerals, would not fulfil this criterion. The Journal particularly welcomes contributions involving environmentally, economically and socially sustainable technology for water treatment, including those which are energy-efficient, with minimal or no chemical consumption, and capable of water recycling and reuse that minimizes the direct disposal of wastewater to the aquatic environment. Papers that describe novel ideas for solving issues related to water quality and availability are also welcome, as are those that show the transfer of techniques from other disciplines. The Journal will consider papers dealing with processes for various water matrices including drinking water (except desalination), domestic, urban and industrial wastewaters, in addition to their residues. It is expected that the journal will be of particular relevance to chemical and process engineers working in the field. The Journal welcomes Full Text papers, Short Communications, State-of-the-Art Reviews and Letters to Editors and Case Studies