A.J. Englande, Jr., Ph.D., P.E., DEE

ajenglande@gmail.com

Department of Global Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine,

New Orleans, USA.

Present overview of waste

management practices

emphasizing sustainability

of resources, total water

cycle and innovative

technology

Emphasis on regulatory

U.S. trends; source

reduction; toxicity/reuse

characterization and

monitoring; pretreatment

methods; treatment

technologies; and

residuals management

Historical Perspective

New Paradigm

Policy

Regulations

Process Options

Pretreatment Techniques

Treatment Trends/ Innovative Treatment

Future Facility Design

Residuals Management

Areas for Research & Development

End of pipe treatment/ President Nixon 1970 USEPA

Clean Water Act 1972 & 1987 amendments;◦ Shift from technology based to water quality based regulations

◦ Focus on both point and non-point source (diffuse) pollution

◦ Watershed management based approach

◦ Focus on thermal discharges

◦ Focus on toxicity (priority pollutants) & WET testing (bioassays)

◦ Initiated controls on residuals management

◦ Periodic revisions of effluent limitations guidelines

Safe Drinking Water Act 1974 & 1986 and 1996 amendments;

Clean Air Act 1990 (VOCs & fugitive emissions)

Oil Pollution Control Act of 1990;

Contaminants of Emerging concern (CEC)- POPs, PPCPs, EDCs, nanoparticles, etc.

New Paradigm- resource management/ sustainable development & production/ full water cycle management

Legislation

•e.g. Clean

Water Act

Regulation•Standards

•Permits

•Enforcement

Policies

and

Guidance

•Published guidance

resources (Scientific

Input)

•Public education

40CFR

Code of

Federal

Regulations

Federal

Register

Stringent limits for selected

pollutants/mixtures

Establishment of standards beyond

technology based

Ecosystem protection/targeting of

critical eco-systems

Risk based assessment approaches for

standard setting (prioritize efforts &

resources)

Multimedia approach

Prevention instead of remediation

Product life cycle considerations

Global/Regional criteria/standards

(trade concerns, global effects)

Ability to satisfy the basic

needs of society today

without compromise of

those for future

generations.

Waste Management

considered as

management of natural

resources so that present

and future beneficial uses

are not impaired.

Soundness of ecosystem structure and function/eco-integrity

Compatible Environmental management

Maximize Beneficial Resource Utilization

Define Best Practical Environmental Control Options

Design /operate treatment facilities consistent with sustainability goal

Consideration of total water cycle in analysis

Requires:

Holistic- energy & material balances, reuse opportunities, GHG, etc.

Multimedia

Integrated

Cost - effective

Focused on public health / environmental protection

“Cradle to cradle” philosophy

Approach

Requires

Policy

development

Increasing

stringent

regulations

Uncertainty of

ecotoxicological

effects

•Toxicity

•Persistency and

environmental fate

•Global impacts

Dwindling

resources

Climate

Change

Increasing

energy cost

Public

Awareness

and

participation

Process optimizationWaste

reduction/reuse/avoidanceBy product recovery

Toxicity/ reuse characterization & monitoring

Identification and

quantification of toxicity

Methodologies useful for

cost-effective selection of

alternatives for toxicity

elimination/reduction

Evaluation of toxics

effects on treatment

systems

Assessment of impacts on

biological integrity and

ecological function of the

environment

Environmental and human

health risk assessments

Bioassays specific for

residuals reuse

Process and system

monitoring

Enzyme biomarkers - yeast strain used to detect

presence of dioxin, PAHs in environmental

samples/monitoring

Non-mammalian carcinogen screening protocols -

Japanese medaka used for screening of munitions

chemicals, disinfection by-products and multi-chemical

contaminants in waters

Endocrine disrupters - in vitro assays to evaluate

hormonal affects due to chemicals or residuals

Assays to assess inhibition/toxicity

Online monitoring and remote sensing techniques

Reduce persistent organics/toxic constituents of

wastewater to acceptable levels

Alternative technologies for toxicity reduction

Remove problem components and/or render waste

streams more amendable for biotechnology application

Source control

Source control/ Stream segregation

Chemical/AOP pretreatment

VOC reduction by acclimated

biomass/ biofilters/ bio-

scrubbers/ PAC addition

Multi-stage treatment for high

strength waste/enhance specific

contaminant removal

Selector design to reduce sludge

bulking

Process control optimization /

variability reduction

Enhanced characterization /

monitoring techniques (on-line,

real time, predictive models)

PAC added to activated sludge

Adsorbs contaminants

Reduce shock loads and toxic/Inhibitory compounds

Provide a media for microattachment

Increases sludge age

Enhanced nitrification and POP/CEC removals

ClarifierAeration Basin

Recycle Flow (Qr)

Feed Flow (Q) Q+Qr Overflow (Q)Plastic Media

Media Screen

Coarse bubble Aeration

Media Size and Shape Varies

Uses aerobic microbial granules which settle much faster than activated sludge floc

Develop in SBRs under specific conditions

Can use flow thru reactors with initial attached growth, short retention time reactor followed by suspended growth reactor. Enzymes produced in first promote granular formation

Presence of aerobic and anoxic zones inside granules can get N & P removals

Advantages:

◦ Lower energy needed

◦ Reduced footprint (75%)

◦ Lower cost (20% savings)

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Alternative to conventional nitrification/denitrification suspended growth systems developed at Delft University of Technology

Anammox bacteria convert ammonium ion and nitrite ion into nitrogen gas anaerobicallyNH4

+ +NO2- → N2 +2H2O

Sludge age must be low enough to wash out nitrobacter so nitrite not oxidized to nitrate. Anammox slow growers so need SRT > 20 days.

Less power required; less sludge; no external carbon needed; less CO2 emissions

18

See demonstration from Paques:

https://youtu.be/NJmOjJ87X68

Alum, Ferric

Waste Sludge

and Scum

MembranesAerobic

Lower DOAnoxic

An

ae

ro

bic

Effluent

Influent

Methanol

Maximum process/treatment

efficiency, nutrient removal, less

noise and odor, low cost, minimal

space requirements, low energy

consumption, low GHG emissions

and low residuals production.

Future facilities will offer

integrated processes to maximize

resource recovery and provide

end-products suitable for reuse

Innovative activated sludge processes

Biological fluidized bed reactors (moving Bed Bioreactors-MBBR)

aerobic/anoxic/anaerobic conditions

Nutrient Removal

Membranes

Anaerobic technologies (high rate fixed film, granular sludge bed reactors- UASB & hybirds)

Advanced Oxidation Technologies

Specialized resins and adsorption systems Improved targeting of specific pollutants/product recovery

opportunities

Pollutant “Reduction” Technologies

Industry Process Water

Sewage

Storm-water

Non Contact Cooling Effluent

Enabling Reuse Technologies

Biological TreatmentPathogen destruction

MembranesPhys/Chem Treatment

Advanced OxidationEvaporation/Crystallization

Uses

Residuals

•Energy recovery

•Nutrients mining

•Agriculture

•Construction Industry

•Agricultural Reuse

•Non-potable urban reuse

•District Cooling

•GW recharge

•Stream augmentation

•Cooling Tower makeup

•Fire fighting water

•Quench water

•Scrubbers

•Raw water supply

•Boiler Feed Water

•Product Water

•Green area irrigation

Waste disposal:

• Incineration

• Landfill

Discharge to Environment

Energy Chemicals

Our Changing View of Solids Management

Pathogen destruction

Stabilization

Eco friendly

Low odor potential

Low reactivation potential

Public

Acceptance!!!!!

“Public Acceptance will be the main obstacle to biosolids

disposal/use viability” – Water Environment Federation

Defined by: Heavy metals

Organics

Pathogens

Vector attraction

Stability◦ Pubic Health Issues (pathogen reduction/regrowth, vector

attraction, etc.)

◦ Odor

◦ Geostability

◦ Appearance

In the United States, the disinfected biosolids is defined as Class A and partially disinfected as ClassB.

The categories are broken up into three classifications:

1. Bacteria

2. Viruses

3. Parasites

Process Inactivation Concerns

Aerobic Digestion Time/Temp (Thermophilic)

O2 Transfer, Solids Content, Bioaerosols

Anaerobic Digestion By Products/Time/Temp (Thermophilic)

Solids Content, Odor, Bioaerosols, pH

Composting By Products/Time/Temp (Thermophilic)

Solids Content, Odor, Bioaerosols, pH

Alkaline Stabilization Ammonia/Time/Temp Solids Content, Odor, Aerosols, pH

Heat Drying Time/Temp(>80oC)

Explosions, Odor, Aerosols

Irradiation(Gamma, Beta)

>1 megarad Solids Content, Stabilization

Heavy Metals

Microconstituents (EDCs, Antibiotic Resistant Drugs, etc.)

Phosphorus Loadings

Controversy exist concerning issues related to risk assessment

Assessment in the U.S. is determined by a three tier approach

1. Tier I – Assumes that all the constituent analyzed in the soil, sediment, biosolids or slurry is released 100% to the environment. This is an conservative assessment.

2. Tier II – Assesses the potential of the adsorbed constituents to release under specific conditions to the aquatic environment (extraction testing).

3. Tier III - Assesses the potential biological impact of a constituent to bioaccumulate or effect the biota/organisms.

Disinfect/ stabilize

Short treatment time

Inexpensive

Easy maintenance

Consistent, viable, and marketable product

Competitive selling price

Commercial Fertilizers Activated Carbon Ion Exchange Resins Light Weight Aggregate Ag lime Agents Engineered Soils Biochar Biopolymers

Process Biosolids Products

Pyrolysis Treatment Activated Carbon, Biochar and Fuels

Thermal Treatment/Drying Fuel/Fertilizer/Turf Grass

Biological Anaerobic Digestion Biogas/Soil Amender/ Turf Grass

Thermal Hydrolysis Pretreatment Biogas/Soil Amender/Turf Grass

Aerobic Digestion Soil Amender/Turf Grass

Advanced Open Alkaline Stabilization

Aglime Agent/Engineered Soils

Advanced Closed Alkaline Stabilization

Aglime Agent/Turf Grass/Fertilizer/Engineered Soils

Acid Stabilization/Disinfection Soil Amender/Turf Grass

Modified Commercial Fertilizer Commercial Fertilizer

Dewatering- simplicity, enclosed units, enhanced performance

Nutrient harvesting

Odor elimination

Energy Optimization

Solids Minimization

Waste to Energy

Ethanol Production from Agricultural Wastes, Pulp and Paper Residuals and Municipal Solid Wastes

Biogas Production from Manures, Biosolids, Food Residuals and Pulp and Paper Wastes

Production of Fuels from Pyrolysis of Municipal Sludges, Manures, Agriculture Vegetative Wastes (Sugarcane Baggus) etc. and Industrial Organic Wastes

Biosolids’ Residuals Blended with Coals to enhance Combustion Efficiency and Emission Releases (N-

Viro Soil)

Value-Added ProductRelative Value based

on cost/dry ton

Activated Carbon 15

Organic Polymers 5

Biochar 4

Commercial Fertilizers 2.5

Turf Grass 2.2

Struvite/Ammonia Fertilizer 2

Synthetic Coal 1

Residual Fuel 0.6

Biogas 0.5

Low Grade Dried Fertilizer 0.7

Aglime Agent 0.4

Soil Amender 0.2

Light Weight Aggregate (Light Weight Cement) 0.2

Road Bed Material/Landfill Cover 0.1

Agricultural benefits enhanced by blending with manures, metal oxides, etc, for specific end-uses

Product quality needs will determine solids handling / liquid train processes

Incineration/thermal solidification methods feasible where volume reduction important and/or not suitable for agricultural use

Reduction in process / end-product variability

and enhanced quality control

Innovative/integrated technology development

Life-cycle analysis

Toxicity /reuse characterization / monitoring

Practical molecular biology ID /

Quantification

Ecotoxicity assessment evaluation/risk based approaches

Better residuals characterization methods

Value-added product development

Improved cost models / practices for assessing true economic benefit for sustainability.

Life-cycle analysis (BMP, materials used, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, odor, volume reduction, acceptability)

New / emerging environmental control technologies offer opportunity for progress

towards sustainability

Biotechnology development/application key to sustainable development

attainment

“Value-added” product ; innovative and integrated technologies - areas of

opportunity

Presentation offers point of reference based on collective experience

International cooperation and inter-disciplinary collaboration essential

Community education & outreach/participation; policy formulation/implementation

critical factors