Phosphorus Adsorption Media (PAM) is an emerging technology used to remove phosphorus from water and has the advantage of minimal operation and maintenance support when compared to biological and chemical treatments. Although the capacity of PAM has been researched, the understanding of important design parameters for PAM is lacking. Therefore, this study focused on determining critical design parameters for PAM, such as hydraulic loading, Empty Bed Contact Time (EBCT), and its impact on the media’s capacity. In addition, the regeneration potential of PAM and the mathematical model for predicting the exhaustion of PAM are discussed to provide a practice tool for designing PAM. The results indicate that hydraulic loadings do not show a strong effect on PAM performance, as there are no significant differences between hydraulic loadings of 0.05, 0.12, and 0.22 mL/min/cm2. This study also showed that the higher EBCT (190 min) has higher removal rates than the lower EBCT (60 and 90 min). This indicated that EBCT is a critical design parameter for PAM. Laboratory studies demonstrating the regeneration of exhausted media by washing with a caustic solution have been conducted, and a qualitative study showed that exhausted media can be used in hydroponics. Batch testing showed that over 99% of the sorbed phosphorus was eliminated after six cycles of the regeneration process.

The objective of this research was to develop an efficient method to compare approaches to convert biosolids from water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) to renewable energy. The emphasis was on collecting data to conduct a preliminary technoeconomic analyses to determine whether a site-specific strategy warranted further study. A case study using the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) WRRF examined four general strategies: (1) anaerobic digestion of biosolids, (2) anaerobic codigestion of biosolids and processed food waste, (3) pyrolysis of dried biosolids, and (4) anaerobic digestion of biosolids followed by pyrolysis. Biogas assays were conducted to evaluate biogas production potential to select the best feedstocks. Assays were also conducted to examine pretreatment using thermal hydrolysis, sonication, and enzyme addition. None were found to be advantageous. Pilot-scale digesters were operated to test the reactor stability of a high volume of cosubstrate and obtain the design data needed for the technoeconomic analysis. Pyrolysis data were obtained using dried, pelletized GLWA WRRF biosolids, which currently processes approximately 50% of the biosolids. The optimal pyrolysis temperature was identified as 340 degrees C by producing a differential thermogravimetry curve using a thermogravimetric analyzer. Elemental analyses were performed on each biochar sample to provide the data needed for energy modeling. Pyrolysis produced greater net energy, assuming the feedstock was already dry, but was less economical than anaerobic digestion due to its high annual operating expenses. If drying the biosolids was included in the energy analysis, then pyrolysis would be net energy negative for this case study. Integrated anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis achieved the highest energy efficiency at 69.7% but was less economically feasibility because of the highest annual operating cost. Anaerobic codigestion with the cosubstrate had a higher capital investment and operating cost than only digesting biosolids due to the larger digester. However, significantly more energy was produced, resulting in the lowest overall energy cost.

This literature review investigated the efficacy of both unmodified and modified biochars as an adsorbent for phosphorus (P) capture from waste streams. The review focused on critical design aspects including the maximum phosphate removal adsorption capacities, influence of pH, coexisting ions, and pyrolytic conditions on P adsorption. The adsorption mechanisms, including electrostatic interactions, ion exchange, and complexation, were elucidated to provide insights into the underlying processes. The review revealed that the maximum phosphate removal adsorption capacity was influenced by factors such as the biochar type, surface properties, pyrolytic conditions, and presence of hydroxyl (–OH), carboxyl (–COOH) functional groups. The pH of the solution was identified as a crucial parameter affecting the efficiency of phosphate adsorption. Coexisting ions, notably carbonate anions, exhibited negative impacts on the phosphate removal process. Furthermore, this review discusses the characterization techniques used to assess biochar properties and adsorption mechanisms. Challenges related to biochar scalability, regeneration, stability, and metal leaching are addressed. Moreover, this review explored agricultural applications of P-laden biochar and found P-enriched biochar holds promise as a slow-release fertilizer for soil enrichment. This review highlights the role of biochar in promoting sustainable P management by integrating its application in wastewater treatment and agricultural reuse.

Low-volume meat processing facilities often rely on decentralized wastewater treatment due to cost constraints and the lack of access to centralized treatment. Improved characterization of these facilities’ wastewater is crucial for meeting local groundwater discharge permits. This study also directly correlates treatment systems and facility characteristics to the results of the characterization. The total nitrogen (TN), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and phosphorus (P) reductions ranged from −15% to 83%, 43% to 95%, and −75% to 62%, respectively. Slaughtering and smoking were found to significantly increase nutrient concentrations. The average TN leaving the slaughterhouses and processing-only facilities was 519 mg/L-N and 154 mg/L-N, respectively. The average BOD produced by the slaughterhouses and processors was 3002 mg/L and 1660 mg/L, respectively. Filtration was found to reduce BOD, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and trace metals. Aeration in a treatment lagoon was found to significantly reduce BOD, COD, and N compounds. The results indicate that even simple decentralized wastewater treatment systems, combined with facility management practices, can substantially reduce permitted wastewater characteristics. The facility with the best BOD removal had an effluent value of 71.3 mg/L, representing a 96% reduction. The facility with the best TN removal had an effluent value of 20 mg/L, representing a 92% reduction prior to discharge.

An aerated greenhouse ecosystem, often referred to as a Living Machine®, is a technology for biological wastewater treatment within a greenhouse structure that uses plants with their roots submerged in the wastewater. This system has a small footprint relative to traditional onsite wastewater treatment systems and constructed wetland, can treat high-strength wastewater, and can provide a high level of treatment to allow for reuse for purposes such as irrigation, toilet flushing, and landscape irrigation. Synthetic and actual craft beverage wastewaters (wastewater from wineries, breweries, and cideries) were examined for their treatability in bench-scale greenhouse ecosystems. The tested wastewater was high strength with chemical oxygen demands (COD) concentrations of 1120 to 15,000 mg/L, total nitrogen (TN) concentrations of 3 to 45 mg/L, and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations of 2.3 to 90 mg/L. The COD, TN, and TP concentrations after treatment ranged from below 125 to 560 mg/L, 1.5 to 15 mg/L, and below 0.25 to 7.8 mg/L, respectively. The results confirm the ability of the aerated greenhouse ecosystem to be a viable treatment system for craft beverage wastewater and it is estimated to require 54 and 26% lower hydraulic retention time than an aerobic lagoon and a low temperature, constructed wetland, respectively, the types of systems that would likely be used for this type of wastewater for onsite locations.

Wastewater produced during the wine-making process often contains an order of magnitude greater chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration than is typical of domestic wastewater. This waste stream is also highly variable in flow and composition due to the seasonality of wine-making. The recent growth of small-scale wineries in cold climates and increasing regulations present a need for low-cost, easily-operable treatment systems that do not require large amounts of land, yet maintain a high level of treatment in cool temperatures. This research investigates the use of a subsurface vertical flow constructed wetland (SVFCW) to treat winery wastewater. In this study, clinoptilolite, tire chips, and a nano-enhanced iron foam were used to enhance bench-scale gravel cells to adsorb ammonia, nitrate, and phosphorus, respectively. The treatment systems, without nitrogen adsorption media, performed well, with >99% removal of COD and 94% removal of total nitrogen. Treatment systems with the nitrogen adsorption media did not enhance nitrogen removal. Equilibrium was reached within two weeks of start-up, regardless of prior inoculation, which suggests that microbes present in the winery wastewater are sufficient for the start-up of the wastewater treatment system; therefore, the seasonality of winery wastewater production will not substantially impact treatment. Operating the treatment systems under cool temperatures did not significantly impact COD or total nitrogen removal. Further, the use of nano-enhanced iron foam exhibited 99.8% removal of phosphorus, which resulted in effluent concentrations that were below 0.102 mg/L P.

Phosphorus (P) is a valuable, nonrenewable resource in agriculture promoting crop growth. P losses through surface runoff and subsurface drainage discharge beneath the root zone is a loss of investment. P entering surface water contributes to eutrophication of freshwater environments, impacting tourism, human health, environmental safety, and property values. Soluble P (SP) from subsurface drainage is nearly all bioavailable and is a significant contributor to freshwater eutrophication. The research objective was to select phosphorus sorbing media (PSM) best suited for removing SP from subsurface drainage discharge. From the preliminary research and literature, PSM with this potential were steel furnace slag (SFS) and a nano-engineered media (NEM). The PSM were evaluated using typical subsurface drainage P concentrations in column experiments, then with an economic analysis for a study site in Michigan. Both the SFS and generalized NEM (GNEM) removed soluble reactive phosphorus from 0.50 to below 0.05 mg/L in laboratory column experiments. The most cost-effective option from the study site was the use of the SFS, then disposing it each year, costing $906/hectare/year for the case study. GNEM that was regenerated onsite had a very similar cost. The most expensive option was the use of GNEM to remove P, including regeneration at the manufacturer, costing $1641/hectare/year. This study suggests that both SFS and NEM are both suited for treating drainage discharge. The use of SFS was more economical for the study site, but each site needs to be individually considered.

Land application of domestic and food processing wastewater is used due to its low cost, energy use, and maintenance. Design procedures are generally based on empirical relationships that may not account for critical site and waste-specific conditions. A mathematical model was utilized to simulate the complexity of wastewater land application. Multiple scenarios were run to determine system performance as measured by chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the nitrification/denitrification process. The modeling results showed that COD and nitrification occurred within the first 15.4cm of a sandy loam soil. Increasing the dosing frequency slightly reduced the COD effluent concentration. Complete denitrification does not occur in a typical land application wastewater treatment system. In a domestic wastewater land application system, up to 32% of nitrate can be removed by increasing the dosing frequency and providing more organic carbon. In a food processing wastewater land application system, up to 56% of nitrate can be removed by increasing the dosing frequency and hydraulic and organic loadings. HYDRUS CW2D modeling is a valuable design tool to simulate multiple operation strategies and predict carbon degradation, nitrification, and denitrification. The model result can provide operational strategies to maximize the treatment while minimizing environmental impacts.

Pythium species incite crown and root rot and can be highly destructive to floriculture crops in greenhouses, especially when irrigation water is recycled. This study assessed the performance of rapid filtration of recycled irrigation water for controlling pythium root rot of poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) in greenhouses. Two greenhouse experiments investigated the effect of filter media type (sand and activated carbon), fungicide application (etridiazole), and pathogen inoculum source (infested growing media and infested irrigation water). Rapid sand filtration consistently controlled pythium root rot of poinsettia. Significant improvements in height, weight, root rot severity, and horticultural quality were observed for the plants in the sand filter treatment, compared with the inoculated control plants. However, the activated carbon filter removed essential nutrients from the irrigation water, resulting in plant nutrient deficiency and consequently leaf chlorosis, thus reducing plant weight, height, and horticultural quality. The etridiazole application did not completely prevent root infection by Pythium aphanidermatum, but plant weight, height, and horticultural quality were not negatively affected. P. aphanidermatum spread from infested growing media to healthy plants when irrigation water was recycled without filtration. Rapid sand filtration appears to have the potential to limit the spread of P. aphanidermatum that causes root rot of greenhouse floriculture crops.

Biomass co-firing has the potential to be a low-cost source of renewable energy that can utilize the existing infrastructure of coal-fired power plants, while reducing the overall environmental impact. Though there are technical barriers to the development of co-firing operations, including the lower calorific value and higher chlorine content of the biomass compared to coal, several systems have shown the ability to do so successfully. Applying the lessons learned from such systems to site-specific conditions in a systematic way could greatly benefit the industry. This study uses aggregated information regarding various combustion technologies, pre-treatment technologies, and available biomass feedstocks to generate a decision support tool for energy providers that will help identify economic, environmental, and social impacts of developing site-specific biomass co-firing projects at existing coal-fired power plants. The tool was verified using an existing case study and demonstrated for an existing power plant, which also served to provide general observations for similar situations. For the area studied, co-firing using 5% biomass substitution over a 20 year project life was found to be an economical option for renewable energy generation and reduced emissions. The expense of raw biomass had the largest impact on the life-cycle project cost. Torrefied pellets had the highest plant-gate cost, as compared to dried and pelleted biomass. However, the biomass pretreatment method was highly sensitive to the substitution amount and project life.

Intermittent production and high concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonia, and soluble phosphorus (SP) make winery wastewater challenging for on-site treatment. Currently, many Michigan wineries use land application for wastewater management, but new regulatory recommendations require more land so a compact alternative is desirable to prevent the loss of vineyard space to wastewater treatment area. To reduce treatment area, this study investigated the use of gravel bed vertical flow constructed wetlands (GBVFCWs) in removing high concentrations of BOD, nitrogen, and SP from winery wastewater. The investigated GBVFCWs consist of three subsurface gravel cells connected in series that utilize aerobic and anoxic conditions to promote biological degradation. The addition of SP adsorption media removes high SP concentrations from the effluent wastewater. In this study, a bench-scale GBVFCW exhibited rapid performance when inoculated with secondary effluent from a domestic wastewater treatment facility prior to winery wastewater flow. At 68°F and at various loading frequencies, the GBVFCW removed an average of 99% COD (used as a proxy for BOD), 62% nitrate, 94% total nitrogen, and ammonia to levels below detection limits. Nearly all treatment occurred within the first cell, indicating that aerobic and anoxic environments were present within the cell. The SP adsorption media, PO4Sponge by MetaMateria (Columbus, OH), removed 99.8% of total phosphorus from the effluent wastewater. Additionally, results indicate that performance of the system is not impacted at a reduced temperature of 50°F. A HYDRUS Constructed Wetland 2D model is being evaluated for its potential use in this application. Based on this research, GBVFCWs are a compact and effective option for winery wastewater treatment. INTRODUCTION In 2018, there were nearly 150 wineries that produced more than 2.7 million gallons of wine in Michigan, resulting in this industry being the fifth largest in the United States (Michigan, 2019). Further, Michigan wineries are popular tourist destinations with more than 1.7 million visitors each year (Michigan, 2019). More than 7 gallons of wastewater is produced to make 1 gallon of wine (Turner, 2010). The characteristics of this wastewater can vary greatly, as shown by data from five Michigan wineries in Table 1. Because this wastewater is considered high strength and most Michigan wineries are on small plots of land, traditional onsite wastewater treatment may be difficult to fit on the site. Meeting the recently established Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) maximum loading rate of 50 lb BOD/acre/day requires a significant amount of land that may reduce area available for vineyards and negatively impact winery profitability. Alternatives have been examined but the periodic nature of wine production and the likelihood of substantial 1 Michigan State University, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, East Lansing, MI 48824

Use of glycerin and CaCl2 to reduce the freezing point and improve quality of bulk stored fermented cucumbers brined without NaCl, was explored. The incidence of pre-freezing injury on the fruits, caused by deposition in tanks containing cushion brine prepared with 2.5% CaCl2, was excluded by determining the liquid and fruits densities and buoyancy force. The NaCl-free cover brine thermal properties and freezing point, and the frozen fruits water loss were determined to estimate freezing damage. Cover brines supplemented with 14.5% glycerin, 18% CaCl2, or 14% glycerin and 5% CaCl2 were needed to match the freezing point of the 6% NaCl cover brine, typically used for fermentation. Thermal properties of the NaCl-free cover brine were insignificantly affected by temperature or composition. Water loss was the main freezing injury in brined cucumbers. Supplementation of CaCl2 and/or glycerin in fermentation cover brines helped minimize fermented cucumbers water loss associated with freezing. Practical applicationsThis study presents an assessment of brine composition that can prolong processed pickle quality and bulk storage at temperatures below zero. Fermented cucumbers stored in cover brine containing 14.5vol % glycerin, 18wt % CaCl2, or 14vol % glycerin and 5wt % CaCl2 have a reduced freezing point, which theoretically extends the window for acceptable product quality. The use of 14% glycerin above the cover boards to reduce the freezing point and, consequently, ice formation on the surface of the open-top tanks is to enable the removal of fermented fruits during winter with minimal tissue injury.

A constructed wetland south of the Michigan State University campus has been monitored to document its effectiveness at reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon loads. The wetland is adjacent to an 8.7-hectare parking lot and was designed to receive that runoff, which is detained in a settling pond before entering the wetland. Other small parking lots discharge runoff directly into the wetland via a culvert. Wetland influent and effluent water samples were collected after eight rain events, and concentrations of nitrate, total phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were measured. Effluent nutrient concentrations were greater than the influent, necessitating a closer examination of the wetland. A flow balance was completed to discover there were three inputs and a single outlet pipe. Each input was delineated to determine its drainage area and land use type, which allowed for discharge calculations at each point. Samples were collected from each input and the output for five storm events, and the concentrations and discharges were combined to generate a nutrient loading. Overall, the wetland appeared to be generating nutrients as opposed to removing. Potential reasons were: input water relatively void of nutrients, particularly nitrogen and carbon; vegetation and organismal overgrowth; or sampling error. Although the wetland does not remove nutrients as expected, it still maintains its value for flood attenuation. The University should should maintain its stormwater management practices and invest in prescribed burns of invasive species, as well as conduct future monitoring on the wetland‘s water storage capacity and removal of metals, oil, and grease from stormwater.

Michigan is one Great Lakes state that does not have state-level mandate regarding winter manure application that goes beyond the directives of the EPA. Due to the recent toxic algal blooms, including the one that impacted residential water supplies in Toledo, Ohio, a number of environmental and civic groups have responded with increased calls to eliminate winter spreading of manure in Michigan. Policy makers in surrounding states have targeted winter manure applications, suggesting that Michigan policy makers do likewise. This paper presents findings of a survey of Michigan livestock producers on the management practices and capacities of manure management. The survey estimates the share of swine, beef cattle, and dairy producers without sufficient storage capacity should Michigan impose a ban on winter manure applications. Industry-wide capital costs were estimated for meeting such a restriction. The findings show that only 51 percent of operations with solid manure storage have sufficient capacity to meet 180 days of storage and only 37 percent for liquid storage. A sizable share indicated alternative strategies should restrictions be placed on winter applications, including reducing herd size, or shuttering operations. Responses differ by commodity. Assuming a 20-year life of capital investment, such a ban would likely result in an annualized cost of $30 million per year for Michigan‘s small livestock producers.

The United States produces significant quantities of waste biomass from wastewater treatment, food production, food services, and landscape and wood debris. This waste contains essential resources, including water, carbon, and nutrients. Conversion of carbon to energy and recovery of nutrients and water have the potential to reduce the use of scarce resources, protect the environment, and save funds. Several established, demonstrated technologies that convert wastes to resources are available and are reviewed in this paper. Included are anaerobic digestion, direct combustion, biodiesel production, ethanol production, and particulate phosphorus and organic nitrogen separation using ultrafiltration, ammonia stripping, and reverse osmosis. Thermochemical technologies include pyrolysis, torrefaction, and gasification. Unlike solar, wind, hydrological (dams and pumped storage), and closed-loop geothermal renewable energy technologies, the transportation of biomass can be energy intensive. Therefore, a holistic evaluation of complexity, costs, and benefits of converting wastes to resources is mandatory to ensure a net-positive energy value and environmental protection. Several tools described in this paper are available to aid stakeholders when considering biomass waste-to-resource projects. Many of these tools have long been in practice and have been extensively covered in technical and popular literature. As interest in renewable energy resources increases, new tools are being developed to address the challenges posed by biomass projects. This paper discusses tools that combine waste biomass inventories with a geographic information system mapping platform and cost-benefit analysis that return environmental, economic, and financial assessments of selected feedstocks that can be used in planning, siting, and financing a biomass-to-energy project. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Drainage practices that enable surface and subsurface agricultural water management to increase crop productivity may increase the transport of nutrients to receiving waters. Residual phosphorus and nitrogen can leach from the soil profile by subsurface water movement and be carried into surface water through tiles. This research examined nutrient removal from agricultural drainage water using microbial nitrification/denitrification and phosphorus sorption. To simulate agricultural drainage water, 208 L drums were filled with a loamy soil, slurry manure was applied to the surface, water was added to simulate rainfall, and effluent, was collected from the bottom of the drums. The treatment columns for phosphorus sorption consisted of two 2.54 cm diameter PVC columns containing porous ceramic media nano coated with iron formed into a monolith, manufactured by MetaMateria Technologies, LLC, Columbus, Ohio. The denitrification columns were 5.1 cm diameter PVC buckets containing loosely packed porous ceramic media (manufactured from MetaMateria) crushed to have a diameter of roughly 1 cm. Results showed that the phosphorus media effectively removed phosphorus from simulated tile drain water from 0.12 mg/L-P to undetectable levels. Initially, denitrification did not occur and was not encouraged by the additional of a microbial inoculum. However, once ethanol was added to increase the carbon to nitrogen ratio, treatment was very effective. The nitrate was reduced from 83 mg/L-N to 0.6 mg/L-N.

When a fast-food restaurant's wastewater containing fats, oil and grease (FOG) is discharged into a collection system, it builds up over time and clogs pipes. Similarly, when such wastewater flows into a septic soil treatment system, it adheres to the surface of inlet pipes, gravel/distribution media and soil, restricting the flow and eventually clogging the septic soil treatment system. In this study, an enzymatic pretreatment system was tested on wastewater from a fast-food restaurant to determine its effectiveness in preventing septic soil treatment system clogging. This system used aeration equipment, baffles and a one-time inoculum that excretes enzymes to reduce the molecular weight and number of double bonds associated with FOG. FOG containing triglycerides having lower molecular weights and fewer double bonds are less sticky. The enzymatic pretreatment system was found to cause these changes as verified by measuring the types of triglycerides (compounds in FOG) using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. A unique bench-scale septic soil treatment system (soil trench) was also used. Each contained six soil moisture sensors to enable the determination of moisture saturation trends among the five tested conditions: sanitary wastewater only, a combination of sanitary and kitchen wastewater, enzymatically pretreated sanitary and kitchen wastewater, kitchen wastewater, and enzymatically pretreated kitchen wastewater. For all influent types, a significant amount of FOG and other pollutants were removed, regardless of the initial concentrations. Moisture sensor readings showed differences among the tested conditions, indicating that septic soil treatment system clogging was delayed. Inspection of the influent pipe and gravel at the end of testing verified these differences as did the measurements of volatile solids.

As animal manure is primarily disposed of on cropland and used as a beneficial soil amendment, the time available for disposal is limited by periods of crop growth as well as climate and soil conditions. Winter has historically been a convenient time for farmers to apply manure as the fields lay fallow and equipment can safely drive on frozen soil without fear of compacting soil or bogging down. However, it is widely recognized that applying manure to hard packed surfaces (such as frozen ground) can increase the risk for bulk runoff of manure as well as the nutrients and pathogens contained within, particularly during periods of high runoff such as spring thaw. At its heart, this is a risk management issue that needs detailed investigation of risk factors in order to assess potential dangers. The urgency for new science concerning winter manure application is increasing because of the potential links to an observed increase of cyanobacteria in the Great Lakes and other vulnerable water bodies. In order to address these issues under controlled conditions, a suite of laboratory studies investigating several parameters key to quantifying the fate associated with winter manure application events are underway, including Runoff relation to snow pack at thaw events for winter/fall manured soils, runoff relation to soil moisture content prior to thaw events for winter/fall manured soils, the effect of macropores, associated with no till management strategies, on nutrient movement during freeze-thaw events for winter/fall manured soils and nutrient movement at the root zone of cover crops under multiple freeze/thaw cycles for fall manured soils.