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Putative metabolism of Ca. Accumulibacter via the utilization of glucose

Ziliani, Agustina (author), Bovio-Winkler, Patricia (author), Cabezas, Angela (author), Etchebehere, Claudia (author), Garcia, Hector A. (author), López-Vázquez, Carlos M. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Rubio-Rincón, Francisco J. (author)

Ca. Accumulibacter was the predominant microorganism (relative FISH bio-abundance of 67 ± 5%) in a lab-scale sequential batch reactor that accomplished enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) while using glucose and acetate as the carbon sources (1:1 COD-based ratio). Both organic compounds were completely anaerobically consumed. The...

journal article 2023

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Influence of the Sludge Retention Time on Membrane Fouling in an Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR) Treating Lipid-Rich Dairy Wastewater

Szabo Corbacho, M. (author), Pacheco-Ruiz, Santiago (author), Míguez, Diana (author), Hooijmans, Christine Maria (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), Garcia, Hector A. (author), van Lier, J.B. (author)

This study evaluated the effects of sludge retention time (SRT) on the membrane filtration performance of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) fed lipid-rich synthetic dairy wastewater. The membrane filtration performance was evaluated in two AnMBR systems operated at two different SRTs, i.e., 20 and 40 days. For the AnMBR operated at 40...

journal article 2022

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Evaluation of Business Models for Fecal Sludge Emptying and Transport in Informal Settlements of Kampala, Uganda

Singh, Shirish (author), Laker, Florence (author), Bateganya, Najib L. (author), Nkurunziza, Allan G. (author), Semiyaga, Swaib (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

Various business models for fecal sludge emptying and transport have been developed to address challenges and their advantages have been documented; however, their evaluation has not been investigated. This study developed an evaluation framework, which was tested in informal settlements in Kampala for sustainable business models of fecal...

journal article 2022

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Effects of the sludge physical-chemical properties on its microwave drying performance

Kocbek, E. (author), Garcia, H. (author), Hooijmans, Christine M. (author), Mijatović, Ivan (author), Kržišnik, Davor (author), Humar, Miha (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

Thermal drying is an effective sludge treatment method for dealing with large volumes of sludge. Microwave (MW) technology has been proposed as an effective and efficient technology for sludge drying. The physical-chemical properties of the sludge depend both on the origin of the sludge, as well as on the treatment process at which the sludge...

journal article 2022

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Public Perceptions of Reuse of Faecal Sludge Co-Compost in Bhubaneswar, India

Singh, Shirish (author), Ibrahim, Mohammed Ali (author), Pawar, Sumeet (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

Although faecal sludge (FS) co-compost contains vital nutrients, there are several barriers limiting adoption and reuse of FS co-compost in agriculture. This study in Bhubaneswar found that health risk and bad odour were the two topmost negative perceptions of FS co-compost reuse. The main factors influencing farmers’ negative perceptions of...

journal article 2022

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Application of Financial Flow Simulator (eSOSView™) for Analyzing Financial Viability and Developing a Sustainable Fecal Sludge Management Business Model in Kushtia, Bangladesh

Akbar Chinna Mohideen, Sheik Mohammed Shibl (author), Singh, Shirish (author), Chowdhury, Tanvir Ahamed (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

To achieve SDG 6.2.1 (a) on safely managed sanitation services, several financial flow models (FFMs) and business models for the sanitation value chain have been implemented in Bangladesh and elsewhere; however, there is limited research on financial viability and sustainability of business models. Bangladesh has attained 99% sanitation...

journal article 2022

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Novel semi-decentralised mobile system for the sanitization and dehydration of septic sludge: a pilot-scale evaluation in the Jordan Valley

Kocbek, E. (author), Garcia, H. (author), Hooijmans, Christine M. (author), Mijatović, Ivan (author), Al-Addous, Mohammad (author), Dalala, Zakariya (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

The provision of effective sanitation strategies has a significant impact on public health. However, the treatment of septic sludge still presents some challenges worldwide. Consequently, innovative technologies capable of an effective and efficient sludge treatment, mostly at a decentralized level, are in high demand to improve sanitation...

journal article 2021

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Effects of substrate stress and light intensity on enhanced biological phosphorus removal in a photo-activated sludge system

Mohamed, A. Y.A. (author), Welles, L. (author), Siggins, A. (author), Healy, M. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), Rada-Ariza, A. M. (author), Lopez-Vazquez, C. M. (author)

Photo-activated sludge (PAS) systems are an emerging wastewater treatment technology where microalgae provide oxygen to bacteria without the need for external aeration. There is limited knowledge on the optimal conditions for enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in systems containing a mixture of polyphosphate accumulating organisms ...

journal article 2021

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Unravelling the removal mechanisms of bacterial and viral surrogates in aerobic granular sludge systems

Barrios Hernandez, M.L. (author), Bettinelli, Carolina (author), Mora-Cabrera, Karen (author), Vanegas-Camero, Maria Clara (author), Garcia, H. (author), van de Vossenberg, Jack (author), Prats, Daniel (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author)

The aerobic granular sludge (AGS) process is an effective wastewater treatment technology for organic matter and nutrient removal that has been introduced in the market rapidly. Until now, limited information is available on AGS regarding the removal of bacterial and viral pathogenic organisms present in sewage. This study focussed on...

journal article 2021

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Exploring private sector engagement for faecal sludge emptying and transport business in khulna, bangladesh

Singh, Shirish (author), Gupta, Ankita (author), Alamgir, Muhammed (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

© 2021 by the authors. Submitted for possible open access. In Khulna, Bangladesh, mechanical faecal sludge (FS) emptying and transport (E&T) service is provided by community development committees (CDCs) and the Khulna City Corporation (KCC). Without considering capital expenditure and depreciation, financial analysis for one year revealed...

journal article 2021

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Use of near-infrared spectroscopy on predicting wastewater constituents to facilitate the operation of a membrane bioreactor

Kim, E. (author), Ćurko, Josip (author), Gajdoš Kljusurić, Jasenka (author), Matošić, Marin (author), Crnek, Vlado (author), López-Vázquez, Carlos M. (author), Garcia, H. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), Valinger, Davor (author)

The use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in wastewater treatment has continuously expanded. As an alternative to conventional analytical methods for monitoring constituents in wastewater treatment processes, the use of NIR spectroscopy is considered to be cost-effective and less time-consuming. NIR spectroscopy does not distort the...

journal article 2021

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Removal of bacterial and viral indicator organisms in full-scale aerobic granular sludge and conventional activated sludge systems

Barrios Hernandez, M.L. (author), Pronk, M. (author), Garcia, H. (author), Boersma, Arne (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Hooijmans, Christine M. (author)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the novel aerobic granular sludge (AGS) wastewater treatment technology in removing faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) compared to the conventional activated sludge (CAS) treatment system. The work was carried out at two full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in the Netherlands,...

journal article 2020

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Inactivation of indicator organisms on different surfaces after urban floods

Scoullos, I.M. (author), Adhikari, Sabita (author), Lopez Vazquez, Carlos M. (author), van de Vossenberg, Jack (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

The high frequency and intensity of urban floods caused by climate change, urbanisation and infrastructure failures increase public health risks when the flood water contaminated from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) or other sources of faecal contamination remains on urban surfaces. This study contributes to a better understanding of the...

journal article 2020

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Effect of the co-treatment of synthetic faecal sludge and wastewater in an aerobic granular sludge system

Barrios Hernandez, M.L. (author), Buenaño-Vargas, Claribel (author), Garcia, H. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Hooijmans, Christine M. (author)

The co-treatment of two synthetic faecal sludges (FS-1 and FS-2) with municipal synthetic wastewater (WW) was evaluated in an aerobic granular sludge (AGS) reactor. After characterisation, FS-1 showed the following concentrations, representative for medium-strength FS: 12,180 mg TSS L⁻¹, 24,300 mg total COD L⁻¹, 93.8 mg...

journal article 2020

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Microwave treatment of municipal sewage sludge: Evaluation of the drying performance and energy demand of a pilot-scale microwave drying system

Kocbek, E. (author), Garcia, H. (author), Hooijmans, Christine M. (author), Mijatović, Ivan (author), Lah, Branko (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

Sewage sludge management and treatment can represent up to approximately 30% of the overall operational costs of a wastewater treatment plant. Microwave (MW) drying has been recognized as a feasible technology for sludge treatment. However, MW drying systems exhibit high energy expenditures due to: (i) unnecessary heating of the cavity and...

journal article 2020

document

Effect of Artificial Solar Radiation on the Die-Off of Pathogen Indicator Organisms in Urban Floods

Scoullos, I.M. (author), Lopez Vazquez, C. M. (author), van de Vossenberg, J. (author), Hammond, M. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

In the last decade, flooding has caused the death of over 60,000 people and affected over 900 million people globally. This is expected to increase as a result of climate change, increased populations and urbanisation. Floods can cause infections due to the release of water-borne pathogenic microorganisms from surcharged combined sewers and...

journal article 2019

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Effect of Lactate on the Microbial Community and Process Performance of an EBPR System

Rubio Rincon, F.J. (author), Welles, L. (author), Lopez Vazquez, Carlos (author), Abbas, B.A. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis is in general presented as the dominant organism responsible for the biological removal of phosphorus in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants. Lab-scale enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) studies, usually use acetate as carbon source. However, the complexity of the carbon sources present in...

journal article 2019

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“Candidatus Accumulibacter delftensis”: A clade IC novel polyphosphate-accumulating organism without denitrifying activity on nitrate

Rubio Rincon, F.J. (author), Weissbrodt, D.G. (author), Lopez-Vazquez, C. M. (author), Welles, L. (author), Abbas, B.A. (author), Albertsen, M. (author), Nielsen, P. H. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

Populations of “Candidatus Accumulibacter”, a known polyphosphate-accumulating organism, within clade IC have been proposed to perform anoxic P-uptake activity in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) systems using nitrate as electron acceptor. However, no consensus has been reached on the ability of “Ca. Accumulibacter” members of...

journal article 2019

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Impact of solids retention time on the biological performance of an AnMBR treating lipid-rich synthetic dairy wastewater

Szabo Corbacho, M. (author), Pacheco-Ruiz, Santiago (author), Míguez, Diana (author), Hooijmans, Christine Maria (author), Garcia, H. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author), van Lier, J.B. (author)

In this study, the impact of applied solids retention time (SRT) on the biological performance of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treating synthetic dairy wastewater with high lipid content was assessed. Two side-stream AnMBR systems were operated at an SRT of 20 and 40 days (R20 and R40, respectively), equipped with an inside-out...

journal article 2019

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Effects of electron acceptors on sulphate reduction activity in activated sludge processes

Rubio-Rincón, Francisco (author), Lopez-Vazquez, Carlos (author), Welles, L. (author), van den Brand, Tessa (author), Abbas, B.A. (author), van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

The concentration of sulphate present in wastewater can vary from 10 to 500 mg SO₄ ²⁻/L. During anaerobic conditions, sulphate is reduced to sulphide by sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Sulphide generation is undesired in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Previous research indicated that SRB are inhibited by the...

journal article 2017