For many engineered nanoparticles, the primary pathway of release into the environment is via sewage and industrial wastewater discharges. In this work, the removal of uncoated ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) during simulated wastewater treatment processes and its impact on treatment performance were examined. Simulated primary clarification removed the majority (about 70%) of the dosed ZnO NPs. During simulated sequencing batch reactor (SBR) processes, ZnO NPs were completely removed in each cycle throughout the 11-day experimental duration (two cycles per day). Continuous input of ZnO NPs into the wastewater (at concentrations up to 5 mg L−1) did not reduce chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. NH4+-N removal was reduced at a dosing concentration of 5 mg L−1 ZnO NPs per cycle. Inhibition of respiration of nitrifying microorganisms by ZnO NPs corroborated the reduction of NH4+-N removal. These results indicate that if the wastewater is treated, the release of ZnO NPs into receiving water bodies would be minimal and ZnO NPs would mainly accumulate in biosolids. Uncoated ZnO NPs in wastewater at very high concentrations may have some adverse effects on activated sludge process.
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Research Article|
January 01 2013
Removal of ZnO nanoparticles in simulated wastewater treatment processes and its effects on COD and NH4+-N reduction
Linlin Hou;
Linlin Hou
1Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China E-mail: [email protected]
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Jing Xia;
Jing Xia
1Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China E-mail: [email protected]
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Kaiyang Li;
Kaiyang Li
1Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China E-mail: [email protected]
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Jian Chen;
Jian Chen
2Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China E-mail: [email protected]
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Xiaolei Wu;
Xiaolei Wu
2Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China E-mail: [email protected]
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Xiqing Li
1Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
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Water Sci Technol (2013) 67 (2): 254–260.
Article history
Received:
April 12 2012
Accepted:
July 27 2012
Citation
Linlin Hou, Jing Xia, Kaiyang Li, Jian Chen, Xiaolei Wu, Xiqing Li; Removal of ZnO nanoparticles in simulated wastewater treatment processes and its effects on COD and NH4+-N reduction. Water Sci Technol 1 January 2013; 67 (2): 254–260. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2012.530
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