Environmental TechnologyPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-02-16DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2025.2464981
Yupeng Hu, Qi Li, Cong Li
{"title":"Effects of nitrogen phosphorus ratio and light on phosphorus removal by microalgae in high-phosphorus wastewater.","authors":"Yupeng Hu, Qi Li, Cong Li","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464981","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464981","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The removal of phosphorus from wastewater has consistently posed a major focus in the field of wastewater treatment. Microalgae-based phosphorus removal is widely acknowledged as an effective biological approach. However, ensuring the microalgae-mediated high phosphorus concentration removal remains a persistent challenge. In this study, a kind of multicellular microalgae, <i>Klebsormidium</i> sp., was used to explore its ability to remove phosphorus in high-phosphorus wastewater. The phosphorus removal rate by <i>Klebsormidium</i> sp. in highly concentrated (>20 mgP/L) wastewater can exceed 90%. To investigate the phosphorus absorption process, various nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations along with light conditions were employed. The results showed that 50% to 80% of the total phosphorus absorbed by microalgae entered the intracellular polymer. The phosphorus concentration and light intensity did not exert any significant effects on the absorption of phosphorus by microalgae. However, the nitrogen concentration and the light-to-dark ratio significantly influenced the storage of phosphorus by microalgae. At a nitrogen concentration over 300 mgN/L, phosphorus absorption by microalgae was inhibited. A higher light-to-dark ratio increased phosphorus transfer by microalgae, while the light duration exceeds 16 h inhibited it. Microalgae have emerged as promising materials for phosphorus removal in high-phosphorus sewage, the study offering potential solutions for a cleaner and more sustainable future.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"3454-3466"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143432514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Environmental TechnologyPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-03-04DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2025.2464266
Keith Dayane Leite Lira, Bianca Barna Fernandes, Lidiane Maria Dos Santos Lima, Giovanna Dos Santos Matos Paiva, Lhaís Araujo Caldas, Jackson Monteiro, Ana Clara Lima Nunes Silva, Patricia Sartorelli, Lívia Soman de Medeiros, Leandro Augusto Calixto, Luiz Sidney Longo Junior, Suzan Pantaroto de Vasconcellos
{"title":"Coffee husk valorization through choline chloride/lactic acid (1:10) green catalyst extraction for lignin monomers recovery.","authors":"Keith Dayane Leite Lira, Bianca Barna Fernandes, Lidiane Maria Dos Santos Lima, Giovanna Dos Santos Matos Paiva, Lhaís Araujo Caldas, Jackson Monteiro, Ana Clara Lima Nunes Silva, Patricia Sartorelli, Lívia Soman de Medeiros, Leandro Augusto Calixto, Luiz Sidney Longo Junior, Suzan Pantaroto de Vasconcellos","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464266","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464266","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The processing of coffee consists on the separation of the grains from other parts of the fruit, then roasted and extracted to obtain the beverage that is so appreciated worldwide. Several studies have dedicated efforts to treat the residue from coffee processing, while recovering lignols of industrial interest. Given this scenario, the nutrients in the coffee husk can enhance microbial growth, providing optimal conditions for the microorganisms to produce metabolites that may have medicinal properties. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are a class of solvents and/or catalysts designed on demand for specific uses, being used to enhance extraction processes of coffee husk. Our present study was successful establishing conditions where the coffee husk enhanced the growth of microorganisms from two Brazilian biomes, the endophytic fungus from Cerrado and the actinomycete, from Atlantic Rainforest in Boraceia, São Paulo. The DES composed by ChCl/LA (1:10) was selected as cosolvent for the extraction, while it also optimized microbial cultivation conditions. Coffee husk was an excellent supplement for culture media, once the fungus FE316 produced Fumiquinazoline A, Tripprostatin B and Pseurotin A, while the actinomycete AC154 produced Trichorozin-IV as metabolites only expressed when in addition to the coffee husk. UHPLC-MS/MS analysis enabled the annotation of lignin monomer compounds, such as alkaloids, phenylpropanoids and terpenoids present in the coffee husk, more specifically, caffeic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, chlorogenic acid and coniferyl aldehyde, underscoring the value of this biomass.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"3374-3390"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143556316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Environmental TechnologyPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-02-16DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2025.2462795
Ye Jia, Lingxue Kong, Tengdi Zhang, Yuping Wang, Anmin Liu, Liguo Gao, Tingli Ma
{"title":"Portable water collection bag based on solar-driven interfacial evaporation.","authors":"Ye Jia, Lingxue Kong, Tengdi Zhang, Yuping Wang, Anmin Liu, Liguo Gao, Tingli Ma","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2462795","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2462795","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Convenient and portable, sustained provision of safe drinking water is crucial for wilderness survival. In this study, a portable water collection bag utilising solar-driven interface evaporation technology has been developed. The water collection bag includes a plastic film, CB-PS microsphere evaporator, and a small vial. By placing on the water surface, the CB-PS microspheres float and absorb sunlight to quickly evaporate the surrounding water. The plastic film and vial make it easy and fast to collect clean and safe drinking water. The device boasts an impressive evaporation rate of 1.64 kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹ under 1 sun illumination. Moreover, the portable water collection bag can withstand harsh acidic and alkaline conditions, efficiently removing organic contaminants from wilderness water sources to meet drinking water standards. Importantly, it is designed for repeated use without any water evaporation rate decreasing. The portable water collection bag also exhibits strong resistance to salt, making it suitable for applications in desalinating seawater into freshwater.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"3300-3307"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143432536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Environmental TechnologyPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-02-11DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2025.2463036
Rafael Gomes da Mota Gonçalves, Maura Santos Reis de Andrade da Silva, Marcos Gervasio Pereira, Heraldo Namorato de Souza, Everaldo Zonta
{"title":"Use of offshore oil waste and sewage sludge in the production of organomineral fertilizers.","authors":"Rafael Gomes da Mota Gonçalves, Maura Santos Reis de Andrade da Silva, Marcos Gervasio Pereira, Heraldo Namorato de Souza, Everaldo Zonta","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2463036","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2463036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Large amounts of waste, such as those generated during offshore well drilling and sewage treatment, pose environmental challenges due to risks to human health and soil contamination when improperly disposed of. The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using cuttings and sewage sludge together to produce an organomineral fertilizer (OMF). The effects on soil quality, waste and fertilizer properties, as well as the agronomic efficiency of the OMF in corn plants were evaluated. The results indicated that the gravel particle size (<0.25 mm) favours mineral dissolution and nutrient release, while the levels of heavy metals and microbiological parameters confirm the environmental safety of the product. The OMF presented physical, chemical and microbiological properties suitable for agricultural use, meeting regulatory standards. The OMF demonstrated agronomic efficiency comparable to conventional fertilizers, standing out as a sustainable alternative for agriculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"3331-3347"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143398768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Environmental TechnologyPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-02-22DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2025.2463035
Jean-Claude Bollinger, François Bordas, Eva Martinková, Jana Jaklová Dytrtová, Michael Komárek
{"title":"Comments and discussion concerning 'Sorption behavior of tebuconazole on microplastics: kinetics, isotherms and influencing factors' [Environ Technol. 2023;44:3937-3948].","authors":"Jean-Claude Bollinger, François Bordas, Eva Martinková, Jana Jaklová Dytrtová, Michael Komárek","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2463035","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2463035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The widespread use of synthetic polymers since the mid-twentieth century has led to significant environmental pollution from microplastics (MPs). These MPs, which persist in ecosystems, can interact with various pollutants, including pesticides such as tebuconazole (TEB). The subject paper investigates the sorption behaviour of TEB on different types of MPs (polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyamide-6), focusing on the kinetics and isotherms of these interactions. The role of metal cations (Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) in influencing TEB sorption is also investigated. Our findings highlight critical flaws that invalidate the original article, mainly in the interpretation of TEB physicochemical properties, such as pK<sub>a</sub> and speciation, and the importance of considering metal ion complexation in environmental risk assessment. The sorption models used by the original authors, although widely used, are questioned for their accuracy in representing real-world scenarios.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"3320-3330"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Environmental TechnologyPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-02-22DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2025.2464267
Akshay Verma, Gaurav Sharma, Tongtong Wang, Amit Kumar, Pooja Dhiman, Yaksha Verma, Aishwarya Bhaskaralingam, Alberto García-Penas
{"title":"Graphene oxide/chitosan hydrogels for removal of antibiotics.","authors":"Akshay Verma, Gaurav Sharma, Tongtong Wang, Amit Kumar, Pooja Dhiman, Yaksha Verma, Aishwarya Bhaskaralingam, Alberto García-Penas","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464267","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464267","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antibiotic contamination in aquatic environments is a growing concern, posing risks to public health and ecosystems. To address this issue, advanced materials like graphene oxide (GO) and chitosan-based hydrogels are being extensively explored for their ability to effectively remove antibiotics from wastewater, owing to their distinct characteristics and synergistic benefits. This review comprehensively examines the synthesis, characterization, and applications of GO/chitosan hydrogels in addressing antibiotic pollution. The synthesis methods, including solution casting, crosslinking, and <i>in situ</i> polymerization, are discussed for their simplicity and scalability. The hydrogels' key properties, such as porosity, surface area, and mechanical strength, are essential for their efficient adsorption capabilities. Adsorption mechanisms, including electrostatic interactions, π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and surface functional groups, enable these hydrogels to achieve high adsorption capacities. Notable examples include rGO@ZIF-67@CS hydrogels, which achieved higher adsorption capacities of 1685.26 mg·g<sup>-1</sup> for tetracycline at pH 4 and 1890.32 mg·g<sup>-1</sup> for norfloxacin at pH 5, while the sulfonated CMC/GO-GCC composite hydrogel achieved 312.28 mg·g<sup>-1</sup> for sulfamethoxazole at 298 K. Moreover, high adsorption efficiencies of 90.42% with GO-CTS and 97.06% were achieved using AGO-CTS hydrogel for diclofenac adsorption. The review also highlights the practical applications of these hydrogels in wastewater treatment, comparing their performance with other adsorbents and addressing challenges such as scalability and regeneration. Finally, the review explores future research directions to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of GO/chitosan hydrogels, emphasizing their potential as scalable, eco-friendly solutions for antibiotic removal from water.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"3391-3421"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Environmental TechnologyPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-02-11DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2025.2460839
Ruiqi Xie, Honglei Yang, Xuan Qiu, Weilin Guo
{"title":"FeOOH-CoFe layered double hydroxide carbon felt cathode for the electro-Fenton degradation of oxytetracycline in aqueous solution.","authors":"Ruiqi Xie, Honglei Yang, Xuan Qiu, Weilin Guo","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2460839","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2460839","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heterogeneous electro-Fenton is one of green and promising technologies for removing organic pollutants. In this paper, the FeOOH-CoFe layered double hydroxide carbon felt (LDH/CF) was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method for an efficient degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC). The structural morphology and elemental composition of the composite electrode were studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Then, the electrocatalytic activity of the composite electrode was analysed through electrochemical characterization such as cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The removal rate of 20 mg/L OTC reached about 91.6% at pH = 3, with a current density of 6.67 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> within 60 minute in the hydrophobic FeOOH-CoFe LDH/CF + PTFE system. Moreover, the catalytic electrode exhibited impressive degradation efficiency over a wide pH range. According to quenching experiments, the principal reactive oxygen species (·O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>, ·OH, and <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) involved in the degradation of OTC was identified. Based on this discovery, the possible mechanism for the degradation of OTC was also proposed. In addition, the cyclic experiment demonstrated relatively excellent stability of the hydrophobic FeOOH-CoFe LDH/CF + PTFE electrode, which provided the possibility for the practical application of the electrode.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"3271-3283"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143398762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Efficiency and mechanism of three different additives in enhancing vermicomposting of dewatered sludge.","authors":"Mengqin Luo, Lingjiao Zhu, Chengpeng Huang, Yichuan Liang, Linzhu Li, Zhao Lang, Zhongji Wang, Xiaoqiang Gong","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464982","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2464982","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to investigate the effects of garden waste (GW), spent mushroom substrate (SMS), and bamboo residue (BR) as additives on dewatered sludge vermicomposting. The changes in physicochemical parameters, earthworm activities, and microbial communities were detected during the vermicomposting process. Results revealed that GW, SMS, and BR significantly enhanced the vermicomposting process by accelerating organic matter (OM) degradation, humus (HS) formation, and maturity degree. In different additive treatments, the OM degradation rate was enhanced by 60.70-226.05%, and the increase rates of TN, TP and HS were enhanced by 65.94-155.61%, 77.16-121.13%, and 91.37-205.33% as compared to CK. The GI value in all additive treatments increased by 23.07-41.34% compared with that in CK. GW, SMS, or BR addition also significantly reduced the content of Cu (16.87-33.99%), Zn (19.29-32.51%), Cr (18.34-39.98%), and Pb (22.62-37.83%) in vermicomposts compared with CK. Data showed that GW, SMS, and BR addition significantly enhanced the survival rate (54.55-72.73%) and growth and reproduction of earthworms compared with CK. The process of vermicomposting primarily relies on microbial activities and interactions between microorganisms and earthworms. The composition and succession of microbial communities are closely related to the quality of the vermicompost. Adding GW, SMS, or BR enhanced the richness and diversity of bacterial communities during the vermicomposting process. The additives remarkably stimulated beneficial bacteria, such as <i>Dokdonella</i> and <i>Luteimonas</i>, which were closely related to OM decomposition. The dewatered sludge in combination with GW, SMS, or BR can be successfully vermiconversion into useful vermicompost employing earthworms.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":"46 17","pages":"3467-3480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144474422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effective removal of water-soluble azo dyes by cubic MgO micromotors.","authors":"Yanxia Nan, Bozhi Kang, Xiaole Mei, Qi Zhang, Wenjie Zhao","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2521042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2025.2521042","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As one of the main dyes in the textile industry, azo dyes have a serious impact on the ecological environment and health through their wastewater discharge. It has become crucial to develop effective methods for removing these substances. Currently, research on micro-nano technology is underway to develop new micro-nano systems and materials that can rapidly and effectively remove pollutants and heavy metals from water. This study reported the successful preparation of cubic magnesium oxide (MgO) micromotors dynamic nanomaterials through chemical deposition-hydrothermal-ion sputtering and explored the adsorption performance and mechanism of MgO micromotors on methyl orange (MO) azo dye. The surface morphology, composition and motion trajectory of nanomaterials were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), BET automatic specific surface area and pore size analyser, X-ray diffraction (XRD), upright optical microscopy and NIS-Elements software. The MgO micromotors exhibit a mean square displacement of 4.599 μm<sup>2</sup> and an average velocity of 3.87 ± 0.54 μm/s in a 6% H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> solution, demonstrating their self-propulsion ability in static water. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity of MgO micromotors for MO is significantly enhanced with increasing H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> concentration, reaching a removal rate as high as 97.46% at a 6% H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> concentration. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed that a strong chemical bond (coordinate bond) was formed between the negatively charged anionic azo dye MO and the MgO micromotors which could be hydrolysed to produce easily dissociated magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)<sub>2</sub>) in aqueous solution, resulting in enhanced adsorption properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alvaro Javier Esteban Villota Mora, Yeimy Ordoñez Muñoz, Eduardo Borges Lied, Vsevolod Mymrin, Karina Querne de Carvalho, Fernando Hermes Passig
{"title":"Influence of support medium height on the optimization of performance of an Upflow Anaerobic Hybrid Reactor (UAHB) treating synthetic wastewater.","authors":"Alvaro Javier Esteban Villota Mora, Yeimy Ordoñez Muñoz, Eduardo Borges Lied, Vsevolod Mymrin, Karina Querne de Carvalho, Fernando Hermes Passig","doi":"10.1080/09593330.2025.2519960","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2025.2519960","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The support media of upflow anaerobic hybrid reactors (UAHB) facilitates the formation and retention of microbial biofilm and the contact between the influent and microorganisms. Previous studies demonstrated the importance of support media height (SMH) to organic matter removal; however, the influence of this parameter in the UAHB reactor performance under varying conditions is still a gap. The Central Composite Design (CCD) method was applied to optimize the removal of organic matter by varying the cross-sectional area and height of the reactor based on 42 studies. The modelling indicated 72-87% COD removal efficiencies with 0.007 m<sup>2</sup> cross-sectional area and 0.75 m height, with 5.5 L total volume. Thus, three pilot-scale UAHB reactors, filled with Corrugated Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) rings at different heights (6, 15, and 24 cm), were operated with a hydraulic retention time of 10 h, treating synthetic effluent with a COD of 490 mgO<sub>2</sub> L<sup>-1</sup>. Unlike previous studies, this study evaluated identical UAHBs operating in parallel under controlled conditions. The UAHB reactors presented stability, buffering capacity, and neutral pH during the operation. The reactor with higher SMH (24 cm) achieved higher removal efficiencies of turbidity (90%), COD (72.6%), and TS (63%). Variations in SMH affected reactor performance, as corroborated by the negative and 'very strong' correlation for turbidity, COD, and TS and a 'moderate' correlation for fixed and volatile solids. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive assessment of how varying SMH affects UAHB reactor performance, guiding future advancements in its design for efficient wastewater treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":12009,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-22"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}