Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Minimal effect of raw water turbidity on operational energy use of drinking water treatment","authors":"Kenneth T. Quintana,&nbsp;Robert B. Sowby","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The energy use of drinking water treatment plants (WTPs) depends on several variables, and while processes within the plant have been analyzed, the effect of raw water quality on energy use is less well studied. We analyze raw water turbidity, energy (electricity) use, and production volume in eight WTPs in Utah, USA, over a multi-year period. As expected, we find seasonal trends in energy use, turbidity, and production volume that correspond with watershed and water demand conditions. However, we find no significant relationship between influent turbidity and energy use. This is somewhat counterintuitive since one might assume that more turbid water is more difficult to treat. While higher turbidity does affect WTP operation (e.g., more chemical dosing and backwashing), it appears that the incremental energy use is minimal compared to the baseline. While consistently high turbidity might prompt the selection of a more energy-intensive process during WTP design, we conclude that, for a given WTP, typical operational fluctuations in turbidity do not meaningfully increase energy use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101282"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving irrigation water quality using a pilot algal treatment system: A case study from northern Chile","authors":"Robinson Soto-Ramírez ,&nbsp;Nelson Barrientos ,&nbsp;Sebastián Videla ,&nbsp;Rolando Chamy","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101281","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates a three-stage integrated water treatment system for the removal of boron and arsenic from irrigation water in the arid commune of Camiña, northern Chile. The system combines ion exchange for boron removal, a 500 L reactor with non-living <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> biomass for arsenic removal, and automated storage and drip irrigation. Operated continuously at 2.96 m³/day for one year, it achieved average removal efficiencies of 44 % for boron and 20 % for arsenic, with maximum removals of 78 % and 66 %, respectively.</div><div>Garlic crops irrigated with treated water showed improved agronomic outcomes. Large bulb frequency increased from 35 % to 49 %, and extra-large bulbs from 13 % to 23 %. A techno-economic analysis indicated operating costs of 2.61 USD/m³. A preliminary life cycle assessment estimated greenhouse gas emissions at 2.22 kg CO₂-equivalent per m³ treated, with low chemical and biosorbent inputs.</div><div>This represents one of the first pilot-scale applications of an algal-based arsenic removal system directly integrated with crop irrigation. The system offers a modular, resource-efficient, and environmentally sustainable solution suitable for rural agricultural communities dependent on marginal water sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101281"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145044212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated ultrafiltration and pervaporation process using PDMS/ZnO-modified PSf nanohybrid membranes for enhanced bioethanol purification from fermentation broth","authors":"Tutuk Djoko Kusworo ,&nbsp;Febio Dalanta ,&nbsp;Dita Aulia Azizah ,&nbsp;Adrian Nataldipa Putra ,&nbsp;Tasya Paramita Hendratmo ,&nbsp;Muhammad Itsar Hanif ,&nbsp;Ilham Alkian ,&nbsp;Tonny Agustiono Kurniawan","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bioethanol is a promising alternative to fossil fuels, but its separation from water remains challenging due to the presence of the azeotropic point. This study investigates a pervaporation membrane comprising a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) selective layer supported on a polysulfone (PSf) layer modified with ZnO nanoparticles. The optimized pervaporation membrane with 3 wt% PDMS and 1 wt% ZnO, achieved a stable flux of 1014.45 g m⁻² h⁻¹ and a separation factor of 3.96 at 50 °C. Pretreatment using ultrafiltration removed most of impurities reached 100 % and 67 % for yeast and glucose, respectively, significantly improving the membrane's performance and operational stability. This integrated ultrafiltration-pervaporation process offers an efficient process for bioethanol purification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101278"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modification of copper-based zeolite 13X for methanol and aromatic compound synthesis in microwave plasma–assisted carbon dioxide conversion","authors":"Pimchanok Tapangpan ,&nbsp;Dheerawan Boonyawan ,&nbsp;Saranphong Yimklan ,&nbsp;Yothin Chimupala ,&nbsp;Arlee Tamman ,&nbsp;Supaphorn Thammakan ,&nbsp;Takron Opassuwan ,&nbsp;Mudtorlep Nisoa ,&nbsp;Choncharoen Sawangrat","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The direct conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into valuable products holds significant potential for advancing a sustainable circular carbon economy. Herein, bifunctional catalysts—copper (Cu)-based zeolite 13X—were modified to enhance methanol and aromatic synthesis in microwave plasma–assisted CO₂ conversion. The Cu oxidation state and surface basicity of the modified catalysts were adjusted through thiourea reduction and confirmed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, H₂ temperature-programmed reduction, and CO₂ temperature-programmed desorption techniques. The results of the investigated catalytic activity of modified Cu^I/II-based zeolite 13X, pristine zeolite 13X, and plasma alone in microwave plasma–catalytic CO₂ conversion revealed that the microwave plasma–assisted catalyst could effectively and directly convert CO₂ into valuable products—methanol, benzene, and toluene—without intermediate purification. This catalyst system considerably improved CO₂ conversion rate (&gt;50 %) compared with only 18.5 % conversion with the plasma alone catalyst, while the %Selectivity toward methanol and aromatics was &gt;45 %. Additionally, the effects of Cu^I/Cu^II ratios and basicity concentrations on methanol and aromatic %Selectivity were investigated. The synergy between the Cu^I species and surface basicity played a crucial role in promoting toluene and methanol production with low benzene production. The comparable catalytic activities of 0.5 wt% Cu doping with thiourea reduction and 6 wt% Cu doping without thiourea reduction highlighted the efficiency of the thiourea reduction process in economically producing catalysts with fewer metal precursors. Finally, the potential pathways for methanol and aromatic formation were proposed, and the feasibility of industrial scale up was discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101277"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144893702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Two step fractionation of oil palm empty fruit bunches integrating hydrothermal-organosolv pretreatment for enhanced lignin extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency","authors":"Ningsi Lick Sangadji ,&nbsp;Candra Wijaya ,&nbsp;Maktum Muharja ,&nbsp;Elaine Elaine ,&nbsp;Hanny Frans Sangian ,&nbsp;Raymond Lau ,&nbsp;Arief Widjaja","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lignocellulosic biomass, consisting of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, represents a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel resources. However, its full utilization remains unexplored, as many studies have focused on recovery only one or two components, often discharge the rest. This study aims to achieve total utilization of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) through sequential hydrothermal-organosolv pretreatment. Hydrothermal pretreatment was first employed to extract hemicellulose, followed by organosolv pretreatment to recover lignin. The effects of temperature (175–200 °C) and solvent concentration (60–80 %) on organosolv pretreatment were evaluated focusing on lignin recovery and purity. Hydrothermal pretreatment statistically effective in enhancing lignin extraction during subsequent organosolv pretreatment resulting in increased lignin recovery and purity. The highest lignin recovery of 47.13 % with a purity of 82.95 % was obtained at 185^oC and 80 % solvent concentration. Lignin characterization using FTIR, NMR, TGA, and SEM revealed structural and morphological changes induced by pretreatment steps. Subsequently, the solid residue from this process was further subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. This resulted in a reducing sugar production of 10.21 g/L after 72 h, an improvement of more than threefold compared to solid residue from single step organosolv pretreatment. These findings highlight the efficiency of the combined pretreatment method, presenting a promising strategy for lignocellulosic biomass fractionation and biorefinery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101275"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microplastics in wastewater and sludge from centralized industrial wastewater treatment plants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam","authors":"Thuy-Chung Kieu-Le ,&nbsp;Tan-Phong Ngo ,&nbsp;Minh-Thanh Lai ,&nbsp;Ngoc-Huyen Pham ,&nbsp;Ngoc-Bao-Tran Nguyen ,&nbsp;Phuoc-Dan Nguyen ,&nbsp;Thi-Minh-Tam Le ,&nbsp;Emilie Strady","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastic pollution is a growing concern, with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) acting as both barriers and sources. This study quantified microplastics in two centralized industrial WWTPs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Microplastic concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 40.4 items L⁻¹ in wastewater and 29.6–92.0 items g⁻¹ dry weight in sludge, predominantly fibres. Despite high removal efficiencies, 1.7 × 10⁶ microplastics were discharged daily. Potential risks from sludge were also discussed. Robust multivariate regression analysis of 43 WWTPs worldwide underscored the influent concentrations as the strongest predictor influencing effluent concentrations and offering insights into potential evidence-based strategies aligned with Vietnam's 2030 plastic reduction goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101276"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144858285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"One-step thermochemical activation of waste wood for micropollutant adsorption: Optimisation via design of experiments","authors":"D. Bosch ,&nbsp;J.O. Back ,&nbsp;M. Spruck ,&nbsp;A. Hofmann ,&nbsp;A. Bockreis","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101273","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101273","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing generation of waste wood (WW) and the demand for activated carbon (AC) in wastewater treatment highlight the need for sustainable alternatives. WW was converted into AC via one-step thermochemical activation using carbon dioxide, steam, or both in a fluidised-bed reactor. A Design of Experiments approach was applied to optimise temperature and residence time. The resulting ACs achieved surface areas up to 708 m² g⁻¹ and adsorption capacities of 254 mg g⁻¹ for organic micropollutants. The process yielded favourable porosity and surface chemistry. It supports circular economy principles and offers a scalable route aligned with current environmental regulations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101273"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144829742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the potential of Chlorella vulgaris for nutrient removal and biomass accumulation in palm oil mill effluent (POME): A sustainable and green technology approach","authors":"Hemen Emmanuel Jijingi,&nbsp;Sara Kazemi Yazdi,&nbsp;Yousif Abdalla Abakr,&nbsp;Azalea Dyah Maysarah Satya","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The presence of excessive concentrations of essential elements in wastewater, particularly palm oil mill effluent (POME), contributes to environmental nuisances such as eutrophication, which depletes oxygen levels in water bodies and disrupts aquatic ecosystems due to high nutrient and organic loads. Herein, this study evaluates <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> as a sustainable treatment route for nutrient removal from POME under three distinct cultivation conditions: (1) Control (CO)—900 mL synthetic growth medium and 100 mL <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> culture, serving as a reference for microalgae growth under standard conditions without POME; (2) POME + Synthetic Growth Medium + <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> Culture (PSC)—500 mL filtered POME, 400 mL synthetic growth medium, and 100 mL <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> culture (POME-to-medium ratio of 2:1), designed to evaluate POME's potential to substitute conventional growth media; and (3) POME + <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> Culture (PC)-900 mL filtered POME and 100 mL <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> culture (POME-to-culture ratio of 1:1), evaluating the feasibility of using POME as the sole nutrient source for microalgae growth. Experimental results indicated that the PSC treatment recorded the highest nutrient removal efficiencies, with 94.64 % for total nitrogen (TN), 91.36 % for total phosphorus (TP), 92.31 % for nitrate (NO₃⁻-N), and 90.91 % for ammonia-nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N). The PC treatment exhibited slightly lower efficiencies, whereas the Control treatment showed the least removal effectiveness. Regression modeling was performed using MATLAB to predict optical density (OD) trends over cultivation time. Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) emerged as the best-performing model, with an R² value of 0.984 and an RMSE of 0.608, demonstrating a strong correlation between OD and biomass accumulation. Linear Regression also demonstrated high accuracy (R² = 0.978, RMSE = 0.707), confirming that <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> growth can be effectively modeled over time. These statistical results reinforce the significant role of nutrient-enriched media in enhancing nutrient remediation and biomass accumulation. Hence, this study demonstrates <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> as a promising candidate for POME bioremediation, paving the way for sustainable wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery technologies. The strong correlation between nutrient removal, biomass accumulation, and optical density growth highlights the potential of microalgal-based wastewater treatment systems in industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144829373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing the flexibility of polyvinyl alcohol/Uncaria gambir extract/boric acid biopolymer films via prolonged water immersion post-treatment","authors":"Dieter Rahmadiawan ,&nbsp;Hairul Abral ,&nbsp;Shih-Chen Shi ,&nbsp;Ilham Chayri Iby ,&nbsp;Razan Muhammad Railis ,&nbsp;Melbi Mahardika ,&nbsp;Dian Juliadmi ,&nbsp;Fazhar Akbar","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101272","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101272","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films mixed with boric acid (BA) and <em>Uncaria gambir</em> (UG) offer excellent UV shielding and moisture resistance but suffer from brittleness. This study introduces a water immersion technique to improve flexibility. The untreated film showed high tensile strength (57.7 MPa) and modulus (3.7 GPa) but low elongation (∼43 %) and toughness (20.2 MJ/m³). After 7 days of immersion, tensile strength and modulus decreased to 41.2 MPa and 1.94 GPa, while elongation and toughness increased to ∼150 % and 58.1 MJ/m³, respectively. This green approach effectively enhances the ductility of PVA-based biopolymer films.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101272"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144773144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High yield gluconic acid leaching and recovery of valuable metals from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries","authors":"Reinhard Lerchbammer,&nbsp;Eva Gerold,&nbsp;Helmut Antrekowitsch","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101271","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study underscores the increasing relevance of organic acids as environmentally sustainable alternatives to conventional inorganic leaching agents. Beyond reducing the ecological footprint of leaching processes, organic acids offer improved selectivity and efficiency in metal recovery. Among them, gluconic acid has proven to be a particularly effective agent for the extraction of valuable metals.</div><div>Through statistical optimization, the leaching process achieved extraction efficiencies exceeding 98 % for lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (EoL-LIBs), while significantly limiting the co-dissolution of copper, iron, and aluminum.</div><div>Subsequently, nickel, cobalt, and manganese were selectively recovered through precipitation using oxalic and sulphide agents. Oxalic acid demonstrated high selectivity, leaving lithium and aluminum in solution, and enabling recovery rates of 99 %, 100 %, and 86 % for nickel, cobalt, and manganese, respectively. Sulphide precipitation was similarly effective, achieving over 97 % recovery of nickel and cobalt at pH 4.</div><div>The work consolidates current knowledge on gluconic acid-based leaching and systematically evaluates its combination with conventional precipitation methods. Although complex chemical interactions in gluconate matrices occur, this study achieves high extraction and recovery efficiencies, demonstrating the practicality and potential integration of this combined approach into existing industrial recovery systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101271"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}