Fate of cerium dioxide (CeO 2) nanoparticles in municipal wastewater during activated sludge treatment

Francisco Gómez-Rivera; James A. Field; Dustin Brown; Reyes Sierra-Alvarez

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2011.12.113

Fate of cerium dioxide (CeO ₂) nanoparticles in municipal wastewater during activated sludge treatment

Francisco Gómez-Rivera, James A. Field, Dustin Brown, Reyes Sierra-Alvarez

Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

77 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study investigated the fate of nano-CeO ₂ during municipal wastewater treatment using a laboratory-scale activated sludge (A/S) system fed with primarily-treated municipal wastewater and nano-CeO ₂ (55.0mg Ce/L). Nano-CeO ₂ was highly removed during A/S treatment (96.6% total Ce). Extensive removal of CeO ₂ <200nm was also attained and the concentration escaping treatment was only 0.11mg Ce/L. Elimination occurred mainly by aggregation and settling of CeO ₂ particles, promoted by circumneutral pH values and by nanoparticle interactions with organic and/or inorganic wastewater constituents. Biosorption also contributed to CeO ₂ removal as shown by sludge analysis and batch adsorption studies. Batch bioassays demonstrated that nano-CeO ₂ only exerted inhibition of O ₂ uptake by A/S at concentrations exceeding those in the bioreactor feed (50% inhibition at 950mg CeO ₂/L). These findings indicate that A/S treatment is expected to provide extensive removal of nano-CeO ₂ in municipal wastewaters.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	300-304
Number of pages	5
Journal	Bioresource Technology
Volume	108
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.12.113
State	Published - Mar 2012

Keywords

Aerobic inhibition
Aerobic wastewater treatment
Biosorption
Nanoparticle removal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
Environmental Engineering
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Waste Management and Disposal

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10.1016/j.biortech.2011.12.113

Cite this

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title = "Fate of cerium dioxide (CeO 2) nanoparticles in municipal wastewater during activated sludge treatment",

abstract = "This study investigated the fate of nano-CeO 2 during municipal wastewater treatment using a laboratory-scale activated sludge (A/S) system fed with primarily-treated municipal wastewater and nano-CeO 2 (55.0mg Ce/L). Nano-CeO 2 was highly removed during A/S treatment (96.6% total Ce). Extensive removal of CeO 2 <200nm was also attained and the concentration escaping treatment was only 0.11mg Ce/L. Elimination occurred mainly by aggregation and settling of CeO 2 particles, promoted by circumneutral pH values and by nanoparticle interactions with organic and/or inorganic wastewater constituents. Biosorption also contributed to CeO 2 removal as shown by sludge analysis and batch adsorption studies. Batch bioassays demonstrated that nano-CeO 2 only exerted inhibition of O 2 uptake by A/S at concentrations exceeding those in the bioreactor feed (50% inhibition at 950mg CeO 2/L). These findings indicate that A/S treatment is expected to provide extensive removal of nano-CeO 2 in municipal wastewaters.",

keywords = "Aerobic inhibition, Aerobic wastewater treatment, Biosorption, Nanoparticle removal",

author = "Francisco G{\'o}mez-Rivera and Field, {James A.} and Dustin Brown and Reyes Sierra-Alvarez",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the SRC/Sematech Engineering Research Center for Environmentally Benign Semiconductor Manufacturing. F. G{\'o}mez-Rivera was funded by CONACyT. ",

year = "2012",

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doi = "10.1016/j.biortech.2011.12.113",

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AU - Gómez-Rivera, Francisco

AU - Field, James A.

AU - Brown, Dustin

AU - Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes

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N2 - This study investigated the fate of nano-CeO 2 during municipal wastewater treatment using a laboratory-scale activated sludge (A/S) system fed with primarily-treated municipal wastewater and nano-CeO 2 (55.0mg Ce/L). Nano-CeO 2 was highly removed during A/S treatment (96.6% total Ce). Extensive removal of CeO 2 <200nm was also attained and the concentration escaping treatment was only 0.11mg Ce/L. Elimination occurred mainly by aggregation and settling of CeO 2 particles, promoted by circumneutral pH values and by nanoparticle interactions with organic and/or inorganic wastewater constituents. Biosorption also contributed to CeO 2 removal as shown by sludge analysis and batch adsorption studies. Batch bioassays demonstrated that nano-CeO 2 only exerted inhibition of O 2 uptake by A/S at concentrations exceeding those in the bioreactor feed (50% inhibition at 950mg CeO 2/L). These findings indicate that A/S treatment is expected to provide extensive removal of nano-CeO 2 in municipal wastewaters.

AB - This study investigated the fate of nano-CeO 2 during municipal wastewater treatment using a laboratory-scale activated sludge (A/S) system fed with primarily-treated municipal wastewater and nano-CeO 2 (55.0mg Ce/L). Nano-CeO 2 was highly removed during A/S treatment (96.6% total Ce). Extensive removal of CeO 2 <200nm was also attained and the concentration escaping treatment was only 0.11mg Ce/L. Elimination occurred mainly by aggregation and settling of CeO 2 particles, promoted by circumneutral pH values and by nanoparticle interactions with organic and/or inorganic wastewater constituents. Biosorption also contributed to CeO 2 removal as shown by sludge analysis and batch adsorption studies. Batch bioassays demonstrated that nano-CeO 2 only exerted inhibition of O 2 uptake by A/S at concentrations exceeding those in the bioreactor feed (50% inhibition at 950mg CeO 2/L). These findings indicate that A/S treatment is expected to provide extensive removal of nano-CeO 2 in municipal wastewaters.

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KW - Nanoparticle removal

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