Achieving sustainable urban greening through the integration of anaerobic membrane bioreactor and nature-based biofiltration landscaping gardens.

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Project Description

The anaerobic membrane bioreactor is able to clean municipal wastewater at potentially lower energy costs than the conventional aerobic treatment processes 6. Anaerobic microorganisms within the membrane bioreactor do not remove ammonia and phosphate, hence resulting in a final effluent quality that can serve as liquid fertilizers for the landscaping plants and trees. Nature-based biofiltration system is a sand filtration unit that will consist of specifically layered filter media with saturated zone at the bottom, and planted with local plants and trees that are effective in pollutant and nutrient removal. Additional physical removal of contaminants is further achieved as the water flow through the filter media. Clean treated wastewater is collected at the drainage layer and can be reused for other purposes. By integrating the anaerobic membrane bioreactor-based wastewater treatment plant with the nature-based biofiltration landscaping feature, we can achieve the following: - Near zero-energy cost in treating municipal wastewater - Landscaping features with minimal water loss - Recovery of clean water that can be reused for other purposes
Program - Environmental Science and Engineering
Division - Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Center Affiliation - Water Desalination and Reuse Center
Field of Study - Environmental science and engineering

About the
Researcher

Peiying Hong

Peiying Hong

Desired Project Deliverables

- Operate a high-throughput column experiments to determine how different variables (SandX, biochar, type of wastewater, plants, emerging contaminants) can affect the nature-based biofiltration columns - Monitor water quality - Monitor microorganisms

RECOMMENDED STUDENT ACADEMIC & RESEARCH BACKGROUND

Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Microbiology
Microbiology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology