Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization
Abstract The speciation of trace metals in the wastewater treatment plants determines its ultimate fate in natural surface waters due to biological and chemical processes. The quantification of the trace metals speciation studies was undertaken in the WWTP and was of special concern due to their per...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Applied Water Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-022-01805-1 |
| _version_ | 1798018392248025088 |
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| author | Anthony Njuguna Matheri Belaid Mohamed Freeman Ntuli Jane Catherine Ngila Caliphs Zvinowanda |
| author_facet | Anthony Njuguna Matheri Belaid Mohamed Freeman Ntuli Jane Catherine Ngila Caliphs Zvinowanda |
| author_sort | Anthony Njuguna Matheri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The speciation of trace metals in the wastewater treatment plants determines its ultimate fate in natural surface waters due to biological and chemical processes. The quantification of the trace metals speciation studies was undertaken in the WWTP and was of special concern due to their persistence and recalcitrance in the biosphere. The metals of interest included: Al, Co, Cr, Cd, Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Mo, Zn, Pb and Ti. Trace metals accumulation was determined using geochemical modelling-mass balance. The mass balance model had a numerical impact on cost optimization procedure that uses steady state with a set of pre-defined constraints to evaluate operation points, controller parameters and plant dimensions. The mass balance model allowed detection of inconsistencies within the trace metals datasets and assisted in identifying the systematic errors in the metal reduction. It quantified the overall removal and fate of trace metals in biological treatment plants. Mass balances comprising seasonal programmable sampling showed a significant reduction in the number of trace metals. Removal of metals from biological treatment processes was mainly by complexation of the metals with microorganisms, precipitation and adsorption. The comparison of the measured data indicated an increasing trend of high concentration in the sludge (biomass) that could be of danger to human health and environment. Geochemical modelling and computation of the speciation of the trace metals offer a powerful tool for the process design, troubleshooting and optimization representing a multi-variable system that cannot be effectively handled without appropriate computer-cased technique and modelling. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:23:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-690aa37615754b7d809df7f5d5afd87e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2190-5487 2190-5495 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:23:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Water Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-690aa37615754b7d809df7f5d5afd87e2022-12-22T04:14:16ZengSpringerOpenApplied Water Science2190-54872190-54952022-11-01121211210.1007/s13201-022-01805-1Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimizationAnthony Njuguna Matheri0Belaid Mohamed1Freeman Ntuli2Jane Catherine Ngila3Caliphs Zvinowanda4Department of Chemical Engineering, University of JohannesburgBotswana International University of Science and TechnologyBotswana International University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Chemical Science, University of JohannesburgDepartment of Chemical Science, University of JohannesburgAbstract The speciation of trace metals in the wastewater treatment plants determines its ultimate fate in natural surface waters due to biological and chemical processes. The quantification of the trace metals speciation studies was undertaken in the WWTP and was of special concern due to their persistence and recalcitrance in the biosphere. The metals of interest included: Al, Co, Cr, Cd, Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Mo, Zn, Pb and Ti. Trace metals accumulation was determined using geochemical modelling-mass balance. The mass balance model had a numerical impact on cost optimization procedure that uses steady state with a set of pre-defined constraints to evaluate operation points, controller parameters and plant dimensions. The mass balance model allowed detection of inconsistencies within the trace metals datasets and assisted in identifying the systematic errors in the metal reduction. It quantified the overall removal and fate of trace metals in biological treatment plants. Mass balances comprising seasonal programmable sampling showed a significant reduction in the number of trace metals. Removal of metals from biological treatment processes was mainly by complexation of the metals with microorganisms, precipitation and adsorption. The comparison of the measured data indicated an increasing trend of high concentration in the sludge (biomass) that could be of danger to human health and environment. Geochemical modelling and computation of the speciation of the trace metals offer a powerful tool for the process design, troubleshooting and optimization representing a multi-variable system that cannot be effectively handled without appropriate computer-cased technique and modelling.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-022-01805-1AI-modellingBiosphereGeochemical modellingMass balanceTrace metals speciationWastewater |
| spellingShingle | Anthony Njuguna Matheri Belaid Mohamed Freeman Ntuli Jane Catherine Ngila Caliphs Zvinowanda Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization Applied Water Science AI-modelling Biosphere Geochemical modelling Mass balance Trace metals speciation Wastewater |
| title | Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization |
| title_full | Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization |
| title_fullStr | Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization |
| title_short | Computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization |
| title_sort | computational modelling of geochemical speciation of the trace metals in the wastewater treatment process optimization |
| topic | AI-modelling Biosphere Geochemical modelling Mass balance Trace metals speciation Wastewater |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-022-01805-1 |
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