WATER AND WATER PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL NEWS

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE OF ORGANIC EMERGING CONTAMINANTS MANAGEMENT IN DRINKING WATER: REGULATORY LANDSCAPE, PROPERTIES, HEALTH IMPACTS, TREATMENT METHODS

2025-06-09T10:28:05+03:00

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the growing challenge posed by organic emerging contaminants in drinking water systems. A comparative analysis is conducted on key pollutants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, pesticides, bisphenol A, nonylphenol, 1,4-dioxane, and β-estradiol, focusing on their occurrence, physicochemical characteristics, environmental persistence, and health impacts on both ecosystems and human populations. These substances frequently exhibit similar traits such as hydrophobicity, low volatility, and resistance to conventional water treatment processes, thereby significantly complicating their effective removal using standard technologies. Regulatory frameworks in the European Union, the United States, China, and Ukraine are critically examined, with attention to both recent regulatory advancements and persistent gaps that hinder uniform international control. In addition, a detailed assessment of current water treatment technologies, including adsorption, ion exchange, and membrane filtration, which demonstrate a fairly high efficiency in pollutant removal under optimized operational conditions, is provided. However, challenges remain related to the regeneration of spent sorbents, membrane fouling, operational costs, and safe waste management. Oxidative methods, such as ozonation, UV irradiation, and advanced oxidation processes, are effective for the destruction of organic micropollutants, although the formation of potentially hazardous by-products, such as aldehydes, carboxylic acids, or halogenated organics, requires further water treatment. The effective removal of organic micropollutants from water requires the integration of strategies for both physical removal and chemical or biological degradation. Degradation technologies, such as incineration, electrochemical degradation, supercritical water oxidation, and biodegradation, demonstrate varying efficiency and levels of environmental sustainability and are often limited by high energy consumption, high operational costs, or incomplete mineralization of pollutants. The findings highlight the pressing need for further enhancement of international regulations, the development of cost-effective, energy-efficient, and sustainable advanced treatment technologies, and the adoption of integrated water management strategies to ensure the long-term protection of public health and drinking water resources globally.

QUALITY CRITERIA OF NATURAL WATERS: CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF USE IN IRRIGATION AND FERTIGATION (A CASE STUDY OF MOHYLIV-PODILSKYI DISTRICT, VINNYTSIA REGION)

2025-04-10T11:14:30+03:00

A study of water bodies in the Mohyliv-Podilskyi district of the Vinnytsia region was conducted to assess the suitability of water for irrigation purposes. The research covered local water sources, including surface water, catchment systems, a pond, and the Kotlubaivka and Dniester rivers (both upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment facilities). The analyses were conducted in a certified laboratory at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. The research included an assessment of the chemical composition of water in terms of macro- and microelements, as well as quality parameters such as pH, mineralization, and temperature. Analytical and statistical methods were used, along with calculating water quality indicators such as SAR (Sodium Adsorption Ratio), Stebler’s irrigation coefficient A, and the Water Quality Index (WQI) using the Harrington function. Significant fluctuations were observed in the concentrations of cations (Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), anions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, HCO₃⁻), and heavy metals (Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺), some of which approached maximum permissible concentrations. It was found that, according to the SAR index, sources No. 2 and 5 demonstrated the highest water quality, while source No. 6 was deemed unsuitable due to the risk of soil salinization. The empirical irrigation coefficient A confirmed good to satisfactory water quality for most sources, except for sources No. 6 and 8. According to the Harrington water quality index, the most favorable source was the Dniester River (No. 7) upstream of the treatment facilities (59.9 %), with sources No. 2 and 5 serving as alternative options. The obtained results support the relevance of applying integrated assessment approaches for determining water suitability for irrigation and fertigation, taking into account chemical composition, environmental risks, and technical feasibility. The findings form a basis for future sustainable water use and environmental monitoring measures.

NATURAL ALUMINOSILICATES IN WATER PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES: A SHORT REVIEW

2025-03-26T09:48:56+02:00

The review is devoted to the peculiarities of using natural aluminosilicates, in particular bentonites and zeolites, in water treatment technologies. A description of the general structure of clay materials, their chemical composition, characteristics of their building frameworks, and varieties of forms found in nature is given. Emphasis is placed on the adsorption characteristics of bentonite, which is the most common type of clay, including in Ukraine. In the description of natural zeolites, attention is paid to their spatial structure, namely the ratio of Si:Al in their natural modifications, chemical composition, and structural features that ensure the use of zeolites as adsorbents and catalysts. The expediency of using natural aluminosilicates in adsorption, ion exchange, and photocatalytic processes is shown in the examples of the extraction and degradation of various organic compounds, including petroleum products, phenols, and dyes, etc. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the ion exchange capacity of natural bentonites and zeolites as a tool for their modification and activation, significantly improving their performance in water treatment technologies. The effective properties of natural aluminosilicates, such as the active surface area, its acid-base properties, and non-toxicity, are analysed, which indicates their high potential as a reliable potential alternative to more expensive synthetic materials. Numerous studies confirm that properly modified aluminosilicates can combine high adsorption capacity with catalytic activity, enabling their multifunctional use in advanced water treatment. It has been established that, due to their combination of low cost, environmental safety, wide availability, and high efficiency, natural aluminosilicates represent a promising basis for the development of competitive adsorbents and catalysts within the framework of green water treatment concepts. The use of bentonites and zeolites enables the creation of integrated treatment systems that incorporate both physical and chemical mechanisms for contaminant removal and catalytic degradation. Examples of natural aluminosilicate modification by acid, alkali, surfactant treatment, and metal oxide nanoparticles (e.g., ZnO, TiO₂) are provided, demonstrating the expansion of their functionality in water purification processes.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF THE HYDROSPHERE: COAGULATION PURIFICATION OF TRANSPORTER AND WASHING WATER OF SUGAR FACTORIES

2025-04-03T04:12:14+03:00

The sugar industry is one of the water-intensive industries, producing a large amount of wastewater. These flows are divided into three categories. A feature of category 2 wastewater is a significant amount of suspended solids, organic and inorganic impurities. Such wastewater is cleaned and used in recirculating systems. Often, the degree of wastewater treatment does not meet technological requirements. This leads to the gradual accumulation of pollutants, the activation of the development of microorganisms. The consequence is the deterioration of the quality of beets. Therefore, the research of effective physico-chemical methods of wastewater treatment is relevant. They must ensure the necessary efficiency of cleaning and clarifying water, freeing from microorganisms, reducing foaming. This will reduce the specific consumption of fresh water of the plant and the amount of effluents, which will have a positive effect on the state of the hydrosphere. The purpose of the work is to study the physical and chemical treatment of transporter and washing water of a sugar enterprise. The task of the work is to study the parameters of sewage treatment with aluminum salts, to determine the efficiency of the treatment, the degree of removal of microorganisms, and the effect on foaming. Initial parameters of effluents: suspended solids 4900 mg/L, chemical oxygen demand 3600 mg O₂/L, optical density 0.766 units, pH 7.18. Aluminum salts were used: aluminum dihydroxosulfate, aluminum hydroxochloride, aluminum sulfate in amounts of 0.01 and 0.1% by weight of water. The use of basic aluminum salts (aluminum dihydroxosulfate, aluminum hydroxochloride) ensures high cleaning efficiency: according to chemical oxygen demand up to 52.78 and 49.72 %, respectively; by suspended substances up to 92.61 and 91.12 %, respectively. A significant discoloration of wastewater is also observed (by 78.46 and 78.07 %, respectively). Conditions are created to reduce the foaming of effluents. The significant effectiveness of removing microorganisms from wastewater when using basic aluminum salts has also been proven: from 66.3 to 85.1 %, depending on the type of microorganisms.

OPTIMIZATION OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT BIOTECHNOLOGY USING A MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR

2025-04-22T14:16:48+03:00

The growing environmental concerns associated with elevated levels of ammonium nitrogen in municipal wastewater, along with increasingly stringent discharge regulations, necessitate the development and implementation of advanced and highly efficient treatment technologies. This study is aimed at optimizing the operational parameters of a membrane bioreactor system for urban wastewater treatment, focusing on the balance between treatment performance and operational sustainability. Membrane bioreactor systems offer several key advantages over conventional biological treatment methods, including higher biomass retention, improved effluent quality, compact system design, and the ability to support simultaneous nitrification and denitrification processes within a single reactor. To investigate optimal operating conditions, GPS-X simulation software was used to model 36 combinations of filtration duration and washing duration over a 10-day dynamic period. The impact of these parameters on critical performance indicators – transmembrane pressure, hydraulic load, hydraulic permeability, nitrogen removal efficiency, and washwater consumption – was assessed. The simulations demonstrated that the optimal operating regime involved a filtration duration of 30 minutes combined with a washing duration of 180 seconds. Under these conditions, transmembrane pressure was minimized (1,586 kPa), while ammonium and nitrate nitrogen concentrations in the treated effluent were effectively reduced to 0.13 mg N/L and 11.36 mg N/L, respectively – well below the regulatory limits for discharge. Additionally, the system exhibited favorable hydraulic permeability (0.3635 m³/(m²·kPa·day)) and moderate washwater usage (13.1 m³/day), contributing to operational cost efficiency and membrane longevity. These results not only confirm the suitability of membrane bioreactor technology for nutrient removal but also emphasize its practical potential for municipal implementation in Ukraine. The study highlights the role of simulation-based optimization in achieving both environmental compliance and resource-efficient operation, reinforcing the relevance of membrane bioreactor systems as a core component of modern wastewater management strategies.