The present invention relates to a method for degrading and inactivating at least one xenobiotic, the at least one xenobiotic being present in an aqueous medium. The method comprises the steps of (a) grafting at least one enzyme onto a solid support, (b) incubating the solid support with the at least one enzyme into the aqueous medium and (c) measuring the evolution of the concentration of the at least one xenobiotic. The method is remarkable in that the at least one enzyme is New-Dehli metallo--lactamase 1, a laccase extracted from Pleurotus ostreatus and/or a -lactamase extracted from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and in that the solid support is a moving bed carrier.

Methods of conditioning a membrane utilized for water purification are provided. The methods monitor membrane performance during water purification or membrane conditioning via fluorometric measurement. The monitoring allows for the detection of removal efficiency of the fluorescing substance. A conditioner is introduced in the feed stream to increase the detected removal efficiency of a fluorescing substance by the membrane. The conditioner generally extends the useful life of the membrane being conditioned.

A process for optimizing the operation of a plug-flow fermenter for the anaerobic fermentation of organic wastes, wherein the plug-flow fermenter comprises a horizontally oriented fermenter tank and a stirrer, which stirrer comprises a stirrer shaft which traverses the interior of the fermenter tank in an axial manner and multiple paddles which are arranged on the stirrer shaft and protrude radially and also a drive, and the fermentation material is moved in the fermenter tank by means of the stirrer.

The present disclosure generally relates to a system for monitoring and/or controlling one or more agents, such as cleaning agents, in a wastewater treatment system. The system comprises a bio-electrochemical sensor for monitoring metabolic activity of a population of exo-electrogenic bacteria and providing an electrical output corresponding with the metabolic activity, where the bio-electrochemical sensor comprises an electrode pair and a power source for delivering a voltage across the electrode pair, and an electrical output analyzer for analyzing the electrical output and correlating the electrical output with the one or more agents in the wastewater treatment system. a change in electrical output beyond a threshold indicates that an adjustment in the delivery of the one or more agents is needed. a method and sensor for monitoring and/or controlling a cleaning process in a wastewater treatment system are also provided. The system, method, and sensor disclosed herein are particularly useful for cleaning membranes incorporated in a wastewater treatment process.

A method and a ventilation system includes ventilation ducts, a control system and at least one spray nozzle. The at least one spray nozzle is configured to spray a liquid mist onto at least one portion of an inner surface of the ventilation system. The liquid mist contains a culture of microorganisms adapted for biologically treating fat, oil and grease present on at least one portion of the inner surface of the ventilation system, thereby providing for partial biodegradation of the fat, oil and grease present on the at least one portion of the inner surfaces of the ventilation system.

A system and method for backwashing a sand filter in a wastewater treatment system. In one aspect, the invention can be a system for backwashing a sand filter comprising: a sand filter configured to remove solids from an untreated wastewater; a container storing chlorine fluidly coupled to the sand filter by a chlorine supply manifold; a flow control mechanism positioned on the chlorine supply manifold between the container and the sand filter, the flow control mechanism alterable between a first position whereby chlorine cannot flow from the container to the sand filter and a second position whereby chlorine flows from the container to the sand filter, the flow control mechanism being biased into the first position; and a processor operably coupled to the flow control mechanism and configured to automatically actuate the flow control mechanism into the second position upon detecting that the sand filter is being backwashed.

A fluid treatment system that includes a sonic energy generator and an electromagnetic field, generator is described herein. The fluid treatment system may include a controller that independently controls the sonic energy generator and the EMF generator while in use. Also described herein are methods of treating a fluid including applying a sonic signal to at least, a portion of the fluid, and applying an electromagnetic field signal to at least the portion of the fluid by a direct conductive path. Methods of treating water that has been extracted by an atmospheric water generator unit using such a fluid treatment system are also described herein.

A swimming pool skimmer comprises a buoyant skimmer body. The swimming pool skimmer further comprises an electrical power supply including a solar cell mounted to a topside of the skimmer body. A set of proximity sensors are operatively connected to the electrical power supply, and are mounted at a forward end of the skimmer body. The set of proximity sensors are configured to generate a signal in response to detecting an obstruction. A set of pump jets are operatively connected to both the electrical power supply and the set of proximity sensors. The set of pump jets are configured to activate in response to the signal from the set of proximity sensors, thereby rotating the swimming pool skimmer away from the obstruction.

A swimming pool skimmer comprises a buoyant skimmer body. The swimming pool skimmer further comprises an electrical power supply including a solar cell mounted to a topside of the skimmer body. A set of proximity sensors are operatively connected to the electrical power supply, and are mounted at a forward end of the skimmer body. The set of proximity sensors are configured to generate a signal in response to detecting an obstruction. A set of pump jets are operatively connected to both the electrical power supply and the set of proximity sensors. The set of pump jets are configured to activate in response to the signal from the set of proximity sensors, thereby rotating the swimming pool skimmer away from the obstruction.

This disclosure provides systems and methods for improving the performance of a water pumping station. A server can be configured to receive data from a plurality of sensors included within the water utility plant. The server can cleanse the data received from the water utility plant to generate cleansed data. The server can prepare the cleansed data for use by the water utility plant to generate plant-specific data. The server also can generate real-time analytic data based on the plant-specific data.