Geo-biological processes are designed to treat wastewater generated in animal feed lots when washing away feces, urine and other materials or in municipal wastewater systems. The present processes are focused on recovering a nutrient load in the wastewater for use as fertilizer and corresponding to separate mostly purified water for reuse. Alternate embodiments are algae and microbe based processes. The processes can be used individually or in various permutations.

A composition for in situ remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with hydrocarbons. The composition includes an adsorbent, such as activated carbon, capable of adsorbing the hydrocarbons. The composition also includes a sulfate-containing compound that releases sulfate over a period of time, e.g., a time-release compound that may include calcium sulfate. The composition includes a nutrient system for promoting growth of facultative anaerobes, in the soil or provided in the composition itself. In some embodiments, the nutrient system includes a sulfide scavenging agent such as iron sulfate. In the same or other embodiments, the nutrient system includes at least one of a nitrogen source and a phosphorous source.

Oxygen permeable membrane modules are provided in a reactor in multiple stages. An oxygen-containing gas from a blower B is sequentially circulated through the oxygen permeable membrane modules via pipes and is discharged from a pipe. Raw water flows out into a bottom part of the reactor through a plurality of nozzles, and a fluidized bed F of a biological carrier such as activated carbon is formed inside the reactor. Treated water flows out of a trough via an outflow port.

A wastewater treatment system, including: an equalization tank arranged to receive wastewater; a flow tube including an interior space bounded by at least one side wall of the flow tube; a plurality of media particles disposed within the interior space; and a pump arranged to pump the wastewater from the equalization tank to the flow tube. The plurality of media particles has a mean diameter of at least 4 millimeters. The wastewater is arranged to drain to the equalization tank through the plurality of media particles and the interior space. The flow tube is arranged to reduce a concentration of an organic contaminant in the wastewater.

Provided is an aerobic biological treatment method for treating water to be treated with aerobic organisms by dissolving oxygen in the water to be treated within a reaction tank using an oxygen dissolution membrane module disposed in the reaction tank, wherein a bioadhesive carrier within the reaction tank is suspended or fluidized to prevent adhesion of organisms to the oxygen dissolution membrane module.

The present invention provides a cage particle distribution system for wastewater treatment comprising contactors. Said contactors include shells and the interior of said shells is a hollow cavity. At least one of the side walls, the upper surface and the lower surface of said shells are equipped with through-holes. Particles are loaded inside said shells and said particles can carry some microorganisms on their surfaces at least. Said cage systems are placed in the water of a wastewater system or a wastewater treatment system and one or multiple said cage systems can be placed. Separate aeration and/or liquid distribution into each individual cage system disperse particles in the system by the gas and/or liquid, which improves the efficiency of wastewater treatment.

A method of binding a target metal in solution. The method of binding a target metal comprises contacting a solution containing i) a target metal with ii) an encapsulated exudate of a culture of algal flagellate, or a fraction thereof; or an encapsulated dried Euglena biomass or a fraction thereof, to form a complex between the target metal, and the encapsulated exudate or fraction thereof, or the encapsulated dried Euglena biomass or the fraction thereof; and optionally separating the complex from the solution. The disclosure also relates to a biosorbent element, as well as methods of using same in binding a metal in solution.

The invented bio-electrical system is a housing-electrode which allows insertion of another electrode for various electrochemical and bio-electrical applications. Together with other invented elements as well as standard components, the system is fully scalable, modular, and allows production and collection of gases under pressure. It can be built in many shapes, such as the embodied tubular shape. The design allows operation on unstable ground, for example on ships. Flow of electrolyte can be regulated and directed in cascaded reactions by opening and closing the compartments of the outer or the inner electrodes using the provided electrode holders. The redox conditions inside the system can be controlled using off-the-shelf power supplies which are controlled using the provided algorithm. Gas collection can be regulated based on the level of liquid inside the system using the provided float switches or conductivity probes even as the system is moving or operated under zero-gravity conditions.

An apparatus and a method for removing nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage by using sponge iron and activated sludge are disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a raw tank, a pH adjusting tank, a primary SBBR reactor, a secondary SBBR reactor, an intermediate tank, and a discharge tank; by modification of sponge iron, preparation of composite filler, sludge inoculation and domestication, and sewage treatment, an effect of simultaneous denitrification and dephosphorization is achieved in one reactor using the combined action of sponge iron and activated sludge with high nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency.

A system for biologically treating wastewater comprising a rotating drum disposed within a tank. Biofilm carriers are contained in the drum. One or more hollow tube aerators are secured inside the drum to a perforated wall that forms a part of the drum. As the drum is rotated within the tank, the mixing of the biofilm carriers with the wastewater therein and the action of the hollow tubes aerates the wastewater in the rotating drum.