The invention concerns new Bacillus strains which are able to degrade effectively inorganic nitrogen compounds and are further able to inhibit the growth of pathogens of aquatic animals.

A compound having the following structure:

##STR00001##

wherein: R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, and R.sup.10 are independently selected from (i) hydrogen atom, (ii) hydrocarbon groups (R) containing 1-30 carbon atoms and optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms, (iii) —OR′ groups, (iv) —NR′.sub.2 groups, (v) —C(O)R′ groups, and (vi) halogen atoms, wherein R′ groups are independently selected from R groups and hydrogen atoms, and wherein the R group optionally includes a C(O), ether, or amino linkage; X.sup.m− is an anionic species with a magnitude of charge m, where m is an integer of at least 1; and n is a number, provided that n×m=1. Also described herein are methods for removing one or more oxyanions from a liquid source by use of the above compound or mono-pyridyl derivative thereof.

Provided is a purification material capable of highly efficiently removing contaminant components from water. A water purification material has a composition represented by a mixing ratio of zeolite, ferric hydroxide, activated carbon, titanium oxide, and magnesium hydroxide of 6 to 7:1 to 2:0.5 to 1:0.01 to 0.05:0.01 to 0.10 in terms of weight ratio.

A synergetic system for waste treatment is provided. The synergetic system includes a waste treatment system configured to perform biological treatment of waste. Additionally, the synergetic system includes a gas purification system configured to purify exhaust gas generated during the biological treatment of the waste. The synergetic system further includes a feeding system configured to feed excess heat from the gas purification system back to the waste treatment system. The waste treatment system is further configured to use the fed back excess heat for the biological treatment of the waste.

A method and system for reducing the concentration of nitrogen-bound nitrate from at least one of groundwater, surface water, or waste water is disclosed. The system includes an algal photobioreactor system. The photobioreactor includes a transparent tubular structure, a medium disposed inside the transparent tubular structure, and alga configured to adhere to the medium. The photobioreactor further includes a pump, and a light source. The method includes providing contaminant-containing water, adding the water to the algal photobioreactor system, adjusting at least one of temperature, ion concentration, CO.sub.2 concentration, pH, light wavelength, ion concentration or light intensity in the algal photobioreactor system to enhance growth of algae, removing water from the algal photobioreactor system, and harvesting the algal biomass. A system and method are also disclosed for reducing the concentration of organophosphates from water via an organophosphate-removing alga.

Magnetic nanoparticle coated porous materials for recovering a contaminant from contaminated water are provided. In embodiments, such a material comprises a porous substrate having a solid matrix defining a plurality of pores distributed through the solid matrix and further comprising a coating comprising magnetic nanoparticles on surfaces of the solid matrix.

A plasma activated water production system includes a plasma reactor and a membrane concentrator. The plasma reactor includes an internal cavity, at least one electrically-conductive inlet capillary and outlet capillary. A mixing chamber has a feed gas inlet, a liquid inlet, and a mixed gas and liquid outlet. A power source is provided. The plasma reactor propagates a plasma discharge between the inlet capillary and the outlet capillary. A membrane concentrator includes a water flow channel with a water inlet and a water outlet, a dry gas inlet and a humidified gas outlet. An ion selective membrane is provided, and water will pass through the membrane into the dry gas, and the water leaving the membrane concentrator will have increased concentrations of nitrates, nitrites and hydrogen peroxide. An electrodialysis embodiment and a method of generating plasma activated with increased concentration of nitrates, nitrites and hydrogen peroxide are also disclosed.

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of water body treatment, and particularly relates to a method for enhancing biological denitrification based on the addition of exogenous β-cyclodextrin. Preferably, Paracoccus denitrificans and β-cyclodextrin are added for biological denitrification enhancement. In the present disclosure, the β-cyclodextrin is exogenously added to a denitrifying medium to construct a denitrification system, so that the denitrification rate of microorganisms may be increased and the production of harmful denitrification intermediate products is reduced.

The present invention relates to a process and plant for treating feed water containing nitrate. The process includes, sorbing nitrate from the feed water onto an ion exchange resin to form a loaded resin and produce a treated water stream depleted in nitrate, regenerating the loaded resin so that the resin can be reused and produce a brine stream high in nitrate; and converting nitrate in the brine stream into molecular nitrogen gas with the assistance of a bioactive agent.

The disclosure provides a compact and high-rate bioreactor for wastewater treatment comprising a feeding port for introducing a feed of waste material, a reaction zone in liquid communication with the feed port when the bioreactor is in operation and having an aerator to provide an airlift configuration in the reaction zone; a settling zone comprising a separator for separating a liquid effluent from solid particles; a liquid effluent outlet port for withdrawing the liquid effluent; and a solids outlet port for removing solids. Further provided is a spiral separator for use in a bioreactor and a system comprising the bioreactor and a membrane separator to provide hygienic water.