Described herein are heterogeneous materials comprising a p-type semiconductor comprising two metal oxide compounds of the same metal in two different oxidation states and an n-type semiconductor having a deeper valence band than the p-type semiconductor valence bands, wherein the semiconductor types are in ionic communication with each other. The heterogeneous materials enhance photocatalytic activity.

The present invention provides a novel method for treating soil-contaminated water, the method using a photocatalytic material capable of efficiently removing, by light irradiation alone, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals that give rise to soil contamination. The present invention provides a method for treating soil-contaminated water that detoxifies volatile organic compounds contained in soil-contaminated water using a photocatalytic material, the method being characterized by including the steps of (1) subjecting the soil-contaminated water to a gas-liquid separation to obtain a gas phase, and (2) decomposing the volatile organic compounds contained in the gas phase obtained in step (1) using the photocatalytic material. The present invention further provides a method for treating soil-contaminated water using a photocatalytic material to remove heavy metals contained in the soil-contaminated water, the method being characterized, by including the steps of (1) subjecting the soil-contaminated water to a gas-liquid separation to obtain a liquid phase, and (2) removing the heavy metals contained in the liquid phase obtained in step (1) using the photocatalytic material.

Chemically oxidizing a wide range of targeted contaminants in soils, sludges, groundwater, process water, and wastewater and assisting in the eventual (over time) biological attenuation of the contaminants utilizing persulfates activated by trivalent metals, such as ferric iron. The use of trivalent metal activated persulfate results in a chemical oxidation process that yields degradation compounds which facilitate further attenuation via biological processes.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for treating volatile fatty acids and bacteria capable of producing volatile fatty acids. The compositions can convert acid-producing bacteria environments to nitrate-reducing bacteria environments. The compositions and methods can lower the amount of acid-producing bacteria present in the environment and thereby reduce the amount of volatile fatty acids present in the environment. The control agent may also inhibit the growth of acid-producing bacteria and volatile fatty acid concentrations. The compositions and methods can be used with any aqueous industrial system.

Described is a process for treatment of a fluid comprising an oxidizable contaminant selected from one or both of a sulfide and a thiol, the process comprising the step of contacting the fluid with a first complex of ferric iron and a polyphosphate to oxidize the oxidizable contaminant and generate a second complex of ferrous ion and the polyphosphate.

A wastewater treatment system includes a circulating fluidized bed evaporator defining a longitudinal axis vertical with respect to gravity. The evaporator has a wastewater inlet to provide wastewater to the circulating fluidized bed evaporator. A heat inlet is axially below the wastewater inlet to provide heat to the circulating fluidized bed evaporator for evaporating the wastewater. An outlet is axially above the wastewater inlet and the heat inlet.

Methods for capture of biogas from a wastewater system are disclosed herein. The methods may include the step of collecting biogas within a collector chamber of a biogas collector formed at an elevated location in a wastewater system, the biogas being released from wastewater passing though the collector chamber. The methods may include the step of controlling the withdrawing of biogas from the collector chamber, and the step of capturing the biogas withdrawn from the collector chamber. The methods may include performing the step of collecting biogas within a collector chamber of a biogas collector by reducing a pressure within at least portions of the collector chamber. The methods may include the step of conveying biogas withdrawn from the collector chamber to a biogas disposer. Related apparatus for capture of biogas from a wastewater system are disclosed herein.

A to-be-treated liquid containing oil that is obtained from oil-containing discharged water is treated with an oil-resistant separation membrane to remove the oil.

The present invention relates to a filter element for disinfecting, cleaning and purifying household water, by removing pollutants such as heavy metals, bacteria, VOCs, and even radioactive substance. The present filter element comprises activated carbon, ion exchange resins (cationic and anionic), biopolymer and transitional metal oxide. Said biopolymer and transitional metal oxide are both in particle form and said transitional metal oxide particle can be either incorporated into the biopolymer particle or directly incorporated into the present filter element as individual particle. Maximum capacity of the present filter element can reach up to 150 L of household water. Some of the pollutants can be removed by up to 99% by the present filter element. A method of preparing the present filter element is also disclosed herein.

An open-cell foam structure that is used to detect and remove substances from water or air.