Embodiments include a vacuum airlift system for treating an aqueous effluent including an upflow liquid column, where the upflow liquid column is configured to retain a fluid, a fluid inlet, the fluid inlet being fluidly coupled with the upflow liquid column, where the fluid inlet is positioned at about the bottom of the upflow liquid column, a downflow liquid column, a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet being fluidly coupled with the downflow liquid column, wherein the fluid outlet is positioned at about the bottom of the downflow liquid column, and a plurality of moving bed biofilm reactors, the plurality of moving bed biofilm reactors being positioned in the upflow liquid column or the downflow liquid column.

A system for water ecological restoration in a rural region, including a water-collecting ditch assembly, a first biological treatment assembly, an ecological restoration assembly, an operation-regulating assembly and an energy supply assembly. The water-collecting ditch assembly is arranged in a yard. The first biological treatment assembly is internally communicated with the water-collecting ditch assembly. The ecological restoration assembly includes a restoration pool communicated with the water-collecting ditch assembly, a control valve provided on the restoration pool and a second biological treatment assembly communicated with the restoration pool. The restoration pool includes a main body and a spiral ditch component. The operation-regulating assembly is configured to regulate operating states of the water-collecting ditch assembly and the ecological restoration assembly. The energy supply assembly is electrically connected to the operation-regulating assembly. A method for water ecological restoration in a rural region is also provided.

Embodiments include a vacuum airlift system for treating an aqueous effluent including an upflow liquid column, where the upflow liquid column is configured to retain a fluid, a fluid inlet, the fluid inlet being fluidly coupled with the upflow liquid column, where the fluid inlet is positioned at about the bottom of the upflow liquid column, a downflow liquid column, a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet being fluidly coupled with the downflow liquid column, wherein the fluid outlet is positioned at about the bottom of the downflow liquid column, and a plurality of moving bed biofilm reactors, the plurality of moving bed biofilm reactors being positioned in the upflow liquid column or the downflow liquid column.

A microalgae culture broth producing system includes a device for culture broth sterilization using a micro bubble generator, an air compression and pressure equalization device for the injection of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere into the culture broth. The system also includes an air chilling device to maintain suitable culture broth temperature when water temperature is too high, an automatic carbon dioxide supply device to promote photosynthesis, and a sealed vertical photobioreactor to block out pollutants and increase dissolved carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration. The system further includes a high-efficiency harvesting device using hollow fiber membranes, and a hot air drying device using the waste heat generated by air compression.

The agent for selective metal recovery of the present invention includes a material derived from an alga belonging to the order Cyanidiales, which is dead cells or a cell surface layer of an alga belonging to the order Cyanidiales, or an artificial material produced by simulating the cell surface layer, or includes a porphyrin. The metal recovery method of the present invention includes an addition step of adding a material derived from an alga belonging to the order Cyanidiales, which is dead cells or a cell surface layer of an alga belonging to the order Cyanidiales, or an artificial material produced by simulating the cell surface layer, or adding a porphyrin, to a metal solution; and a recovery step of recovering a metal from the metal solution by the material derived from an alga belonging to the order Cyanidiales or the porphyrin.

A water purification system comprises a bioreaction subsystem receiving contaminated input effluent and having a gas-lift anaerobic membrane bioreactor removing urea and organic matter to create a first effluent. A light-treatment subsystem receives the first effluent and exposes the first effluent to UV light to create a second effluent free from microorganisms. A reactor subsystem fluidically connects an ammonia-reducing reactor to the UV output and receives UV-treated second effluent and has a struvite regenerator connected to the ammonia-reducing reactor output, separating ammonia from the second effluent in the ammonia-reducing reactor, and outputting the ammonia. A separation subsystem fluidically connects to the reactor output and receives the second effluent substantially free from ammonia and has a continuous electro-deionization device separating brine/salts from the second effluent to produce potable water. A closed-loop includes an ammonia-converting subsystem and a sequential fertilizer producer.

A process of growing a culture of cyanobacteria or algae using chitin or chitosan as a source of nitrogen for photosynthetic growth is described. This process can be used to remove pollutants from nitrogen-deficient natural waters or wastewaters including buchu mercaptan production wastewater. Biomass that results from photosynthetic growth on chitin can be used, either as whole cells or the isolated components of the cells, for a large variety of commercial purposes.

The present invention provides electrodes for transferring a charge comprising a plurality of members for making electrical contact. The electrodes are suitable for treating aqueous, substantially aqueous and nonaqueous fluids including wastewater, solvents and gases. Water maybe treated using the electrodes to provide higher dissolved oxygen or lower levels of contaminants after treatment. Furthermore, the electrodes may be useful in precipitation reactions such as electrowinning methods. The electrodes may also be capable of altering biological characteristics of organisms such as algae and bacteria.

The present invention recognizes that there exists a long felt and unfulfilled need for a photobioreactor for treatment of wastewater (Passive Aerobic Treatment Unit (PATU). As a non-limiting introduction to the breadth of the present invention, the present invention includes several general and useful aspects, including but not limited to: a) a device or system for the passive treatment of a preferably liquid wastewater stream using autotrophic, phototrophic, and heterotrophic microorganisms growing in a photobioreactor; and b) a method of treating wastewater using the devices of the present invention.

Disclosed is a method for the treatment and resource utilization of acidic organic wastewater, comprising: (1) performing activated sludge treatment on acidic organic wastewater; and (2) performing microalgae treatment on the acidic organic wastewater treated in step (1). By means of the combination of activated sludge treatment and microalgae treatment, the present invention can significantly reduce the COD of the acidic organic wastewater. In some embodiments, the use of acclimated activated sludge or activated sludge having a specific microbial flora structure can not only improve the treatment efficiency while shortening the treatment time, but also omit a pH value adjustment step without causing sludge accumulation.