The City of San Diego (City) operates the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant (PLWTP) which can normally treat up to 240 million gallons per day (MGD) of chemically enhanced primary treated (CEPT) effluent for ocean disposal. The City wanted to understand the performance capabilities of Biological Aerated Filters (BAFs) in treating CEPT effluent to secondary standards. To this end, the City c...

A microbioreactor with a volume of microliters is fabricated out of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and glass. Aeration of microbial cultures is through a gas-permeable PDMS membrane. Sensors are integrated for on-line measurement of optical density (OD), dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH. All three parameter measurements are based on optical methods. Optical density is monitored via transmittance me...

Enteroviruses were isolated from influent and effluent wastewaters of two types of oxidation lagoons during an 18-month study. Isolations, performed by sewage concentration and direct assay, were low in number and did not follow a seasonal trend. The younger treatment system, using aeration and effluent chlorination, was more efficient at removing viruses than the aging, static complex.

In organic-enriched sedimentary systems, like many Mediterranean coastal lagoons, a detailed analysis of sediment grain size composition and partitioning within the muds is crucial to investigate sedimentological trends related to both hydrodynamic energy and basin morphology. In these systems, sediment dynamics are particularly important because the partitioning and transport of fine sediments...

Environmental releases of antibiotics from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are of increasing regulatory concern. This study investigates the use and occurrence of antibiotics in dairy CAFOs and their potential transport into first-encountered groundwater. On two dairies we conducted four seasonal sampling campaigns, each across 13 animal production and waste management systems an...

Control methods are needed to abate NH losses from swine anaerobic lagoons to reduce the contribution of confined swine operations to air pollution. In a 15-mo meso-scale column study, we evaluated the effect of manure pretreatment on water quality, reduction of N losses, and sludge accumulation in swine lagoons using (i) enhanced solid-liquid separation with polymer (SS) and (ii) solid-liquid ...