Integrated Hydroponics Microbial Electrochemical Technology iHydroMET for efficient domestic wastewater management at point sources

Abstract

In most developing countries, a substantial proportion of wastewater (~50%) is discharged without newlinetreatment, causing several environmental and health problems. It is primarily due to the lack of newlinetreatment infrastructure and low-cost technologies that can be implemented at different scales and newlinelocations. Notably, the existing wastewater treatment paradigm is largely unsustainable because newlineof its resource-consuming (such as energy) operations. Considering wastewater as a resource rather newlinethan waste, transitioning the existing treatment plants to resource recovery plants and following a newlinedecentralization approach are among the key interventions desired to achieve the sustainable newlinewastewater management paradigm. Consequently, the need for cost-efficient and sustainable newlineinterventions at different scales has led to the emergence of integrated technology concepts newlineinvolving conventional bio-based and emerging membrane- and microbial (bio)electrochemistry newlinebased processes. Considering the lack of affordable and efficient technologies for managing newlinewastewater at point sources such as households, isolated off-grid establishments, resorts, etc., this newlinethesis focused on the development of innovative technology based on the integration of newlineHydroponics and Microbial Electrochemical technologies (named as iHydroMET). Conceptually, newlineit utilizes the fundamental components, such as porous bed matrix, electrodes or conductive newlinematerials, and plants, of these technologies to enable various physicochemical, biological, and newlinebioelectrochemical processes to achieve wastewater treatment with concomitant resource recovery newlinein the form of reclaimed water for non-potable reuse, valuable horticulture yield, and electricity. newlineFirst, a proof-of-concept iHydroMET system design, consisting of three main components, newlinenamely modular reactor units, drip manifold, and wastewater reservoir, was successfully newlinedemonstrated for sewage treatment and resource recovery. iHydroMET systems with an optimized newlineset of reactor components in wastewater-satura