Handbook of Environmental Engineering: Vol. 8 Biological Treatment Processes

Citation

Llaurado, J.G. (2009), "Handbook of Environmental Engineering: Vol. 8 Biological Treatment Processes", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 20 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/meq.2009.08320eae.001

Handbook of Environmental Engineering: Vol. 8 Biological Treatment Processes

Handbook of Environmental Engineering: Vol. 8 Biological Treatment Processes

Article Type: Books and resources From: Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, Volume 20, Issue 5

Lawrence K. Wang, Norman C. Pereira and Yung-Tse Hung with Nazih K. Shammas (Consulting Editor),Humana Press, c/o Springer Science + Business Media LLC,New York, NY,February 2009,818 pp.,ISBN 9781603271561,US$169

Environmental pollution, in its different varieties – air, water, soil and noise, is a direct or indirect consequence of waste. Although the demand for a “zero discharge” is obviously unattainable, the major questions to answer are: “(1) How serious is the pollution? (2) Is the technology to abate it available? and (3) Do the costs of abatement justify the degree of abatement achieved?”. This book follows the pattern of previous volumes in the series to help readers formulate answers to the last two questions above.

In this series the main effort of the authors has been to show that the engineering presentation of the subject comes naturally from the fundamental principles and theories of chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics. Wherever possible, pertinent information on expenses has been provided. The organization of the book is based on the three basic forms in which pollutants and waste are manifested: gas, solid and liquid.

This volume 8 comprises 18 chapters of unequal extension, with a lengthy appendix on units and converting factors, written by a group of 22 authors from the USA, Asia and Europe. The first chapter presents the fundamental concepts for environmental processes (including biochemistry and microbiology) followed by chapters on treatment by application onto land, subsurface application (mostly septic tanks), submerged aeration, surface and spray aeration. Other topics widely covered are activated sludge processes particularly with pure oxygen, waste stabilization ponds and lagoons, trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, sequencing batch reactors, oxidation ditch plants, biological nitrification and denitrification processes, anaerobic and aerobic digestion, biosolids composting and vermicomposting, biological odor and volatile organic compound (VOC) control processes.

From the sublime intricacies of electron transport by the cytochrome system to the prosaic construction and care of septic tanks the contents cover a gamut of topics. In general, the exposition of a methodology begins with the biological aspect of the problem, its chemistry, applicability of possible solutions, detailed resolution of a practical problem and recent developments on the discussed topic. When needed, use is made of differential equations, which are also presented in solved form. Finally the cost is estimated and sample worksheets are included. When appropriate, numerous design examples are described. In assessing various types of wastewater treatment alternatives, attention has been recently drawn to the use of integrated wetlands in which the “inclusion of constructed wetland technology as a component of an overall wastewater management system has the potential to help address the issues of agricultural wastewater treatment and the protection of water quality”.

Considerable space is given to nitrification and denitrification processes, where nitrification is the biological formation of nitrate from sequentially oxidizing ammonia nitrogen in the wastewater with the intermediate formation of nitrite. Denitrification is the final step by conversion anaerobically or anoxically of nitrate nitrogen into nitrogen gas. A chapter (the 17th) is devoted to vermicomposting process – alternately called earthworm conversion, vermistabilization, worm composting or annelidic consumption – a biodegradation process for stabilization of biosolids and organic solid wastes using earthworms, mostly Eisenia fœtida. While “vermicomposting has demonstrated its benefits, the process faces obstacles in meeting US regulatory requirements”. The problems involved and progress thus far accomplished are detailed in the text. “Scientific interest in earthworms is on the rise worldwide”.

As in previous volumes of this collection there is duplication (written as “duplicity” (?!) by the Editors) in units usage in the sense that both the English system and the metric system are usually employed. For the cases in which only one system is used the tome provides a detailed appendix on Conversion Factors for Environmental Engineers.

The book is handsomely printed with superior paper quality and good binding. There are many references at the end of each chapter seemingly listing all authors for each publication; but some times the titles of articles in journals are given, some times not, and this happens within the same chapter so that it raises a suspicion on the thoroughness of the bibliographical research. There is a lot of tabulated material and there are many illustrations in black and white. Although in general figures are well reproduced, an infelicitous one creeps in p. 608 trying to show a gas recirculation system. There are very few printing errors but “megacities” is misspelled in p. 355. An alphabetic subject matter index is provided at the end of the book.

According to the Editors this series of books has been designed “to serve as comprehensive biological treatment textbooks as well as wide-ranging reference books”. In my appreciation the book offers a good blend of refined scientific theory and eminently practical aspects. However, I am to some extent reticent to share the optimism of the Editors in marketing this book as a textbook, my impression being that not many teachers will dare to recommend it as a class textbook owing to its vastness. Nevertheless, the series stands as a monumental encyclopedia of environmental engineering encompassing up to the first decade of the twenty-first century.

J.G. LlauradoDeputy Editor, MEQ