This paper aims to review the odor removal performance and operating parameters of pilot and full-scale chemical scrubbers, bioscrubbers, biofilters, and biotrickling filters for odor control in wastewater treatment plants. Based on the performance of full-scale facilities installed in wastewater treatment plants, empty-bed residence times were the shortest for bioscrubbers (7.5±2.5s), followed by chemical scrubbers (20±8.1s), biotrickling filters (22.2±26.2s), and biofilters (48±30s). The removal efficiencies of complex odors by biofilters, biotrickling filters, bioscrubbers, and chemical scrubbers were 97.7±1.9%, 87.7±15.6%, 89.0±9.0%, and 70.0%, respectively. The investment cost was the lowest for biofilters, followed by biotrickling filters, bioscrubbers, and chemical scrubbers. In addition, the operating costs of these deodorization technologies were in the following order: biofilters < bioscrubbers and biotrickling filters < chemical scrubbers. However, most studies on odor control for wastewater treatment processes have been conducted on a laboratory scale with model odors (single odorous compound or mixtures of 2-3 odorous compounds). Therefore, field research to develop deodorization technologies for wastewater treatment plants should be more actively conducted to accumulate data for the design and operation of full-scale deodorizing systems.

Industrial wastewater often contains a number of recalcitrant organic contaminants. These contaminants are hardly degradable by biological wastewater treatment processes, which requires a more powerful treatment method based on chemical oxidation. Advanced oxidation technology (AOT) has been extensively studied for the treatment of nonbiodegradable organics in water and wastewater. Among different AOTs developed up to date, ozonation and the Fenton process are the representative technologies that widely used in the field. Based on the traditional ozonation and the Fenton process, several modified processes have been also developed to accelerate the production of reactive radicals. This article reviews the chemistry of ozonation and the Fenton process as well as the cases of application of these two AOTs to industrial wastewater treatment. In addition, research needs to improve the cost efficiency of ozonation and the Fenton process were discussed.

The removal of organic carbon and nutrients (i.e. N and P) from wastewater is essential for the protection of the water environment. Especially, nitrogen compounds cause eutrophication in the water environment, resulting in bad water quality. Conventional nitrogen removal systems require high aeration costs and additional organic carbon. Microbial electrochemical system (MES) is a sustainable environmental system that treats wastewater and produces energy or valuable chemicals by using microbial electrochemical reaction. Innovative and cost-effective nitrogen removal is feasible by using MESs and increasing attention has been given to the MES development. In this review, recent trends of MESs for nitrogen removal and their mechanism were conclusively reviewed and future research outlooks were also introduced.

Water and wastewater treatment has always been a challenging task due to the continuous increase in amount and the change in characteristics of the poorly biodegradable and highly colored organic matters, as well as harmful micro-organisms. Advanced techniques are therefore required to successfully remove these pollutants from water before reuse or discharge to receiving water bodies. Application of ozone, which is a powerful oxidant and disinfectant, alone or as part of advanced oxidation process depends on the complex kinetic reactions and the mass transfer of ozone involved. Micro- and nano bubbling considerably improves gas dissolution compared to conventional bubbles and hence mass transfer. It can also intensify generation of hydroxyl radical due to collapse of the bubbles, which in turn facilitates oxidation reaction under both alkaline as well as acidic conditions. This review gives the overview of application of micro- and nano bubble ozonation for purification of water and wastewater. The drawbacks of previously considered techniques and the application of the hydrodynamic ozonation to synthetic aqueous solutions and various industrial wastewaters are systematically reviewed.