Advancing Granular Activated Carbon Filtration via Microbial Inoculation: A Multitechnique Environmental Engineering Study.
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| Title: | Advancing Granular Activated Carbon Filtration via Microbial Inoculation: A Multitechnique Environmental Engineering Study. |
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| Authors: | Oenning Jr, Airton1 (AUTHOR) airton.oenning@ufpr.br, Lustosa, Bruno P.R.2 (AUTHOR), Razzolini, Emanuel2 (AUTHOR), Vicente, Vania A.2 (AUTHOR), Ruginsk, Bruna E.3 (AUTHOR), Valdameri, Glaucio3 (AUTHOR), Etchepare, Ramiro G.1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Environmental Engineering Science. Feb2026, Vol. 43 Issue 2, p53-66. 14p. |
| Subjects: | Granular activated carbon, Biofiltration, Water purification, Environmental engineering, Activated carbon, Microbial inoculants, Biofilms |
| Abstract: | Biological activated carbon (BAC), an alternative water treatment, has emerged as an effective technology in water treatment plants (WTPs) for removing organic compounds and micropollutants. It integrates granular activated carbon (GAC) with biofiltration, improving taste and odor removal, prolonging carbon lifespan, and reducing chemical use. Microbial biofilms established on the carbon bed contribute to these processes, as characterizing their microbiota supports the optimization of contaminant removal. However, most studies employ a limited range of techniques, which constrains a comprehensive understanding of microbial colonization and functional roles within GAC filters. This study evaluated the ability of a WTP-derived microbiome to inoculate a GAC bed by applying, for the first time, a multimodal analytical framework. The approach combined scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, metagenomic analyses (16S, 18S, and internal transcribed spacer [ITS]), flow cytometry, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) quantification. Results confirmed successful microbial transfer from the inoculum to the GAC through imaging and genetic sequencing. Specifically, the inoculum microbiome yielded 116,526 sequences for 16S rRNA, 115,170 for 18S rRNA, and 432,578 for ITS. BAC samples produced 107,095 sequences for 16S rRNA and 267,057 for ITS, with no 18S sequences detected, indicating diminished eukaryotic presence. Flow cytometry detected nucleic acids in both samples, while ATP quantification showed higher ATP concentrations in the inoculum compared with BAC samples, suggesting reduced microbial viability postinoculation. This multitechnique engineering study advanced understanding of biofilm colonization dynamics on BAC filters by demonstrating microbial inoculation using raw water sources and established a methodological framework for optimizing BAC operation in drinking water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Environmental Engineering Science is the property of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 191254681 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Advancing Granular Activated Carbon Filtration via Microbial Inoculation: A Multitechnique Environmental Engineering Study. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oenning+Jr%2C+Airton%22">Oenning Jr, Airton</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> airton.oenning@ufpr.br</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lustosa%2C+Bruno+P%2ER%2E%22">Lustosa, Bruno P.R.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Razzolini%2C+Emanuel%22">Razzolini, Emanuel</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vicente%2C+Vania+A%2E%22">Vicente, Vania A.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ruginsk%2C+Bruna+E%2E%22">Ruginsk, Bruna E.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Valdameri%2C+Glaucio%22">Valdameri, Glaucio</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Etchepare%2C+Ramiro+G%2E%22">Etchepare, Ramiro G.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Engineering+Science%22">Environmental Engineering Science</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 43 Issue 2, p53-66. 14p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Granular+activated+carbon%22">Granular activated carbon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biofiltration%22">Biofiltration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Water+purification%22">Water purification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+engineering%22">Environmental engineering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Activated+carbon%22">Activated carbon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microbial+inoculants%22">Microbial inoculants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biofilms%22">Biofilms</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Biological activated carbon (BAC), an alternative water treatment, has emerged as an effective technology in water treatment plants (WTPs) for removing organic compounds and micropollutants. It integrates granular activated carbon (GAC) with biofiltration, improving taste and odor removal, prolonging carbon lifespan, and reducing chemical use. Microbial biofilms established on the carbon bed contribute to these processes, as characterizing their microbiota supports the optimization of contaminant removal. However, most studies employ a limited range of techniques, which constrains a comprehensive understanding of microbial colonization and functional roles within GAC filters. This study evaluated the ability of a WTP-derived microbiome to inoculate a GAC bed by applying, for the first time, a multimodal analytical framework. The approach combined scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, metagenomic analyses (16S, 18S, and internal transcribed spacer [ITS]), flow cytometry, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) quantification. Results confirmed successful microbial transfer from the inoculum to the GAC through imaging and genetic sequencing. Specifically, the inoculum microbiome yielded 116,526 sequences for 16S rRNA, 115,170 for 18S rRNA, and 432,578 for ITS. BAC samples produced 107,095 sequences for 16S rRNA and 267,057 for ITS, with no 18S sequences detected, indicating diminished eukaryotic presence. Flow cytometry detected nucleic acids in both samples, while ATP quantification showed higher ATP concentrations in the inoculum compared with BAC samples, suggesting reduced microbial viability postinoculation. This multitechnique engineering study advanced understanding of biofilm colonization dynamics on BAC filters by demonstrating microbial inoculation using raw water sources and established a methodological framework for optimizing BAC operation in drinking water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Environmental Engineering Science is the property of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/15579018251410727 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 14 StartPage: 53 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Granular activated carbon Type: general – SubjectFull: Biofiltration Type: general – SubjectFull: Water purification Type: general – SubjectFull: Environmental engineering Type: general – SubjectFull: Activated carbon Type: general – SubjectFull: Microbial inoculants Type: general – SubjectFull: Biofilms Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Advancing Granular Activated Carbon Filtration via Microbial Inoculation: A Multitechnique Environmental Engineering Study. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Oenning Jr, Airton – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lustosa, Bruno P.R. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Razzolini, Emanuel – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Vicente, Vania A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ruginsk, Bruna E. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Valdameri, Glaucio – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Etchepare, Ramiro G. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Text: Feb2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10928758 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 43 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Environmental Engineering Science Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
