ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 1 Expository Class: 12 Interactive Classroom: 14 Total: 27
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Chemistry Engineering
Areas: Chemical Engineering
Center Higher Technical Engineering School
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
The objective of this course for the students of the Master's Degree in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering is to acquire a deep knowledge of the current problems associated with the treatment of wastewater in general and urban wastewater in particular, giving a vision of the implications that the new directive EU 2024/3019 of urban wastewater treatment will have, in the conception, design and operation of urban Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) and the new technologies that are breaking into the sector. A review will also be carried out on the state of the art on important topics such as nutrient recovery (N and P), membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology, the problems associated with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and the treatment of segregated streams and individual appropriate treatment systems.
The contents developed in the course are those briefly contemplated in the subject descriptor: “Advanced wastewater treatment: Recovery of phosphorus and nitrogen. Membrane systems. Emerging contaminants. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Treatment of segregated currents.”
Program
Lesson 1. New challenges for wastewater treatment (2 h)
New policies of the European Union and their implications in the design and management of urban Wastewater Treatment Plants: Treatment of organic matter; Nutrients; Energy neutrality; Generation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in urban WWTPs and urban Wastewater surveillance programs.
Lesson 2. Nitrogen recovery (2 h)
Either Eliminating or recovering nitrogen?. Biological nitrogen removal. Use of nitrogen compounds from treated water and sludge. Ammoniacal nitrogen recovery methods, ammonia desorption.
Lesson 3. Phosphorus elimination and recovery technologies (5 h)
The phosphorus cycle and phosphorus balances in WWTPs. Reuse of phosphorus from sludge: Direct agricultural use, regulations. Phosphorus recovery from sludge, chemical/thermal treatment. Recovery of phosphorus from aqueous streams: aluminium phosphates, calcium, iron, struvite. Study of cases.
Lesson 4. Membrane bioreactors (6 h)
Use of membranes in water treatment, types and characteristics. Fundamentals of membrane processes: Driving force, polarization and critical flux. Fouling and clogging of membranes. Aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors. Commercial membrane bioreactor technologies for wastewater treatment. Design and operation of membrane processes. Hybrid membrane systems.
Lesson 5. Technologies for the elimination of emerging contaminants (7 h)
Contaminants of emerging concern. Emerging organic contaminants. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Microplastics. Physical-chemical properties and biodegradability. Presence of micropollutants in the environment. Elimination mechanisms in WWTPs. Post-treatment technologies for the elimination of OMPs. OMP elimination experiences at USC.
Lesson 6. Individual systems and Source Separation (2 h)
Individual appropriate systems: Septic tanks and temporary storage tanks. Current problems and possible solutions.
Source separation for wastewater management. “Divide and conquer”: Grey, black, brown and yellow waters.
Laboratory practical session (2 h)
Basic books
• Juan M. Lema & Sonia Suarez Martínez (eds). Innovative Wastewater Treatment & Resource Recovery Technologies: Impacts on Energy, Economy and Environment. (2017). IWA Publishing, ISBN: 978-1-780-40786-9. Signatura B-ETSE: A213 62 (A).
• Guang-Hao Chen, Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht, G.A. Ekama, Damir Brdjanovic. Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, modelling and design. 2nd Edition. IWA Publishing. London, UK (2020)
https://iacobus.usc.gal/permalink/34CISUG_USC/tmlevo/alma99101338386130…
Complementary references (books/book chapters)
• The MBR book. Judd S. 2ª Ed. Editorial Elsevier. Oxford (2011). Signatura B-ETSE: A213 32 A.
• Metcalf & Eddy Inc. "Wastewater Engineering. Treatment and resource recovery ". 5ª Edición. Editorial Mc-Graw Hill, (2014). Signatura B-ETSE: A213 13 H/I
• Tomei M.C. and Garrido J.M. (Eds) (2024). “Anaerobic Treatment of Domestic Wastewater: Present Status and Potentialities”. IWA Publishing, London. Libro electrónico en abierto: https://doi.org/10.2166/9781789063479
Complementary materials (reviews)
• Professor’s summaries of topics 2.- phosphorus removal and recovery technologies; and 4. - Membrane Bioreactors. Updated selection of research articles (the availability of students, via Virtual Campus).
Knowledge
(CN02) Acquire advanced knowledge and demonstrate, in a scientific and technological or highly specialized research context, a detailed and well-founded understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects and work methodology in one or more fields of study in Chemical Engineering.
(CN03) Have knowledge of the relevant biological foundations in bioprocesses in the context of Chemical Engineering.
Competences
(CP04) Design, build and implement methods, processes, and facilities for the comprehensive management of supplies and waste, solid, liquid and gaseous, in industries, with the capacity to evaluate their impacts and risks.
(CP09) Manage Technological Research, Development, and Innovation, considering technology transfer and property and patent rights.
Skills
(HD02) Adapt to structural changes in society motivated by factors or phenomena of an economic, energy or natural nature, to solve the resulting problems and provide technological solutions with a high commitment to sustainability.
(HD04) Search, process, analyse and synthesize, critically, information from various sources to establish the corresponding conclusions.
At the start of the course, students will be provided with a guide indicating the detailed planning of activities, indicating the various articles or chapters or books that are recommended for reading prior to discussing them in class. The classes will be held in person in the form of a seminar where the teacher will try to emphasize the most cutting-edge aspects of the state of the art, and where the assimilation of content by the students will be verified, at the end of the first 5 lessons. of the subject, through the use of tests and questionnaires. The student's participation in classes will be valued.
At the same time, teamwork by the students is planned, in groups of 2 or 3 people. The USC virtual classroom (Moodle) will be used for the distribution of teaching materials, the delivery of teamwork and the completion of multiple choice evaluation tests. During the scheduled tutorial, students will present their work to their classmates.
A 2-hour laboratory practice session will be carried out in which students will focus on some of the technologies studied. A technical visit will be made to an urban or industrial WWTP.
The MS Teams application will be used to encourage individual tutoring, at the request of students. A spreadsheet will be used to solve problems.
The learning results, in the form of knowledge, competencies and skills, will be guaranteed through the implementation of the different planned activities:
CN02 Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Teamwork.
CN03 Lessons 4, 5 and 6. Tutoring.
CP04, Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Tutoring
CP09, Teamwork.
HD02 Lesson 1, teamwork, laboratory practices and technical visit
HD04 Individual and teamwork. Laboratory practices and technical visit
The student assessment system is implemented through various tests and activities. Those required in person are indicated and scheduled in the academic calendar for the course:
1. Assessment questionnaires 20%.
2. Laboratory performance 5%.
3. Technical visit 5%.
4. Teamwork 15%.
5. Tutorial: presentation of teamwork 5%. Mandatory.
6. Class participation, instructor's report 10%.
7. Exam 40%. Mandatory.
The final evaluation of each student would be a sum of the scores achieved in each type of activity. To pass the subject and need to obtain at least 50% of the Tutorial and Exam grade and obtain a minimum overall grade of 5.0 points, those students who do not meet these requirements would obtain, at most, a grade of 4.9 Fail. The recovery of the tutorial would be carried out before the 2nd opportunity exam, assigning the students an analogous presentation, which would be presented to the professor.
Repeating students: No grades from the previous course will be retained.
Development of learning outcomes in the five types of activities evaluated:
1. CN02, CN03, HD02
2. HD02, HD04
3. HD02, HD04
4. CN02, HD02, HD04, CP04, CP09
5. CN03, CP04
6. HD04
7. CN03, CP04, HD04
In cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or tests, the provisions of the "Regulations for the Evaluation of Student Academic Performance and Grade Review" will apply.
The subject has a workload equivalent to 3 ECTS that are distributed as indicated:
Activity___________ Hours
Theoretical teaching______12
Interactive teaching ___12
Laboratory/visit______ 2
Group tutorials_________1
Exam and review______2
Student personal work__46
Total________________75 hours
It is important that students read previously those texts, documents or articles that have been indicated in the teaching guide. Since the subject documents are delivered in English, it is essential to have at least a medium command of that language.
LANGUAGE: The subject will be taught preferably in Spanish or alternatively in Galician/English, depending on the origin of the students. Teaching materials will preferably be delivered in English.
SAFETY: Students will have a basic operating manual for each of the practices, which will include the most relevant aspects in relation to safety and prevention of occupational risks.
The admission and permanence of students enrolled in the practice laboratory requires that they know and comply with the standards included in the “Basic training protocol on security for experimental spaces” (in Galician) of the Higher Technical School of Engineering, available in the security section from its website which you can access as follows:
1. https://www.usc.gal/gl/centro/escola-tecnica-superior-enxenaria
2. Access to the intranet with your personal credentials
3. Enter in Comisións > Seguridade e Saúde > Formación
4. Select the file "Protocolo de formación básica en materia de seguridade para espazos experimentais"
Juan Manuel Garrido Fernandez
Coordinador/a- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- Phone
- 881816778
- juanmanuel.garrido [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
| Tuesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom A6 |
| Wednesday | |||
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom A6 |
| Thursday | |||
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom A6 |
| 06.04.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 06.04.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 06.04.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIL_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 07.08.2026 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIL_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 07.08.2026 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 07.08.2026 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A6 |