Eco-engineered Bioreactors ─ Advanced Natural Wastewater Treatment

This book provides a detailed understanding of a new, highly innovative natural wastewater treatment method called Engineered Bioreactors (EBs), which have been shown to provide superior removal methods for many kinds of pollutants and contaminants. Treatment using EBs involves passing wastewater through excavated basins (cells) in which microbes are introduced using fixed films on permeable substrate media. The book traces the development of the biological and ecological Engineered Bioreactor technology and presents information on the types, morphologies, testing methods for, designs, microbiology, and operations of EBs of all kinds.

James Higgins, Ph.D., P.Eng. is president of engineering consulting firm, Environmental Technologies Development Corporation (ETDC) and has held positions as President, CEO, Chairman and Director in various engineering consulting and environmental companies. Jim has been an Adjunct Professor and Lecturer at the Universities of Guelph, Ottawa and Toronto, and currently works closely with the Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment (CAWT) where he has EB treatability test facilities. He is the developer of the current version of the Engineered Bioreactor ecotechnology, and initiates, organizes and participates in EB pilot- and demonstration-scale test projects and R&D at test facilities such as those at CAWT, and at client sites. Dr Higgins is a professional engineer with background and expertise in areas such as conventional and natural wastewater treatment, constructed and engineered wetlands, site remediation, phytoremediation, risk assessment and the clean up of soils and waters contaminated with metals such as copper, nickel, chromium, lead, metalloids such as arsenic, and selenium, and hydrocarbons such as aliphatics and aromatic organics and chlorinated materials. In 2010, for the design of the seminal airport EB System at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Dr. Higgins as Project Leader received, on behalf of the client and the partners involved, an Honor Award for the project from the American Association of Engineering Companies