IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jcltec/v7y2025i3p75-d1739094.html

Performance of Textile-Based Water-Storage Mats in Treating Municipal Wastewater on Urban Rooftops for Climate-Resilient Cities

Author

Listed:
  • Khaja Zillur Rahman

    (Department Systemic Environmental Biotechnology-SUBT, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Jens Mählmann

    (Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI), Annaberger Straße 240, 09125 Chemnitz, Germany)

  • Michael Blumberg

    (Blumberg Engineers, Gänsemarkt 10, 37120 Bovenden, Germany)

  • Katy Bernhard

    (Department Systemic Environmental Biotechnology-SUBT, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Roland A. Müller

    (Department Systemic Environmental Biotechnology-SUBT, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Lucie Moeller

    (Department Systemic Environmental Biotechnology-SUBT, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment efficiency and applicability of using textile-based mats as roof biofilters on urban buildings for purifying preliminary treated wastewater (PTW) collected from a three-chamber septic tank. Therefore, a pilot plant with a 15° pitched wooden roof and two tracks for laying two mats made of different materials—polypropylene (PP), designated as Mat 1, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), designated as Mat 2—was constructed at ground level under outdoor conditions. The plant was operated in parallel for a period of 455 days. Significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed in the results of the mass removal efficiencies between the two mats, with Mat 1 achieving mean removals of five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium-nitrogen (NH 4 -N), and total nitrogen (TN) of 85%, 73%, 75%, and 38%, respectively, and Mat 2 achieving comparatively higher removals of 97%, 84%, 90%, and 57%, respectively. The mean concentrations of BOD 5 and COD at the outflow of both mats met the minimum water quality requirements for discharge and successfully met the minimum water quality class B for agricultural reuse. However, the comparatively low mean E. coli removal efficiencies of 2.0 and 2.4 log-units in Mat 1 and Mat 2, respectively, demonstrate the need for an effluent disinfection system. Highly efficient mass removal efficiencies were observed in the presence of dense vegetation on the mats, which may lead to a potential improvement in the urban climate through high daily evapotranspiration. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential for using lightweight, textile-based mats on rooftops to efficiently treat PTW from urban buildings, offering a promising decentralized wastewater management approach for climate-resilient cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Khaja Zillur Rahman & Jens Mählmann & Michael Blumberg & Katy Bernhard & Roland A. Müller & Lucie Moeller, 2025. "Performance of Textile-Based Water-Storage Mats in Treating Municipal Wastewater on Urban Rooftops for Climate-Resilient Cities," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-22, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jcltec:v:7:y:2025:i:3:p:75-:d:1739094
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8797/7/3/75/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8797/7/3/75/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qadir, M. & Sharma, B.R. & Bruggeman, A. & Choukr-Allah, R. & Karajeh, F., 2007. "Non-conventional water resources and opportunities for water augmentation to achieve food security in water scarce countries," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 2-22, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zijie Sang & Ge Zhang & Haiqing Wang & Wangyang Zhang & Yuxiu Chen & Mingyang Han & Ke Yang, 2023. "Effective Solutions to Ecological and Water Environment Problems in the Sanjiang Plain: Utilization of Farmland Drainage Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Luis Santos Pereira, 2017. "Water, Agriculture and Food: Challenges and Issues," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(10), pages 2985-2999, August.
    3. Moraetis, D. & Stamati, F.E. & Nikolaidis, N.P. & Kalogerakis, N., 2011. "Olive mill wastewater irrigation of maize: Impacts on soil and groundwater," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(7), pages 1125-1132, May.
    4. Wahhaj Ahmed & Ayman Alazazmeh & Muhammad Asif, 2022. "Energy and Water Saving Potential in Commercial Buildings: A Retrofit Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Palatnik, Ruslana & Shechter, Mordechai, 2008. "Can Climate Change Mitigation Policy be Beneficial for the Israeli Economy? A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis," Conference papers 331792, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    6. Marta Antonelli & Martina Sartori, 2014. "Unfolding the Potential of the Virtual Water Concept. What is still under debate?," IEFE Working Papers 74, IEFE, Center for Research on Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    7. Saskia Keesstra & Jeroen Veraart & Jan Verhagen & Saskia Visser & Marit Kragt & Vincent Linderhof & Wilfred Appelman & Jolanda van den Berg & Ayodeji Deolu-Ajayi & Annemarie Groot, 2023. "Nature-Based Solutions as Building Blocks for the Transition towards Sustainable Climate-Resilient Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Houessionon, P. & Fonta, W. M. & Bossa, A. Y. & Sanfo, S. & Thiombiano, N. & Zahonogo, P. & Yameogo, T. B. & Balana, Bedru, "undated". "Economic valuation of ecosystem services from small-scale agricultural management interventions in Burkina Faso: a discrete choice experiment approach," Papers published in Journals (Open Access) H048370, International Water Management Institute.
    9. Glendenning, C.J. & van Ogtrop, F.F. & Mishra, A.K. & Vervoort, R.W., 2012. "Balancing watershed and local scale impacts of rain water harvesting in India—A review," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 1-13.
    10. Vyshpolsky, F. & Mukhamedjanov, K. & Bekbaev, U. & Ibatullin, S. & Yuldashev, T. & Noble, A.D. & Mirzabaev, A. & Aw-Hassan, A. & Qadir, M., 2010. "Optimizing the rate and timing of phosphogypsum application to magnesium-affected soils for crop yield and water productivity enhancement," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(9), pages 1277-1286, September.
    11. Seidu, Razak & Drechsel, Pay, 2011. "Analyse cout-efficacite des interventions pour reduire les maladies diarrheiques chez les consommateurs de laitues irriguees avec des eaux usees au Ghana. In French," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    12. Parvender Sheoran & Arvind Kumar & Raman Sharma & Kailash Prajapat & Ashwani Kumar & Arijit Barman & R. Raju & Satyendra Kumar & Yousuf Jaffer Dar & Ranjay K. Singh & Satish Kumar Sanwal & Rajender Ku, 2021. "Quantitative Dissection of Salt Tolerance for Sustainable Wheat Production in Sodic Agro-Ecosystems through Farmers’ Participatory Approach: An Indian Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-16, March.
    13. Carla Ximena Salinas & Jorge Gironás & Miriam Pinto, 2016. "Water security as a challenge for the sustainability of La Serena-Coquimbo conurbation in northern Chile: global perspectives and adaptation," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 1235-1246, December.
    14. Ricart, Sandra & Rico, Antonio M., 2019. "Assessing technical and social driving factors of water reuse in agriculture: A review on risks, regulation and the yuck factor," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 426-439.
    15. Qadir, M. & Wichelns, D. & Raschid-Sally, L. & McCornick, P.G. & Drechsel, P. & Bahri, A. & Minhas, P.S., 2010. "The challenges of wastewater irrigation in developing countries," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(4), pages 561-568, April.
    16. Bonaiti, Gabriele & Borin, Maurizio, 2010. "Efficiency of controlled drainage and subirrigation in reducing nitrogen losses from agricultural fields," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 343-352, December.
    17. Aiko Endo & Izumi Tsurita & Kimberly Burnett & Pedcris M. Orencio, 2016. "A Review of the Current State of Research on the Water, Energy, and Food Nexus," Working Papers 2016-7, University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
    18. Sato, Toshio & Qadir, Manzoor & Yamamoto, Sadahiro & Endo, Tsuneyoshi & Zahoor, Ahmad, 2013. "Global, regional, and country level need for data on wastewater generation, treatment, and use," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 1-13.
    19. Maria Christoforidou & Gerlo Borghuis & Chris Seijger & Gerardo E. Halsema & Petra Hellegers, 2023. "Food security under water scarcity: a comparative analysis of Egypt and Jordan," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(1), pages 171-185, February.
    20. Georg Smolka & Ervin Kosatica & Markus Berger & Meidad Kissinger & Dor Fridman & Thomas Koellner, 2023. "Domestic water versus imported virtual blue water for agricultural production: A comparison based on energy consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(4), pages 1123-1136, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jcltec:v:7:y:2025:i:3:p:75-:d:1739094. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.