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Ajaz S, Aly Hassan A, Michael RN, Leusch FDL. Removal of organic micropollutants in biologically active filters: A systematic quantitative review of key influencing factors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 353:120203. [PMID: 38325285 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Biofiltration utilizes natural mechanisms including biodegradation and biotransformation along with other physical processes for the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides and industrial compounds found in (waste)water. In this systematic review, a total of 120 biofiltration studies from 25 countries were analyzed, considering various biofilter configurations, source water types, biofilter media and scales of operation. The study also provides a bibliometric analysis to identify the emerging research trends in the field. The results show that granular activated carbon (GAC) either alone or in combination with another biofiltration media can remove a broad range of OMPs efficiently. The impact of pre-oxidation on biofilter performance was investigated, revealing that pre-oxidation significantly improved OMP removal and reduced the empty bed contact time (EBCT) needed to achieve a consistently high OMP. Biofiltration with pre-oxidation had median removals ranging between 65% and >90% for various OMPs at 10-45 min EBCT with data variability drastically reducing beyond 20 min EBCT. Biofiltration without pre-oxidation had lower median removals with greater variability. The results demonstrate that pre-oxidation greatly enhances the removal of adsorptive and poorly biodegradable OMPs, while its impact on other OMPs varies. Only 19% of studies we reviewed included toxicity testing of treated effluent, and even fewer measured transformation products. Several studies have previously reported an increase in effluent toxicity because of oxidation, although it was successfully abated by subsequent biofiltration in most cases. Therefore, the efficacy of biofiltration treatment should be assessed by integrating toxicity testing into the assessment of overall removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Ajaz
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Ashraf Aly Hassan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, PO Box, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ruby N Michael
- Green Infrastructure Research Labs (GIRLS), Cities Research Institute, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, 4222, Australia.
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2
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Sikder S, Toha M, Anik AH, Sultan MB, Alam M, Parvin F, Tareq SM. A comprehensive review on the fate and impact of antibiotic residues in the environment and public health: A special focus on the developing countries. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2024; 96:e10987. [PMID: 38342763 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
The widespread application of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine has led to the pervasive presence of antibiotic residues in the environment, posing a potential hazard to public health. This comprehensive review aims to scrutinize the fate and impact of antibiotic residues, with a particular focus on the context of developing nations. The investigation delves into the diverse pathways facilitating the entry of antibiotics into the environment and meticulously examines their effects on human health. The review delineates the current state of antibiotic residues, evaluates their exposure in developing nations, and elucidates existing removal methodologies. Additionally, it probes into the factors contributing to the endurance and ecotoxicity of antibiotic residues, correlating these aspects with usage rates and associated mortalities in these nations. The study also investigates removal techniques for antibiotic residues, assessing their efficiency in environmental compartments. The concurrent emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, engendered by antibiotic residues, and their adverse ecological threats underscore the necessity for enhanced regulations, vigilant surveillance programs, and the adoption of sustainable alternatives. The review underlines the pivotal role of public education and awareness campaigns in promoting responsible antibiotic use. The synthesis concludes with strategic recommendations, strengthening the imperative for further research encompassing comprehensive monitoring, ecotoxicological effects, alternative strategies, socio-economic considerations, and international collaborations, all aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of antibiotic residues on human health and the environment. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Antibiotic residues are widely distributed in different environmental compartments. Developing countries use more antibiotics than developed countries. Human and veterinary wastes are one of the most responsible sources of antibiotic pollution. Antibiotics interact with biological systems and trigger pharmacological reactions at low doses. Antibiotics can be removed using modern biological, chemical, and physical-chemical techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia Sikder
- Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Bangladesh
- Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Daffodil International University, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Toha
- Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Bangladesh
| | - Amit Hasan Anik
- Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Bangladesh
| | - Maisha Binte Sultan
- Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Bangladesh
| | - Mahbub Alam
- Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Bangladesh
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Fahmida Parvin
- Hydrobiogeochemistry and Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shafi M Tareq
- Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Bangladesh
- Hydrobiogeochemistry and Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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3
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Huang F, Tang J, Xu L, Campos LC. Deciphering the synergistic effects of photolysis and biofiltration to actuate elimination of estrogens in natural water matrix. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 249:120976. [PMID: 38064783 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The presence of estrogens in water environments has raised concerns for human health and ecosystems balance. These substances possess potent estrogenic properties, causing severe disruptions in endocrine systems and leading to reproductive and developmental problems. Unfortunately, conventional treatment methods struggle to effectively remove estrogens and mitigate their effects, necessitating technological innovation. This study investigates the effectiveness of a novel sequential photolysis-granular activated carbon (GAC) sandwich biofiltration (GSBF) system in removing estrogens (E1, E2, E3, and EE2) and improving general water quality parameters. The results indicate that combining photolysis pre-treatment with GSBF consistently achieved satisfactory performance in terms of turbidity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), UV254, and microbial reduction, with over 77.5 %, 80.2 %, 89.7 %, and 92 % reduction, respectively. Furthermore, this approach effectively controlled the growth of microbial biomass under UV irradiation, preventing excessive head loss. To assess estrogen removal, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) measured their concentrations, while bioassays determined estrogenicity. The findings demonstrate that GSBF systems, with and without photolysis installation, achieved over 96.2 % removal for estrogens when the spike concentration of each targeted compound was 10 µg L-1, successfully reducing estrogenicity (EA/EA0) to levels below 0.05. Additionally, the study evaluated the impact of different thicknesses of GAC layer filling (8 cm, 16 cm, and 24 cm) and found no significant difference (p>0.05) in estrogen and estrogenicity removal among them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Huang
- Centre for Urban Sustainability and Resilience, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junwang Tang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Industrial Catalysis Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Like Xu
- Centre for Urban Sustainability and Resilience, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Luiza C Campos
- Centre for Urban Sustainability and Resilience, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
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4
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Lin H, Hou Q, Sun X, Hu G, Yu R. Oyster shell for drinking water filtration compared with granular activated carbon: advantages and limitations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:121475-121486. [PMID: 37950780 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30781-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Deliberate media selection can be conducted to achieve targeted objective in filters. In this study, three biofilters (BFs) packed with calcinated oyster shell (COS), granular activated carbon (GAC), and COS + GAC (Mix) were set up in parallel following a rough filter packed with natural oyster shell to compare the performance for treating micro-polluted source water. Different media showed selective removal effects for different pollutants. GAC outperformed COS in terms of TOC and UV254. COS achieved higher reduction in turbidity than GAC. Due to the removal of total bacteria, the absolute and relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) both decreased much in rough filter treated water (1.16 × 1014 to 1.40 × 1013 copies L-1 and 81.6 to 36.9%, respectively). The highest diverse and rich bacterial community was found in the biofilms on the COS filler, so microbial leakage gave rise to high bacterial content, leading to the highest absolute abundance of ARGs in COS BF effluent (2.11 × 1013 copies L-1). The highest relative abundance of ARGs (41.2%) was found in GAC BF effluent. SourceTracker and biomarker analysis both suggested that treatment process played a more important role in shaping the bacterial community structure in Mix BF effluent than single media BFs, which contributed to the lowest absolute (8.69 × 1012 copies L-1) and relative abundance (25.2%) of ARGs in Mix BF effluent among the three BFs. Our results suggested that mix COS + GAC can not only give full play to their respective advantages for traditional pollutants, but also achieve highest reduction in ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huirong Lin
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Quanyang Hou
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Xiaohui Sun
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Gongren Hu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ruilian Yu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
- Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
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5
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Xu L, Canales M, Zhou Q, Karu K, Zhou X, Su J, Campos LC, Ciric L. Antibiotic resistance genes and the association with bacterial community in biofilms occurring during the drinking water granular activated carbon (GAC) sandwich biofiltration. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 460:132511. [PMID: 37708648 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The granular activated carbon (GAC) sandwich modification to slow sand filtration could be considered as a promising technology for improved drinking water quality. Biofilms developed on sand and GAC surfaces are expected to show a functional diversity during the biofiltration. Bench-scale GAC sandwich biofilters were set-up and run continuously with and without antibiotic exposure. Surface sand (the schmutzdecke) and GAC biofilms were sampled and subject to high-throughput qPCR for antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) analysis and 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Similar diversity of ARG profile was found in both types of biofilms, suggesting that all ARG categories decreased in richness along the filter bed. In general, surface sand biofilm remained the most active layer with regards to the richness and abundance of ARGs, where GAC biofilms showed slightly lower ARG risks. Network analysis suggested that 10 taxonomic genera were implicated as possible ARG hosts, among which Nitrospira, Methyloversatilis and Methylotenera showed the highest correlation. Overall, this study was the first attempt to consider the whole structure of the GAC sandwich biofilter and results from this study could help to further understand the persistence of ARGs and their association with the microbial community in drinking water biofiltration system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Like Xu
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Melisa Canales
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Qizhi Zhou
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Kersti Karu
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Xinyuan Zhou
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Jianqiang Su
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Luiza C Campos
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lena Ciric
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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6
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Liu M, Graham N, Xu L, Zhang K, Yu W. Bubbleless aerated-biological activated carbon as a superior process for drinking water treatment in rural areas. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 240:120089. [PMID: 37216786 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water supply in rural areas remains a substantial challenge due to complex natural, technical and economic conditions. To provide safe and affordable drinking water to all, as targeted in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (2030 Agenda), low-cost, efficient water treatment processes suitable for rural areas need to be developed. In this study, a bubbleless aeration BAC (termed ABAC) process is proposed and evaluated, involving the incorporation of a hollow fiber membrane (HFM) assembly within a slow-rate BAC filter, to provide dissolved oxygen (DO) throughout the BAC filter and an increased DOM removal efficiency. The results showed that after a 210-day period of operation, the ABAC increased the DOC removal by 54%, and decreased the disinfection byproduct formation potential (DBPFP) by 41%, compared to a comparable BAC filter without aeration (termed NBAC). The elevated DO (> 4 mg/L) not only reduced secreted extracellular polymer, but also modified the microbial community with a stronger degradation ability. The HFM-based aeration showed comparable performance to 3 mg/L pre-ozonation, and the DOC removal efficiency was four times greater than that of a conventional coagulation process. The proposed ABAC treatment, with its various advantages (e.g., high stability, avoidance of chemicals, ease of operation and maintenance), is well-suited to be integrated as a prefabricated device, for decentralized drinking water systems in rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nigel Graham
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Lei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Wenzheng Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
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7
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Progress in Deployment of Biomass-Based Activated Carbon in Point-of-Use Filters for Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Water: A Review. Chem Eng Res Des 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2023.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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8
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Li J, Campos LC, Zhang L, Xie W. Sand and sand-GAC filtration technologies in removing PPCPs: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 848:157680. [PMID: 35907530 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Concerns have been raised about the risks that pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic environments posed to humans and the environment. In recent years, sand filtration has been used to potentially remove these emerging contaminants from water. However, there has been no review of the effectiveness of this technology to date. This paper presents a brief introduction of sand filtration types, reviews the current progress in PPCPs removal through sand filtration, and discusses the mechanisms behind this process and the combination of granular activated carbon (GAC) and sand as an enhanced sand-GAC filtration technology. Sand filtration achieves a reasonable but highly variable degree of PPCPs removal. Biodegradation and adsorption are the two main mechanisms of PPCPs removal, in particular the biodegradation since adsorption capacity of sand is relatively low. Other processes, such as bio-sorption and indirect adsorption, may also contribute to PPCPs removal. To compensate for the inadequate PPCPs removal through sand filtration, porous GAC has been combined with sand to develop sand-GAC filtration technologies. Serial, dual, and sandwich filters have been investigated, and significant removal enhancement has been observed, due to the strengthened adsorption capacity, suggesting the applicability of these variants. Future research focus, such as investigating the influence of different operational conditions on sand filter performance, obtaining a deeper understanding of the various removal mechanisms, and investigating of long-term performance of the filter used for PPCPs removal, are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianan Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Luiza C Campos
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Linyang Zhang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Wenjun Xie
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China.
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9
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Brunhoferova H, Venditti S, Hansen J. Characterization of unconventional sand-based substrates for adsorption of micropollutants in nature-based systems. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 318:115593. [PMID: 35772272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The focus of this study is the characterization of unconventional sand-based substrates used in our previous project EmiSûre, (Interreg Greater Region (German federal states Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, regions Wallonia and Lorraine from Belgium and France, respectively), 2017-2021). The project aimed to develop and test alternative, nature-based technologies for the elimination of micropollutants (MPs) from municipal wastewater. For the characterization, two approaches were chosen. In the first approach, adsorption kinetics with a single compound allowed a perception of the adsorption capacity of the studied substrates compared to conventional substrates (granular activated carbons). This knowledge was completed by the second approach: an implementation of the studied substrates in packed-bed columns, which treated a mixture of 27 MPs in tap water for 10 months. Additionally, all three substrates (bentonite sand, sand with 15% activated biochar and sand with 15% zeolite) were characterized for physical and chemical properties, and the microbial potential of the activated and non-activated biochar was examined. From the studies, it is clear that the sand with an admixture of activated biochar is the most efficient sorbent in terms of single compound adsorption in batch (dye) and adsorption of 27 MPs on packed-bed columns. In contrast to the two other substrates, it shows long-term stable removal efficiencies. In the packed-bed columns, 18 out of 27 compounds were removed on average with high efficiency (80-99%), which is impressive, if we consider the variety of the compounds examined (pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides, etc.) and their removal in conventional treatments. Additionally, adsorption models were created for the experimental data of all compounds adsorbed on the substrate with an admixture of activated biochar resulting in the best fit with the combined Langmuir-Freundlich model. These satisfying results suggest the application of the sand-based substrate with an admixture of activated biochar for further research and possibly upscale installations with the aim to offer and prove a reasonable and efficient alternative for MPs elimination from municipal wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Brunhoferova
- Chair for Urban Water Management, Department of Engineering, University of Luxembourg, Campus Kirchberg, 6, rue Coudenhove-Kalergi, L-1359, Luxembourg.
| | - Silvia Venditti
- Chair for Urban Water Management, Department of Engineering, University of Luxembourg, Campus Kirchberg, 6, rue Coudenhove-Kalergi, L-1359, Luxembourg
| | - Joachim Hansen
- Chair for Urban Water Management, Department of Engineering, University of Luxembourg, Campus Kirchberg, 6, rue Coudenhove-Kalergi, L-1359, Luxembourg
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10
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Babić B, Andrić D, Farkaš A, Vuk D, Ašperger D, Dolar D. Behavior of Mebendazole during NF/RO Adsorption and Photolysis. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:888. [PMID: 36135907 PMCID: PMC9503556 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12090888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The idea of using drugs from the benzimidazole group as potential antitumor agents is becoming increasingly popular and widespread in research. However, their use as antiparasitics and in cancer treatment will increase their already recorded occurrence in the aquatic environment. In this study, the removal of the anthelmintic mebendazole from aqueous solution was investigated using nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes, adsorption on granular activated carbon (GAC), and photolytic degradation. The dense NF90 and reverse osmosis XLE membranes showed almost complete removal (>97.7%), while the NF270 membrane showed a large dependence of removal on initial concentration from 41.9% to 96.6%. Adsorption in the column resulted in complete removal of mebendazole at the highest GAC height used (40 cm) from the solution with the lowest concentration (1 mg/L). Photolytic degradation by artificial light for 2 and 12 h resulted in photodegradation of mebendazole in the range of 23.5−61.4%, forming a new degradation or transformation compound with an m/z ratio of 311. Mebendazole is a photosensitive drug whose photodegradation follows first-order kinetics and depends on the drug concentration. Toxicity was studied with Vibrio fischeri before and after photolysis, and showed a decrease in inhibition after 12 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Babić
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Darko Andrić
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anamarija Farkaš
- The Institute for Development and International Relations, Ljudevita Farkaša Vukotinovića 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dragana Vuk
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Danijela Ašperger
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Davor Dolar
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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11
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Pompei CME, Campos LC, Vieira EM, Tucci A. The impact of micropollutants on native algae and cyanobacteria communities in ecological filters during drinking water treatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 822:153401. [PMID: 35114242 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
An attractive alternative for drinking water production is ecological filtration. Previous studies have reported high removal levels of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) by this technology. Algae and cyanobacteria play an important role in the biological activity of ecological filters. The aim of this study was to characterize and identify the community of algae and cyanobacteria in relation to its composition, density and biovolume from 22 ecological filters that received spikings of 2 μg L-1 PPCPs. For algae and cyanobacteria species, triplicate samples were collected before and 96 h after each spiking from the interface between the top sand layer of the ecological filters and the supernatant water. Results show that Chlorophyceae and Cyanobacteria were present in high numbers of taxa and abundance. The specie Lepocinclis cf. ovum (Euglenophyceae) had the highest percentage occurrence/abundance and frequency into the filters, indicating a possible tolerance by Lepocinclis cf. ovum to the concentration of selected PPCPs. Although the concentration of PPCPs did not affect the treated water quality, they did affect the algae and cyanobacteria community. No differences were detected between filters that received a single PPCP and filters that received a mixture of the six compounds. Also, changes in the composition of algae and cyanobacteria communities were observed before and 96 h after the spikings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M Erba Pompei
- Water Resources and Applied Ecology Center, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brazil; Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Engineering Bauru, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
| | - Luiza C Campos
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Eny Maria Vieira
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Physics, São Carlos Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Andréa Tucci
- Nucleus of Phycology, Institute of Botany, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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12
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Yuan J, Passeport E, Hofmann R. Understanding adsorption and biodegradation in granular activated carbon for drinking water treatment: A critical review. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 210:118026. [PMID: 34996013 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.118026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water treatment plants use granular activated carbon (GAC) to adsorb and remove trace organics, but the GAC has a limited lifetime in terms of adsorptive capacity and needs to be replaced before it is exhausted. Biological degradation of target contaminants can also occur in GAC filters, which might allow the GAC to remain in service longer than expected. However, GAC biofiltration remains poorly understood and unpredictable. To increase the understanding of adsorption and biodegradation in GAC, previous studies have conducted parallel column tests that use one column of GAC (potentially biologically active) to assess overall removal via both adsorption and biodegradation, and one column with either sterilized GAC or biological non-adsorbing media to assess adsorption or biodegradation alone. Mathematical models have also been established to give insight into the adsorption and biodegradation processes in GAC. In this review, the experimental and modeling approaches and results used to distinguish between the role of adsorption and biodegradation were summarized and critically discussed. We identified several limitations: (1) using biological non-adsorbing media in column tests might lead to non-representative extents of biodegradation; (2) sterilization methods may not effectively inhibit biological activity and may affect adsorption; (3) using virgin GAC coated with biofilm could overestimate adsorption; (4) potential biofilm detachment during column experiments could lead to biased results; (5) the parallel column test approach itself is not universally applicable; (6) competitive adsorption was neglected by previous models; (7) model formulations were based on virgin GAC only. To overcome these limitations, we proposed four new approaches: the use of gamma irradiation for sterilization, a novel minicolumn test, compound-specific isotope analysis to decipher the role of adsorption and biodegradation in situ, and a new model to simulate trace organic adsorption and biodegradation in a GAC filter .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yuan
- Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35St George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4 Canada.
| | - Elodie Passeport
- Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35St George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4 Canada; Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5 Canada
| | - Ron Hofmann
- Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35St George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4 Canada
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Yajun W, Chongchong G, Tianjing C, Jinshou L, Yan X, Dafang F. Adaptability of enhanced bioretention cell for nitrogen and phosphorus removal under two antibiotics stress. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 230:113114. [PMID: 35026675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.113114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The overuse of antibiotics in the medical and aquaculture industries has led to the frequent detection of antibiotics in wastewater. Considering antibiotics would have an unknown impact on wastewater treatment in the future, the long-term effects of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and tetracycline (TC) stress on the performance, functional genes and microbial community in three bioretention cells were investigated. The results showed that during the experiment, 0.8-1.2 mg/L of SMX would not destroy the water treatment capacity of the bioretention cells, and had a promoting effect on total nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen. 1.6 mg/L of SMX would cause the reduction of nitrogen removal efficiency and the phenomenon of phosphorus release, but it could be restored after a period of operation. TC of 0.8-1.2 mg/L did not have a significant impact on the removal of nutrients in AC-BRC (activated carbon-bioretention cell) and ACI-BRC (activated carbon and iron-bioretention cell), but TC of 1.2 mg/L caused the phenomenon of phosphorus release in BRC and the decrease of total nitrogen removal rate, 1.6 mg/L TC could make the bioretention cell lose its water treatment capacity. qPCR analysis of denitrification genes showed that the abundance of nirS, nirK, nosZ, and hzo had varying degrees of decrease before and after antibiotic stress, which meant the two antibiotics significantly inhibited the reduction of nitrite and nitrous oxide. But for the total number of bacteria, the relative abundance of the four genes has increased. The results of microbial community analysis also found that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and BIrii41, Denitratisoma, Ferritrophicum, Thiobacillus occupied the dominant species at the phylum level and the genus level respectively, which included most of the denitrifying bacteria. During the experiment, the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency of AC-BRC and ACI-BRC were enhanced obviously, but ammonia nitrogen accumulated in ACI-BRC in the early stage of the reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Yajun
- School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China.
| | - Geng Chongchong
- School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Jiangsu Jurong Investment Group, Jurong 212400, China
| | - Chen Tianjing
- School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Li Jinshou
- School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Xu Yan
- School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Fu Dafang
- School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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14
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Song Y, Xiao M, Li Z, Luo Y, Zhang K, Du X, Zhang T, Wang Z, Liang H. Degradation of antibiotics, organic matters and ammonia during secondary wastewater treatment using boron-doped diamond electro-oxidation combined with ceramic ultrafiltration. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131680. [PMID: 34365166 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In this study, a BDD electrolytic oxidation-ceramic membrane ultrafiltration (EO-CM) system for the removals of antibiotics, organic matters and ammonia in wastewater was evaluated. Sulfamethazine (SMZ) was degraded following a pseudo first-order kinetics. The removal rate of SMZ improved with the increase of electro-oxidation time (0-60 min) and current density (5-30 mA/cm2). During the BDD electro-oxidation process, H2O2 and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were generated which were detected by N, N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD) method and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR), respectively. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was able to be removed by EO and CM processes, in which proteins and humic acids were regarded as the main removed components measured using excitation-emission matrix (EEM) technique. Moreover, BDD electro-oxidation pretreatment could make the CM process maintain a high water flux and significantly control the membrane fouling and relieve transmembrane pollution. In addition, the removal of ammonia was enhanced with the increase of chloride ions (Cl-) in wastewater during EO process due to the generation of active chlorine (i.e., ClO-, HClO, or Cl2) from the oxidation of Cl-. Chloramine and nitrogen were produced in the oxidation of ammonia by active chlorine. Overall, the results of this study suggest that BDD EO-CM system is a promising process for removing antibiotics, organic matters and ammonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Song
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Mengyao Xiao
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Ziyang Li
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Yunlong Luo
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Xing Du
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Tianxiang Zhang
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Zhihong Wang
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Heng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150090, China.
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