scholarly journals Characterization of Five Portuguese Wastewater Treatment Plants: Removal Efficiency of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds through Conventional Treatment Processes and Environmental Risk

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 7388
Author(s):  
Sofia Silva ◽  
Vitor Vale Cardoso ◽  
Lúcia Duarte ◽  
Rui Neves Carneiro ◽  
Cristina Maria Martins Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Mass Detection ◽  
Active Compounds ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Removal Efficiencies

Due to the high consumption and incorrect disposal of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs), they are recognized as contaminants of emerging concern. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may be inefficient in removing PhACs, therefore discharging them into surface waters. The removal efficiencies of five WWTPs located in the south of Portugal (Alentejo) were evaluated in 2020. Twenty-six PhACs were analyzed in wastewater influents, effluents, and surface waters, upstream and downstream of the WWTPs by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass detection (UPLC–MS/MS). The most representative PhACs in influents were acetaminophen, caffeine, naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac with minimum-maximum concentrations of 49–225 µg/L, 26–46 µg/L, 5.9–13 µg/L, 5.2–22 µg/L, and 1.3–2.5 µg/L, respectively. For effluents, it was acetaminophen, caffeine, and diclofenac with minimum-maximum concentrations of 0.054–7.8 µg/L, 0.084–4.8 µg/L, and 0.28–3.3 µg/L, respectively. The highest removal efficiencies were observed for acetaminophen, sulfadiazine, cortisone, testosterone, metoprolol, and propranolol (100%). The lowest removal efficiencies were observed for carbamazepine (2.7%) and diclofenac (−13.2%). The risk quotient of sulfamethoxazole and diclofenac were higher than 1 for receiving waters, indicating they probably pose high risks to aquatic organisms.

scholarly journals Fate of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products after secondary wastewater treatment processes in Taiwan

2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (10) ◽  
pp. 2450-2458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Yu-Chen Lin ◽  
Cheng-Fan Lin ◽  
Yu-Ting Tsai ◽  
Hank Hui-Hsiang Lin ◽  
Jie Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Personal Care Products ◽  
Personal Care ◽  
Matrix Interference ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Removal Efficiencies

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) constitute a class of chemicals of emerging concern due to the potential risks they pose to organisms and the environment, even at low concentrations (ng/L). Recent studies have found that PPCPs are not efficiently removed in secondary wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study has: (1) simultaneously investigated the occurrence of sixty-one PPCPs using solid phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, (2) evaluated removal efficiencies of target PPCPs in six WWTPs that discharge effluents into major Taiwanese rivers, and lastly (3) examined matrix interference during analysis of target PPCPs in water samples. The twenty target PPCPs were chosen for their high detection frequencies, high influent concentrations, and stability during wastewater treatment processes. Caffeine and acetaminophen were detected at the highest concentrations (as high as 24,467 and 33,400 ng/L) and were effectively removed (both >96%); other PPCPs were detected in the high ng/L range but were not effectively removed. Matrix interference (by ion suppression or enhancement) during the analysis resulted in underestimation of the removal efficiencies of erythromycin-H2O, cefazolin, clarithromycin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, clofibric acid and gemfibrozil.

scholarly journals Occurrence and Removal of Veterinary Antibiotics in Livestock Wastewater Treatment Plants, South Korea

Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Pil Kim ◽  
Dal Rae Jin ◽  
Wonseok Lee ◽  
Minhee Chae ◽  
Junwon Park
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Batch Reactor ◽  
Veterinary Antibiotics ◽  
Livestock Wastewater ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Removal Efficiencies ◽  
A2o Process

In this study, livestock wastewater treatment plants in South Korea were monitored to determine the characteristics of influent and effluent wastewater, containing four types of veterinary antibiotics (sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline), and the removal efficiencies of different treatment processes. Chlortetracycline had the highest average influent concentration (483.7 μg/L), followed by sulfamethazine (251.2 μg/L), sulfathiazole (230.8 μg/L) and oxytetracycline (25.7 μg/L), at five livestock wastewater treatment plants. Sulfathiazole had the highest average effluent concentration (28.2 μg/L), followed by sulfamethazine (20.8 μg/L) and chlortetracycline (11.5 μg/L), while no oxytetracycline was detected. For veterinary antibiotics in the wastewater, a removal efficiency of at least 90% was observed with five types of treatment processes, including a bio-ceramic sequencing batch reactor, liquid-phase flotation, membrane bioreactor, bioreactor plus ultrafiltration (BIOSUF) and bio best bacillus systems. Moreover, this study evaluated the removal efficiency via laboratory-scale experiments on the conventional contaminants, such as organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and veterinary antibiotics. This was done using the hydraulic retention time (HRT), under three temporal conditions (14 h, 18 h, 27 h), using the anaerobic–anoxic–oxic (A2O) process, in an attempt to assess the combined livestock wastewater treatment process where the livestock wastewater is treated until certain levels of water quality are achieved, and then the effluent is discharged to nearby sewage treatment plants for further treatment. The removal efficiencies of veterinary antibiotics, especially oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline, were 86.5–88.8% and 87.9–90.8%, respectively, exhibiting no significant differences under various HRT conditions. The removal efficiency of sulfamethazine was at least 20% higher at HRT = 27 h than at HRT = 14 h, indicating that sulfamethazine was efficiently removed in the A2O process with increased HRT. This study is expected to promote a comprehensive understanding of the behavior and removal of veterinary antibiotics in the livestock wastewater treatment plants of South Korea.

scholarly journals A Survey of the Presence of Pharmaceutical Residues in Wastewaters. Evaluation of Their Removal using Conventional and Natural Treatment Procedures

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1639 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Guedes-Alonso ◽  
S. Montesdeoca-Esponda ◽  
J. Pacheco-Juárez ◽  
Z. Sosa-Ferrera ◽  
J. J. Santana-Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Pharmaceutical Compounds ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Pharmaceutical Residues ◽  
Natural Treatment ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Removal Efficiencies

To encourage the reutilization of treated wastewaters as an adaptation strategy to climate change it is necessary to demonstrate their quality. If this is ensured, reclaimed waters could be a valuable resource that produces very little environmental impact and risks to human health. However, wastewaters are one of the main sources of emerging pollutants that are discharged in the environment. For this, it is essential to assess the presence of these pollutants, especially pharmaceutical compounds, in treated wastewaters. Moreover, the different treatment processes must be evaluated in order to know if conventional and natural treatment technologies are efficient in the removal of these types of compounds. This is an important consideration if the treated wastewaters are used in agricultural activities. Owing to the complexity of wastewater matrixes and the low concentrations of pharmaceutical residues in these types of samples, it is necessary to use sensitive analytical methodologies. In this study, the presence of 11 pharmaceutical compounds were assessed in three different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Gran Canaria (Spain). Two of these WWTPs use conventional purification technologies and they are located in densely populated areas, while the other studied WWTP is based in constructed wetlands which purify the wastewaters of a rural area. The sampling was performed monthly for two years. A solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was applied for the analysis of the samples, and the 11 pharmaceuticals were detected in all the studied WWTPs. The concentrations were variable and ranged from ng·L−1 in some compounds like diclofenac or carbamazepine to µg·L−1 in common pharmaceutical compounds such as caffeine, naproxen or ibuprofen. In addition, removal efficiencies in both conventional and natural purification systems were evaluated. Similar removal efficiencies were obtained using different purifying treatments, especially for some pharmaceutical families as stimulants or anti-inflammatories. Other compounds like carbamazepine showed a recalcitrant behavior. Secondary treatments presented similar removal efficiencies in both conventional and natural wastewater treatment plants, but conventional treatments showed slightly higher elimination ratios. Regarding tertiary system, the treatment with highest removal efficiencies was reverse osmosis in comparison with microfiltration and electrodialysis reversal.

scholarly journals Environmental Impact of the Presence, Distribution, and Use of Artificial Sweeteners as Emerging Sources of Pollution

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ab Qayoom Naik ◽  
Tabassum Zafar ◽  
Vinoy Kumar Shrivastava
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Emerging Contaminants ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Food Additive ◽  
Artificial Sweeteners ◽  
Sources Of Pollution ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Water Ecosystem

Artificial sweeteners are posing a new threat to the environment. The water ecosystem is the primary recipient of these emerging contaminants. Once ingested, sufficient amount of these artificial sweeteners escape unchanged from the human body and are added to the environment. However, some are added in the form of their breakdown products through excretion. Artificial sweeteners are resistant to wastewater treatment processes and are therefore continuously introduced into the water environments. However, the environmental behavior, fate, and long-term ecotoxicological contributions of artificial sweeteners in our water resources still remain largely unknown. Some artificial sweeteners like saccharin are used as a food additive in animal feeds. It also forms the degradation product of the sulfonylurea herbicides. All artificial sweeteners enter into the wastewater treatment plants from the industries and households. From the effluents, they finally reside into the receiving environmental bodies including wastewaters, groundwaters, and surface waters. The global production of these sweeteners is several hundred tons annually and is continuously being added into the environment.

Detection of estrogenic activity in Slovenian wastewaters by bioassay

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 829-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjana Bistan ◽  
Romana Logar ◽  
Tatjana Tišler
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Estrogenic Activity ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Sampling Period

AbstractEstrogenic activity has been detected in aquatic ecosystems across the world. However, there is a lack of such data for Slovenian wastewaters and surface waters. The Slovenian monitoring program of effluents discharged into surface waters does not require that emissions of natural and synthetic estrogens into aquatic environments be assessed and controlled. In our study, we assessed the potential estrogenicity of wastewater samples from three wastewater treatment plants using a yeast estrogen screen assay (YES assay). Due to the high inhibition of yeast growth in samples obtained during our first sampling period, it was impossible to detect any estrogenic activity. An additional silica gel clean-up step reduced the toxicity of samples collected during our second sampling period; as a result, we were able to record up to 95% relative estrogenic activity inhibition. Deconjugation of the estrogens did not significantly influence our results. We detected estrogenic activity using a YES assay in almost all influent and effluent samples tested, which suggests that the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) examined do not effectively remove (xeno)estrogens from wastewaters. Our results suggest that a YES assay is an appropriate screening method for monitoring estrogenic activity in effluents. However, prediction of the potential impacts of wastewater (xeno)estrogens on aquatic organisms require additional in vitro and in vivo assays.

scholarly journals Analysis of halogenated flame retardants in Canadian wastewater treatment plants using gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS)

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 167-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meera Shanmuganathan ◽  
Zifeng Zhang ◽  
Ed Sverko ◽  
Rachel Brymer ◽  
Biban Gill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Flame Retardants ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Brominated Flame Retardants ◽  
Dechlorane Plus ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Polybrominated Diphenylethers ◽  
Removal Efficiencies

Abstract An investigation of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), and chlorinated flame retardants was conducted in samples from Canadian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The penta-BDE mixture and deca-BDE were most commonly detected. Median removal efficiencies of PBDEs by WWTPs were 71% to 99% and higher concentrations of PBDEs were found in influent samples in summer, compared to winter. Three novel brominated flame retardants (nBFRs) including 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EHTeBB or TBB), and bis(2-ethyl-1-hexyl)tetrabromophthalate (BEHTBP or TBPH) were detected in greater than 80% of influents and biosolids. Median removal efficiencies were 45% to 99% for BTBPE, 63% to 99% for TBB, and 88% to 99% for TBPH. Detection of total dechlorane plus ((DP) syn and anti) was greater than 90% in both wastewater and biosolids samples. However, median removal efficiencies were between 51% and 66% for total DP. Overall, PBDEs were effectively removed via different treatment processes, while BTBPE, TBB, and DP exhibited lower removal rates, which could be due to their physical chemical properties.

scholarly journals Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water and wastewater: a review of treatment processes and use of photocatalyst immobilized on functionalized carbon in AOP degradation

BMC Chemistry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adewumi Olufemi Oluwole ◽  
Elizabeth Oyinkansola Omotola ◽  
Olatunde Stephen Olatunji
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Emerging Contaminants ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Personal Care Products ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Heterogeneous Photocatalysis ◽  
Personal Care ◽  
Treatment Techniques ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Long Time

Abstract The presence of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceutical and personal care products in many aqueous matrices have been reported. One of such matrix is streams of wastewater, including wastewater treatment plants inflows and outflows and wastewater flow by-passing wastewater treatment plants. Their persistence arises from their resistant to breakdown, hence they may remain in the environment over long time, with a potential to cause adverse effects including endocrine disruption, gene toxicity, the imposition of sex organs, antibiotic resistance and many others in some aquatic organisms exposed to arrays of residues of pharmaceutical and personal care products. Among the treatment techniques, advanced oxidation processes have been reported to be a better technique through which these PPCPs can be degraded in the WWTPs. Heterogeneous photocatalysis using various photocatalyst immobilized on solid support such as activated carbon, graphene and carbon nanotubes in AOPs have been shown to be a viable and efficient method of PPCPs degradation. This is because, the performance of most WWTPs is limited since they were not designed to degrade toxic and recalcitrant PPCPs. This review highlight the occurrence, concentration of PPCPs in wastewater and the removal efficiency of heterogeneous photocatalysis of TiO2 immobilized on solid supports.

Occurrence and removal efficiency of six polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different wastewater treatment plants

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1844-1851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manli Wu ◽  
Lili Wang ◽  
Huining Xu ◽  
Yi Ding
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Biological Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Process ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Removal Efficiencies

Occurrence and removal efficiency of six polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (fluoranthene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene) in wastewater were monitored at different treatment processes in three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) by using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEHC18 column (1.7 μm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm). A 0.2 μm precolumn filter was used to protect the analytical column. The result indicated that (1) the total concentrations of six PAHs were 427, 318, and 220 ng L–1 in the influent of three wastewater treatment plants, respectively. Among six PAHs, the content of fluoranthene was the highest, accounting for 62–66% of total PAHs. (2) Throughout the wastewater treatment process, different treatment units exhibited different removal efficiencies for six PAHs. Biological treatment stage and aerated grit chamber appeared to be necessary for effective removal of six PAHs. The removal efficiencies of six PAHs were 73–83% at biological treatment units, and 24–56% at the aerated grit stage, respectively. The final sedimentation and disinfection for PAH removal was minor.

Removal Efficiencies of Microorganisms in Wastewater Treatment Processes

1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsuyoshi Hirata ◽  
Kiyoshi Kawamura ◽  
Kazuyoshi Yano ◽  
Mitsumi Kaneko ◽  
Takeo Moniwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Unit ◽  
Total Coliforms ◽  
Unit Process ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Indicator Microorganism ◽  
Removal Efficiencies ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Microorganism Removal

The removal characteristics of indigenous microorganisms in wastewater treatment unit processes were studied at five operating wastewater treatment plants. The removal efficiencies of the selected microorganisms in each unit process were dependent upon not only the systems but also the kinds of microorganisms. In almost all processes, the removal efficiencies of total coliforms were similar to or higher than those of Clostridium perfringens except for filtration processes. In the additional survey, focussed on the comparison of removal efficiencies of total coliforms, Cl. perfringens and coliphages, little difference was found between CL perfringens and coliphages. From these results, it may be suggested that CL Perfringens is an effective indicator microorganism for evaluating microorganism removal in wastewater treatment processes and systems.

Experience from 10 Years Advanced Wastewater Treatment – Technology and Results

1982 ◽  
Vol 14 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 121-133
Author(s):  
C Forsberg ◽  
B Hawerman ◽  
B Hultman
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Treatment Technology ◽  
Removal Efficiencies ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Operational Modes ◽  
Polluted Waters

Experience from advanced municipal wastewater treatment plants and recovery of polluted waters are described for the last ten years in Sweden. Except in municipalities with large recipients, the urban population is served by treatment plants with combined biological and chemical treatment. Most of these plants are post-precipitation plants. Several modified operational modes have been developed in order to improve the removal efficiencies of pollutants and to reduce the costs. Results are presented on the recovery of specially investigated lakes with a lowered supply of total phosphorus and organic matter.

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