Heterotrophic enzymatic biotransformations of organic micropollutants in activated sludge

The potential of membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems to remove organic micropollutants was investigated at different scales, operational conditions, and locations. The effluent quality of the MBR system was compared with that of a plant combining conventional activated sludge (CAS) followed by ultrafiltration (UF). The MBR and CAS-UF systems were operated and tested in parallel. An MBR pilot plant in Israel was operated for over a year at a mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) range of 2.8–10.6 g/L. The MBR achieved removal rates comparable to those of a CAS-UF plant at the Tel-Aviv wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for macrolide antibiotics such as roxythromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin and slightly higher removal rates than the CAS-UF for sulfonamides. A laboratory scale MBR unit in Berlin – at an MLSS of 6–9 g/L – showed better removal rates for macrolide antibiotics, trimethoprim, and 5-tolyltriazole compared to the CAS process of the Ruhleben sewage treatment plant (STP) in Berlin when both were fed with identical quality raw wastewater. The Berlin CAS exhibited significantly better benzotriazole removal and slightly better sulfamethoxazole and 4-tolyltriazole removal than its MBR counterpart. Pilot MBR tests (MLSS of 12 g/L) in Aachen, Germany, showed that operating flux significantly affected the resulting membrane fouling rate, but the removal rates of dissolved organic matter and of bisphenol A were not affected.

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Dissolved Oxygen Perturbations: A New Strategy to Enhance the Removal of Organic Micropollutants in Activated Sludge Process

Frontiers in Water-Energy-Nexus—Nature-Based Solutions, Advanced Technologies and Best Practices for Environmental Sustainability - Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-13068-8_93 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 371-373

Author(s):

Camilla Di Marcantonio ◽

Amrita Bains ◽

Agostina Chiavola ◽

Naresh Singhal ◽

Maria Rosaria Boni

Keyword(s):

Dissolved Oxygen ◽

Activated Sludge ◽

Activated Sludge Process ◽

Organic Micropollutants ◽

New Strategy

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Removal of organic micropollutants in laboratory activated sludge reactors under various operating conditions: sorption

Water Research ◽

10.1016/0043-1354(93)90094-x ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 27 (10) ◽

pp. 1505-1510 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

B JACOBSEN

Keyword(s):

Activated Sludge ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Organic Micropollutants

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Influence of the employment of adsorption and coprecipitation agents for the removal of PPCPs in conventional activated sludge (CAS) systems

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2010.914 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 62 (3) ◽

pp. 728-735 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

D. Serrano ◽

J. M. Lema ◽

F. Omil

Keyword(s):

Activated Carbon ◽

Activated Sludge ◽

Aeration Tank ◽

Organic Substances ◽

Organic Micropollutants ◽

Conventional Activated Sludge ◽

Adsorption Capacities ◽

Recalcitrant Compounds ◽

Activated Sludge Reactor ◽

Musk Fragrances

Three activated sludge reactors were operated to improve the removal of organic micropollutants such as Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). Reactor 1 (R1) was operated as a Conventional Activated Sludge reactor (CAS), Reactor 2 (R2) consisted of a CAS unit that was continuously fed with FeCl3 whereas granular activated carbon (GAC) was fed directly into the mixed liquor of Reactor 3 (R3) in order to attain concentrations in the range 100–1,000 mg/L. PPCPs removal rates varied depending on the compound present in each reactor during the entire 220 days of operation. Some substances showed the same behaviour in all reactors, such as the acidic pharmaceuticals naproxen and ibuprofen, which were almost completely removed (>90%). More hydrophobic organic substances, like musk fragrances, were about 90% removed after 40 days of operation in all of the reactors. The main difference between the three reactors was obtained in R3 when the GAC concentrations in the aeration tank were around 500–1,000 mg/L. Under these conditions, the more recalcitrant compounds like diazepam and carbamazepine could be removed by up to 40%, and diclofenac up to 85%. Adsorption isotherms for PPCPs were obtained with activated carbon, and the results were successfully fitted to the Freundlinch equation. The more recalcitrant compounds (carbamazepine, diazepam and diclofenac) had the highest adsorption capacities onto GAC, which is consistent with the behaviour observed in R3 and helps to identify the removal mechanism (adsorption for these compounds, whereas absorption for fragrances).

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Removal of organic micropollutants at PPB levels in laboratory activated sludge reactors under various operating conditions: biodegradation

Water Research ◽

10.1016/0043-1354(92)90031-x ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 339-353 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Niels Nyholm ◽

Bo N. Jacobsen ◽

Bodil M. Pedersen ◽

Ole Poulsen ◽

Axel Damborg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Activated Sludge ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Organic Micropollutants

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The Behaviour of Chlorinated Organics during Activated Sludge Treatment and Anaerobic Digestion

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1988.0306 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 20 (11-12) ◽

pp. 353-359 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

P. W. W. Kirk ◽

J. N. Lester

Keyword(s):

Biological Activity ◽

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Activated Sludge ◽

Sewage Treatment ◽

Chemical Degradation ◽

Organic Micropollutants ◽

Sludge Treatment ◽

Primary Sludge ◽

Chlorinated Organic ◽

Rapid Removal

An activated sludge pilot plant was operated at 4,6 and 9d sludge ages with influent settled sewage from a full scale treatment works. The behaviour of the chlorinated organic micropollutants was examined at their background levels in sewage and significant removal was seen for dieldrin, Y-HCH, DDE, PCB and 2,4-DCPol at all sludge ages. Dieldrin, Y-HCH, DDE PCB, 2,4,5-TCPol, 2,4,6-TCPol and 2,4-DCPol were found to associate with activated sludge solids. 2,4-DCPol and 4-C-2MPol were found to be biologically degraded. Mixed primary sludge from the same sewage treatment works was incubated anaerobically with and without azide addition to prevent biological activity. Rapid removal of Y-HCH was concluded to be due to chemical degradation, while biological activity was concluded to be the mechanism for the removals of 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, 2,4,6-TCPol and 2,3,4,6-TeCPol. Statistically significant increases were observed for 2,3,4,6-TeCPol in azide treated incubations and for 2,4,5-TCPol and 2,4-DCPol in both treated and untreated anaerobic sludges.

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Removal of organic micropollutants in the biological units of a Swedish wastewater treatment plant

IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering ◽

10.1088/1757-899x/1209/1/012016 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1209 (1) ◽

pp. 012016

Author(s):

C Burzio ◽

E Nivert ◽

A Mattsson ◽

O Svahn ◽

F Persson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Activated Sludge ◽

Nutrient Removal ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Organic Micropollutants ◽

Trickling Filters ◽

Biofilm Reactors ◽

Micropollutant Removal ◽

Activated Sludge Reactor

Abstract The present study investigates the presence and removal of target organic micropollutants in a large Swedish wastewater treatment plant designed for nutrient removal including activated sludge, trickling filters, nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) and post-denitrifying MBBRs. A total of 28 organic micropollutants were analysed, at concentrations ranging from few ng/L to µg/L, in the influent and effluent of the different biological reactors in two sampling campaigns. The observed micropollutant removal efficiencies of the wastewater treatment plant varied from insignificant (< 20%) to high (> 90%) between compounds. The activated sludge reactor, being the first in line, contributed to most of the removal from the water phase. Additional removal of a few compounds was observed in the biofilm units, but most of the persistent compounds remained stable through all biological treatments.

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Removal of Organic Micropollutants in Wastewater Treated by Activated Sludge and Constructed Wetlands: A Comparative Study

Water ◽

10.3390/w11122515 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 2515 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carolina Reyes Contreras ◽

Daniela López ◽

Ana M. Leiva ◽

Carmen Domínguez ◽

Josep M. Bayona ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Activated Sludge ◽

Constructed Wetlands ◽

Rural Community ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Transformation Products ◽

Organic Micropollutants ◽

Oxidation Reduction ◽

Oxidation Reduction Potential ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Removal Efficiencies

The aim of this study is to compare the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in wastewater by activated sludge (AS) and constructed wetlands (CWs). This analysis was carried out in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of a rural community where they implemented two technologies in parallel: AS and a pilot plant of horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) constructed wetlands. In this case, these systems were fed by the same influent and the removal efficiencies of 14 OMPs, including analgesics/anti-inflammatories, anticonvulsants, stimulants, antifungals, fragrances, plasticizers, and transformation products, were evaluated in each system. Regarding the presence of OMPs in the wastewater, the concentrations of these compounds in the influent ranged from 0.16 to 7.75 µg/L. In general, the removal efficiencies achieved by the AS system were between 10%–95% higher than those values reported by HSSFs with values above 80% for naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, caffeine, triclosan, methyl dihydrojasmonate, bisphenol-A, 2-hydroxyl ibuprofen, and carboxy ibuprofen (p < 0.05). This behavior can be related to the aerobic conditions that promote the AS system with oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and dissolved oxygen (DO) values above −281 mV and 0.24 mg/L, respectively. However, the removal of galaxolide was greater in HSSF system than in AS with significant difference of 70% (p < 0.05). Despite these results, this study reveals that comparing both technologies, AS had the best removal performance of these OMPs studied.

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