Abstract
The commonly application of nanoparticles (NPs) in commercial and industrial products inevitably increases their release into the natural environment which poses a threat to human health and ecosystems. A recent study of nanoparticles in wastewater treatment showed that most NPs are retained in the equipment used for biological wastewater treatment. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on wastewater treatment in the SBR bioreactor. The effluent from the SBRs was analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC), suspended solids (SS), pH and total silver. Microbial observations of activated sludge were made and, on this basis, the Madonia biotic index was specified. After nanoparticles were added, the composition of microorganism communities of the activated sludge changed, and the largest community was the one of creeping ciliates. The efficiency of the effluent treatment measured by the concentration of TOC removal showed that Ag NPs were found to have remarkable effects on TOC removal in the SBR. The obtained results showed that purified wastewater included a low concentration of Ag nanoparticles. The main removal pathway of Ag NPs was via sorption as well as possible aggregation and sedimentation onto the sludge.
Highlights
Nowadays, due to various physical and chemical properties of AgNPs silver nanoparticles, there is growing interest in utilizing them in commercial products; they have become the most widely used nanomaterial (435 products) [1]
The bioreactors were supplemented with proper silver nanoparticles with the concentration of 2 mg/L for the period of 10 days
The researchers examined what influence various AgNPs silver nanoparticles with the concentration of 2 mg/L had on the biological process of sewage treatment in the SBR reactor
Summary
Due to various physical and chemical properties of AgNPs silver nanoparticles, there is growing interest in utilizing them in commercial products; they have become the most widely used nanomaterial (435 products) [1]. The world production of AgNPs oscillated between 300 and 1000 tons in 2015 [2]. Such a ubiquitous use of AgNPs is a serious hazard to the natural environment. Silver nanoparticles may be released into sewage through: antimicrobial agents and coatings, personal care products, soft goods, paints, varnishes as well as domestic appliances [2, 3, 4]. Silver nanoparticles seriously affect microorganisms living in activated sludge and play an essential role in the proper wastewater treatment since they restrain their activity and significantly reduce their number. Metal nanoparticles in aquatic environments may generate reactive oxygen species such as OH-, O2 and H+. Antimicrobial metal ions may be formed due to the presence of
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