The fate of various organic compounds including pharmaceuticals in the treatment of landfill leachate and anaerobic digestate using deammonification

Abstract

Studies focusing on the fate of organic compounds specifically recalcitrant organics and pharmaceuticals in a deammonification plant are scarce. This study downscaled a full-scale deammonification plant, which was being operated with the same wastewater streams of this study and evaluated for the first time the fate of different fractions of organic compounds in deammonification process along with the removal of nitrogenous compounds. Organic compounds in the feed and effluent were analyzed and their changes in the deammonification process were characterized. The results demonstrate that deammonification achieved over 90% of ammonium removal. COD monitoring revealed that around 11% of COD was reduced during the process mainly due to aerobic COD degradation and heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria. Analysis of the organic fractions revealed that high molecular weight components (around 11 kDa) are susceptible to removal and their concentrations tend to decrease in the reactor. Concentrations of humic substances, specifically fulvic acid-like substances, were reduced. Tracking nine different pharmaceutical residues revealed that morphine and cotinine were completely removed, while pregabalin and oxazepam which are known to be highly recalcitrant were more than 60% removed. The research finding can help in optimizing treatment processes by revealing the fate of different organic compounds, especially pharmaceuticals, within the deammonification process, thereby contributing to better effluent quality, regulatory compliance, and environmental protection.