Personal Care Products In Wastewater Research Articles

Comparative study of degradation of pharmaceutical and personal care products in wastewater by advanced oxidation processes: Fenton, UV/H2O2, UV/TiO2

AbstractIn conventional wastewater treatment plants, micropollutants mix with the aquatic environment because they cannot be removed entirely due to their nonbiodegradable structure. Advanced oxidation processes can be considered an alternative solution to this problem. In this study, five different pharmaceutical and personal care products, carbamazepine, diclofenac, ibuprofen, paracetamol, and triclosan, which are commonly found in aquatic environments, were selected as target pollutants. The removal of these target pollutants was investigated using advanced oxidation methods such as the Fenton and UV processes (UV, UV/H2O2, and UV/TiO2). The feasibility of processes in terms of cost was investigated. In the study, both initial and final pharmaceutical concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry to accurately calculate removal efficiency. It has been determined that processes other than the UV process have removal efficiency >99.9%. The UV process showed removal efficiency of 40% for carbamazepine, 90% for diclofenac, 85% for ibuprofen, 86% for paracetamol and 85% for triclosan. Among the processes with high removal efficiency, the Fenton process has been integrated into wastewater treatment plants and has been shown to be the most suitable system in terms of both performance and cost in solving the micropollutant problem.

Electrochemical-based approaches for the treatment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater

In recent times, emerging contaminants (ECs) like pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in water and wastewater have become a major concern in the environment. Electrochemical treatment technologies proved to be more efficient to degrade or remove PPCPs present in the wastewater. Electrochemical treatment technologies have been the subject of intense research for the past few years. Attention has been given to electro-oxidation and electro-coagulation by industries and researchers, indicating their potential to remediate PPCPs and mineralization of organic and inorganic contaminants present in wastewater. However, difficulties arise in the successful operation of scaled-up systems. Hence, researchers have identified the need to integrate electrochemical technology with other treatment technologies, particularly advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Integration of technologies addresses the limitation of indiviual technologies. The major drawbacks like formation of undesired or toxic intermediates, s, energy expenses, and process efficacy influenced by the type of wastewater etc., can be reduced in the combined processes. The review discusses the integration of electrochemical technology with various AOPs, like photo-Fenton, ozonation, UV/H2O2, O3/UV/H2O2, etc., as an efficient way to generate powerful radicals and augment the degradation of organic and inorganic pollutants. The processes are targeted for PPCPs such as ibuprofen, paracetamol, polyparaben and carbamezapine. The discussion concerns itself with the various advantages/disadvantages, reaction mechanisms, factors involved, and cost estimation of the individual and integrated technologies. The synergistic effect of the integrated technology is discussed in detail and remarks concerning the prospects subject to the investigation are also stated.

Emerging contaminants as global environmental hazards. A bibliometric analysis

This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of peer-reviewed scientific literature on emerging contaminants published from 2000 through 2019. A total of 4968 documents (among research articles and review papers) collected from Scopus database were analyzed using the VOSviewer 1.6.11 software. According to our results, this topic has been capturing researchers’ attention over the years and the latter five years of the analysis timespan corresponds to the period of highest scientific productivity on this subject, when a 70.4% of all analyzed documents were published. United States, China, Spain, Italy and Canada were the top–5 most productive countries in terms of number of published works, while Science of the Total Environment , Chemosphere , Environmental Science and Pollution Research , Environmental Pollution and Water Research stood out as the journals with the highest number of publications, gathering a 31% of papers and 34% of all citations. According to the frequency of author keywords, the main specific research topic assessed by the researchers are the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater and the removal of such pollutants by the application of adsorption and advanced oxidation processes.

Synthesis and characterization of a sulfonic species-based mesoporous sorbent for the pre-concentration of nine personal care products in wastewater and swimming pool water

A mesoporous material functionalized with sulfonic moieties has been synthesized by co-condensation. The functionalized material was characterized and then employed for the solid phase extraction of nine personal care products (UV filters and parabens) in effluent wastewater and swimming pool water. UV filters and parabens were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Validation parameters (linearity, matrix effect, limit of quantitation, trueness and precision) were established according to the EURACHEM Guide using a blank effluent wastewater sample. The new sorbent enabled the selective extraction of the target analytes from the rest of matrix components, with low matrix effect (ME ≤ |20%|) for all analytes, the exception being isopropylparaben with a ME = −27%. The effect of the co-extracted components from the effluent water sample in the recovery study was evaluated using external calibration curves (using standard solutions) and the standard addition method. Similar results were obtained using both methodologies and, according to the validation guide requirements, slightly better results were obtained using the standard addition methodology (75.0−99.6%) compared to external calibration (66.7−115.2%). The quantitation limits ranged between 0.5 and 5.0 ng L−1 in wastewater. Two types of real samples (effluent wastewater and swimming pool water) were pre-concentrated using the optimized methodology. Four parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, benzylparaben and butylparaben) and two UV filters (4-hydroxybenzophenone and 4,4´-dihydroxybenzophenone) were found in the effluent water sample at ng L−1 concentration levels. In addition, the same four parabens and 4,4´-dihydroxybenzophenone were detected in the swimming pool water at slightly lower concentrations than those found in wastewater.

Ultrasound-assisted dispersive solid phase nanoextraction of selected personal care products in wastewater followed by their determination using high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector.

This study reports a rapid and simple method based on ultrasound-assisted dispersive solid phase nanoextraction (UA-SPNE) method for the extraction and preconcentration of selected personal care products using MPC@Al2O3-SiO2 nano adsorbent. A high performance liquid chromatograph equipped with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was used to detect the analytes of interest. Experimental parameters affecting the extraction and preconcentration efficiency of the UA-SPNE (such as mass of adsorbent, extraction time, sample pH and eluent volume,) were optimized using fractional factorial design and response surface methodology based on central composite design. Under optimized conditions, the linear range for benzophenone, N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide and trichlorocarbanilide were in the interval of LOQ-1000 μg L-1 with correlation coefficients ranged from 0.9907 to 0.9977. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were 0.066-0.096 μg L-1 and 0.22-0.32 μg L-1, respectively. The accuracy of the UA-SPNE/HPLC-DAD method was evaluated using spike recovery test and the recoveries were in the range of 98-107%. The repeatability and reproducibility of the method 0.8-1.0 % and 2.4-4.4%, respectively.

Ozone treatment process for the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the degradability of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) by ozonation for the treatment of secondary effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant. A set of experiments were conducted in a laboratory using a pilot-scale process consisting of three flow-through reactors in series, by varying the ozone dose (1–9 mg L−1), the hydraulic retention time (5–15 min), and the concentration of ozone injected into the reactors (14–42 mg L−1). Thirty-seven PPCPs were detected in the secondary effluent, which belongs to the use categories of antibiotics, analgesics, antiarrhythmic agents, anticonvulsants, vasodilators, lipid modifying agents, anti-itch drugs, anti-psychotic drugs, insect repellents, bronchodilators, diuretics, peptic ulcer drugs, NMDA receptor antagonists, antifungal drugs, antimicrobial drugs, and antineoplastic agents. These PPCPs were broadly classified into five groups ranging from “sensitive” to ozone (O3) or “unstable” in the ozonation process, to the group of “insensitive” to O3 or “very stable” in the ozonation process. These groups are based on the PPCP concentrations after the ozone treatment and their limit of detection (LOD). Furthermore, this study examined comparatively the effects of the ozone dose, the retention (reaction) time, and the concentration of O3 supplied to the reactors on the degradability of the PPCPs.

Personal care products in surface, ground and wastewater of a complex aquifer system, a potential planning tool for contemporary urban settings

The use and discharge of personal care products (PCPs) result in their presence in the aquatic environment. This study investigates the occurrence and fate of some PCPs in wastewater, surface and groundwater in an urbanized area in the North of Italy. We investigated four UV filters: phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid (PBSA), benzophenone-3 (BP3), benzophenone-4 (BP4) and 4 methyl-benzilidine-camphor (4-MBC), and two antibacterial agents: triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC). BP3, BP4 and PBSA were detected in all WWTPs and concentrations ranged 27–822 ng/L (BP4 > PBSA > BP3). TCS was the only disinfectant detected in wastewater and ranged from <0.2 to 1690 ng/L. Removal efficiencies in WWTPs were good for BP3 and TCS (80–100%), but were quite low for PBSA and BP4 (0–40%). Consequently, PBSA and BP4 were the most abundant substances in surface water, detected up to 560.4 ng/L. TCS was also found in surface water (<0.2–161.0 ng/L). Only PBSA and TCS were found in untreated groundwater, and levels were higher in wells close to rivers, suggesting the contribution of surface water to this contamination, but not from the catchment and the sewer networks. These PCPs were confirmed to be ubiquitous in all the aquifers sampled, being reliable descriptors of human presence. The use of these data as direct indicators of pollutant's loads for the aquifers deriving from human presence could provide early warnings on chemicals that are continuously introduced into surface waters, identifying dynamic urban trends and suggesting paths for the planning in urban regions and for appropriate investment and rehabilitation strategies of infrastructure.

Effect of H2O2 on UV Photo-Oxidation of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Wastewater

AbstractThis study investigates the effect of low levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on photo-oxidation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) present in secondary effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Experiments were conducted using two types of flow-through reactor systems: (1) three ultraviolet light (UV) reactors connected in series without a H2O2 addition, and (2) a UV reactor with a H2O2 addition. In the first part of this study, 38 PPCPs detected in secondary effluent were examined based on their degradability by UV in the presence and absence of H2O2. For the PPCPs that were not degraded to or below their detection level, the pseudo first-order photo-oxidation rate constants, k (s−1), were determined using a mathematical model developed for three continuously stirred tank reactors in series. The second part of the study investigated the kinetics of the selected PPCPs in the UV/H2O2 reactor. The effect of low concentrations of H2O2 on the photo-oxidation rate of...

Storage effect on the analysis of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater

In this study, the stability of 124 target analytes in influent and effluent wastewater samples during short-term (4°C) and long-term (−18°C) storage was assessed. The most common storage scenario was considered, in which samples were frozen immediately after sampling without any pre-treatment. During short-term storage more analytes remained stable (concentration during storage was in the range of 60–120% of the initial concentration) at 4°C than at −18°C. During long-term storage (−18°C), three types of behavior were observed: constant concentrations throughout the experimental period, decreasing concentrations with time, and loss of the compound from the sample after freezing. Differences between effluent and influent samples were observed for 50 out of 124 tested PPCPs. The amount of stable analytes decreased with time during long-term storage. 72% and 56% of the target compounds in the effluent and influent wastewater, respectively, remained stable during 60days of storage. The number of stable compounds decreased to 57 (46%) and 46 (37%) in the effluent and influent, respectively, over 120days. 15 Pharmaceuticals were lost after freezing/thawing cycle. The results stress the importance of storage factors during analysis of pharmaceuticals in wastewater. The stability of target compounds in the samples under the planned storage conditions should be checked before starting the experiment to obtain reliable data.

Simultaneous determination of pharmaceutical and personal care products in wastewater by capillary electrophoresis with head-column field-amplified sample stacking

This article reports a sensitive and reliable solid-phase extraction coupling capillary zone electrophoresis with head-column field-amplified sample stacking method for trace determination of nineteen pharmaceutical and personal care products in wastewater.

Application of graphene for the analysis of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater

A novel and reliable analytical method based on a graphene adsorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) derivatized with N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-N- methyltrifluoroacetamide and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed for determination of nine pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater samples. Different ratios of graphene/silica gel were tested, with 20 % graphene/silica gel giving the best performance as an SPE adsorbent. The mean recoveries of the target analytes obtained by 20 % graphene/silica gel SPE ranged from 58.1 to 87.6 %. The limit of quantification ranged from 30 to 259 ng/L and from 13 to 115 ng/L for the influent and effluent, respectively. By comparing the accuracy and precision of 20 % graphene/silica gel and Oasis HLB SPE cartridges, we demonstrated that the method can be satisfactorily used for the analysis of PPCPs in wastewater samples. We applied the method to wastewater samples from a sewage treatment plant near Riverside, California, to track the concentration change of PPCPs in the treatment processes.

Determination of pharmaceutical and personal care products in wastewater by capillary electrophoresis with UV detection

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) offers a fast and cost-effective alternative analytical technique to LC-MS/MS for separation and quantitation of many PPCP compounds in wastewater. In this study, we have developed a method that can simultaneously analyze eight different PPCP compounds in untreated wastewater (ibuprofen, triclosan, carbamazepine, caffeine, acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and lincomycin), using capillary electrophoresis with UV detection (CE-UV). The method detection limit (MDL) ranged from 1.6 to 68.7ppb through solid phase extraction. The standard limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.63 to 7.72ppm. Factors affecting separation and quantification of PPCPs, such as pH, electrophoretic potential, buffer strength, buffer type, and additives, were investigated and optimized. Water samples from two different wastewater treatment plants were collected and analyzed. The results obtained were comparable with those of LC–MS/MS. The technique developed in this study provides a low cost, simple, fast, and relatively sensitive method for determination of various PPCPs in wastewater samples for PPCP screening.

Occurrence and behavior of pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, and endocrine-disrupting personal care products in wastewater and the recipient river water of the Pearl River Delta, South China

The occurrence and behavior of β-blockers, antiepileptic drug carbamazepine and its metabolites, X-ray contrast agent iopromide, natural and synthetic hormones, and several groups of hormone-like personal care products (PCPs), including antiseptics (triclocarban, triclosan, and 2-phenylphenol), parabens and bisphenol A, were investigated in municipal wastewater, sewage sludge, and urban river water of the Pearl River Delta, South China. The pharmaceuticals, natural hormones and PCPs were ubiquitously detected in the raw wastewater from a sewage treatment plant (STP). Only triclocarban and triclosan were detected at significant amounts in the dewatered sludge. Iopromide and the PCPs were greatly removed/transformed from the aqueous phase of the wastewater. The β-blockers were only moderately removed/transformed. Carbamazepine passed through the STP almost unchanged. Biodegradation was the dominant process for elimination/transformation of the pharmaceuticals, hormones, and most PCPs in the STP. However, sorption also played an important role in the fate of triclocarban with nearly 50% of the mass load entering the STP ended up and persisted in the dewatered sludge. The pharmaceuticals, estrone, and PCPs were also widely detected in the Pearl River at Guangzhou. Bisphenol A had the highest concentration. The pharmaceutical concentrations in the Pearl River were higher in March than in May, most likely due to less dilution by lower precipitation. The omnipresence and high levels of the pharmaceuticals and PCPs in the Pearl River may be associated with direct discharge of untreated wastewater and pose potential risks to the ecological system.

Enzymatic Treatment of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Wastewater

Enzymatic Treatment of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Wastewater

Removal of steroid hormones and personal care products in wastewater by chemical precipitation

The presence of steroid hormones and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) in theenvironment has been connected with the drop in semen quality in men and the number ofhem1aphrodite fish observed downstream wastewater treatment plants. EDC originating fromdown-the-drain chemicals can be reduced by mitigation options but the naturally occurringhormones must be removed though end-of-pipe treatment. In this study, coagulation andflocculation as well as these two techniques combined with sorption were applied to removeestrone, I 7P-estradiol and the synthetic hormone I7a-ethynylestradiol as well as thepreservatives methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben and isobutylparaben from primary and secondary treated municipal wastewater. It was found thatcoagulation with both iron and aluminium together with an anionic flocculant successfullyremoved organic matter and dissolved phosphorous but not the hormones and only up to 30%of the parabens. This was seen both in the chemical analyses of the individual substances andwell as in an assay of the oestrogenic effects. Applications of powdered activated carbon preand post the chemical coagulation-flocculation significantly increased the oestrogen removal,which is consistent with existing literature. The treatment processes in the studied wastewatertreatment plant removed both the oestrogens and the parabens to below the limit of detection ,though a detectable but small oestrogenicity in the effluent cannot be disregarded.

Laboratory calibration and field deployment of the Polar organic chemical integrative sampler for pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater and surface water

Aqueous sampling rates for 25 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) were determined on the commercially available passive Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS). To date, POCIS calibration has only been carried out for a handful of compounds. Uptake rates were 0.040 to 2.462 L/d under conditions of flowing water; quiescent conditions resulted in uptake rates between 0.016 and 0.223 L/d. The uptake of many PPCPs appears to be boundary-layer controlled, as indicated by higher sampling rates under flowing conditions. Sampling rates were corrected for analyte dissipation rates, and some correlations with octanol-water partition coefficients were noted. Field deployments of POCIS in wastewater effluent and surface waters had time-weighted average concentrations derived from laboratory calibrations that were consistent with regular grab samples. This work indicates that POCIS can be used as a quantitative tool for measuring PPCPs in the aquatic environment.

Laboratory calibration and field deployment of the Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler for pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater and surface water

Laboratory calibration and field deployment of the Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler for pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater and surface water