Removal Of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds Research Articles

SU-101 for the removal of pharmaceutical active compounds by the combination of adsorption/photocatalytic processes

Pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) are some of the most recalcitrant water pollutants causing undesired environmental and human effects. In absence of adapted decontamination technologies, there is an urgent need to develop efficient and sustainable alternatives for water remediation. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as promising candidates for adsorbing contaminants as well as providing photoactive sites, as they possess exceptional porosity and chemical versatility. To date, the reported studies using MOFs in water remediation have been mainly focused on the removal of a single type of PhACs and rarely on the combined elimination of PhACs mixtures. Herein, the eco-friendly bismuth-based MOF, SU-101, has been originally proposed as an efficient adsorbent-photocatalyst for the elimination of a mixture of three challenging persistent PhACs, frequently detected in wastewater and surface water in ng L−1 to mg·L−1 concentrations: the antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMT), the anti-inflammatory diclofenac (DCF), and the antihypertensive atenolol (At). Adsorption experiments of the mixture revealed that SU-101 exhibited a great adsorption capacity towards At, resulting in an almost complete removal (94.1 ± 0.8% for combined adsorption) in only 5 h. Also, SU-101 demonstrated a remarkable photocatalytic activity under visible light to simultaneously degrade DCF and SMT (99.6 ± 0.4% and 89.2 ± 1.4%, respectively). In addition, MOF-contaminant interactions, the photocatalytic mechanism and degradation pathways were investigated, also assessing the toxicity of the resulting degradation products. Even further, recycling and regeneration studies were performed, demonstrating its efficient reuse for 4 consecutive cycles without further treatment, and its subsequent successful regeneration by simply washing the material with a NaCl solution.

Pharmaceutically active compounds in aqueous environment: recent developments in their fate, occurrence and elimination for efficient water purification.

The existence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the water is a major concern for environmentalists due to their deleterious effects on living organisms even at minuscule concentrations. This review focuses on PhACs such as analgesics and anti-inflammatory compounds, which are massively excreted in urine and account for the majority of pharmaceutical pollution. Furthermore, other PhACs such as anti-epileptics, beta-blockers and antibiotics are discussed because they also contribute significantly to pharmaceutical pollution in the aquatic environment. This review is divided into two parts. In the first part, different classes of PhACs and their fate in the wastewater environment are presented. In the second part, recent advances in the removal of PhACs by conventional wastewater treatment plants, including membrane bioreactors (MBRs), activated carbon adsorption and bench-scale studies concerning a broad range of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) that render practical and appropriate strategies for the complete mineralization and degradation of pharmaceutical drugs, are reviewed. This review indicates that drugs like diclofenac, naproxen, paracetamol and aspirin are removed efficiently by conventional systems. Activated carbon adsorption is suitable for the removal of diclofenac and carbamazepine, whereas AOPs are leading water treatment strategies for the effective removal of reviewed PhACs.

A hybrid anaerobic osmotic membrane bioreactor - membrane distillation for water reclamation: aquatic toxicity, membrane fouling characterization, and economic assessment

The incomplete removal of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) by conventional wastewater treatment has been challenging due to their ecological implications. Therefore, advanced technologies are necessary to remove PhACs efficiently. In the present study, an anaerobic osmotic membrane bioreactor - membrane distillation (AnOMBR-MD), aiming to remove seven PhACs, was evaluated by an integrated approach, considering the environmental toxicity, fouling characterization, and economic assessment. PhACs removal was evaluated using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Besides, organic matter and nutrient removal were evaluated. The FO and MD membrane fouling was characterized with scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Toxic effects were analyzed for Aliivibrio fischeri, Daphnia similis, and Raphidocelis subcapitata. Furthermore, a preliminary economic assessment was carried out using capital and operating expenditures. The results showed a DOC, N-NH4+, and P-PO43- removal of 92%, 97%, and 99.9%, respectively, while removal of PhACs was >96%. However, the distillate was classified as very toxic forR. subcapitata, and a strong correlation was found between toxicity and the Mg2+ originating from the draw solution (DS). This result showed the importance of including toxicity tests in the selection of DS. The economic evaluation indicated that the higher cost is related to the membrane replacement due to the decrease in the permeate flux, pointing out the need for future studies that address cleaning strategies to solve the organic and inorganic fouling on the membrane's surface. In this sense, this study promoted an improvement in understanding the AnOMBR-MD technical-economic viability aiming at full-scale application.

Optimization and application of a continuous flow photo-electro-Fenton system for the removal of pharmaceutical active compounds detected in irrigation water of Bogotá – Savanna (Colombia) Crops

In this study, a continuous flow photo-electro-Fenton (PEF) system was evaluated for its ability to remove pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) from irrigation water used in Bogotá-savanna crops. The PEF system consisted of dimensionally stable anode and graphite diffusion gas cathode, which were irradiated with LEDs. Firstly, the system was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) in ultrapure water. The most favorable conditions for efficient generation of oxidants (the response variable) were found to be a flow rate of 210 mL/min, a current density of 15 mA/cm2, and an electrolyte concentration of 0.1 mol NaCl/L. Subsequently, model compounds of PhACs, including losartan (LOS), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and diclofenac (DCF), were eliminated after only 10 min of treatment under the previously established conditions. After demonstrating the potential of the PEF system to eliminate PhACs, the system was applied to real irrigation water to evaluate the degradation of seven PhACs, namely carbamazepine (CBZ), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), ciprofloxacin (CIP), clarithromycin (CLR), diclofenac (DCF), valsartan (VAL), and trimethoprim (TMP). The results showed that after 30 min of treatment with the PEF system, the concentration of these compounds was drastically reduced remaining undetected. This demonstrates the high potential of the PEF system to reduce the presence of PhACs in irrigation water and associated environmental and food health risks.

Development of nanocomposite membranes for removal of pharmaceutically active compounds in water: A review

The presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in drinking water sources is a serious global challenge. Although several approaches have been made to overcome the challenge, unfortunately, most wastewater treatment processes still lack the capacity to provide water completely free of PhACs. This review reports the use of nanocomposite membranes as a promising material for the efficient removal of PhACs from the water system. The study revealed that fouling and high energy consumption–the major associative limitations of conventional membranes, can be circumvented by incorporating metal oxides and carbonaceous nanoparticles into nanocomposite membranes. Interestingly, photocatalytic nanocomposite membranes exhibited the additional benefit of complete degradation of PhACs. Therefore, it is essential to focus future studies on understanding the details of the photocatalytic nanocomposite membrane process. Furthermore, conducting more studies on a large scale, cost evaluation, and toxicity profiling of nanocomposite membranes is vital.

Ultrafiltration and Nanofiltration for the Removal of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds from Water: The Effect of Operating Pressure on Electrostatic Solute-Membrane Interactions.

The present work investigates nanofiltration (NF) and ultrafiltration (UF) for the removal of three widely used pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), namely atenolol, sulfamethoxazole, and rosuvastatin. Four membranes, two polyamide NF membranes (NF90 and NF270) and two polyethersulfone UF membranes (XT and ST), were evaluated in terms of productivity (permeate flux) and selectivity (rejection of PhACs) at pressures from 2 to 8 bar. Although the UF membranes have a much higher molecular weight cut-off (1000 and 10,000 Da), when compared to the molecular weight of the PhACs (253-482 Da), moderate rejections were observed. For UF, rejections were dependent on the molecular weight and charge of the PhACs, membrane molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), and operating pressure, demonstrating that electrostatic interactions play an important role in the removal of PhACs, especially at low operating pressures. On the other hand, both NF membranes displayed high rejections for all PhACs studied (75-98%). Hence, considering the optimal operating conditions, the NF270 membrane (MWCO = 400 Da) presented the best performance, achieving permeate fluxes of about 100 kg h-1 m-2 and rejections above 80% at a pressure of 8 bar, that is, a productivity of about twice that of the NF90 membrane (MWCO = 200 Da). Therefore, NF270 was the most suitable membrane for this application, although the tight UF membranes under low operating pressures displayed satisfactory results.

Evaluation of peroxide assisted multi-oxidation systems for simultaneous removal of pharmaceutical active compounds from aqueous environment

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of peroxide assisted electro-chemical system (ECS) and photo-chemical system (PCS) in eliminating active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Aluminum (Al) and stainless steel (SS) electrodes were used in ECS, whereas visible light (450–495 nm) was applied in PCS to remove acetaminophen (ACT) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) from both mono-component (ACT/CIP) and multi-component (ACT+CIP) systems. The study explored effect of operational parameters, kinetics, and energy requirements for removing APIs using ECS and PCS. The results showed that in ECS, Al electrodes outperformed SS electrodes with 95.15% removal of ACT and 95.52% removal of CIP using four Al electrodes at 15 V for 60 min. On the other hand, PCS at optimal conditions i.e. 16 W light intensity and FeSO4 and H2O2 dose of 0.5 g/L and 0.06 mL/L, respectively resulted in 85.25% ACT and 96.70% CIP removal. The kinetic study demonstrated that the removal of ACT and CIP through ECS followed second-order kinetics, while PCS followed a first-order model. In both ECS and PCS, ACT and CIP exhibited slightly higher removal efficiency in mono-component systems compared to multi-component systems. The EEO for removal of both APIs ranged from 0.05 to 0.3 kWh/kg in ECS and 3.9–15 kWh/kg in PCS. In general, peroxide assisted ECS and PCS both offer effective and efficient means for simultaneous removal of APIs from effluents.

UV–Vis activated CuO/CuS/WO3@PANI heterostructure for photocatalytic removal of pharmaceutical active compounds

The sol-gel and spray deposition were employed to develop a complex heterostructure based on CuO/CuS/WO3@PANI able to use both UV and Vis light in order to generate charge carriers required in the photocatalytic applications. The sol-gel was used to develop the CuO/CuS/WO3 heterostructure in a three-step method where the components act as nucleation sites. The samples crystallinity and morphology were characterized indicating that all components exhibit crystalline structure and the morphology change with the addition of each component. Adding PANI during the film development have doubled the sample specific surface (51.8 m2/g for CuO/CuS/WO3 vs 94.3 m2/g for CuO/CuS/WO3@PANI) and have increased the layer density (3.43 g/cm3 vs. 4.26 g/cm3). Photocatalytic activity was evaluated for pharmaceutical active compounds removal in the presence of both UV and Vis light. The results indicate that CuO/CuS/WO3@PANI exhibit highest mineralization efficiencies of 75.5% toward penicillin G and 78% toward amoxicillin (50 ppm initial concentration). The mechanism of charge generation indicates that the heterostructure components have a synergic action contributing to the redox potential required to form the (super)oxidative species.

Simultaneous removal of sulfamethoxazole, 17β-estradiol, and carbamazepine from hospital wastewater using a combination of a continuous constructed wetland-based system followed by photocatalytic reactor

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), such as sulfamethoxazole, 17β-estradiol, and carbamazepine, are ubiquitous in hospital effluent and are resistant to conventional treatment methods. Advanced oxidation techniques like photocatalysis can degrade these compounds, but their performance in continuous mode and real wastewater matrix is inadequate. Hence, this study uses an iron-modified aluminum-doped ZnO (Al-ZnO/Fe) photocatalyst to degrade sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, and 17β-estradiol simultaneously. Batch studies indicated that at pH 8 and 0.5 g/L of photocatalyst, removal efficiencies of sulfamethoxazole, 17β-estradiol, and carbamazepine were 98.93 ± 0.27%, 98.28 ± 0.35%, and 98.31 ± 0.57%, respectively. The toxicity of the intermediate products formed and potential application of the spent photocatalyst was also studied. However, removal of PhACs was decreased when the conditions were replicated in the continuous mode. Moreover, their removal in tap water and real hospital wastewater was further reduced. The presence of inhibiting agents in real wastewater attributed to the decrease in PhACs removal. In this context, a continuous baffled horizontal flow subsurface constructed wetland-based system followed by the photocatalytic reactor was used to treat hospital wastewater spiked with sulfamethoxazole, 17β-estradiol, and carbamazepine, and the removal efficiencies were found to be 97.16 ± 1.85%, 98.09 ± 0.92%, and 96.02 ± 2.27%, respectively.

Assessing the Feasibility of Sustainable Materials to Boost the Sorption of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds When Included in Reactive Barriers in Soil Aquifer Treatment for Water Reuse

We evaluated the feasibility of five sustainable materials (clay, zeolite, biochar, compost, and woodchips) to be included in a reactive barrier intended to improve the removal of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) during soil aquifer treatment (SAT). The potential of the five materials to sorb PhACs was assessed and compared to sand capacity through batch experiments. Materials with high organic carbon content (biochar, compost, and woodchips) exhibited a greater capacity to sorb PhACs than materials with a low organic carbon content (clay and zeolite). The ion speciation of the molecules is a major parameter controlling the fate and transport of PhACs during SAT operations. Anionic species are the ones with the highest risk of reaching the aquifer since they are generally less sorbed compared to cationic and neutral species. Experimental parameters such as contact time, solid:water ratio, and grain size had no a significant effect on the sorption of PhACs in the studied materials. The incorporation of biochar, compost, and/or woodchips into reactive barriers will promote the sorption of PhACs and will boost the ability of the SAT system to improve the quality of the recharged water.

Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from water sources using nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes: Comparison of removal efficiencies and in-depth analysis of rejection mechanisms

Trace organic compounds from effluent streams are not completely removed by conventional purification techniques and hence, contaminating groundwater sources. Herein, we report the removal efficiency and rejection mechanisms of three common pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs); caffeine (CFN), omeprazole (OMZ), and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), using commercial nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes with different surface characteristics. The RO membranes showed near-complete removal of all PhACs with rejection rates >99%. On the other hand, retention capabilities for the NF membranes varied and were influenced by the characteristics of the PhACs, membranes, and the feed solution. In general, during long-term testing, the rejection did not show much variation and followed a trend compatible with the size exclusion (steric hindrance) mechanism. When a real matrix was used, the rejection of CFN by the more tight NF membranes, HL TFC and NFW decreased by ∼10%, whereas the removal of SMX by the loose NF membrane, XN45, increased by the same ratio. In short-term testing, the rejection of negatively charged SMX increased significantly (∼20–40%) at a higher pH of ∼8 and in the presence of salts. Fouling by the PhACs was more severe on the high-flux NF membranes, HL TFC and XN45, as witnessed by the significant change in Contact angle (CA) values (∼25–50°) as well as the flux decline (∼15%) during long-term testing. To summarize, the removal of PhACs by membranes is a complex phenomenon and depends upon a combination of several factors.

Field performance investigation for constructed wetland clubbed with tubesettler for hospital wastewater treatment

Pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) are a concern owing to their toxicity to the aquatic environment. Several studies have investigated the removal of PhACs from wastewater by employing various treatments. However, hospital wastewater, a primary source of PhACs in wastewater, has yet to gain attention. Hence this study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of constructed wetlands coupled with tube settlers for hospital wastewater treatment. Constructed Wetlands (CWs) and tube settlers are economical and less energy-consuming wastewater treatment systems which can be employed to treat small community wastewater and enhance the effluent quality to conserve the environment. This study evaluates the combination of macrophyte CW-along with a tubesettler system to remove PhACs. The Constructed Wetland system was employed in series with tube settlers. Seven PhACs viz. paracetamol, ketoprofen, carbamazepine, lorazepam, Sulfamethoxazole, Ciprofloxacin, and Fluvastatin were analyzed for wastewater quality characterization. The removal efficiency of CW was 56 %, 72 %, 37 %, 54 %, 54 %, 53 %, and 46 % for PCM, KTF, CAB, LOR, SMZ, CIP and FUT respectively. The study concluded that CW could be successfully used to treat hospital wastewater, and tube settlers can be employed as a polishing treatment for the effluent of CW.

Construction of a stable porous composite with tunable graphene oxide in Ce-based-MOFs for enhanced solar-photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole in water

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) are ubiquitously detected in water matrices, arousing growing concern. Effective abatement of these toxic environmental contaminants is challenging but of great importance. Ce-based MOFs have been considered novel metal–organic framework (MOFs)-based photocatalysts in water treatment. However, limited light absorption ability, fast recombination of photogenerated carriers, and water stability limited the further application. Here, the UiO-66 (Ce) was successfully constructed onto the surface of a series of graphene oxide (GO) (1 mg ∼ 7.5 mg) in situ. GO with oxygen-containing functional groups (OCFGs) increased the adsorption (∼45 %) of the trace amount of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) (200 μg/L) over the interfaces and enhanced the degradation efficiency of SMX. The composite with the optimal ratio (GO@ UiO-66 (Ce)-5) significantly increased the charge separation ability and produced a large number of reactive oxygen species (ROS). •O2– was proved to be the major driving reactive substance for SMX degradation with the calculated steady-state concentration of 2.5 × 10-9 M (∼1.37 times higher with bubbled oxygen), which is much higher than that of detected •OH (1.62 × 10-14). Major operational parameters including dissolved oxygen, initial solution pH, and catalyst dosages were investigated systematically. Several intermediates were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). By choosing the strategy, MOFs were closely bonded to the surface of the GO matrix, making the leakage of Ce ions inhibited obviously (∼3 times) in the water treatment process. This study offers useful guidance for improving the performance of existing photocatalytic materials for PhACs removal.

Improving biological removal of pharmaceutical active compounds and estrogenic activity in a mesophilic anaerobic osmotic membrane bioreactor treating municipal sewage.

The contamination of water sources by pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and their effect on aquatic communities and human health have become an environmental concern worldwide. Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are an alternative to improve biological removal of recalcitrant organic compounds from municipal sewage. Their efficiency can be increased by using high retention membranes such as forward osmosis (FO) and membrane distillation (MD). Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the performance of an anaerobic osmotic MBR coupled with MD (OMBR-MD) in the treatment of municipal sewage containing PhACs and estrogenic activity. A submerged hybrid FO-MD module was integrated into the bioreactor. PhACs removal was higher than 96% due to biological degradation, biosorption and membrane retention. Biological removal of the PhACs was affected by the salinity build-up in the bioreactor, with reduction in biodegradation after 32d. However, salinity increment had little or no effect on biosorption removal. The anaerobic OMBR-MD removed >99.9% of estrogenic activity, resulting in a distillate with 0.14ngL-1 E2-eq, after 22d, and 0.04ngL-1 E2-eq, after 32d. OMBR-MD treatment promoted reduction in environmental and human health risks from high to low, except for ketoprofen, which led to medium acute environmental and human health risks. Carcinogenic risks were reduced from unacceptable to negligible, regarding estrogenic activity. Thus, the hybrid anaerobic OMBR-MD demonstrated strong performance in reducing risks, even when human health is considered.

Assessment of the contribution of various constructed wetland components for the removal of pharmaceutically active compounds

Constructed wetland (CW) is being used to attenuate pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) from wastewater. In this study, the fate of three PhACs – atenolol (ATL), carbamazepine (CBZ), and diclofenac (DCF) was investigated in each component of the CW. The acclimatized microbes showed effective degradation of PhACs at initial concentrations of 100 µg/L under different redox conditions, with degradation rates in the order of ATL > CBZ > DCF. The hydroponics study with Canna indica removed 19.3–31.2 % without substrate materials (initial PhACs:100 µg/L each). The breakthrough and sorption capacity of unplanted CW followed the order: natural zeolite (1.6–2.15 µg/g) < Light-weight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) (5.37–8.27 µg/g) < waste autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) block (9.27–10.79 µg/g) < wood charcoal (24.1–26.4 µg/g), according to their surface and textural properties. Eventually, four laboratory-scale CW units with enriched microbes, C. indica, and different supporting materials were monitored for the removal of organics, nutrients, and PhACs. A significant variation (p < 0.05) in the pollutant’s removal was observed with the four supporting materials. The synergistic interaction among AAC blocks, macrophytes, and microbial population in the system exhibited higher removal of COD, TN, TP, and PhACs as 88.6%, 81.6%, 77.6%, and 95.3%, respectively. In addition, the estimated PhACs mass balance corroborated that biodegradation (80.57–93%) dominated over sorption and phytodegradation in the CWs. The abundance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Planctomycetes in enriched consortia contributed to the degradation of PhACs. Owing to the highly porous nature of waste AAC blocks, a relatively higher microbial activity was observed in the CW unit with AAC as substrate material.

Efficient adsorption of acetaminophen from the aqueous phase using low-cost and renewable adsorbent derived from orange peels

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) are frequently detected emerging pollutants in water resources worldwide that provoke pernicious influences on human health and the ecosystem. Developing effective carbonaceous adsorbents from biomass for the efficient removal of PhACs has lately drawn significant research attention. Herein, an efficient and cost-effective activated carbon was produced via ZnCl2-activation, employing orange peels as a precursor (named hereafter as OPAC). OPAC was well-characterized and applied in the sequestration of acetaminophen (N-acetyl-para-aminophenol, APAP), a broadly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, from water media using the batch technique. OPAC exhibited excellent performance, and more than 95.5% APAP was removed after 90 min, in the pH range of 2.0–8.0, using 1 g/l adsorbent at 25 °C. Additionally, the equilibrium and the kinetic studies outcomes unveiled the suitability of the Langmuir and the pseudo-second-order kinetic models, respectively, to describe the adsorption process. Based on the pH-adsorption dependence and OPAC properties, the presumable mechanism was mainly dominated by non-electrostatic interactions, including hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and pore diffusion. Thermodynamically, the process was found to be spontaneous and endothermic. Ultimately, OPAC manifested outstanding recyclability, with at least 95% of the initial efficiency being preserved after five cycles, making it more attractive from the environmental and economic perspectives.

Model Predictive Control Strategy for the Degradation of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds by UV/H2O2 Oxidation Process

Hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging demand can be an indicator that represents the water quality characteristics of raw water. It is one of the key parameters predicting UV/H2O2 system performance and affects the operating parameters. Based on the •OH scavenging demand, we developed a model predictive control strategy to meet the target compound removal efficiency and energy consumption simultaneously. Selected pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) were classified into three groups depending on the UV direct photolysis and susceptibility to •OH. Group 1 for photo-susceptible PhACs (acetaminophen, amoxicillin, diclofenac, iopromide, ketoprofen, and sulfamethoxazole); group 2 for PhACs susceptible to both direct photolysis and •OH oxidation (bisphenol A, carbamazepine, ibuprofen, naproxen, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline); and group 3 for photo-resistant PhACs (atenolol, atrazine, caffeine, and nitrobenzene). The results of modeling to achieve 90% removal of PhACs at N and B plants were as follows. For group 2, the optimized operating parameter ranges were as follow (N plant: UV 510–702 mJ cm−2, H2O2 2.96–3.80 mg L−1, EED 1088–1302 kWh m−3; B plant: UV dose 1179–1397 mJ cm−2, H2O2 dose 3.56–7.44 mg L−1, EED 1712–2085 kWh m−3). It was confirmed that the optimal operating conditions and EED values changed according to the •OH scavenging demand.

Effective removal of pharmaceutical compounds and estrogenic activity by a hybrid anaerobic osmotic membrane bioreactor – Membrane distillation system treating municipal sewage

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) may cause harmful effects in living beings, and advanced treatment is required to improve wastewater treatment plant efficiency. In this context, this study aimed to assess the performance of a hybrid anaerobic osmotic membrane bioreactor coupled with a membrane distillation system (AnOMBR-MD) for removing PhACs and estrogenic activity from municipal sewage. Human health and environmental risks of produced water were also assessed. The removal efficiency of dissolved organic carbon and P-PO43- reached 97.2% and 98.0%, respectively. N-NH4+ accumulated in the bioreactor since anaerobic treatment can not remove it. Salinity increase in the bioreactor caused a great change in the microbial community, with Chao 1 and Shannon indexes higher in the sludge after 50 days of operation than in the sludge used as inoculum. Estrogenic activity of municipal sewage spiked with PhACs was >3 times higher than the expected value calculated by the additive model (2 µg L−1E2-eq.), which indicates that some of the PhACs effects increased in the presence of others. Estrogenicity was not detected in distillate samples, which greatly reduced human health risks to acceptable values. Of the 7 PhACs selected in this study, only betamethasone, fluconazole, and prednisone were detected in the distillate. However, the overall removal of PhACs by the AnOMBR-MD system was higher than 96.4%. The chronic environmental risk considering the estrogenic activity was classified as high because of the detection limit in the yeast estrogen screen (YES), which supports the need for improving bioassay sensibility. The results demonstrated that the use of the YES assay combined with detection and identification of micropollutants allowed an effective assessment of the overall treatment performance.

Nano-adsorbents an effective candidate for removal of toxic pharmaceutical compounds from aqueous environment: A critical review on emerging trends

Advancements in medical research has resulted in the modernization of healthcare facilities, subsequently leading to a higher level of production and usage of pharmaceuticals to sustain better quality of life. Pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) possess high genotoxicity and eco-toxicity thus presenting numerous side effects to living beings on long-term exposure. The fate and toxicity of PhACs were explored in detail, aiming to elucidate their occurrence and transmission in wastewater treatment systems (WWTPs). Adsorption of pharmaceutical compounds using Nano-adsorbents has gained momentum in recent years owing to their low-cost, high surface area and effectiveness. This review has been conducted in order to widen the utilization of Nano adsorbents in the adsorption of pharmaceutical compounds with a focus on the aqueous environment. The synthesis routes and properties of Nano-adsorbents for removal of PhACs were assessed in a comprehensive way. The recovery and reuse ability of nano-adsorbents also forms an integral part of its application in the removal of PhACs and has hence been delineated.

Penicillium oxalicum XD-3.1 removes pharmaceutical compounds from hospital wastewater and outcompetes native bacterial and fungal communities in fluidised batch bioreactors

Pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) are molecules used for the treatment of physiological disorders that can generate environmental imbalances when discharged into wastewater. In this work, the use of Penicillium oxalicum XD-3.1 as bioremediation tool for the elimination of PhACs in non-sterile real hospital wastewater in batch bench scale bioreactor and its impact on microbial community was evaluated. A quantitative analysis using UHPLC-QToF was performed under three different conditions to determine the elimination of the different (PhACs) by this ascomycetes fungus. On the other hand, the changes on microbial community over time were analysed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform and a phylogenetic microarray (PhyloChip). P. oxalicum XD-3.1 was able to reduce the concentration of the majority of the analysed PhACs in 24 h such as ketoprofen, naproxen and paracetamol. Moreover, P. oxalicum inhibited the native fungal populations present in the wastewater, including opportunistic human pathogens such as Mycosphaerella and Drechslera, as well as some bacterial human pathogens belonging to Clostridiaceae and Brucellaceae families. However, important degraders such as Pseudomonadaceae bacteria groups remained in the system, indicating a possible natural consortium formation between fungi and bacteria. These results indicate the possibility to use this system for the removal of PhACs in real applications.