Removal Of Trace Organic Chemicals Research Articles

Comparison of Trace Organic Chemical Removal Efficiencies between Aerobic and Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors Treating Municipal Wastewater.

Evaluating persistent trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) and transformation products (TPs) in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is essential, given that MBRs are now widely implemented for wastewater treatment and water reuse. This research applied comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC/TOF-MS)-based nontargeted analysis to compare the effectiveness of parallel aerobic and anaerobic MBRs (AeMBRs and AnMBRs, respectively), treating the same municipal wastewater. The average total chromatographic feature peak area abundances were significantly reduced by 84% and 72% from influent to membrane permeate in both the AeMBR and AnMBR (p < 0.05), respectively. However, the reduction of the average number of chromatographic features was significant for only AeMBR treatment (p = 0.006). A similar number of TPs were generated during both AeMBR and AnMBR treatments (165 vs 171 compounds, respectively). The overall results suggest that the AeMBR was more effective for reducing the diversity of TOrCs than the AnMBR, but both aerobic and anaerobic processes had a similar reduction of TOrC abundance. Suspect screening analysis using GC×GC/TOF-MS, which resulted in the tentative identification of 351 TOrCs, proved to be a powerful approach for uncovering compounds previously unreported in wastewater, including many fragrances and personal care products.

Establishment of microbial model communities capable of removing trace organic chemicals for biotransformation mechanisms research

BackgroundRemoval of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) in aquatic environments has been intensively studied. Some members of natural microbial communities play a vital role in transforming chemical contaminants, however, complex microbial interactions impede us from gaining adequate understanding of TOrC biotransformation mechanisms. To simplify, in this study, we propose a strategy of establishing reduced-richness model communities capable of removing diverse TOrCs via pre-adaptation and dilution-to-extinction.ResultsMicrobial communities were adapted from tap water, soil, sand, sediment deep and sediment surface to changing concentrations of 27 TOrCs mixture. After adaptation, the communities were further diluted to reduce diversity into 96 deep well plates for high-throughput cultivation. After characterizing microbial structure and TOrC removal performance, thirty taxonomically non-redundant model communities with different removal abilities were obtained. The pre-adaptation process was found to reduce the microbial richness but to increase the evenness and phylogenetic diversity of resulting model communities. Moreover, phylogenetic diversity showed a positive effect on the number of TOrCs that can be transformed simultaneously. Pre-adaptation also improved the overall TOrC removal rates, which was found to be positively correlated with the growth rates of model communities.ConclusionsThis is the first study that investigated a wide range of TOrC biotransformation based on different model communities derived from varying natural microbial systems. This study provides a standardized workflow of establishing model communities for different metabolic purposes with changeable inoculum and substrates. The obtained model communities can be further used to find the driving agents of TOrC biotransformation at the enzyme/gene level.

Influence of low oxygen concentrations on biological transformations of trace organic chemicals in sand filter systems

Managed aquifer recharge systems for drinking water reclamation are challenged by trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) since some of them are poorly retained. Although a lot of research has been done to investigate biological transformation of TOrCs in sand filter systems, there are still uncertainties to predict the removal. A laboratory column system with two different filter sands was set up to test TOrC transformation, the influence of low oxygen concentrations as well as the adaptation and influence of spiked TOrC influent concentrations. Bioactivity was quantified with the fluorescence tracer resazurin. In the experiment, a low elimination performance in the first column segment, defined as lag zone, was observed, implying incomplete adaptation or inhibiting co-factors. To assess these lag zones and to determine the dissipation time DT50 for 50% removal, a modified Gompertz model was applied. For acesulfame, formylaminoantipyrine, gabapentin, sulfamethoxazole, and valsartan acid DT50 of less than 10 h were observed, even when influent oxygen concentrations decreased to 0.5 mg/L. In general, TOrC transformations in technical sand with lower bioactivity and especially valsartan acid transformation responded very sensitive to low influent oxygen concentrations of 0.5 mg/L. However, in well adapted sand originating from soil aquifer treatment (SAT) with sufficient bioactivity, TOrC removal was hardly affected by such suboxic conditions. Furthermore, increasing the influent concentrations of TOrCs to 10 μg/L was found to promote adaptation especially for acesulfame and sulfamethoxazole. Benzotriazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac and venlafaxine were recalcitrant under the applied experimental conditions.

Impacts of autochthonous particulate organic matter on redox-conditions and elimination of trace organic chemicals in managed aquifer recharge

Autochthonous carbon fixation by algae and subsequent deposition of particulate organic matter can have significant effects on redox conditions and elimination of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) in managed aquifer recharge (MAR). This study investigated the impacts of different algae loadings (0–160 g/m2) and infiltration rates (0.06–0.37 m/d) on overall oxygen consumption and elimination of selected TOrCs (diclofenac, formylaminoantipyrine, gabapentin, and sulfamethoxazole) in adapted laboratory sand columns. An infiltration rate of 0.37 m/d in conjunction with an algae load of 80 g/m2 (dry weight) sustained oxic conditions in the sand bed and did not affect the degradation of TOrCs. Thus, the availability of easily degradable organic carbon from algae did not influence the removal of TOrCs at an influent concentration of 1 µg/L. In contrast, a lower infiltration rate of 0.20 m/d in combination with a higher algae loading of 160 g/m2 caused anoxic conditions for 30 days and significantly impeded the degradation of formylaminoantipyrine, gabapentin, sulfamethoxazole, and diclofenac. Especially the elimination of gabapentin did not fully recover within 130 days after pulsed algae deposition. Hence, measures like micro-sieving or nutrient control are required at bank filtration or soil aquifer treatment sites with low infiltration rates.

Microbial Biomass, Composition, and Functions Are Responsible for the Differential Removal of Trace Organic Chemicals in Biofiltration Systems: A Batch Study

Biofiltration processes help to remove trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) both in wastewater and drinking water treatment systems. However, the detailed TOrCs biotransformation mechanisms as well as the underlying drivers behind the variability of site specific transformation processes remain elusive. In this study, we used laboratory batch incubations to investigate the biotransformation of 51 TOrCs in eight bioactive filter materials of different origins treating a range of waters, from wastewater effluents to drinking water. Microscopy, 16S rRNA amplicon and whole metagenome sequencing for assessing associations between the biotransformation rate constants, microbial composition and genetic potential complemented chemical analysis. We observed strong differences in the mean global removal of TOrCs between the individual sand filters (−1.4–58%), which were mirrored in overall biomass, microbial community composition, and enzyme encoding genes. From the six investigated biomass markers, ATP turned out to be a major predictor of the mean global biotransformation rate, while compound specific biotransformations were correlated with the microbial community composition. High biomass ecosystems were indicated in our systems by a dominance of Nitrospirae, but individual TOrC biotransformation showed a correlation with rare taxa (&amp;lt;2%) such as Hydrogenophaga, or individual functions such as the enoyl-CoA hydratase/3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase encoding genes. In general, this study provides new insights into so far rarely addressed variability of TOrCs biotransformation. We propose potential novel biological indicators for the removal performance of TOrCs in biofiltration systems, highlighting the role of living biomass in predicting and normalizing the global transformation, and the role of the microbial community for the individual transformation of TOrCs in engineered and natural systems.

Inline dosing of powdered activated carbon and coagulant prior to ultrafiltration at pilot-scale – Effects on trace organic chemical removal and operational stability

Hybrid membrane processes such as inline dosing of powdered activated carbon (PAC) prior to ultrafiltration membranes (UF) have already shown promising potential for the abatement of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs). However, questions regarding the optimization of the operational stability by the employment of coagulation and its interferences with inline dosed PAC, have not yet been comprehensively investigated. Within the scope of this pilot-scale study, inline dosing of different sized PAC types at different dosages was combined with or without the addition of polyaluminium chloride (PACl) coagulant prior to UF. As expected, when PAC was not employed, negligible TOrC removal was observed, whereas all the operational modes with the application of PAC inline dosing showed significant TOrC removal. Coagulation with PACl clearly reduced the build-up of transmembrane pressure, especially owing to maintaining hydraulic backwash efficiency. The operational mode of precoating the UF with PACl combined with continuous inline dosing of PAC exhibited particularly good TOrC removal results along with optimized membrane fouling mitigation. In contrast, the simultaneous and continuous dosing of PAC and PACl is not recommended, in particular owing to detrimental effects of the coagulant on TOrC removal efficiency by PAC.

Removal of Trace Organic Chemicals during Long-Term Biofilter Operation

Removal of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) at environmentally relevant concentrations was investigated in technical sand and biological activated carbon (BAC) biofilters processing nearly 90000 bed...

Characterizing a novel in-situ oxygen delivery device for establishing controlled redox zonation within a high infiltration rate sequential biofilter

By applying favorable oxic and oligotrophic conditions through subsequent aeration and an additional infiltration step, the sequential managed aquifer recharge technology (SMART) was proven to better remove trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) than conventional MAR systems. To minimize the physical footprint, pumping costs and hydraulic retention times, as well as to overcome limitations of site-specific heterogeneities of such systems, the SMART concept was further upgraded by two main engineered technologies. This SMARTplus bioreactor is comprised of an infiltration trench and highly homogenous porous media to provide high infiltration rates and plug-flow conditions. Additionally, an in-situ oxygen delivery device, in particular a self-designed PDMS gas-liquid membrane contactor, was designed to establish favorable subsurface oxic conditions. This novel SMARTplus technology was investigated at pilot scale and is designed for advanced water treatment either in the context of water reuse or treatment of impaired surface water. To determine the design specifications and to construct a pilot-scale membrane contactor, the mass transfer coefficients of the PDMS membrane were investigated at lab-scale for varying Reynold numbers (0.2–2). With the help of the customized membrane contactor, homogenous, bubble-free and passive oxygen delivery could be successfully demonstrated at pilot-scale under laminar flow conditions and short contact times. Oxygen concentrations downstream of the membrane contactors met the design specifications (>1 mg/L) as long as the required feed water quality was provided. However, high NH4+ concentrations in the secondary effluent resulted in higher and unsteady oxygen demand than the target oxygen transfer rates could meet and suboxic conditions prevailed. Although a 20–50% enhancement in the removal of certain compounds (4-FAA, antipyrine, sulfamethoxazole, and citalopram) was achieved, demonstration of the full potential of enhanced TOrC removal by SMARTplus was hindered due to unsteady feed water quality.

Fouling substances causing variable rejection of a small and uncharged trace organic chemical by reverse osmosis membranes

Abstract The safety of recycled water for potable water reuse can be enhanced by improving the reliability of reverse osmosis (RO) treatment for the removal of trace organic chemicals. This study assessed the mechanisms underlying the variable rejection of a carcinogenic N-nitrosamine, namely N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), caused by RO membrane fouling. Foulants that cause the variable rejection were evaluated through rejection tests and foulant characterization. The RO treatment of wastewaters with and without pre-treatment using an ultrafiltration or nanofiltration membrane showed that NDMA rejection commonly increased with increasing membrane fouling. The characterization of organics in the treated wastewater samples revealed that increased NDMA rejection can be caused by foulants composed of low-molecular-weight organics (

A surrogate-based approach for trace organic chemical removal by a high-rejection reverse osmosis membrane

Public confidence in the safety of recycled water for potable water reuse can be improved by providing assurance regarding high removal of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) by reverse osmosis (RO) treatment. This pilot-scale study assessed the effectiveness of a surrogate indicator—N-Nitrosodimethlyamine (NDMA)—for ensuring a high level of TOrC removal by a high-rejection RO membrane. The pilot-scale tests showed that the rejection of 23 TOrCs by the high-rejection RO membrane was consistently greater than NDMA rejection. In addition, NDMA rejection was highly correlated with TOrC rejection across varied operating conditions, indicating that NDMA can be used as a conservative surrogate indicator for TOrC removal. The RO treatment at a permeate flux of 20 L/m2 h and feed temperature of 13–27 °C resulted in as high as 75–87% NDMA rejection, which was considerably greater than a conventional low-pressure RO membrane (26–47%). However, the high-rejection RO membrane required a transmembrane pressure that was greater than that of the low-pressure RO membrane. Despite this disadvantage, this study suggests that the high-rejection RO membrane can effectively ensure a high level of TOrC removal (≥65%) when NDMA is used as a surrogate indicator, which cannot be ensured by assessing conventional conductivity rejection.

Comparison of UV-AOPs (UV/H2O2, UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine) for TOrC removal from municipal wastewater effluent and optical surrogate model evaluation

UV-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been widely explored to remove organic contaminants from water streams. In this lab-scale study, the removal of 17 trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) by UV/H2O2, UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine was investigated at equimolar radical promoter concentrations in municipal wastewater. Direct comparison of the UV-AOPs was conducted with eight TOrCs being resistant to direct oxidation by H2O2, PDS and chlorine and revealed a general oxidation performance following the order of UV/Chlorine > UV/H2O2 ≈ UV/PDS while UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine exhibited higher compound selectivity than UV/H2O2. However, although oxidation performance of UV/Chlorine is outstanding in comparison of the three UV-AOPs, it has to be noted that oxidation by-product (OBP) formation potential might be substantially higher during both UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine compared to UV/H2O2 which was not investigated in this study. Evaluating potential optical surrogates to predict trace organic chemical (TOrCs) removal in UV-AOPs, nine parameters were selected representing chromophore and fluorophore features of DOM including components derived by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of excitation-emission matrices. UV absorbance (UVA), total fluorescence (TF) and the selected fluorescence peak P_IV revealed highest linear correlation coefficients and were therefore identified as surrogates representing underlying mechanistic reactions of each UV-AOP. As none of the surrogates directly reacted with UV irradiation, slopes of surrogate-indicator correlations for photo-susceptible TOrCs decreased towards higher oxidant dosages. Correlations for these compounds should therefore only be determined for a limited range of oxidant dosage.

Investigating synergies in sequential biofiltration-based hybrid systems for the enhanced removal of trace organic chemicals from wastewater treatment plant effluents

Synergistic effects in advanced wastewater treatment hybrid systems are beneficial for the removal of trace organic chemicals from municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents.

Removal of trace organic chemicals in wastewater effluent by UV/H2O2 and UV/PDS

In this study, we comparatively investigated the degradation of 12 trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) during UV/H2O2 and UV/peroxydisulfate (PDS) processes. Second-order rate constants for the reactions of iopromide, phenytoin, caffeine, benzotriazole, and primidone with sulfate radical (SO4•−) were determined for the first time. Experiments were conducted in buffered pure water and wastewater effluent with spiked TOrCs. UV/PDS degraded all TOrCs more efficiently than UV/H2O2 in buffered pure water due to the higher yield of SO4•− than that of hydroxyl radical (•OH) at the same initial molar dose of PDS and H2O2, respectively. UV/PDS showed higher selectivity toward TOrCs removal than UV/H2O2 in wastewater effluent. Compounds with electron-rich moieties, such as diclofenac, venlafaxine, and metoprolol, were eliminated faster in UV/PDS whereas UV/H2O2 was more efficient in degrading compounds with lower reactivity to SO4•−. The fluence-based rate constants (kobs−UV/H2O2) of TOrCs in wastewater effluent linearly increased as a function of initial H2O2 dose during UV/H2O2, possibly due to the constant scavenging impact of the wastewater matrix on •OH. However, exponential increase of kobs−UV/PDS with increasing PDS dose was observed for most compounds during UV/PDS, suggesting the decreasing scavenging effect of the water matrix (electron-rich site of effluent organic matter (EfOM)) after initial depletion of SO4•− at low PDS dose. Fulvic and humic-like fluorophores appeared to be more persistent during UV/H2O2 compared to aromatic protein and soluble microbial product-like fluorophores. In contrast, UV/PDS efficiently degraded all identified fluorophores and showed less selectivity toward the fluorescent EfOM components. Removal pattern of TOrCs during pilot-scale UV/PDS was consistent with lab-scale experiments, however, overall removal rates were lower due to the presence of higher concentration of EfOM and nitrite.

UV/H2O2 process stability and pilot-scale validation for trace organic chemical removal from wastewater treatment plant effluents

This study investigated the removal of 15 trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) occurring at ambient concentrations from municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent by advanced oxidation using UV/H2O2 at pilot-scale. Pseudo first-order rate constants (kobs) for photolytic as well as combined oxidative and photolytic degradation observed at pilot-scale were validated with results from a bench-scale collimated beam device. No significant difference was determined between pilot- and lab-scale performance. During continuous pilot-scale operation at constant UV fluence of 800 mJ/cm2 and H2O2 dosage of 10 mg/L, the removal of various TOrCs was investigated. The average observed removal for photo-susceptible (kUV>10−3 cm2/mJ; like diclofenac, iopromide and sulfamethoxazole), moderately photo-susceptible (10−4<kUV<10−3 cm2/mJ; like climbazole, tramadol, sotalol, citalopram, benzotriazole, venlafaxine and metoprolol), and most photo-resistant (kUV<10−4 cm2/mJ; like primidone, carbamazepine and gabapentin) compounds was 90%, 49% and 37% including outliers, respectively. The poorly reactive compound TCEP was not significantly eliminated during pilot-scale experiments. Additionally, based on removal kinetics of photo-resistant TOrCs, continuous pilot-scale operation revealed high variations of OH-radical exposure determined from removal kinetics of photo-resistant TOrCs, primarily due to nitrite concentration fluctuations in the feed water. Furthermore, a correlation between OH-radical exposure and scavenging capacity could be determined and verified by mechanistic modeling using UV fluence, H2O2 dosage, and standard water quality parameters (i.e., DOC, NO3−, NO2− and HCO3−) as model input data. This correlation revealed the possibility of OH-radical exposure prediction by water matrix parameters and proved its applicability for pilot-scale operations.

Online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine rejection as a performance indicator of trace organic chemical removal by reverse osmosis

The security of recycled water quality in potable reuse can be enhanced by improving the credibility of reverse osmosis (RO) treatment for the removal of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs). This study evaluated the potential of online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) before and after RO treatment as a surrogate indicator for TOrC removal by RO. This pilot-scale study monitored NDMA concentrations in RO feedwater (ultrafiltration-treated wastewater) and RO permeate every 22 min using novel online NDMA analyzers—high-performance liquid chromatography followed by photochemical reaction and chemiluminescence detection. NDMA rejection by RO varied considerably in response to changes in operating conditions (permeate flux and feedwater temperature). A high linear correlation between NDMA rejection and the rejection of six other TOrCs was observed. The linear correlation was also identified for an RO membrane damaged with chlorine. The correlation between another potential surrogate indicator (conductivity rejection) and TOrC rejection was relatively low. NDMA, which is the smallest compound among regulated TOrCs, revealed rejections lower than the other TOrCs, indicating that NDMA rejection can be a conservative surrogate indicator capable of predicting changes in TOrC removal.

Online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine for the removal assurance of 1,4-dioxane and other trace organic compounds by reverse osmosis

Online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) during reverse osmosis (RO) treatment was effective in ensuring the removal of trace organic chemicals, particularly 1,4-dioxane.

Sequential biofiltration – A novel approach for enhanced biological removal of trace organic chemicals from wastewater treatment plant effluent

Recent studies revealed the benefits of oligotrophic and oxic conditions for the biological removal of many trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) during soil-aquifer treatment. These findings indicate an unused tuning potential that might also be applicable in engineered biofiltration systems with drastically reduced hydraulic retention times for an enhanced mitigation of TOrCs during wastewater treatment. This study introduces the novel approach of sequential biofiltration (SBF) for the advanced treatment of secondary effluent using two granular media filters operated in series with an intermediate aeration step aiming for oxic and oligotrophic conditions in the second filter stage. Results from the experiments conducted at pilot-scale confirm a reduced substrate availability and predominantly oxic conditions in the second filter stage of the SBF setup. An increased removal of several TOrCs was observed in an SBF system as compared to a conventional single-stage biofiltration unit operated at the same overall empty bed contact time (EBCT). Short-term tests with varying EBCTs in the first filter stage revealed a high degree of system robustness of TOrC mitigation when confronted with sudden hydraulic load variations. Higher removal of several TOrCs at increased EBCTs in the second filter stage indicates that EBCT might play a crucial role for the degradation of certain compounds.

Establishing sequential managed aquifer recharge technology (SMART) for enhanced removal of trace organic chemicals: Experiences from field studies in Berlin, Germany

Despite the efficient removal of many contaminants including pathogens and trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) during managed aquifer recharge (MAR), fate and transport of TOrCs in the subsurface might not always occur under conditions that favor effective biotransformation resulting in a contamination risk where water is recovered for drinking water production. A promising technology that can lead to improved removal of TOrCs is the sequential MAR technology (SMART), which combines two infiltration steps with an intermediate aeration to establish more favorable oxic and carbon-limited conditions resulting in enhanced TOrCs transformation. The aim of this study was to test the performance of the SMART concept under field conditions in comparison to a conventional MAR using pond infiltration (cMAR) operated in Berlin, Germany. Although oxic conditions were obtained at both field sites considering infiltration depth to 200 cm, redox conditions were more stable at the SMART facility fed with bank filtrate. In addition, carbon-limited conditions were solely observed during SMART. Chemicals known to persist during MAR, including candesartan, carbamazepine, dihydroxydihydrocarbamazepine, olmesartan, oxypurinol, phenylethylmalonamide, primidone, and tolyltriazole exhibited a refractory behavior at both field sites, whereas valsartan acid, metformin, and gabapentin-lactam were removed by more than 85% during 200 cm of infiltration. 4-Formylaminoantipyrine, acesulfame, benzotriazole, and gabapentin exhibited a significantly enhanced transformation during SMART compared to the cMAR site. These results confirm that SMART can result in controlled oxic and carbon-depleted subsurface conditions during MAR facilitating an improved transformation of moderately degradable TOrCs by natural treatment processes.

Removal of pharmaceuticals in pre-denitrifying MBBR – Influence of organic substrate availability in single- and three-stage configurations

Due to the limited efficiency of conventional biological treatment, innovative solutions are being explored to improve the removal of trace organic chemicals in wastewater. Controlling biomass exposure to growth substrate represents an appealing option for process optimization, as substrate availability likely impacts microbial activity, hence organic trace chemical removal. This study investigated the elimination of pharmaceuticals in pre-denitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), where biofilm exposure to different organic substrate loading and composition was controlled by reactor staging. A three-stage MBBR and a single-stage reference MBBR (with the same operating volume and filling ratio) were operated under continuous-flow conditions (18 months). Two sets of batch experiments (day 100 and 471) were performed to quantify and compare pharmaceutical removal and denitrification kinetics in the different MBBRs. Experimental results revealed the possible influence of retransformation (e.g., from conjugated metabolites) and enantioselectivity on the removal of selected pharmaceuticals. In the second set of experiments, specific trends in denitrification and biotransformation kinetics were observed, with highest and lowest rates/rate constants in the first (S1) and the last (S3) staged sub-reactors, respectively. These observations were confirmed by removal efficiency data obtained during continuous-flow operation, with limited removal (<10%) of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals and highest removal in S1 within the three-stage MBBR. Notably, biotransformation rate constants obtained for non-recalcitrant pharmaceuticals correlated with mean specific denitrification rates, maximum specific growth rates and observed growth yield values. Overall, these findings suggest that: (i) the long-term exposure to tiered substrate accessibility in the three-stage configuration shaped the denitrification and biotransformation capacity of biofilms, with significant reduction under substrate limitation; (ii) biotransformation of pharmaceuticals may have occurred as a result of cometabolism by heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria.

Characterization of organic precursors in DBP formation and AOC in urban surface water and their fate during managed aquifer recharge

In this study, the organic components were identified that are mainly responsible for the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and for the biostability of urban surface water. The compositional distribution of dissolved organic matter (DOM) was strongly associated with the potential for both DBP formation and bacterial growth. Further evaluation was carried out (1) to compare the potential for DBP formation upon chlorination of treated water, (2) to determine the biostability that might result from minimizing assimilable organic carbon (AOC), and (3) to use laboratory-scale soil-column experiments to compare the effects of removal of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) between managed aquifer recharge (MAR) hybrid systems (such as bank filtration followed by artificial recharge and recovery: ARR), and ozonation followed by ARR. Our fractionation and removal methods provided useful insights into the removal of problematic organic components using MAR hybrid systems. Pretreatment with a small amount of ozone (∼0.7 mg-O3 mg-C−1) resulted in improved ARR performance, especially from removing organic acids from DOM, which substantially decreased the potential for DBP formation, while the robust removal of AOC was attributed to a significant decrease in non-acidic and more hydrophilic fractions during soil passage. Both pretreatments used in this study were effective in the removal of selected TOrCs, but carbamazepine was persistent during soil passage. The pretreatment, which used ozonation before ARR, significantly enhanced the removal of carbamazepine; therefore, ozonation followed by ARR is considered an effective way to enhance removal of persistent compounds.