Three wastewater samples from a pharmaceutical plant formulating medical ointments were subjected to lab-scale treatment by a Fenton-like system in combination with lime coagulation. All samples were plant pre-treated by adsorption/flocculation/filtration processes with utilization of bentonite, but the quality of effluents did not comply with the regulations for wastewater discharged to local sewerage. The optimization of Fenton-like oxidation demonstrated the highest process efficacy at H(2)O(2)/COD weight ratio of 2:1, H(2)O(2)/Fe(2+) molar ratio of 10:1 and 2h of treatment time. The fast pH decrease to acidic values approximately 3 during first min of oxidation for all effluents suggested that pH adjustment was unnecessary. Combination of Fe(III) precipitation and lime coagulation proved feasible to improve considerably COD and residual iron concentration reduction in pharmaceutical effluents. Additionally, considerable BOD(7) reduction and BOD(7)/COD ratio improvement of pharmaceutical wastewater samples was achieved by combined treatment. The application of Fenton-like oxidation with subsequent iron (III)/lime coagulation did not only enhance the quality of pharmaceutical effluents with different chemical characteristics and help to meet the requirements for wastewater discharged to sewage, but also improve the biodegradability of pharmaceutical effluents.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.08.026 | DOI Listing |
Environ Toxicol Chem
January 2025
Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory, St Cloud State University, Minnesota, USA.
Treated municipal wastewater effluent is an important pathway for Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) to enter aquatic ecosystems. As the aging wastewater infrastructure in many industrialized countries requires upgrades or replacement, assessing new treatment technologies in the context of CEC effects may provide additional support for science-based resource management. Here, we used three lines of evidence, analytical chemistry, fish exposure experiments, and fish and water microbiome analysis, to assess the effectiveness of membrane bioreactor treatment (MBR) to replace traditional activated sludge treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntegr Environ Assess Manag
January 2025
GhEnToxLab, Department of Animal Science and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
This study investigates the ecological risks posed by organic micropollutants (OMPs) in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents in Flanders, Belgium based on single-compound risk characterization. Utilizing a five-year monitoring dataset from the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) and employing seven ecological threshold values (ETV) types, this research characterizes the risk of 207 OMPs, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and other pollutants. Several OMPs persist in effluents at concentrations that pose significant ecological risks after secondary and tertiary treatment processes in the region of Flanders (Belgium).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLangmuir
January 2025
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, Pretoria, South Africa.
The release of common medications and illegal drugs into the environment could be potentially harmful to the ecosystem and hamper the behavior and growth of plants and animals. These pollutants gain access to water through sewage and factory discharges and have been found to exceed safety limits in water bodies. Therefore, there is an urgent need for improved wastewater purification systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Environ Manage
January 2025
Department of Separation Science, School of Engineering Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT), Yliopistonkatu 34, 53850, Lappeenranta, Finland.
As the global consumption of pharmaceuticals increases, so does their release into water bodies. The effects, although not fully understood, can be detrimental to aquatic ecosystems and human health. The new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) in European Union requires implementation of quaternary wastewater treatment processes to limit the loads of pharmaceuticals reaching water bodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMolecules
January 2025
Departamento de Ingeniería Química y de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Water pollution, resulting from industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and pharmaceutical residues, poses serious threats to ecosystems and human health, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to effective remediation, particularly for non-biodegradable emerging pollutants. This research work explores the influence of shape-controlled nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO NC), synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method, on the photodegradation efficiency of three different classes of emerging environmental pollutants: phenol, pesticides (methomyl), and drugs (sodium diclofenac). Experiments were conducted to assess the influence of the water matrix on treatment efficiency by using ultrapure water and stormwater (basic) collected from an urban drainage system as matrices.
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