The fate of pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters and pesticides during MBR treatment

Authors

Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, University of WollongongFollow
Faisal I. Hai, University of WollongongFollow
Jinguo Kang, University of WollongongFollow
William E. Price, University of WollongongFollow
Wenshan Guo, University Of Technology Sydney
Hao H. Ngo, University Of Technology Sydney
Long D. Nghiem, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

80656

Publication Details

Wijekoon, K. C., Hai, F. I., Kang, J., Price, W. E., Guo, W., Ngo, H. H. & Nghiem, L. D. (2013). The fate of pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters and pesticides during MBR treatment. Bioresource Technology, 144 247-254.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between molecular properties and the fate of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) in the aqueous and solid phases during wastewater treatment by MBR. A set of 29 TrOCs was selected to represent pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters and pesticides that occur ubiquitously in municipal wastewater. Both adsorption and biodegradation/transformation were found responsible for the removal of TrOCs by MBR treatment. A connection between biodegradation and molecular structure could be observed while adsorption was the dominant removal mechanism for the hydrophobic (logD > 3.2) compounds. Highly hydrophobic (logD > 3.2) but readily biodegradable compounds did not accumulate in sludge. In contrast, recalcitrant compounds with a moderate hydrophobicity, such as carbamazepine, accumulated significantly in the solid phase. The results provide a framework to predict the removal and fate of TrOCs by MBR treatment.