Tetracyclines are one of the most widely used class of veterinary and human antibiotics. The conventional treatment of wastewater based on activated sludge is not effective to remove antibiotics and their residues are still biologically active, which represents a problem in terms of bacterial resistance. The main objective of this work is to assess ability of stevensite and two biochars to adsorb three tetracycline antibiotics from water. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to test the ability of these materials to adsorb tetracyclines. Then desorption experiments were performed to determine the adsorption strength on stevensite. In order to elucidate the adsorption mechanism of tetracyclines on stevensite, cation exchange analysis and spectroscopic analyses by IR and XRD were performed. The adsorption of tetracyclines on stevensite was tested on continuous system with water artificially contaminated. Finally, the designed filter was validated with tetracyclines spiked wastewater. The two biochars and stevensite were able to adsorb between 60 and 100% of the tetracyclines present in the batch system. Stevensite was the material with the highest tetracyclines removal capacity (around 100% at low concentrations of tetracyclines). Biochars showed less affinity for tetracyclines adsorption (70%). Tetracyclines desorption from stevensite reached values lower than 10% for low tetracyclines concentrations. The IR spectroscopy suggested that cation exchange is the main mechanism of tetracyclines adsorption on clay and also proved the role of amide and amine groups in this adsorption. The cation exchange mechanism was confirmed by displacement of Ca and Mg from stevensite. A continuous wastewater flow through a system composed by stevensite leaved this system with no tetracyclines, indicating water purification by tetracyclines adsorption in clay.

The present research was aimed to (i) report the recycling of spent A. bisporus substrate (SAS) to remove heavy metals (Cd and Pb) and phenanthrene (Phe) from polluted water and (ii) assess the possibility to use the treated water for irrigation. Batch experiments were carried out to assess, firstly, the effect of interaction time between pollutants with SAS and, secondly, the pH of the polluted water. Then a biofilter was designed by using pressurized glass columns. Chemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity and content of Pb, Cd, Phe, nutrients (NPK) and Cl were determined. Equilibrium for contaminants was quickly reached (1-2 h). The pH of the polluted water was the key factor for pollutants' adsorption. The polluted water's pH was increased after biofilter interaction. Phe was not detected in any fraction. Pb and Cd sorption rates were higher than 99%. The pollutant concentrations were within the permitted range to be used for agriculture purposes. Purified water showed significant concentrations of NPK, indicating its potential use as fertilizer. The SAS shows potential to be used as Phe, Pb and Cd biosorbent and the resulting treated water can be used for irrigation according to pollutant contents and agronomical evaluation.

One strategy to re-use solid urban wastes is the production of energy by anaerobic digestion. This process also generates high volume of digestates, which are frequently disposal in landfills. The aim of this work is to assess anaerobic digestates as agricultural inputs. Three different biomethanation wastes from different plants were collected. Firstly, a complete physico-chemical characterization of the wastes was done according to the Spanish regulation, showing that the materials had the 90% of the particles below 25 mm, high values of pH, electric conductivity, organic matter, humic acids and soluble nutrients such as NO3 -, SO4 2-, Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , PO4 3and K + . Total concentrations of heavy metals and microbiological parameters were below the threshold levels allowed for agricultural use. The wastes were then treated with a strong acid and a strong base having two different solutions (ATr and BTr respectively) which were evaluated as biostimulants for tomato plants in hydroponic culture. Those liquid extracts, ATr and BTr, demonstrated their biostimulant ability towards root system of tomato enhancing the hair root density and plant biometric parameters including plants weight and chlorophyll content. This work demonstrates the re-use feasibility of treated digestates in agriculture as fertilizers and more over as feedstock for biostimulants production.