How are pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) removed from urban wastewaters?

Abstract

The presence of bioactive trace pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and ingredients of personal care products (PPCPs) in different environmental compartments (rivers, lakes, groundwaters, sediments, etc.) is an emerging issue due to the lack of existing information about the potential impact associated with their occurrence, fate and ecotoxicological effects. Due to the low PPCP concentrations reported in wastewaters (ppb or ppt) and their complex chemical structure, common technologies used in sewage and drinking water treatment plants may not be efficient enough to accomplish their complete removal. Information about physico-chemical characteristics such as acidity, lipophilicity, volatility and sorption potential is a useful tool to understand the different removal patterns observed. In order to perform an accurate overall mass balance along the different units of sewage treatment plants, it is necessary to gather information not only about the presence of micropollutants in the aqueous phase, but also on the fraction sorbed onto solids. Since only some PPCPs are very well eliminated by conventional sewage treatment configurations, new strategies such as modification of operating conditions (e.g. solids retention time), implementation of new technologies (e.g. biomembrane reactors) or additional advanced post-treatment steps (e.g. oxidation, adsorption, membranes) have been suggested for an increased efficiency.

Occurrence and distribution of antibiotics in urban soil in Beijing and Shanghai, China

“…After mixing and aging for 24 h (Schlusener et al 2003), the soil samples were extracted with 15 mL of the mixture of acetonitrile and EDTA-McIlvaine buffer (pH 4.0) (2:1) in the presence of ultrasonic treatment, and then (Zorita et al 2009) b (Babić et al 2007) c (Feitosafelizzola and Chiron 2009) d (Park and Choi 2008) e (Sanderson and Thomsen 2009) f (Tolls 2001) g (Lutzhoft et al 1999) h (Diaz-Cruz et al 2006) i (Kan and Petz 2000) j (Jacobsen et al 2004) k l (Kim and Tanaka 2009) m (Calza et al 2009) n (Skinner and Kanfer 1992) p (Chee-Sanford et al 2009) q (Suárez et al 2008) Group Analytes Molecular weight…”

Immobilisation of laccase on Eupergit supports and its application for the removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals in a packed-bed reactor

“…The highest adsorption was seen for E2, which has the highest octanol-water partition coefficient (logk ow 3.9-4.0) and the lowest solubility (3.6 mg/l). The slightly logk ow and water solubility of EE2 are 2.8-4.2 and 11.3 mg/ml and of E1 3.1-3.4 and 30 mg/l (Suarez et al 2008). Even if part of the elimination observed was associated with the adsorption of these chemicals on the support, the enzymatic action was clear in the removal of these EDCs (represented 80% of the total removal).…”

Removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products from wastewater using algae-based technologies: a review

“…Volatilization can also contribute to the removal of those PPCPs with relative high Henry's law constant (H) values, and the contribution of volatilization to the overall loss depends on the air flow rate in the aeration tank in CAS systems (Suárez et al 2008). In a stirredtank aerobic reactor, volatilization contributed to 3-16% of the total removal for musk Celestolide (ADBI) with a H value of 7.3 9 10 -1 mg mL -3 air/ mg mL 3 wastewater but volatilization was found to be negligible for Galaxolide (HHCB) and Tonalide (AHTN) and other PPCPs with H values above 5.1 9 10 -3 mg mL -3 air/mg mL 3 wastewater (Suarez et al 2010).…”