Elimination of micropollutants in conventional and novel nitrogen removal processes. A comparative assessment of diverse microbial communities capabilities

Abstract

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) can pose a significant risk to the environment and human health, undermining prosperity. Current wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) cannot efficiently act as barriers to their release and have been identified as main points of discharge and contamination. The present thesis aimed to investigate the fate of five PhACs (ibuprofen, sulfamethoxazole, metoprolol, carbamazepine and venlafaxine) and five EDCs (estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol, 17α-ethinylestradiol and bisphenol A) in different systems simulating wastewater treatment scenarios and to identify factors triggering their elimination. A comparative assessment was carried out to determine the contribution of the microbial groups (either autotrophic or heterotrophic) present in different lab, pilot and full-scale treatment systems performing different processes in the removal of the selected compounds. The results indicated that the overall efficiency of wastewater treatment systems can be broadened by combining different aerobic and anaerobic conditions and different types of biomass

Els compostos farmacèuticament actius (PhACs) i els pertorbadors endocrins(EDC) poden suposar un risc considerable per al medi ambient i la salut humana. Les estacions depuradores d'aigües residuals (EDAR) no poden actuar de manera eficient com a barreres per al seu alliberament i s'han identificat com a punts principals de descàrrega. La present tesi pretén determinar el destí de cinc PhACs (ibuprofèn, sulfametoxazol, metoprolol, carbamazepina i venlafaxina) i cinc EDCs (estrona, 17β-estradiol, estriol, 17α-etinilestradiol i bisfenol A), en sistemes que simulen escenaris de tractament d'aigües residuals, per identificar els factors claus en la seva eliminació. Es va realitzar una avaluació comparativa per determinar la contribució dels diferents grups bacterians (autòtrofs o heteròtrofs) presents en diferents sistemes a escala de laboratori, pilot i a gran escala. Els resultats indiquen que l'eficiència global dels sistemes de tractament d'aigües residuals es pot ampliar combinant diferents condicions aeròbiques i anaeròbies i tipus de biomassa