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Removal of Pharmaceuticals in Biofilm and Activated Sludge Systems

Falås, Per LU (2012)
Abstract
Abstract



The present work investigates i) the occurrence and removal of pharmaceuticals at Swedish WWTPs, and ii) potential causes for differences in the removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals at wastewater treatment plants. Particular attention is directed at the biological treatment and the pharmaceutical removal capacity per unit biomass of activated sludges and carrier biofilms of different origins.



Influent and effluent concentrations of pharmaceuticals at wastewater treatment plants are compiled from several Swedish screening programs. Based on the compiled data, 70 non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals have been detected in incoming wastewater at concentrations ranging from a few ng/L to several µg/L.... (More)
Abstract



The present work investigates i) the occurrence and removal of pharmaceuticals at Swedish WWTPs, and ii) potential causes for differences in the removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals at wastewater treatment plants. Particular attention is directed at the biological treatment and the pharmaceutical removal capacity per unit biomass of activated sludges and carrier biofilms of different origins.



Influent and effluent concentrations of pharmaceuticals at wastewater treatment plants are compiled from several Swedish screening programs. Based on the compiled data, 70 non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals have been detected in incoming wastewater at concentrations ranging from a few ng/L to several µg/L. For some of these pharmaceuticals, a higher removal degree is observed for activated sludge treatment plants with nitrogen removal than for trickling filter plants.



The pharmaceutical removal capacity of activated sludge and carrier biofilms from several municipal wastewater treatment plants are assessed in batch experiments. Three notable differences in the removal capacity per unit biomass are observed.



Activated sludges with oxic sludge ages of >7 days appear to have higher removal capacities for some pharmaceuticals than sludges with oxic sludge ages of <3 days.



The anoxic and oxic conditions in nitrogen removal processes are shown to affect the pharmaceutical removal - some pharmaceuticals are being degraded both oxically and anoxically, while others appear to be stable in the absence of molecular oxygen.



Compared to activated sludges, carrier biofilms show considerably higher removal capacities for several pharmaceuticals.



From the broader perspective of micropollutant removal at wastewater treatment plants, the high pharmaceutical removal capacity of carrier biofilms suggests that new biological treatment solutions for enhanced micropollutant removal are within reach. (Less)
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author
supervisor
opponent
  • Associate Professor Kreuzinger, Norbert, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
pages
45 pages
publisher
Lund University (Media-Tryck)
defense location
Lecture hall K:B, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Getingevägen 60, Lund University Faculty of Engineering
defense date
2012-12-12 13:00:00
ISBN
978-91-7422-312-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
270c4cf5-0397-402d-b317-39229b66d580 (old id 3168560)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:06:51
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:56:50
@phdthesis{270c4cf5-0397-402d-b317-39229b66d580,
  abstract     = {{Abstract<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The present work investigates i) the occurrence and removal of pharmaceuticals at Swedish WWTPs, and ii) potential causes for differences in the removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals at wastewater treatment plants. Particular attention is directed at the biological treatment and the pharmaceutical removal capacity per unit biomass of activated sludges and carrier biofilms of different origins.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Influent and effluent concentrations of pharmaceuticals at wastewater treatment plants are compiled from several Swedish screening programs. Based on the compiled data, 70 non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals have been detected in incoming wastewater at concentrations ranging from a few ng/L to several µg/L. For some of these pharmaceuticals, a higher removal degree is observed for activated sludge treatment plants with nitrogen removal than for trickling filter plants.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The pharmaceutical removal capacity of activated sludge and carrier biofilms from several municipal wastewater treatment plants are assessed in batch experiments. Three notable differences in the removal capacity per unit biomass are observed. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
Activated sludges with oxic sludge ages of &gt;7 days appear to have higher removal capacities for some pharmaceuticals than sludges with oxic sludge ages of &lt;3 days. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
The anoxic and oxic conditions in nitrogen removal processes are shown to affect the pharmaceutical removal - some pharmaceuticals are being degraded both oxically and anoxically, while others appear to be stable in the absence of molecular oxygen.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Compared to activated sludges, carrier biofilms show considerably higher removal capacities for several pharmaceuticals.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
From the broader perspective of micropollutant removal at wastewater treatment plants, the high pharmaceutical removal capacity of carrier biofilms suggests that new biological treatment solutions for enhanced micropollutant removal are within reach.}},
  author       = {{Falås, Per}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-7422-312-5}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Lund University (Media-Tryck)}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Removal of Pharmaceuticals in Biofilm and Activated Sludge Systems}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5464254/3168580.pdf}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}