Abstract
Organic micropollutants (OMPs) such as pharmaceuticals are persistent pollutants that are only partially degraded in waste water treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system was used as a polishing step on a full-scale WWTP, and its ability to remove micropollutants was examined together with the development and stability of the microbial community. Two stages of operation were studied during a period of 9 months, one with (S1) and one without (S2) the addition of exogenous OMPs. Ibuprofen and naproxen had the highest degradation rates with values of 248 μg/gVSS·h and 71 μg/gVSS·h, whereas diclofenac was a more persistent OMP (7.28 μg/gVSS·h). Mineralization of (14)C-labeled OMPs in batch kinetic experiments indicates that higher removal rates (∼0.8 ng/mgTSS·h) with a short lag phase can be obtained when artificial addition of organic micropollutants was performed. Similar microbial populations dominated S1 and S2, despite the independent operations. Hydrogenophaga, Nitrospira, p55-a5, the actinobacterial Tetrasphaera, Propionicimonas, Fodinicola, and Candidatus Microthrix were the most abundant groups in the polishing MBR. Finally, potential microbial candidates for ibuprofen and naproxen degradation are proposed.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
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Tidsskrift | Water Research |
Vol/bind | 107 |
Sider (fra-til) | 37-46 |
Antal sider | 10 |
ISSN | 0043-1354 |
DOI | |
Status | Udgivet - 15 dec. 2016 |