Application of bioplastic moving bed biofilm carriers for the removal of synthetic pollutants from wastewater.
In this series of laboratory experiments, the feasibility of using moving bed biofilm carriers (MBBC) manufactured from existing bioplastic-based products for the removal of bisphenol A, oseltamivir, and atrazine from wastewater was evaluated. After 10-d incubation, cumulative evolution of (14)CO(2) from control (no MBBC) wastewater spiked with (14)C-labeled bisphenol A, oseltamivir or atrazine, accounted for approximately 18%, 7% and 3.5% of the total added radioactivity, respectively. When wastewater samples were incubated with freely moving carriers, greater removal of the three chemicals was observed. More specifically, cumulative (14)CO(2) evolution of the three xenobiotics increased of 34%, 49%, and 66%, with respect to the control, respectively. Removal efficiency of MBBC was significantly increased by inoculating these bioplastic carriers with bioremediation bacterial strains. Results from this study suggest that the concept behind the moving bed biofilm reactor technology can also be extended to biodegradable carriers inoculated with bioremediation microorganisms.
Department of Agro-Environmental Science and Technology, University of Bologna, Bologna 40127, Italy. cesare.accinelli@unibo.it
Cesare
C
Accinelli
Maria Ludovica
ML
Saccà
Mariangela
M
Mencarelli
Alberto
A
Vicari
D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018441:Biofilms; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry; D009068:Movement; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
D008903:Minerals; D010969:Plastics; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical