title: Removal of APIs and bacteria from hospital wastewater by MBR plus O(3), O(3) + H(2)O(2), PAC or ClO(2).
abstract: The objective of this study has been to develop technologies that can reduce the content of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and bacteria from hospital wastewater. The results from the laboratory- and pilot-scale testings showed that efficient removal of the vast majority of APIs could be achieved by a membrane bioreactor (MBR) followed by ozone, ozone + hydrogen peroxide or powdered activated carbon (PAC). Chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) was significantly less effective. MBR + PAC (450 mg/l) was the most efficient technology, while the most cost-efficient technology was MBR + ozone (156 mg O(3)/l applied over 20 min). With MBR an efficient removal of Escherichia coli and enterococci was measured, and no antibiotic resistant bacteria were detected in the effluent. With MBR + ozone and MBR + PAC also the measured effluent concentrations of APIs (e.g. ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and sulfamethizole) were below available predicted no-effect concentrations (PNEC) for the marine environment without dilution. Iodinated contrast media were also reduced significantly (80-99% for iohexol, iopromide and ioversol and 40-99% for amidotrizoateacid). A full-scale MBR treatment plant with ozone at a hospital with 900 beds is estimated to require an investment cost of €1.6 mill. and an operating cost of €1/m(3) of treated water.
authors.affiliation: DHI, Urban & Industry, Hørsholm, Denmark. uln@dhigroup.com
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hastrup
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Klausen
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.forename: J L C
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuerk
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry; D017606:Chlorine Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D008506:Medical Waste; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D010126:Ozone / Q000737:chemistry; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal; D017606:Chlorine Compounds; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D008506:Medical Waste; D010087:Oxides; D010126:Ozone; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C025109:chlorine dioxide