title: The fate of pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters and pesticides during MBR treatment.
abstract: This study examined the relationship between molecular properties and the fate of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) in the aqueous and solid phases during wastewater treatment by MBR. A set of 29 TrOCs was selected to represent pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters and pesticides that occur ubiquitously in municipal wastewater. Both adsorption and biodegradation/transformation were found responsible for the removal of TrOCs by MBR treatment. A connection between biodegradation and molecular structure could be observed while adsorption was the dominant removal mechanism for the hydrophobic (logD>3.2) compounds. Highly hydrophobic (logD>3.2) but readily biodegradable compounds did not accumulate in sludge. In contrast, recalcitrant compounds with a moderate hydrophobicity, such as carbamazepine, accumulated significantly in the solid phase. The results provide a framework to predict the removal and fate of TrOCs by MBR treatment.
authors.affiliation: Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Kaushalya C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wijekoon
authors.forename: Faisal I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Hai
authors.forename: Jinguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Wenshan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Hao H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.forename: Long D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Nghiem
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D002244:Carbon / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D006728:Hormones / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010575:Pesticides / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013256:Steroids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010575:Pesticides; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D013256:Steroids; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Adsorption; Biodegradation; Fate and removal; Membrane bioreactor (MBR); Trace organic contaminants (TrOCs)