title: Removal of pharmaceuticals in aerated biofilters with manganese feeding.
abstract: A tertiary treatment step is required in current wastewater treatment plants to remove trace pollutants and thus to prevent their extensive occurrence in the aquatic environment. In this study, natural MnOx ore and natural zeolite were separately used to pack two lab-scale aerated biofilters, which were operated in approximately 1.5 years for the removal of frequently occurring pharmaceuticals, including carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DFC), and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), out of synthetic and real secondary effluents. Mn(2+) was added in the feeds to promote the growth of iron/manganese oxidizing bacteria which were recently found to be capable of degrading recalcitrant pollutants. An effective removal (80-90%) of DFC and SMX was observed in both biofilters after adaptation while a significant removal of CBZ was not found. Both biofilters also achieved an effective removal of spiked Mn(2+), but a limited removal of carbon and nitrogen contents. Additionally, MnOx biofilter removed 50% of UV254 from real secondary effluent, indicating a high potential on the removal of aromatic compounds.
authors: Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Environmental Process Engineering, Sekr. KF2, Strasse des 17.Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: yongjun.zhang@tu-berlin.de.
authors: Yongjun
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Environmental Microbiology, Sekr. BH 6-1, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Zhu
authors: Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Environmental Microbiology, Sekr. BH 6-1, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Ulrich
authors: U
authors: Szewzyk
authors: Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Environmental Process Engineering, Sekr. KF2, Strasse des 17.Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Sven Uwe
authors: SU
authors: Geissen
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008345:Manganese / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification; D017641:Zeolites / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D017641:Zeolites; D004008:Diclofenac; D010758:Phosphorus; D002220:Carbamazepine; D008345:Manganese; D002244:Carbon; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Biodegradation; Biofilm; Biofiltration; Emerging pollutant; Tertiary treatment