title: Comparative study of emerging micropollutants removal by aerobic activated sludge of large laboratory-scale membrane bioreactors and sequencing batch reactors under low-temperature conditions.
abstract: Four emerging micropollutants ibuprofen, diclofenac, estrone (E1) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) were studied in large laboratory-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with high nitrifying activity. Activated sludge (AS) with sludge retention times (SRTs) of 12days and 14days in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) and 30days, 60days and 90days in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) were examined at 8°C and 12°C. Concentrations of pharmaceuticals and their main metabolites were analysed in liquid phase and solid phase of AS by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A remarkable amount of contaminants were detected in solids of AS, meaning the accumulation of micropollutants in bacterial cells. The biodegradation rate constants (Kbiol) were affected by SRT and temperature. MBR with a 90-day SRT showed the best results of removal. Conventional SBR process was inefficient at 8°C showing Kbiol values lower than 0.5lgSS(-1)d(-1) for studied micropollutants.
authors.affiliation: Aalto University, Department of Built Environment, P.O. Box 15200, FI-00076 AALTO, Espoo, Finland. Electronic address: antonina.kruglova@aalto.fi.
authors.forename: Antonina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kruglova
authors.affiliation: Åbo Akademy University, Johan Gadolin Process Chemistry Centre, c/o Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Piispankatu 8, 20500 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Matilda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kråkström
authors.affiliation: Aalto University, Department of Built Environment, P.O. Box 15200, FI-00076 AALTO, Espoo, Finland.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riska
authors.affiliation: Aalto University, Department of Built Environment, P.O. Box 15200, FI-00076 AALTO, Espoo, Finland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mikola
authors.affiliation: Aalto University, Department of Built Environment, P.O. Box 15200, FI-00076 AALTO, Espoo, Finland.
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rantanen
authors.affiliation: Aalto University, Department of Built Environment, P.O. Box 15200, FI-00076 AALTO, Espoo, Finland.
authors.forename: Riku
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vahala
authors.affiliation: Åbo Akademy University, Johan Gadolin Process Chemistry Centre, c/o Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Piispankatu 8, 20500 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kronberg
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D004970:Estrone / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004008:Diclofenac; D004970:Estrone; D007052:Ibuprofen; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Diclofenac; Estrogenic hormones; Ibuprofen; Sludge retention time; Wastewater treatment