title: Paracetamol and salicylic acid removal from contaminated water by microalgae.
abstract: The biomass growth, pharmaceutical removal and light conversion efficiency of Chlorella sorokiniana under the presence of paracetamol (PC) and salicylic acid (SaC) were assessed and compared at two different concentrations of these pharmaceuticals (I: 25 mg l-1, II: 250 mg l-1). Microalgae were resistant to these concentrations and, moreover, their growth was significantly stimulated (p ≤ 0.05) under these drugs (biomass concentration increased above 33% PCI, 35% SaCI, 13% PCII and 45% SaCII, as compared with the respective positive controls). At the steady state of the semicontinuous culture, C. sorokiniana showed removal efficiencies above 41% and 69% for PCI and PCII, respectively; and above 93% and 98% for SaCI and SaCII, respectively. Under an irradiance of 370 μE m-2s-1, higher quantum yields were reached by microalgae under the presence of drugs, either at dose I or II, than by the respective positive controls. These results point to C. sorokiniana as a robust strain for the bioremediation of paracetamol and salicylic acid concentrated wastewaters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Environment, Natural Resources and Biodiversity (IMARENABIO), University of León, 24071 León, Spain. Electronic address: carla.escapa@unileon.es.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escapa
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Environment, Natural Resources and Biodiversity (IMARENABIO), University of León, 24071 León, Spain. Electronic address: ricado.decoimbra@unileon.es.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Coimbra
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Environment, Natural Resources and Biodiversity (IMARENABIO), University of León, 24071 León, Spain. Electronic address: spanb@unileon.es.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paniagua
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Environment, Natural Resources and Biodiversity (IMARENABIO), University of León, 24071 León, Spain. Electronic address: ana.garcia@unileon.es.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Environment, Natural Resources and Biodiversity (IMARENABIO), University of León, 24071 León, Spain. Electronic address: marta.otero@unileon.es.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otero
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen; D018533:Biomass; D002708:Chlorella; D058086:Microalgae; D020156:Salicylic Acid; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D000082:Acetaminophen; D020156:Salicylic Acid; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Bioremediation; Chlorella sorokiniana; Emerging contaminants; Pharmaceutical industry; Phycoremediation; Wastewater