title: Remediation of a mixture of analgesics in a stirred-tank photobioreactor using microalgal-bacterial consortium coupled with attempt to valorise the harvested biomass.
abstract: An artificial microalgal-bacterial consortium was used to remediate a mixture of analgesics (ketoprofen, paracetamol and aspirin) in a stirred-tank photobioreactor. A hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3days supported poor treatment because of the formation of p-aminophenol (paracetamol toxic metabolite). Increasing the HRT to 4days enhanced the bioremediation efficiency. After applying an acclimatization regime, 95% removal of the analgesics mixture, p-aminophenol and COD reduction were achieved. However, shortening the HRT again to 3days neither improved the COD reduction nor ketoprofen removal. Applying continuous illumination achieved the best analgesics removal results. The harvested biomass contained 50% protein, which included almost all essential amino acids. The detected fatty acid profile suggested the harvested biomass to be a good biodiesel-producing candidate. The water-extractable fraction possessed the highest phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. These findings suggest the whole process to be an integrated eco-friendly and cost-efficient strategy for remediating pharmaceutical wastewater.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt. Electronic address: maha.ismail@pharma.cu.edu.eg.
authors.forename: Maha M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Tamer M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Essam
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Yasser M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ragab
authors.affiliation: Algal Biotechnology Unit, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abo El-Khair B
authors.initials: AEB
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Fathia E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Mourad
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001241:Aspirin / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D018533:Biomass; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D058086:Microalgae / Q000378:metabolism*; D059013:Microbial Consortia; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D058433:Photobioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000700:Analgesics; D005227:Fatty Acids; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D002734:Chlorophyll; D000082:Acetaminophen; D001241:Aspirin; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
keywords: Antioxidants; Biofuel; Bioremediation; Chlorella; Wastewater