Effects of biopellets composed of microalgae and fungi on pharmaceuticals present at environmentally relevant levels in water

Abstract

Removal of seven pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, carbamazepine, diclofenac, metoprolol, naproxen, ranitidine and sulfamethoxazole) from water was investigated using three different microbial treatments with: (1) the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, (2) the fungus Aspergillus niger and (3) biopellets composed of both microorganisms. The three-day experiment was performed under laboratory conditions and pharmaceuticals were spiked at the environmentally relevant concentration of 10 mu g L-1. The biopellets and fungal treatments resulted in significantly lower ranitidine concentration compared with the initial value. Also, treatment with biopellets resulted in significantly lower final ranitidine concentrations compared to those found after control and microalgal treatments. Low removal rates were obtained for other substances, possibly because the amount of microbial biomass used was 16-500-fold lower than that normally used in activated sludge processes in wastewater treatments plants. Thus, the pharmaceutical removal potential, elimination potential and performance of biopellets should be further investigated at higher biomass concentrations. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Biopellets; Fungi; Microalgae; Pharmaceuticals; Ranitidine; Water

Published in

Ecological Engineering
2016, Volume: 91, pages: 169-172 Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

SLU Authors

• Bodin, Hristina

  • Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Kristianstad University

• Daneshvar, Atlasi

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Gros Calvo, Meritxell

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hultberg, Malin

  • Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG6 Clean water and sanitation


UKÄ Subject classification

Microbiology
Environmental Sciences


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.02.007

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/76800