Issue 2, 2018

Fate of endocrine disruptor compounds in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor

Abstract

The occurrence and fate of three groups of micropollutants – alkylphenols, pentachlorophenol and hormones – were studied in a pilot plant consisting of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor (University of Cape Town configuration – UCT). Under anaerobic conditions, the octylphenol and technical-nonylphenol soluble concentrations increased producing negative degradation ratios (i.e., −175 and −118%, respectively). However, high 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A degradation ratios (92 and 59% for 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A, respectively) as well as complete pentachlorophenol, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol removal were observed. Under aerobic conditions (UCT), octylphenol, technical-nonylphenol, 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A degradation ratios were higher than 84%. The AnMBR thus removes a high proportion of 4-n-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol, but requires a later post-treatment process (such as UCT) to improve bisphenol-A, octylphenol and technical-nonylphenol degradation ratios. The overall AnMBR–UCT degradation ratios were 48% and 70% for octylphenol and technical-nonylphenol, respectively, and higher than 97% for 4-n-nonylphenol and bisphenol-A. The AnMBR produced a higher micropollutant accumulation in the sludge than the UCT: removal by adsorption in the AnMBR process was between 0.5 and 10%, and less than 0.5% in the UCT process. The combination of AnMBR and UCT technologies produces an effluent stream with low concentrations of micropollutants.

Graphical abstract: Fate of endocrine disruptor compounds in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Sep 2017
Accepted
08 Nov 2017
First published
29 Nov 2017

Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 226-233

Fate of endocrine disruptor compounds in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) coupled to an activated sludge reactor

M. R. Abargues, J. Ferrer, A. Bouzas and A. Seco, Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018, 4, 226 DOI: 10.1039/C7EW00382J

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