Microbial characterization of removal and degradation of 4-nonylphenol in fluidized bed biofilm reactor on increased scale

• Grant number: 17/22850-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2018
• End date: February 28, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Maria Bernadete Amâncio Varesche
• Grantee: Henrique de Souza Dornelles
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/06246-7 - Biorefinery concept applied to biological wastewater treatment plants: environmental pollution control coupled with material and energy recovery, AP.TEM

Abstract

4-Nonylphenol is a xenobiotic compound classified as an endocrine disruptor and interferes with the hormonal system of several organisms. Its main source is from the degradation of Nonylphenol ethoxylates, which are compounds widely used in the synthesis of industrial surfactants, pesticides, textiles, personal care products, polymers, paints and pulp and paper industry. Nonylphenol ethoxylate reaches sewage treatment plants (STP), where they are biodegraded into several byproducts including 4-Nonylphenol (NF). Due to its physicochemical characteristics, such as low solubility and high hydrophobicity, 4-Nonylphenol accumulates in environmental compartments with high organic content, typically sewage treatment plant sludge and river sediments, where it persists. The occurrence of 4-Nonylphenol in the environment is clearly related to anthropogenic activities, when not removed in STP, are released into receptors bodies and can be collected at the water treatment plant (WTP), reaching human consumption. Taking into account the excellent efficiency of removal of anionic surfactants such as linear sulfonated alkylbenzene (LAS) and nonionic as linear ethoxylated alcohol (LAE) in anaerobic bench scale reactors developed in the Laboratory of Biological Processes (LPB-EESC-USP ), the aim of this work is to investigate the degradation of 4-Nonylphenol in an anaerobic fluidized bed biofilm reactor (FBBR) in an scale-up and to identify the microbial populations responsible for this degradation. For this, an analytical method of quantification of 4-Nonylphenol will be developed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The degradation and removal of this compound will be evaluated in FBBR with different concentrations of 4-Nonylphenol in synthetic sewage with addition of co-substrate, in the pre-established phases: Phase I (10 ¼g L-1 of 4-Nonylphenol), Phase II (20 ¼g L-1 4-Nonylphenol), Phase III (30 ¼g L-1 4-Nonylphenol). Sand will be used as support material and 18h TDH. The reactor will be inoculated with anaerobic sludge from UASB and will have an adaptation phase to the synthetic sewage. Physico-chemical analyzes of pH, alkalinity, volatile organic acids, Chemical Oxygen Demand and 4-Nonylphenol will be performed during all FBBR monitoring. To evaluate the microbial diversity of the FBBR biofilm, the PCR / DGGE technique and the massive sequencing of the 16S RNAr gene for the Bacteria Domain will be used, through the Illumina MiSeq platform. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

HENRIQUE S. DORNELLES; FABRÍCIO MOTTERAN; ISABEL K. SAKAMOTO; MARIA A. T. ADORNO; MARIA BERNADETE A. VARESCHE. HPLC METHOD IMPROVEMENT FOR 4-NONYLPHENOL DETERMINATION IN ANAEROBIC REACTORS: DECREASING SOLVENT CONSUMPTION AND WASTE GENERATION. Química Nova, v. 43, n. 8, p. 1048-1057, 2020-10-16. (17/22850-7)

DORNELLES, HENRIQUE DE SOUZA; MOTTERAN, FABRICIO; SAKAMOTO, ISABEL KIMIKO; SILVA, EDSON LUIZ; AMANCIO VARESCHE, MARIA BERNADETE. 4-Nonylphenol degradation changes microbial community of scale-up Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor. Journal of Environmental Management, v. 267, AUG 1 2020. (17/22850-7)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

DORNELLES, Henrique de Souza. Microbial characterization of 4-Nonylphenol removal and degradation in anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor in upscale. 2019. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD) São Carlos.