Anaerobic biotransformation of emerging organic micropollutants in a two-phase (acidogenic-methanogenic) treatment system treating domestic wastewater

• Grant number: 19/22532-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2021
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Alvaro José dos Santos Neto
• Grantee: Rodrigo Braz Carneiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/10615-1 - Consolidation of the biorefinery concept applied to the biological treatment of wastewater and solid wastes, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/09239-5 - Non-target and suspect screening strategies for the investigation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products biotransformation pathways in the anaerobic digestion, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Although the concentration of emerging organic micropollutants (OMPs) is considered quite low (usually ng L-1 to µg L-1) in domestic wastewater, their presence may result in harmful impacts of short, medium and long term on the ecosystem, human health and the economy. Most OMPs are not completely eliminated in conventional sewage treatment plants (STPs), such as activated sludge and UASB reactors, and the mechanisms involved in their elimination are still unclear. Understanding these mechanisms and the factors involved in the removal of these OMPs, such as sorption, biotransformation, redox potential, enzymatic activities, physicochemical characteristics, operating parameters of treatment systems, among others, is essential to mitigate the concentrations of these compounds in STPs. Anaerobic technology is widely used for both sewage treatment and sludge digestion around the world, but studies of biotransformation of OMPs in these systems are still incipient. Recent studies have pointed out that the different stages of anaerobic digestion may act differently on the biotransformation of OMPs. Facing this scenario, this research aims to establish a two-phase anaerobic treatment system (acidogenic-methanogenic) in order to optimize the OMPs removal in STPs. Nine target compounds of different classes and which are frequently detected in sanitary sewage were selected for the study: the antibiotics sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin; the anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen, naproxen and acetaminophen; the surfactant nonylphenol; the parabens methylparaben and propylparaben; and the beta-blocker metoprolol. It is intended from this research also evaluate the sorption mechanisms of these OMPs onto biomass, obtain kinetic degradation parameters, identify the transformation products generated during the process and the microorganisms involved in the removal of these compounds.

Scientific publications

(6)

(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)

CARNEIRO, RODRIGO B.; TAKEDA, PAULA Y.; DIAS, MARIA E. S.; NOGUEIRA, ELIS W.; ZAIAT, MARCELO; SANTOS-NETO, ALVARO J.. Biosorption assessment of emerging contaminants onto acidogenic and methanogenic biofilm reactors: Influence of lipophilic and electrostatic interactions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, v. 13, n. 2, p. 13-pg., 2025-04-01. (19/22532-0, 23/10489-9, 17/02147-0, 22/10615-1)

CARNEIRO, RODRIGO B.; GIL-SOLSONA, RUBEN; SUBIRATS, JESSICA; RESTREPO-MONTES, ESTEBAN; ZAIAT, MARCELO; SANTOS-NETO, ALVARO J.; GAGO-FERRERO, PABLO. Biotransformation pathways of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) during acidogenesis and methanogenesis of anaerobic digestion. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, v. 478, p. 11-pg., 2024-08-16. (15/06246-7, 22/09239-5, 17/02147-0, 19/22532-0)

TAKEDA, PAULA YUMI; PAULA, CAROLINA TAVARES; CARNEIRO, RODRIGO BRAZ; BORGES, ANDRE DO VALE; GRANGEIRO, LUANA CARDOSO; DAMIANOVIC, MARCIA HELENA RISSATO ZAMARIOLLI. Challenges in achieving partial nitrification: Simultaneous nitrification-denitrification as the dominant pathway in municipal wastewater treatment. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, v. 13, n. 2, p. 10-pg., 2025-04-01. (21/12399-1, 20/09912-6, 19/22532-0)

CARNEIRO, RODRIGO B.; SABATINI, CAROLINA A.; TITATO, GUILHERME M.; FERREIRA, TANARE C. R.; ZAIAT, MARCELO; SANTOS-NETO, ALVARO J.. New biotransformation pathways from sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin removal in sewage treatment along the spatial profile of an anaerobic fixed bed bioreactor. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY REPORTS, v. 17, p. 6-pg., 2022-02-01. (15/04427-4, 15/06246-7, 17/02147-0, 19/22532-0)

CARNEIRO, RODRIGO B.; NIKA, MARIA-CHRISTINA; GIL-SOLSONA, RUBEN; DIAMANTI, KONSTANTINA S.; THOMAIDIS, NIKOLAOS S.; COROMINAS, LLUIS; GAGO-FERRERO, PABLO. A critical review of wastewater-based epidemiology as a tool to evaluate the unintentional human exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, v. N/A, p. 17-pg., 2024-10-18. (22/09239-5, 19/22532-0)

CARNEIRO, RODRIGO B.; GOMES, GISELE M.; SABATINI, CAROLINA A.; GAGO-FERRERO, PABLO; ZAIAT, MARCELO; SANTOS-NETO, ALAVARO J.. Enhancing Organic Micropollutants Removal in Wastewater with an Innovative Two-Stage Anaerobic Fixed-Film Bioreactor: Role of Acidogenic and Methanogenic Steps. ACS ES&T ENGINEERING, v. 4, n. 2, p. 11-pg., 2023-12-29. (22/09239-5, 15/06246-7, 17/02147-0, 19/22532-0, 21/05052-5)