Coupling between biological and advanced oxidative processes for treating sanitary wastewater: pharmaceuticals degradation and safe reuse

Author(s)

Thiago Henrique Gomes da Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC/BT)
• Defense date: 2017-05-12

Examining board members

Eduardo Bessa Azevedo; Márcia Helena Rissato Zamariolli Damianovic; Pedro Sérgio Fadini

• Advisor: Eduardo Bessa Azevedo

Abstract

Scientists generally agree that Sewage Treatment Plants are the main inputs of pharmaceuticals into the aquatic environment. That happens because the conventional biological processes used for treating sewage are not efficient in removing many of those synthetic compounds. In this context, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP), used as post-treatments, can degrade the poorly biodegradable compounds and produce water for safe reuse. Therefore, this Thesis studies the coupling between an anaerobic-aerobic biological process and compares two AOP, photo-Fenton and heterogeneous Fenton, as post-treatment alternatives. The experiments were performed using real sewage as a matrix. Thus, in the first step of this work, an SPE-HPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the quantification of the pharmaceuticals Ranitidine, Diclofenac, and Simvastatin in that complex matrix. In the second step, the pharmaceuticals degradation by biological processes was studied in batch and continuous flow reactors. A methodology was developed for identifying the biodegradation products and these metabolites were found to be recalcitrant and to have polluting potential. It was observed that the pharmaceuticals and their metabolites caused a chronic toxic effect on biomass, as methane production was impaired when compared to the biomass not exposed to these compounds. In the third step, the AOP were studied in batch mode to determine the best operating conditions that would be tested in the following steps. In the photo-Fenton process, the pharmaceuticals were completely degraded when two lamps (16 W total electric power), iron (III), and hydrogen peroxide were used in the concentrations of 3.0 and 40 mg L−1, respectively, with hydraulic detention time of 10 min. Natural zeolite was used as a support for the synthesized catalyst for heterogeneous Fenton. The catalyst was stable under critical reaction conditions, but it was not able to degrade compounds whose molecular dimensions were larger than its pores. The processes were coupled and operated in continuous mode for ten days, during which they remained stable. Considering the involved estimated costs, although the heterogeneous Fenton process requires 1/3 of the capital costs when compared to the photo-Fenton process, the heterogeneous one is not interesting because its operating cost is 4 times higher and it is limited to the degradation of small molecules. On the other hand, the photo-Fenton process degraded all pharmaceuticals and their metabolites, removed dissolved organic carbon, and produced water potentially safe for reuse at the operational cost of US$ 0.27 m−3. Therefore, the photo-Fenton process was the best post-treatment alternative assessed in this Thesis. The heterogeneous Fenton process would be suited only for the degradation of small molecules. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/09569-3 - Coupling between biological and advanced oxidative processes for treating sanitary wastewater: pharmaceuticals degradation and safe reuse
• Grantee: Thiago Henrique Gomes da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate