Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products from Municipal Sewage by A~2/O-MBR Process

Abstract

The removal of typical pharmaceuticals and personal care products( PPCPs) by A2/ O- MBR process was investigated in a wastewater treatment plant. The concentrations of several target PPCPs in the influent showed a seasonal variation. But most of the target compounds were removed at a stable rate during this investigation. The removal rates of caffeine,erythromycin and DEET were more than 80%. On the other hand,sulpiride,carbamazepine and diclofenac were hardly removed. The concentration variation of the target PPCPs along the process was also investigated. The target PPCPs were divided into three groups according to their different behavioral characteristics: substances that could be removed effectively in the anaerobic tank such as caffeine,DEET,HHCB and AHTN; substances that could be removed uniformly along the process such as metoprolol,trimethoprim and erythromycin; and substances that could not be removed such as sulpiride,carbamazepine and diclofenac.