Evaluation of PPCPs removal in a combined anaerobic digester-constructed wetland pilot plant treating urban wastewater

Anaerobic removal of contaminants of emerging concern in municipal wastewater: Eco-toxicological risk evaluation and strategic selection of optimal treatment

In the last decades, the interest for anaerobic process as a mainstream treatment of municipal wastewater increased due to the development of high-rate anaerobic bioreactors able to achieve removal kinetics comparable to the aerobic ones. Moreover, they have the additional advantages of energy production, nutrient recovery and reduced excess sludge yield, which are interesting features in the frame of sustainability wastewater treatment goals. These appealing factors increased the research demand to evaluate the potential of the anaerobic removal for contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in municipal wastewater. However, despite the growing interest for the subject, literature is still fragmentary and reviews are mainly focused on specific technologies and target compounds or groups of compounds. We propose this review with the main objectives of presenting the state of knowledge, the performances of anaerobic systems for CECs' removal and, more important, to give the reader guidelines for optimal treatment selection. In the first part, a general overview of the investigated technologies at different scale, with a special focus on the recently proposed enhancements, is presented. Collected data are analysed to select the target CECs and the analysis results employed to define the optimal technological solution for their removal. A first novelty element of the paper is the original procedure for contaminant selection consisting of a risk assessment tool for CECs, based on their frequency of detection, concentration and potential for biosorption in wastewater treatment plants. Data of selected target CECs are combined with compound and technology performance data to implement a flowchart tool to evaluate the optimal treatment strategy, which constitute another, even more important, novelty element of this study.

Advances in identifying and managing emerging contaminants in aquatic ecosystems: Analytical approaches, toxicity assessment, transformation pathways, environmental fate, and remediation strategies

Emerging contaminants (ECs) are increasingly recognized as threats to human health and ecosystems. This review evaluates advanced analytical methods, particularly mass spectrometry, for detecting ECs and understanding their toxicity, transformation pathways, and environmental distribution. Our findings underscore the reliability of current techniques and the potential of upcoming methods. The adverse effects of ECs on aquatic life necessitate both in vitro and in vivo toxicity assessments. Evaluating the distribution and degradation of ECs reveals that they undergo physical, chemical, and biological transformations. Remediation strategies such as advanced oxidation, adsorption, and membrane bioreactors effectively treat EC-contaminated waters, with combinations of these techniques showing the highest efficacy. To minimize the impact of ECs, a proactive approach involving monitoring, regulations, and public education is vital. Future research should prioritize the refining of detection methods and formulation of robust policies for EC management.

Analysis of electric field efficacy and remediation performance of triclosan contaminated soil by Co-Fe/al oxidation electrodes coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in an ECGO system with diversified electrode configurations

Triclosan (TCS) is commonly used as a biocide against bacterial and fungal infections. The overuse of TCS has resulted in its abundance in the natural environment. Sulfate radicals have been used for in-situ groundwater remediation because of their superior performance. In this study, Co-Fe/Al oxidation electrodes were prepared to investigate the effect of electrode configurations on TCS remediation using electrokinetic geooxidation (ECGO) technology coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in a soil system. The Co-Fe/Al electrodes catalyzed the activity of PMS by solid-phase Co²⁺ to produce sulfate radicals. Four electrode configurations, named G1-G4, applying a potential gradient of 2 V/cm, were conducted for ten days in all experiments. Results showed that 14.2-66.2% of TCS remediation efficiency was observed. TCS was mainly degraded by the Co-Fe/Al electrode and sulfate radicals rather than being removed by the electroosmotic flow. The degradation efficiencies of the G4 system (66.0%) and the G2 or G3 system (36.6% or 64.4%, respectively) were much higher than that of the G1 system. (13.5%). Three regions (effective, ineffective, and enhanced) were classified to explore the effect of the electric field on TCS remediation. The arrangement of the honeycomb cells was related to the area of enhanced region in the system, in which the superior remediation performance of the TCS was found. Therefore, TCS remediation performance is highly related to the electrode configuration and honeycomb arrangement in the system. The seven-unit honeycomb system (G4) demonstrated a linear and centralized arrangement, resulting in fast migration and excellent degradation of the TCS.

Removal of emerging pollutants by a 3-step system: Hybrid digester, vertical flow constructed wetland and photodegradation post-treatments

The removal of emerging pollutants from municipal wastewater was studied for the first time using a three-step pilot-scale system: 1) hybrid digester (HD) as first step, 2) subsurface vertical flow constructed wetland (VF) as second step, and 3) photodegradation (PD) unit as third step or post-treatment. The HD and VF units were built and operated in series with effluent recirculation at pilot scale. For the PD post-treatment, three alternatives were studied at lab-scale, i) UVC irradiation at 254 nm (0.5 h exposure time), ii) UVA irradiation at 365 nm using a TiO₂-based photocatalyst and iii) sunlight irradiation using a TiO₂-based photocatalyst, the last two for 1 and 2 h. Alternative iii) was also tested at pilot-scale. Degradation of nine compounds was evaluated: acetaminophen (ACE), caffeine (CAF), carbamazepine (CBZ), ketoprofen (KET), ibuprofen (IBU), diclofenac (DCL), clofibric acid (ACB), bisphenol A (BPA), and sotalol (SOT). Overall, the HD-VF-UVC system completely removed (>99.5 %) ACE, CAF, KET, IBU, DCL and ACB, and to a lesser extent SOT (98 %), BPA (83 %) and CBZ (51 %). On the other hand, the HD-VF-UVA/TiO₂ system (at 2 h) achieved >99.5 % removal of ACE, CAF, KET, IBU and DCL while ACB, BPA, CBZ and SOT were degraded by 83 %, 81 %, 78 % and 68 %, respectively. Working also at 2 h of exposure time, in summer conditions, the HD-VF-Sol/TiO₂ system achieved >99.5 % removal of ACE, CAF, KET, IBU, DCL and ACB, and to a minor extent BPA (80 %), SOT (74 %) and CBZ (69 %). Similar results, although slightly lower for SOT (60 %) and CBZ (59 %), were obtained in the pilot sunlight plus TiO₂ catalyst unit. However, the use of sunlight irradiation with a TiO₂-based photocatalyst clearly showed lower removal efficiency in autumn conditions (i.e., 47 % SOT, 31 % CBZ).

Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Wastewater Streams Using Membrane Bioreactors: A Review

Water is a very valuable natural resource. As the demand for water increases the presence of emerging contaminants in wastewater has become a growing concern. This is particularly true when one considers direct reuse of wastewater. Obtaining sufficient removal of emerging contaminants will require determining the level of removal for the various unit operations in the wastewater treatment process. Membrane bioreactors are attractive as they combine an activated sludge process with a membrane separation step. They are frequently used in a wastewater treatment process and can operate at higher solid loadings than conventional activated sludge processes. Determining the level of removal of emerging contaminants in the membrane bioreactor step is, therefore, of great interest. Removal of emerging contaminants could be by adsorption onto the biomass or membrane surface, biotransformation, size exclusion by the membrane, or volatilization. Given the fact that most emerging contaminants are low molecule weight non-volatile compounds, the latter two methods of removal are usually unimportant. However, biotransformation and adsorption onto the biomass are important mechanisms of removal. It will be important to determine if the microorganisms present at given treatment facility are able to remove ECs present in the wastewater.

Removal of Emerging Pollutants in Horizontal Subsurface Flow and Vertical Flow Pilot-Scale Constructed Wetlands

We assessed constructed wetland (CW) performance in the removal of six emerging pollutants (EPs) from university campus wastewater. The EPs considered were: diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), bis(2-ehtylxexyl) phthalate (DEHP), tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) and caffeine (CAF). Six pilot-scale CWs, i.e., three horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) and three vertical flow (VF), with different design configurations were used: two types of plants and one unplanted for both the HSF and the VF, two hydraulic retention times (HRT) for the HSF, and two wastewater feeding strategies for the VF units. The results showed that the median removals in the three HSF-CWs ranged between 84.3 and 99.9%, 79.0 and 95.7%, 91.4 and 99.7%, 72.2 and 81.0%, 99.1 and 99.6%, and 99.3 and 99.6% for DEP, DIBP, DNOP, DEHP, TCPP, and CAF, respectively. In the three VF-CWs, the median removal efficiencies range was 98.6–99.4%, 63.6–98.0%, 96.6–97.8%, 73.6–94.5%, 99.3–99.5% and 94.4–96.3% for DEP, DIBP, DNOP, DEHP, TCPP and CAF, respectively. The study indicates that biodegradation and adsorption onto substrate were the most prevalent removal routes of the target EPs in CWs.

Evaluation of the Removal of Selected Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants Supported by Constructed Wetlands

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) have a negative impact on living organisms in the environment, therefore, are among the group of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (ECDs). Unfortunately, conventional methods used in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs) are not designed to eliminate PAEs. For this reason, the development of cheap and simple but very effective techniques for the removal of such residues from wastewater is crucial. The main aim of this study was the evaluation of the removal of six selected PAEs: diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dimethyl phthalate (DMP), in real MWWTPs supported by constructed wetlands (MWWTP-CW system). For the first time, the possibility of using three new plants for this purpose, Cyperus papyrus (papyrus), Lysimachia nemorum (yellow pimpernel) and Euonymus europaeus (European spindle), has been presented. For determining the target PAEs in wastewater samples, a method of SPE (Solid-Phase Extraction)-GC-MS(SIM) was developed and validated, and for plant materials, a method of UAE (Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction)-SPE-GC-MS(SIM) was proposed. The obtained data showed that the application of the MWWTP-CW system allows a significant increase in the removal of DEP, DBP, BBP and DEHP from the wastewater stream. Euonymus europaeus was the most effective among the tested plant species for the uptake of analytes (8938 ng × g^-1 dry weight), thus, this plant was found to be optimal for supporting conventional MWWTPs.

Occurrence of pharmaceutical residues, personal care products, lifestyle chemicals, illicit drugs and metabolites in wastewater and receiving surface waters of Krakow agglomeration in South Poland

This is the first study of broad range of chemical classes CECs conducted in the upper Wisla river catchment including the biggest WWTPs in this region and surface waters. The list of compounds is extensive and the paper provides, for the first time, better understanding of environmental burden from PCPCs in Poland. Cumulative contribution of hypertension pharmaceuticals, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and lifestyle chemicals was 89% and 95% in wastewater influent, and 75% in wastewater effluent at both WWTPs. Significant removal efficiencies, exceeding 90%, were found for parabens, UV filters, NSAIDs, steroid estrogens, plasticizers, antibacterials/antibiotics, stimulants and metabolites and lifestyle chemicals. The comparison of the average mass loads of CECs between the influent and effluent, has shown that 27% and 29% of all detected CECs were removed by less than 50%. An increase of concentrations of CECs in the effluent was observed for 18% and 20% of all detected CECs in Kujawy and Plaszow WWTPs, respectively. Negative mass balances of fexofenadine, venlafaxine, o-desmethyltramadol, ketamine and temazepam were noted within WWTPs, which are a result of dissolution of persistent contaminants accumulated in aggregates and/or back-transformation or de-conjugation of metabolites into parent compounds. 44 CECs were detected in surface waters located upstream and downstream of the WWTPs. The concentrations of compounds were largely dependent on the dilution factor of WWTP discharge. The risk quotation (RQ) values for compounds present in surface waters were calculated in relation to their potential for bioaccumulation. Among compounds with high potential for bioaccumulation, with log K_OW ≥ 4.5, diclofenac, atorvastatin and triclosan were found to be of high risk. Many CECs with high, moderate or even low environmental impact have shown high potential for bioaccumulation and should be considered as priority at the same risk level. Moreover, possible synergistic action is still of concern.

Carbamazepine removal from low-strength municipal wastewater using a combined UASB-MBR treatment system

An Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor combined with a two-stage membrane bioreactor were operated for 193 days in order to evaluate the biological removal of carbamazepine (CBZ) from low-strength municipal wastewater. The system worked in three different organic load stages (0.7 ± 0.1 kg COD·m^-3·d^-1, 0.4 ± 0.1 kg COD·m^-3·d^-1 and 0.1 ± 0.0 kg COD·m^-3·d^-1) to assess the impact of the influent OLR on operational parameters such as anaerobic and aerobic sludge retention time (SRT), acidity, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), biomass activity or biogas production. The highest carbamazepine removals were achieved during the anaerobic stage (UASB reactor), reaching averages of 48.9%, 48.0% and 38.2% operating at high, medium and low OLR, respectively. The aerobic treatment (MBR) served as post-treatment, improving the removals, and the global UASB-MBR system reached averages of 70.0%, 59.6% and 49.8% when the influent was at medium and low OLR, respectively. The results demonstrate the potential of combined biological systems on the removal of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals.

Recent Developments in Chitosan-Based Adsorbents for the Removal of Pollutants from Aqueous Environments

The quality of water is continuously under threat as increasing concentrations of pollutants escape into the aquatic environment. However, these issues can be alleviated by adsorbing pollutants onto adsorbents. Chitosan and its composites are attracting considerable interest as environmentally acceptable adsorbents and have the potential to remove many of these contaminants. In this review the development of chitosan-based adsorbents is described and discussed. Following a short introduction to the extraction of chitin from seafood wastes, followed by its conversion to chitosan, the properties of chitosan are described. Then, the emerging chitosan/carbon-based materials, including magnetic chitosan and chitosan combined with graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, biochar, and activated carbon and also chitosan-silica composites are introduced. The applications of these materials in the removal of various heavy metal ions, including Cr(VI), Pb(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), and different cationic and anionic dyes, phenol and other organic molecules, such as antibiotics, are reviewed, compared and discussed. Adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics are then highlighted and followed by details on the mechanisms of adsorption and the role of the chitosan and the carbon or silica supports. Based on the reviewed papers, it is clear, that while some challenges remain, chitosan-based materials are emerging as promising adsorbents.

Tricks and tracks in removal of emerging contaminants from the wastewater through hybrid treatment systems: A review

In recent years, many biological and physicochemical treatment technologies have been investigated for the removal of the emerging contaminants (ECs) from the wastewater matrix. However, due to the deficiency of these treatments to completely degrade the ECs in wastewater, hybrid systems were explored using the distinguishing removal potential of the different treatment processes. This review gives an insight on such hybrid systems combining several physical, chemical and biological treatments for the fast and eco-efficient removal of ECs from wastewater. Most of the hybrid systems have applied biological treatments first and then physical or chemical treatments. The hybrid system of membrane bioreactor (MBR) followed by membrane filtrations (RO/NF) effectively removed a suite of ECs such as pharmaceuticals, beta blockers, pesticides and EDCs. Some of the hybrid systems of constructed wetlands and waste stabilization ponds showed promising potential for the biosorptive removal of pharmaceuticals and some beta blockers. The hybrid systems combining activated sludge process and physical processes such as ultrafiltration (UF), reverse osmosis (RO) and gamma radiations are considered as the cost effective technologies and had better removal of trace organic pollutants. The hybrid system of MBR coupled with UV oxidation, activated carbon and ultrasound, and ozonation followed by ultrasounds, completely degraded some ECs and many pharmaceuticals. The review also synthesizes the trend followed by the hybrid system processes for the removal of various categories of ECs. The future research directions for the ECs removal utilizing hybrid nanocomposites and green sustainable technology have been suggested.

Survey of Phthalate Mitigation and Distribution in Water, Sediment, and Typha in a Fully Operational Constructed Wetland: A Pilot Study

Wastewater treatment plants (WTTPs) contribute to anthropogenic chemical contamination through the release of treated effluent. A constructed wetland (CW) interfaced with a WTTP could potentially purify and naturalize effluent water. This pilot study aimed to acquire baseline chemical data on the fate and distribution of phthalates in the water, sediment, and vegetation (Typha spp.) of a fully operational horizontal subsurface flow CW adjoined to a WWTP in Oregon, USA. Sample collection followed the flow of water from entrance to exit of the CW. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the most abundant analogs in all matrices. Results indicate reduction of phthalates in water exiting the CW. Significant concentrations of DBP, DEHP, and other water-soluble phthalates were found in the shoots of Typha, indicating plant uptake as a potentially important removal mechanism.

Can high rate algal ponds be used as post-treatment of UASB reactors to remove micropollutants?

The present study evaluated the removal capacity of a UASB-HRAP treatment system, combining anaerobic and microalgae-based, aerobic treatment, for eleven organic micropollutants present in raw sewage, including pharmaceuticals, estrogens and xenoestrogens. The UASB reactor and the HRAP were operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7 h and 8 days, respectively. Influent and effluent samples from the UASB and HRAP were collected periodically. All the target compounds were detected in raw sewage, with an occurrence ranging from 70 to 100%. Removal rates in the UASB reactor were generally incomplete, ranging from no removal (-25.12% for the hormone EE2-ethinylestradiol) to 84.91% (E2 - estradiol). However, the overall performance of the UASB + HRAP system was highly efficient for the majority of the compounds, with removal rates ranging from 64.8% (ibuprofen) to 95% (estrone). Gemfibrozil and bisphenol A were the only exceptions, with overall removal rates of 39% and 43%, respectively. Hormones were the compounds with the highest removal rates in the system.

Organic micropollutants in sewage sludge: influence of thermal and ultrasound hydrolysis processes prior to anaerobic stabilization

Organic micropollutants (OMP) in the household and industrial wastewater are not efficiently removed by conventional treatment processes and a significant fraction ends in sludge. Proper valorization technologies become fundamental to attain sustainable sewage sludge management, with anaerobic digestion (AD) as one of the preferred strategies. However, it exhibits some limitations that can be overcome with pre-treatment processes. In this study, the influence of different pre-treatment configurations over OMP concentration and removal during AD was assessed. The incorporation of a sequential US - TT-PT resulted in decreased concentrations of 7 of the 9 detected compounds in biosolids compared to conventional AD digestate, with bisphenol-A and ter-octylphenol showing the opposite effect. The results suggest that the assessed PT could improve the removal of sequestered or highly hydrophobic compounds through their solubilization and increased bioavailability.

Ecotoxicological risk evaluation and regulatory compliance of endocrine disruptor phthalates in a sustainable wastewater treatment scheme

Due to their pervasive applications, phthalic acid esters or phthalates have ample presence in all environmental compartments. A principal source of their existence in freshwater is phthalate-laden wastewater treatment plant effluents. For its sustainable operation and biogas production, wastewater treatment scheme of up flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and polishing pond is more prevalent in developing countries. This yearlong study focused on evaluating the occurrence, fate and risk of four priority phthalates, diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP), and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in a UASB+ polishing pond-based wastewater treatment plant. Concentration of the phthalates in raw wastewater ranged from nd to 17.36 μg/L (DEP), 0.92 to 18.26 μg/L (DBP), nd to 6.54 μg/L (BBP), and nd to 53.21 μg/L (DEHP). DEHP concentrations in UASB sludge were below 100 mg/kg, the recommended limit by the European Union for safe disposal of dewatered sludge. All four compounds were removed approximately 80% in the wastewater treatment plant, with larger removal in polishing pond than UASB. Sorption contributes a significant portion of BBP and DEHP removal (15-24%) in UASB than DEP and DBP (0-3%). Seasonally, larger removals of phthalates were observed during the summer season. Risk assessment showed that the treated effluents had low risk of DEP, DBP, and BBP. However, the hazard quotient (HQ) of DEHP was greater than 1. To comply with regulations, dilution requirement of effluents was investigated which showed that a dilution factor of 4.4 in summer and 2.1 in winter is required for effluents of UASB + Pond-based treatment plant.

Exposure of Juncus effusus to seven perfluoroalkyl acids: Uptake, accumulation and phytotoxicity

The extensive use of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has led to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) contamination in various environmental matrices. To remove PFAAs from contaminated water, this study investigated plant uptake of PFAAs by a native wetland plant species in the US, Juncus effusus. The results showed that J. effusus translocated selected PFAAs, including perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). During the 21-day experimental period, the uptake of PFAAs increased with increasing PFAAs exposure concentration and time. PFOS was largely accumulated in the roots with limited upward translocation. PFAAs with shorter carbon chain length were taken up by J. effusus roots and tended to accumulate in plant shoots. The highest removal efficiency (11.4%) of spiked PFAAs by J. effusus was achieved when it was exposed to PFAAs at around 4.6 mg/L for 21 days. The exposure to PFAAs stimulated the antioxidative defense system in J. effusus shoots but inhibited the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and damaged the antioxidative defense system in J. effusus roots. These results warrant further studies to evaluate J. effusus's long-term performance in a PFAAs contaminated environment.

Removal of contaminants of emerging concern from urban wastewater in novel algal-bacterial photobioreactors

This work evaluates the removal of five pharmaceuticals and personal care products, i.e., ibuprofen, naproxen, salicylic acid, triclosan and propylparaben, from urban wastewater under two novel algal-bacterial photobioreactor settings. The first configuration (phase A) consisted of an anoxic-aerobic photobioreactor operating at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2d at different concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC) (90mgL^-1-200mgL^-1). In the second configuration (phase B) an anaerobic step was introduced before the anoxic tank to set a photosynthetic A₂O process. In this phase, the HRT varied between 3 and 4d and the TOC was kept constant at 200mgL^-1. In addition, the impact of external aeration in the aerobic photobioreactor was assessed. The maximum removals for ibuprofen, naproxen, salicylic acid, triclosan and propylparaben (94±1%, 52±43%, 98±2%, 100±0%, 100±0%, respectively) were recorded during phase B. In phase A, low TOC concentrations triggered higher ibuprofen and naproxen removals likely due to the high contribution of biological oxidation on their removal. In phase B, total or very high removal efficiencies were observed for ibuprofen, propylparaben and triclosan independently on the operating conditions. In contrast, the removal efficiency of naproxen and salicylic acid decreased when the HRT dropped from 4 to 3d in the absence of external aeration, which suggests that biodegradation played a key role in their removal. In addition, sorption might have contributed to the elimination of triclosan and propylparaben from the wastewater.

Enhanced degradation of bisphenol A and ibuprofen by an up-flow microbial fuel cell-coupled constructed wetland and analysis of bacterial community structure

This study aims to demonstrate that an up-flow microbial fuel cell-coupled constructed wetland (UCW-MFC) can effectively treat synthetic wastewater that contains a high concentration of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs, 10 mg L^-1 level), such as ibuprofen (IBP) and bisphenol A (BPA). A significant decline in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) removal was observed when BPA was added, which indicated that BPA was more toxic to bacteria. The closed circuit operation of UCW-MFC performed better than the open circuit mode for COD and NH₄⁺-N removal. Similarly, the removal rates of IBP and BPA were increased by 9.3% and 18%, respectively, compared with the open circuit mode. The majority of PPCPs were removed from the bottom and anode layer, which accounted for 63.2-78.7% of the total removal. The main degradation products were identified. The removal rates of IBP and BPA decreased by 14.6% and 23.7% due to a reduction in the hydraulic detention times (HRTs) from 16 h to 4 h, respectively. Electricity generation performance, including voltage and maximum power density, initially increased and then declined with a decrease in the HRT. Additionally, both the current circuit operation mode and the HRT have an impact on the bacterial community diversity of the anode according to the results of high-throughput sequencing. The possible bacterial groups involved in PPCP degradation were identified. In summary, UCW-MFC is suitable for enabling the simultaneous removal of IBP and BPA and successful electricity production.

Impacts and fate of triclosan and sulfamethoxazole in intensified re-circulating vertical flow constructed wetlands

The impacts to microbial function, overall performance and eventual fate were assessed for triclosan (TCL) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in intensified (re-circulating) vertical subsurface flow (VSSF) constructed wetlands (CWs). The potential toxicity of each pharmaceutical to the intrinsic microbial communities was first assessed over a wide exposure range (0-1000 μg/l) via an ex-situ dose-response assay to estimate the concentration at which adverse effects were likely to occur. Based on these results an acute (7 day) in-situ exposures (500 μg/l) were then performed and impacts to the mesocosm systems monitored for 1 month via community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) alongside chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates and a range of water quality, and hydrological parameters. Despite the clear potential for negative impacts to microbial function from both compounds observed at 100 μg/l in the ex-situ dose-response test, no impacts were observed for the 500 μg/l in-situ exposure in the VSSF mesocosms. COD removal, water chemistry, plant health, and hydrological parameters did not significantly change in response to the in-situ exposure. In terms of fate, the removal efficiency for both TCL and SMX was high (>80%) after 1 h and complete removal (>99.7%) was observed after 168 h. Following the in-situ exposure, and subsequent one month effects-monitoring period, the mesocosms were decommissioned with the media biofilm spatially assessed for organic content as well as TCL and SMX concentrations. TCL and SMX were found to have persisted in the media and demonstrated spatial variation with an overall 2-20% and 5-6% recovered respectively. This suggests that biofilm bound TCL and SMX were biologically degraded in VSSF CWs, however may also accumulate in the biofilm if TCL and SMX are maintained in the influent. These results reinforce the robustness and potential of constructed wetlands for the treatment of pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) contaminated wastewater.

Performance of secondary wastewater treatment methods for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern implicated in crop uptake and antibiotic resistance spread: A review

Contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) discharged in effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), not specifically designed for their removal, pose serious hazards to human health and ecosystems. Their impact is of particular relevance to wastewater disposal and re-use in agricultural settings due to CEC uptake and accumulation in food crops and consequent diffusion into the food-chain. This is the reason why the chemical CEC discussed in this review have been selected considering, besides recalcitrance, frequency of detection and entity of potential hazards, their relevance for crop uptake. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been included as microbial CEC because of the potential of secondary wastewater treatment to offer conditions favourable to the survival and proliferation of ARB, and dissemination of ARGs. Given the adverse effects of chemical and microbial CEC, their removal is being considered as an additional design criterion, which highlights the necessity of upgrading conventional WWTPs with more effective technologies. In this review, the performance of currently applied biological treatment methods for secondary treatment is analysed. To this end, technological solutions including conventional activated sludge (CAS), membrane bioreactors (MBRs), moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), and nature-based solutions such as constructed wetlands (CWs) are compared for the achievable removal efficiencies of the selected CEC and their potential of acting as reservoirs of ARB&ARGs. With the aim of giving a picture of real systems, this review focuses on data from full-scale and pilot-scale plants treating real urban wastewater. To achieve an integrated assessment, technologies are compared considering also other relevant evaluation parameters such as investment and management costs, complexity of layout and management, present scale of application and need of a post-treatment. Comparison results allow the definition of design and operation strategies for the implementation of CEC removal in WWTPs, when agricultural reuse of effluents is planned.

Removal Processes of Carbamazepine in Constructed Wetlands Treating Secondary Effluent: A Review

It is widely believed that constructed wetlands (CWs) own great potentiality as polishing wastewater treatment methods for removing carbamazepine (CBZ). Although the typical CBZ removal efficiencies in CWs are quite low, the CBZ removal performance could be improved to some extend by optimizing the CW design parameters. A comparison of current relevant studies indicates that horizontal sub-surface flow CWs (HSSF-CWs) and hybrid wetlands are attracting more interest for the treatment of CBZ wastewater. According to CBZ’s physicochemical properties, substrate adsorption (25.70–57.30%) and macrophyte uptake (22.30–51.00%) are the two main CBZ removal pathways in CWs. The CBZ removal efficiency of CWs employing light expanded clay aggregate (LECA) as a substrate could reach values higher than 90%, and the most favorable macrophyte species is Iris sibirica, which has shown the highest total CBZ assimilation capacity. Several methods for enhancement have been proposed to optimize CBZ removal in CWs, including development of hydraulic models for optimization of CW operation, introduction of extra new CBZ removal ways into CW through substrate modification, design of combined/integrated CW, etc.

Wetlands for wastewater treatment and subsequent recycling of treated effluent: a review

Due to water scarcity challenges around the world, it is essential to think about non-conventional water resources to address the increased demand in clean freshwater. Environmental and public health problems may result from insufficient provision of sanitation and wastewater disposal facilities. Because of this, wastewater treatment and recycling methods will be vital to provide sufficient freshwater in the coming decades, since water resources are limited and more than 70% of water are consumed for irrigation purposes. Therefore, the application of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation has much potential, especially when incorporating the reuse of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous, which are essential for plant production. Among the current treatment technologies applied in urban wastewater reuse for irrigation, wetlands were concluded to be the one of the most suitable ones in terms of pollutant removal and have advantages due to both low maintenance costs and required energy. Wetland behavior and efficiency concerning wastewater treatment is mainly linked to macrophyte composition, substrate, hydrology, surface loading rate, influent feeding mode, microorganism availability, and temperature. Constructed wetlands are very effective in removing organics and suspended solids, whereas the removal of nitrogen is relatively low, but could be improved by using a combination of various types of constructed wetlands meeting the irrigation reuse standards. The removal of phosphorus is usually low, unless special media with high sorption capacity are used. Pathogen removal from wetland effluent to meet irrigation reuse standards is a challenge unless supplementary lagoons or hybrid wetland systems are used.

Removal efficiency and enzymatic mechanism of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) by constructed wetlands

Four vertical-flow constructed wetland systems were set up in the field in order to study the removal efficiency and possible enzymatic mechanism of the constructed wetlands in treating sewage containing different concentrations of dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Under DBP spiked concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/L, good DBP removal rates of 62.08, 82.17, and 84.17% were achieved, respectively. Meanwhile, certain removal effects of general water quality parameters were observed in all four constructed wetlands: with high average removal rates of nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--N) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 91.10~93.89 and 82.83~89.17%, respectively, with moderate removal efficiencies of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) of 44.59~49.67, 30.58~37.18, and 28.52~37.45%, respectively. Compared to the control, an increase of enzyme activities of urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, and nitrate reductase was observed in the treatments with DBP addition. In the presence of 0.5 mg/L of DBP concentration, the urease, phosphatase, and dehydrogenase activities reached the highest levels, with an increase of 350.02, 36.57, and 417.88% compared with the control, respectively. It appeared that the low concentration of DBP might better stimulate the release of enzymes.

Seasonal and ageing effect on the behaviour of 86 drugs in a full-scale surface treatment wetland: Removal efficiencies and distribution in plants and sediments

The presence of human drugs in the aquatic environment is partly due to an incomplete and insufficient removal process of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Thus, drug traces are observed at different concentrations in water bodies, sediments and aquatic plants all over the world. At the same time, Surface Flow Treatment Wetlands (SFTWs) at the outlet of WWTPs are commonly observed in small municipalities as complementary treatment. However, little is known regarding the role of SFTWs in the complementary mitigation of emerging contaminants, such as drugs, and the interactions between drugs, plants and sediment throughout the seasons. For that reason, we conducted sampling sessions over a period of two years on a full-scale SFTW downstream of a vertical-flow constructed wetland. At each session, the SFTW influent and effluent, as well as five different plant species and one composite sediment sample, were sampled. We detected more than fifty pharmaceutical compounds in the inflow and outflow water. The compounds most frequently detected were bisoprolol and ketoprofen. We emphasized that the SFTW removal ability was better in the summer than in the winter, due to the impact of weather on physicochemical parameters. Large variations of removal efficiencies were also observed when considering all of the detected compounds. Large seasonal variations were also observed for each compound. In addition, the study of the five plants showed their ability to uptake drugs from water and soil to the leaves in a species-specific manner. The pharmaceutical composition of the sediment was also correlated with the season: the maximum occurrence was reached in summer, and the minimum was reached in winter. Finally, the continuous decrease in removal efficiencies highlights the ageing effect on SFTW removal ability.

Progress in the biological and chemical treatment technologies for emerging contaminant removal from wastewater: A critical review

This review focuses on the removal of emerging contaminants (ECs) by biological, chemical and hybrid technologies in effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Results showed that endocrine disruption chemicals (EDCs) were better removed by membrane bioreactor (MBR), activated sludge and aeration processes among different biological processes. Surfactants, EDCs and personal care products (PCPs) can be well removed by activated sludge process. Pesticides and pharmaceuticals showed good removal efficiencies by biological activated carbon. Microalgae treatment processes can remove almost all types of ECs to some extent. Other biological processes were found less effective in ECs removal from wastewater. Chemical oxidation processes such as ozonation/H₂O₂, UV photolysis/H₂O₂ and photo-Fenton processes can successfully remove up to 100% of pesticides, beta blockers and pharmaceuticals, while EDCs can be better removed by ozonation and UV photocatalysis. Fenton process was found less effective in the removal of any types of ECs. A hybrid system based on ozonation followed by biological activated carbon was found highly efficient in the removal of pesticides, beta blockers and pharmaceuticals. A hybrid ozonation-ultrasound system can remove up to 100% of many pharmaceuticals. Future research directions to enhance the removal of ECs have been elaborated.

Juncus spp.-The helophyte for all (phyto)remediation purposes?

Helophytic plants contribute significantly to the remediation of ecosystems through a wide range of physiological or biochemical mechanisms including the role of endophytic bacteria. This review highlights the services provided by Juncus spp. wetland plants, from phytoremediation of soils and groundwater with heavy metals and/or organics to municipal or industrial wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands. The data presented also provide information on the efficiency of specific Juncus spp. in response to various metals and organic compounds, in an effort to exploit the natural capabilities of autochthonous over exotic species in phytoremediation strategies. An overall successful direct (the plant itself) or indirect (through stimulation of elimination mechanisms) contribution of Juncus to remediation of the above contaminants is revealed. However, the specific characteristics of the species used, the type of the pollutant and the region, are issues that should be addressed for a successful outcome.

Behaviour of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in constructed wetland compartments: Influent, effluent, pore water, substrate and plant roots

Seven mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands (CWs) with different design configurations, dealing with primary-treated urban wastewater, were assessed for the concentration, distribution and fate of ten pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) [ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, salicylic acid, caffeine, carbamazepine, methyl dihydrojasmonate, galaxolide and tonalide] and eight of their transformation products (TPs). Apart from influent and effluent, various CW compartments were analysed, namely, substrate, plant roots and pore water. PPCP content in pore water depended on the specific CW configuration. Macrophytes can take up PPCPs through their roots. Ibuprofen, salicylic acid, caffeine, methyl dihydrojasmonate, galaxolide and tonalide were present on the root surface with a predominance of galaxolide and caffeine in all the planted systems. Naproxen, ibuprofen, salicylic acid, methyl dihydrojasmonate, galaxolide and tonalide were uptaken by the roots. In order to better understand the removal processes, biomass measurement and biodegradability studies through the characterization of internal-external isomeric linear alkylbenzenes present on the gravel bed were performed. Three TPs namely, ibuprofen-amide, 3-ethylbenzophenone and 4-hydroxy-diclofenac were identified for the first time in wetland pore water and effluent water, which suggests de novo formation (they were not present in the influent). Conversely, O-desmethyl-naproxen was degraded through the wetland passage since it was detected in the influent but not in the subsequent treatment stages. Biodegradation pathways are therefore suggested for most of the studied PPCPs in the assessed CWs.

A UASB reactor coupled to a hybrid aerobic MBR as innovative plant configuration to enhance the removal of organic micropollutants

An innovative plant configuration based in an UASB reactor coupled to a hybrid aerobic membrane bioreactor designed for sustainable treatment of municipal wastewater at ambient temperatures and low hydraulic retention time was studied in terms of organic micropollutants (OMPs) removal. OMPs removal mechanisms, as well as the potential influence of biomass activity and physical conformation were assessed. Throughout all periods of operation (150 days) high organic matter removals were maintained (>95%) and, regarding OMPs removal, this innovative system has shown to be more efficient than conventional technologies for those OMPs which are prone to be biotransformed under anaerobic conditions. For instance, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim have both shown to be biodegradable under anaerobic conditions with similar efficiencies (removal efficiencies above 84%). OMPs main removal mechanism was found to be biotransformation, except in the case of musk fragrances which showed medium sorption onto sludge. OMPs removal was strongly dependent on the efficiency of the primary metabolism (organic matter degradation and nitrification) and the type of biomass.

Effects of porous media, macrophyte type and hydraulic retention time on the removal of organic load and micropollutants in constructed wetlands

The performance of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands in the removal of micropollutants from a wastewater treatment plant effluent was evaluated at mesocosm level. Fifteen mesocosms were studied following a modified Latin Square experimental design with six additional points. Three variables at three levels were studied: porous media -PM- (river gravel, fine volcanic gravel and coarse volcanic gravel), macrophyte type -M- (Thypa latiffolia, Phragmites australis, and Cyperus papyrus) and hydraulic retention time -HRT- (1, 3 and 5 days). As response variables the removal percentages of the total organic load of the effluent (BOD5) and the loads of several micropollutants (caffeine, galaxolide, tonalide, alkylphenols and their monoethoxylates and diethoxylates, methyl dihydrojasmonate, sunscreen UV-15 and parsol) were used. The results showed that the systems remove between 70% and 75% of the organic load and that all the micropollutants were degraded at different extents, from 55% to 99%. The HRT was the variable that showed major effects on the treatment process, while M and PM showed no statistically significant differences in the used experimental conditions.

Phthalate esters in the environment: A critical review of their occurrence, biodegradation, and removal during wastewater treatment processes

Phthalate esters are one of the most frequently detected persistent organic pollutants in the environment. A better understanding of their occurrence and degradation in the environment and during wastewater treatment processes will facilitate the development of strategies to reduce these pollutants and to bioremediate contaminated freshwater and soil. Phthalate esters occur at measurable levels in different environments worldwide. For example, the concentrations of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in atmospheric particulate matter, fresh water and sediments, soil, and landfills are N.D.-10.4 ng/m(3), N.D.-31.7 μg/L, N.D.-316 μg/kg dry weight, and N.D.-200 μg/kg dry weight, N.D.-43.27 μg/L, respectively. Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) are primary phthalate ester pollutants. Urbanization has increased the discharge of phthalate esters to atmospheric and aquatic environments, and the use of agricultural plastics has exacerbated soil contamination by phthalate esters in rural areas. Aerobic biodegradation is the primary manner of phthalate ester mineralization in the environment, and this process has been widely studied. Phthalate esters can be removed during wastewater treatment processes. The combination of different wastewater treatment technologies showed greater efficiency in the removal of phthalate esters than individual treatment steps, such as the combination of anaerobic wastewater treatment with a membrane bioreactor would increase the efficiency of phthalate ester removal from 65%-71% to 95%-97%. This review provides a useful framework to identify future research objectives to achieve the mineralization and elimination of phthalate esters in the environment.

Trace organic contaminants in biosolids: Impact of conventional wastewater and sludge processing technologies and emerging alternatives

This paper critically reviews the fate of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) in biosolids, with emphasis on identifying operation conditions that impact the accumulation of TrOCs in sludge during conventional wastewater and sludge treatment and assessing the technologies available for TrOC removal from biosolids. The fate of TrOCs during sludge thickening, stabilisation (e.g. aerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion, alkaline stabilisation, and composting), conditioning, and dewatering is elucidated. Operation pH, sludge retention time (SRT), and temperature have significant impact on the sorption and biodegradation of TrOCs in activated sludge that ends up in the sludge treatment line. Anaerobic digestion may exacerbate the estrogenicity of sludge due to bioconversion to more potent metabolites. Application of advanced oxidation or thermal pre-treatment may minimise TrOCs in biosolids by increasing the bioavailability of TrOCs, converting TrOCs into more biodegradable products, or inducing complete mineralisation of TrOCs. Treatment of sludge by bioaugmentation using various bacteria, yeast, or fungus has the potential to reduce TrOC levels in biosolids.

Occurrence and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products and endocrine disrupting chemicals in reclaimed water and receiving groundwater in China

Groundwater recharge using reclaimed water is considered a promising method to alleviate groundwater depletion. However, pollutants in reclaimed water could be recharged into groundwater during this process, thereby posing a risk to groundwater and human health. In this study, 12 cities in northern China were selected for reclaimed water and groundwater sampling. Analysis of the samples revealed the presence of nine pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) and five endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). In reclaimed water, all the PPCPs and EDCs were found, with sulpiride (SP) and estriol (E3) being most frequently detected. In groundwater samples, only ketoprofen (KP), mefenamic acid (MA), nalidixic acid (NA) and SP were detected among PPCPs, while bisphenol-A (BPA) was dominant among the target EDCs. The risk quotients (RQs) of all target PPCPs and EDCs except 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and E3 were below 1 in groundwater samples, indicating that EE2 and E3 deserve priority preferential treatment before recharging.

Organics and nitrogen removal from textile auxiliaries wastewater with A2O-MBR in a pilot-scale

The removal of organic compounds and nitrogen in an anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic membrane bioreactor process (A(2)O-MBR) for treatment of textile auxiliaries (TA) wastewater was investigated. The results show that the average effluent concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen (NH4(+)-N) and total nitrogen (TN) were about 119, 3 and 48 mg/L under an internal recycle ratio of 1.5. The average removal efficiency of COD, NH4(+)-N and TN were 87%, 96% and 55%, respectively. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer analysis indicated that, although as much as 121 different types of organic compounds were present in the TA wastewater, only 20 kinds of refractory organic compounds were found in the MBR effluent, which could be used as indicators of effluents from this kind of industrial wastewater. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that bacterial foulants were significant contributors to membrane fouling. An examination of foulants components by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence showed that the combination of organic foulants and inorganic compounds enhanced the formation of gel layer and thus caused membrane fouling. The results will provide valuable information for optimizing the design and operation of wastewater treatment system in the textile industry.

Pharmaceutically active compounds in sludge stabilization treatments: anaerobic and aerobic digestion, wastewater stabilization ponds and composting

Sewage sludge disposal onto lands has been stabilized previously but still many pollutants are not efficiently removed. Special interest has been focused on pharmaceutical compounds due to their potential ecotoxicological effects. Nowadays, there is scarce information about their occurrence in different sludge stabilization treatments. In this work, the occurrence of twenty-two pharmaceutically active compounds has been studied in sludge from four sludge stabilization treatments: anaerobic digestion, aerobic digestion, composting and lagooning. The types of sludge evaluated were primary, secondary, anaerobically-digested and dehydrated, composted, mixed, aerobically-digested and dehydrated and lagoon sludge. Nineteen of the twenty-two pharmaceutically active compounds monitored were detected in sewage sludge. The most contaminated samples were primary sludge, secondary sludge and mixed sludge (the average concentrations of studied compounds in these sludges were 179, 310 and 142 μg/kg dm, respectively) while the mean concentrations found in the other types of sewage sludge were 70 μg/kg dm (aerobically-digested sludge), 63 μg/kg dm (lagoon sludge), 12 μg/kg dm (composted sludge) and 8 μg/kg dm (anaerobically-digested sludge). The antibiotics ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were found at the highest concentration levels in most of the analyzed sludge samples (up to 2660 and 4328 μg/kg dm, respectively). Anaerobic-digestion treatment reduced more considerably the concentration of most of the studied compounds than aerobic-digestion (especially in the case of bezafibrate and fluoroquinolones) and more than anaerobic stabilization ponds (in the case of acetaminophen, atenolol, bezafibrate, carbamazepine, 17α-ethinylestradiol, naproxen and salicylic acid). Ecotoxicological risk assessment, of sludge application onto soils, has also been evaluated. Risk quotients, expressed as the ratio between the predicted environmental concentration and the predicted non-effect concentration, were lower than 1 for all the pharmaceutically active compounds so no significant risks are expected to occur due to the application of sewage sludge onto soils, except for 17α-ethinylestradiol when chronic toxicity was considered.

Improve bio-activity of anaerobic sludge by low energy ultrasound

This research focused on ultrasound-enhanced bio-activity of anaerobic sludge. Low energy ultrasound irradiation can increase the bio-activity of anaerobic sludge. Ultrasonic parameter, characteristics of anaerobic sludge and experimental conditions are important parameters which affect the enhancement effect on anaerobic sludge. In order to assess the effects of characteristics of anaerobic sludge and experimental conditions on ultrasonic irradiation of anaerobic sludge, experiments with different characteristics of anaerobic sludge were carried out and analyzed with the content of coenzyme F420 and dehydrogenase activity (DHA). The results showed that anaerobic sludge bio-activity was impacted by the initial temperature, initial chemical oxygen demand (COD), sludge concentration, and stirring during the ultrasonic process. Optimal performance was achieved when sound frequency, power density, and ultrasonic irradiation period was 20 kHz, 0.1 W/mL, and 10 min, respectively, under which the wastewater COD removal efficiency was increased by 12.9 percentage points. The results indicated that low temperature could affect the anaerobic sludge irradiation effect, while intermittent stirring could enhance the bio-activity of anaerobic sludge irradiation effect and low substrate concentration improved anaerobic sludge activity by ultrasound.

The ability of biologically based wastewater treatment systems to remove emerging organic contaminants--a review

Biologically based wastewater treatment systems are considered a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to conventional wastewater treatment systems. These systems have been used and studied for the treatment of urban sewage from small communities, and recently, it has been reported that they can also effectively remove emerging organic contaminants (EOCs). EOCs are a new group of unregulated contaminants which include pharmaceutical and personal care products, some pesticides, veterinary products, and industrial compounds among others that are thought to have long-term adverse effects on human health and ecosystems. This review is focused on reporting the ability of biologically based wastewater treatment systems to remove EOCs and the main elimination mechanisms and degradation processes (i.e., biodegradation, photodegradation, phytoremediation, and sorption) taking place in constructed wetlands, ponds, and Daphnia and fungal reactors.

How efficient are constructed wetlands in removing pharmaceuticals from untreated and treated urban wastewaters? A review

This review presents and discusses the data from 47 peer-reviewed journal articles on the occurrence of 137 pharmaceutical compounds in the effluent from various types of constructed wetlands treating urban wastewater. We analyse the observed removal efficiencies of the investigated compounds in order to identify the type of constructed wetland that best removes those most frequently detected. The literature reviewed details experimental investigations carried out on 136 treatment plants, including free water surface systems, as well as horizontal and vertical subsurface flow beds (pilot or full-scale) acting as primary, secondary or tertiary treatments. The occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in sediments and gravel and their uptake by common macrophytes are also presented and discussed. We analyse the main removal mechanisms for the selected compounds and investigate the influence of the main design parameters, as well as operational and environmental conditions of the treatment systems on removal efficiency. We also report on previous attempts to correlate observed removal values with the chemical structure and chemical-physical properties (mainly pKa and LogKow) of pharmaceutical compounds. We then use the literature data to calculate the average pharmaceutical mass loadings in the effluent from constructed wetlands, comparing the ability of such systems to remove selected pharmaceuticals with the corresponding conventional secondary and tertiary treatments. Finally, the environmental risk posed by pharmaceutical residues in effluents from constructed wetlands acting as secondary and tertiary treatment steps is calculated in the form of the risk quotient ratio. This approach enabled us to provide a ranking of the most critical compounds for the two scenarios, to discuss the ramifications of the adoption of constructed wetlands for removing such persistent organic compounds, and to propose avenues of future research.

A review on removing pharmaceutical contaminants from wastewater by constructed wetlands: design, performance and mechanism

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the current state of research activities on the application of constructed wetlands for removing pharmaceutical contaminants from wastewater. The focus of the review was placed on the application of constructed wetlands as an alternative secondary wastewater treatment system or as a wastewater polishing treatment system. The design parameters of the reported constructed wetlands including the physical configuration, hydraulic mode, vegetation species, and targeting pharmaceuticals were summarized. The removal efficiencies of pharmaceuticals under different conditions in the wetlands were evaluated at the macroscopic level. In addition, the importance of the three main components of constructed wetlands (substrate, plants and microbes) for pharmaceutical removal was analyzed to elucidate the possible removal mechanisms involved. There is a general consensus among many researchers that constructed wetlands hold great potential of being used as an alternative secondary wastewater treatment system or as a wastewater polishing treatment system for the removal of pharmaceuticals, but relevant reported studies are scarce and are not conclusive in their findings. Current knowledge is limited on the removal efficiencies of pharmaceuticals in constructed wetlands, the removal mechanisms involved, the toxicity to constructed wetlands caused by pharmaceuticals, and the influences of certain important parameters (configuration design, hydraulic mode, temperature and seasonality, pH, oxygen and redox potential, etc.). This review promotes further research on these issues to provide more and better convincing evidences for the function and performance of larger laboratory-scale, pilot-scale or full-scale constructed wetlands.

Meta-analysis of environmental contamination by phthalates

Phthalate acid esters (PAE), commonly named phthalates, are toxics classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds; they are primarily used as additives to improve the flexibility in polyvinyl chloride. Many studies have reported the occurrence of phthalates in different environmental matrices; however, none of these studies has yet established a complete overview for those compounds in the water cycle within an urban environment. This review summarizes PAE concentrations for all environmental media throughout the water cycle, from atmosphere to receiving waters. Once the occurrences of compounds have been evaluated for each environmental compartment (urban wastewater, wastewater treatment plants, atmosphere, and the natural environment), we reviewed data in order to identify the fate of PAE in the environment and establish whether geographical and historical trends exist. Indeed, geographical and historical trends appear between Europe and other countries such as USA/Canada and China, however they remain location dependent. This study aimed at identifying both the correlations existing between environmental compartments and the processes influencing the fate and transport of these contaminants into the environment. In Europe, the concentrations measured in waterways today represent the background level of contamination, which provides evidence of a past diffuse pollution. In contrast, an increasing trend has actually been observed for developing countries, especially for China.

Unit Process Wetlands for Removal of Trace Organic Contaminants and Pathogens from Municipal Wastewater Effluents

Treatment wetlands have become an attractive option for the removal of nutrients from municipal wastewater effluents due to their low energy requirements and operational costs, as well as the ancillary benefits they provide, including creating aesthetically appealing spaces and wildlife habitats. Treatment wetlands also hold promise as a means of removing other wastewater-derived contaminants, such as trace organic contaminants and pathogens. However, concerns about variations in treatment efficacy of these pollutants, coupled with an incomplete mechanistic understanding of their removal in wetlands, hinder the widespread adoption of constructed wetlands for these two classes of contaminants. A better understanding is needed so that wetlands as a unit process can be designed for their removal, with individual wetland cells optimized for the removal of specific contaminants, and connected in series or integrated with other engineered or natural treatment processes. In this article, removal mechanisms of trace organic contaminants and pathogens are reviewed, including sorption and sedimentation, biotransformation and predation, photolysis and photoinactivation, and remaining knowledge gaps are identified. In addition, suggestions are provided for how these treatment mechanisms can be enhanced in commonly employed unit process wetland cells or how they might be harnessed in novel unit process cells. It is hoped that application of the unit process concept to a wider range of contaminants will lead to more widespread application of wetland treatment trains as components of urban water infrastructure in the United States and around the globe.

Occurrence and removal of pharmaceutical and hormone contaminants in rural wastewater treatment lagoons

Rural communities in the United States usually use a series of aerated lagoons to treat domestic wastewater. Effluents from these systems are typically discharged to receiving watersheds, which leads to a potential transfer of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and steroid hormones from sanitary sewage to the environment. The primary objectives of this study are to identify and quantify PPCPs and steroid hormones in rural sewage treatment lagoons, to investigate the removal efficiency of these emerging contaminants in the treatment processes, and to monitor their occurrence in the surrounding watershed. In this study, a method has been developed to analyze thirteen PPCPs and eight steroid hormones in various water samples. Among all of the PPCPs considered, ten chemicals were detected in sewage influents, lagoon waters of different treatment stages, or effluents at concentrations in the ng/L to low μg/L range. Three hormones were observed in the influents at total concentrations as high as 164 ng/L, but no hormone residues were detected in the effluents. This indicates that the aerated lagoons may effectively remove hormone contaminants. With the exception of carbamazepine, removal rates for the other detected PPCPs were relatively high in the range of 88 to 100% in September with average air temperature equal to 20 °C. However, the removal efficiency of nine PPCPs in the rural wastewater treatment plant exhibited large temporal variability. The concentrations of PPCPs in the lagoon waters and effluents collected in November, with average air temperature equal to 4.4 °C, were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those samples collected in September. Occurrence of these PPCP contaminants in the surrounding watershed was also monitored. The discharge of effluents significantly elevated the PPCP concentrations in the receiving creek and increased their occurrence in the adjacent river.