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Ajaz S, Aly Hassan A, Michael RN, Leusch FDL. Removal of organic micropollutants in biologically active filters: A systematic quantitative review of key influencing factors. J Environ Manage 2024; 353:120203. [PMID: 38325285 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Biofiltration utilizes natural mechanisms including biodegradation and biotransformation along with other physical processes for the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides and industrial compounds found in (waste)water. In this systematic review, a total of 120 biofiltration studies from 25 countries were analyzed, considering various biofilter configurations, source water types, biofilter media and scales of operation. The study also provides a bibliometric analysis to identify the emerging research trends in the field. The results show that granular activated carbon (GAC) either alone or in combination with another biofiltration media can remove a broad range of OMPs efficiently. The impact of pre-oxidation on biofilter performance was investigated, revealing that pre-oxidation significantly improved OMP removal and reduced the empty bed contact time (EBCT) needed to achieve a consistently high OMP. Biofiltration with pre-oxidation had median removals ranging between 65% and >90% for various OMPs at 10-45 min EBCT with data variability drastically reducing beyond 20 min EBCT. Biofiltration without pre-oxidation had lower median removals with greater variability. The results demonstrate that pre-oxidation greatly enhances the removal of adsorptive and poorly biodegradable OMPs, while its impact on other OMPs varies. Only 19% of studies we reviewed included toxicity testing of treated effluent, and even fewer measured transformation products. Several studies have previously reported an increase in effluent toxicity because of oxidation, although it was successfully abated by subsequent biofiltration in most cases. Therefore, the efficacy of biofiltration treatment should be assessed by integrating toxicity testing into the assessment of overall removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Ajaz
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Ashraf Aly Hassan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, PO Box, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ruby N Michael
- Green Infrastructure Research Labs (GIRLS), Cities Research Institute, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, 4222, Australia.
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Schmitz M, Deutschmann B, Markert N, Backhaus T, Brack W, Brauns M, Brinkmann M, Seiler TB, Fink P, Tang S, Beitel S, Doering JA, Hecker M, Shao Y, Schulze T, Weitere M, Wild R, Velki M, Hollert H. Demonstration of an aggregated biomarker response approach to assess the impact of point and diffuse contaminant sources in feral fish in a small river case study. Sci Total Environ 2022; 804:150020. [PMID: 34508932 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of the exposure of aquatic wildlife to complex environmental mixtures of chemicals originating from both point and diffuse sources and evaluating the potential impact thereof constitutes a significant step towards mitigating toxic pressure and the improvement of ecological status. In the current proof-of-concept study, we demonstrate the potential of a novel Aggregated Biomarker Response (ABR) approach involving a comprehensive set of biomarkers to identify complex exposure and impacts on wild brown trout (Salmo trutta fario). Our scenario used a small lowland river in Germany (Holtemme river in the Elbe river catchment) impacted by two wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and diffuse agricultural runoff as a case study. The trout were collected along a pollution gradient (characterised in a parallel study) in the river. Compared to fish from the reference site upstream of the first WWTP, the trout collected downstream of the WWTPs showed a significant increase in micronucleus formation, phase I and II enzyme activities, and oxidative stress parameters in agreement with increasing exposure to various chemicals. By integrating single biomarker responses into an aggregated biomarker response, the two WWTPs' contribution to the observed toxicity could be clearly differentiated. The ABR results were supported by chemical analyses and whole transcriptome data, which revealed alterations of steroid biosynthesis and associated pathways, including an anti-androgenic effect, as some of the key drivers of the observed toxicity. Overall, this combined approach of in situ biomarker responses complemented with molecular pathway analysis allowed for a comprehensive ecotoxicological assessment of fish along the river. This study provides evidence for specific hazard potentials caused by mixtures of agricultural and WWTP derived chemicals at sublethal concentrations. Using aggregated biomarker responses combined with chemical analyses enabled an evidence-based ranking of sites with different degrees of pollution according to toxic stress and observed effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Schmitz
- Department for Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Björn Deutschmann
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, 52070 Aachen, Germany
| | - Nele Markert
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, 52070 Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Backhaus
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Werner Brack
- Department for Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mario Brauns
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department River Ecology, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Brinkmann
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Dr, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, 52070 Aachen, Germany; Ruhr District Institute of Hygiene, Rotthauser Str. 21, 45879 Gelsenkirchen, Germany
| | - Patrick Fink
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department River Ecology, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany; Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Department Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis and Management, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 D Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Song Tang
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Dr, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Shawn Beitel
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Dr, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Jon A Doering
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Dr, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Markus Hecker
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Dr, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Ying Shao
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, 52070 Aachen, Germany; Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Road Shapingba, 400045 Chongqing, PR China
| | - Tobias Schulze
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Weitere
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department River Ecology, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Romy Wild
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department River Ecology, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Mirna Velki
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, 52070 Aachen, Germany; Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Ul. Cara Hadrijana 8/A, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Henner Hollert
- Department for Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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Tu YJ, Premachandra GS, Boyd SA, Sallach JB, Li H, Teppen BJ, Johnston CT. Synthesis and evaluation of Fe 3O 4-impregnated activated carbon for dioxin removal. Chemosphere 2021; 263:128263. [PMID: 33297207 PMCID: PMC7733032 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDD/PCDFs) are highly toxic organic pollutants in soils and sediments which persist over timescales that extend from decades to centuries. There is a growing need to develop effective technologies for remediating PCDD/Fs-contaminated soils and sediments to protect human and ecosystem health. The use of sorbent amendments to sequester PCDD/Fs has emerged as one promising technology. A synthesis method is described here to create a magnetic activated carbon composite (AC-Fe3O4) for dioxin removal and sampling that could be recovered from soils using magnetic separation. Six AC-Fe3O4 composites were evaluated (five granular ACs (GACs) and one fine-textured powder AC(PAC)) for their magnetization and ability to sequester dibenzo-p-dioxin (DD). Both GAC/PAC and GAC/PAC-Fe3O4 composites effectively removed DD from aqueous solution. The sorption affinity of DD for GAC-Fe3O4 was slightly reduced compared to GAC alone, which is attributed to the blocking of sorption sites. The magnetization of a GAC-Fe3O4 composite reached 5.38 emu/g based on SQUID results, allowing the adsorbent to be easily separated from aqueous solution using an external magnetic field. Similarly, a fine-textured PAC-Fe3O4 composite was synthesized with a magnetization of 9.3 emu/g.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Jen Tu
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Rd., Shanghai, 200234, China
| | | | - Stephen A Boyd
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - J Brett Sallach
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5NG, UK
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Brian J Teppen
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Cliff T Johnston
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, 915 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, 550 Stadium Mall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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Völker J, Stapf M, Miehe U, Wagner M. Systematic Review of Toxicity Removal by Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technologies via Ozonation and Activated Carbon. Environ Sci Technol 2019; 53:7215-7233. [PMID: 31120742 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b00570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Upgrading wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with advanced technologies is one key strategy to reduce micropollutant emissions. Given the complex chemical composition of wastewater, toxicity removal is an integral parameter to assess the performance of WWTPs. Thus, the goal of this systematic review is to evaluate how effectively ozonation and activated carbon remove in vitro and in vivo toxicity. Out of 2464 publications, we extracted 46 relevant studies conducted at 22 pilot or full-scale WWTPs. We performed a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of in vitro (100 assays) and in vivo data (20 species), respectively. Data is more abundant on ozonation (573 data points) than on an activated carbon treatment (162 data points), and certain in vitro end points (especially estrogenicity) and in vivo models (e.g., daphnids) dominate. The literature shows that while a conventional treatment effectively reduces toxicity, residual effects in the effluents may represent a risk to the receiving ecosystem on the basis of effect-based trigger values. In general, an upgrade to ozonation or activated carbon treatment will significantly increase toxicity removal with similar performance. Nevertheless, ozonation generates toxic transformation products that can be removed by a post-treatment. By assessing the growing body of effect-based studies, we identify sensitive and underrepresented end points and species and provide guidance for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Völker
- Department of Biology , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim 7491 , Norway
| | - Michael Stapf
- Berlin Centre of Competence for Water (KWB) , Berlin 10709 , Germany
| | - Ulf Miehe
- Berlin Centre of Competence for Water (KWB) , Berlin 10709 , Germany
| | - Martin Wagner
- Department of Biology , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim 7491 , Norway
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Wilhelm S, Henneberg A, Köhler HR, Rault M, Richter D, Scheurer M, Suchail S, Triebskorn R. Does wastewater treatment plant upgrading with activated carbon result in an improvement of fish health? Aquat Toxicol 2017; 192:184-197. [PMID: 28965022 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, the efficiency of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) upgraded with a powdered activated carbon unit for the reduction of micropollutants and the related advantages for fish health have been analyzed by means of different biomarkers, i.e. histopathological investigations, analyses of glycogen content and stress proteins, as well as by chemical analyses in different matrices. Comparative analyses were conducted prior and subsequent to the installation of the additional purification unit. Chemical analyses revealed a significant reduction of several pharmaceuticals, including diclofenac, carbamazepine and metoprolol, in samples of effluent and surface water downstream of the WWTP after its upgrade. In addition, diminished concentrations of diclofenac and PFOS were detected in tissues of analyzed fish. Histopathological investigations of fish liver, gills, and kidney revealed improved tissue integrity in fish after improved wastewater treatment. In parallel, biochemical measurements of glycogen revealed increased energy resources in fish liver and, furthermore, hsp70 levels in livers of exposed rainbow trout and in kidneys of exposed brown trout were lower after than before the WWTP upgrade. In summary, additional treatment with powdered activated carbon led to a reduction of potentially hazardous chemicals in the effluent and the adjacent river and, consequently, to an improvement of fish health in the receiving water course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Wilhelm
- Animal Physiological Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Anja Henneberg
- Animal Physiological Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Heinz-R Köhler
- Animal Physiological Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Magali Rault
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie Marine et Continentale, IMBE UAPV AMU IRD, Pôle Agrosciences, BP 21239, 84916 Avignon, France.
| | - Doreen Richter
- DVGW Water Technology Center, Karlsruher Straße 84, D-76139 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Marco Scheurer
- DVGW Water Technology Center, Karlsruher Straße 84, D-76139 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Séverine Suchail
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie Marine et Continentale, IMBE UAPV AMU IRD, Pôle Agrosciences, BP 21239, 84916 Avignon, France.
| | - Rita Triebskorn
- Animal Physiological Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany; Steinbeis Transfer-Center for Ecotoxicology and Ecophysiology, Blumenstrasse 13, D-72108 Rottenburg, Germany.
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Völker J, Vogt T, Castronovo S, Wick A, Ternes TA, Joss A, Oehlmann J, Wagner M. Extended anaerobic conditions in the biological wastewater treatment: Higher reduction of toxicity compared to target organic micropollutants. Water Res 2017; 116:220-230. [PMID: 28340420 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Extended anaerobic conditions during biological wastewater treatment may enhance the biodegradation of micropollutants. To explore this, we combined iron-reducing or substrate-limited anaerobic conditions and aerobic pilot-scale reactors directly at a wastewater treatment plant. To investigate the detoxification by these processes, we applied two in vitro bioassays for baseline toxicity (Microtox) and reactive toxicity (AREc32) as well as in vivo bioassays with aquatic model species in two laboratory experiments (Desmodesmus subspicatus, Daphnia magna) and two on-site, flow-through experiments (Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Lumbriculus variegatus). Moreover, we analyzed 31 commonly occurring micropollutants and 10 metabolites. The baseline toxicity of raw wastewater was effectively removed in full-scale and reactor scale activated sludge treatment (>85%), while the oxidative stress response was only partially removed (>61%). A combination of an anaerobic pre-treatment under iron reducing conditions and an aerobic nitrification significantly further reduced the residual in vitro toxicities by 46-60% and outperformed the second combination consisting of an aerobic pre-treatment and an anaerobic post-treatment under substrate-limiting conditions (27-43%). Exposure to effluents of the activated sludge treatment did not induce adverse in vivo effects in aquatic invertebrates. Accordingly, no further improvement in water quality could be observed. Compared to that, the removal of persistent micropollutants was increased. However, this observation was restricted to a limited number of compounds and the removal of the sum concentration of all target micropollutants was relative low (14-17%). In conclusion, combinations of strictly anaerobic and aerobic processes significantly enhanced the removal of specific and non-specific in vitro toxicities. Thus, an optimization of biological wastewater treatment can lead to a substantially improved detoxification. These otherwise hidden capacities of a treatment technology can only be uncovered by a complementary biological analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Völker
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Tobias Vogt
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sandro Castronovo
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Arne Wick
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Thomas A Ternes
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Adriano Joss
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Oehlmann
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Martin Wagner
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
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