1
|
Gajdoš S, Zuzáková J, Pacholská T, Kužel V, Karpíšek I, Karmann C, Šturmová R, Bindzar J, Smrčková Š, Sýkorová Z, Srb M, Šmejkalová P, Kok D, Kouba V. Synergistic removal of pharmaceuticals and antibiotic resistance from ultrafiltered WWTP effluent: Free-floating ARGs exceptionally susceptible to degradation. J Environ Manage 2023; 340:117861. [PMID: 37116413 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117861] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
To protect the environment and human health, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and persistent pharmaceuticals need to be removed from WWTP effluent prior to its reuse. However, an efficient process for removing free-floating extracellular DNA (exDNA) in combination with a wide range of pharmaceuticals is yet to be reported for real process conditions. As a possible solution, we treated real ultrafiltered WWTP effluent with UV/H2O2 and combined GAC and zeolite sorption. In terms of exDNA, sequencing and high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT-qPCR) showed that exDNA is a potent carrier of numerous ARGs in ultrafiltered WWTP effluent (123 ARGs), including multi-drug efflux pump mexF that became the dominant exARG in GAC effluent over time. Due to the exposure to degradation agents, exDNA was reduced more efficiently than intracellular DNA, and overall levels of ARGs were substantially lowered. Moreover, GAC sorption was particularly effective in the removal of almost all the 85 detected pharmaceutical residues, with fresh GAC demonstrating an efficiency of up to 100%. However, zeolite (Si/Al 0.8) addition was needed to enhance the removal of persistent pollutants such as gabapentin and diclofenac to 57% and up to 100%, respectively. Our combined approach eminently decreases the hazardous effects of pharmaceuticals and antibiotic resistance in the ultrafiltered WWTP effluent, producing effluent suitable for multiple reuse options according to the latest legislation. In addition, we provided similarly promising but less extensive data for surface water and treated greywater.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Gajdoš
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Jana Zuzáková
- PVK, a.s., Ke Kablu 971, 102 00 Praha 10, Czech Republic.
| | - Tamara Pacholská
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Vojtěch Kužel
- PVK, a.s., Ke Kablu 971, 102 00 Praha 10, Czech Republic.
| | - Ivan Karpíšek
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Christina Karmann
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Rebecca Šturmová
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Bindzar
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Štěpánka Smrčková
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | | | - Martin Srb
- PVK, a.s., Ke Kablu 971, 102 00 Praha 10, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavla Šmejkalová
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Dana Kok
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Vojtěch Kouba
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, UCT Prague, Technická 3, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
Anaerobic processes for the treatment of plastic materials waste represent versatile and effective approach in environmental protection and solid waste management. In this work, anaerobic biodegradability of model aliphatic polyesters, poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA), and poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL), in the form of powder and melt-pressed films with varying molar mass, was studied. Biogas production was explored in batch laboratory trials at 55 ± 1°C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The inoculum used was thermophilic digested sludge (total solids concentration of 2.9%) from operating digesters at the Central Waste Water Treatment Plant in Prague, Czech Republic. Methanogenic biodegradation of PCLs typically yielded from 54 to 60% of the theoretical biogas yield. The biodegradability of PLAs achieved from 56 to 84% of the theoretical value. High biogas yield (up to 677 mL/g TS) with high methane content (more than 60%), comparable with conventionally processed materials, confirmed the potential of polyester samples for anaerobic treatment in the case of their exploitation in agriculture or as a packaging material in the food industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavla Šmejkalová
- Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, Praha 6 - Dejvice 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Kužníková
- Department of Polymers, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, Praha 6 - Dejvice 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic E-mail:
| | - Jan Merna
- Department of Polymers, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, Praha 6 - Dejvice 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic E-mail:
| | - Soňa Hermanová
- Department of Polymers, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, Praha 6 - Dejvice 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|