Removal and transformation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plants and constructed wetlands

Abstract

Abstract. Since trace organic compounds such as pharmaceuticals in surface water have been a relevant threat to drinking water supplies, in this study removal of pharmaceuticals and transformation of pharmaceuticals into metabolites were investigated in the main source of micropollutants such as WWTPs and engineered constructed wetlands. Pharmaceuticals were effectively removed by different WWTP processes and wetlands. Pharmaceutical metabolites with relatively low log D value were resulted in the low removal efficiencies compared to parent compounds with relatively high log D value, indicating the stability of metabolites. And the constructed wetlands fed with wastewater effluent were encouraged to prevent direct release of micropollutants into surface waters. Among various pharmaceuticals, different transformation pattern of ibuprofen was observed with significant formation of 1-hydroxy-ibuprofen during biological treatment in WWTP, indicating preferential biotransformation of ibuprofen. Lastly, transformation of pharmaceuticals depending on their structural position was investigated in terms of electron density, and, the electron rich C1 = C2 bond of carbamazepine was revealed as an initial transformation position.

Pharmacokinetics in Plants: Carbamazepine and Its Interactions with Lamotrigine

“…It is important to note that the CBZ concentration in the sap was always lower than in the nutrient solution and this difference increased with time from 24 h to the end of the experiment. CBZ, being neutral with an intermediate lipophilicity (Table ), is relatively easily translocated from root to shoot via the sap. − It is important to note that metabolites of CBZ were not detected in the sap. As for LTG concentration in the sap, it was consistently much lower than in the nutrient solutions in both the single- and bisolute systems (Figure b).…”

Identification of transformation products from β‐blocking agents formed in wetland microcosms using LC‐Q‐ToF

“…Many degradation products possess an increased hydrophilicity in relation to their parent compound, and therefore have a lower bioaccumulation risk. However, the transformation of hydrophobic substances into more hydrophilic ones may result in less sorption during wastewater treatment and therefore a higher mobility in the aquatic environment …”

Environmental impact and biological removal processes of pharmaceutically active compounds: The particular case of sulfonamides, anticonvulsants and steroid estrogens

“…Moreover, similar results showing slight or no removal were obtained for CBZ and 5 of its metabolites (10,11-dihydro-10,11-dihydroxy-CBZ, 10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxy-CBZ, 10,11-epoxy-10,11-dihydro-CBZ, 2-hydroxy-CBZ and 3-hydroxy-CBZ) in German and Portuguese full-scale WWTPs (Bahlmann et al, 2014). On the other hand, full-scale constructed wetlands (CW) were useful for CBZ and SMX removal purposes (Gross, Montgomery-Brown, Naumann, & Reinhard, 2004;Matamoros, Garc ıa, & Bayona, 2008;Hijosa-Valsero, Matamoros, Mart ın-Villacorta, B ecares, & Bayona, 2010;Anderson et al, 2013;Lee, Lee, Park, Kim, & Cho, 2013). Nevertheless, conflicting results have been reported by these authors, ranging from no effective removal of both compounds in a study conducted in Canada (Anderson et al, 2013), from 15 to 37% CBZ removal efficiencies in full-scale and surface flow CW reported in Spain (Hijosa-Valsero et al, 2010).…”