Removal of Selected Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Wastewater Treatment Plant in Jordan

Abstract

The largest wastewater treatment plant in Jordan was monitored in the summer to determine the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Grab samples were collected from the influent and effluent of As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) were utilized to determine the concentrations of 18 compounds of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). The results showed that 14 compounds were detected in the collected samples from the influent and effluent of As-Samra WWTP. These compounds are 1,7-dimethylxanthine, amphetamine, acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, cimetidine, cotinine, diphenhydramine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), morphine, phenazone, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, thiabendazole, and trimethoprim. However, four compounds were below the detection limit (<0.005 µg/L), namely cimetidine, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), methamphetamine, and sulfachloropyridazine. Among PPCPs, the highest estimated average concentrations in raw wastewater were caffeine, acetaminophen, 1,7-dimethylxanthine, cotinine, and carbamazepine sampled during the summer, at an estimated concentration of 155.6 µg/L, 36.7 µg/L, 10.49 µg/L, and 1.104 µg/L, respectively. However, the highest estimated average concentrations in treated wastewater were for carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, caffeine, cotinine, and acetaminophen, at 0.856 µg/L, 0.096 µg/L, 0.086 µg/L, 0.078 µg/L, and 0.041 µg/L, respectively. In general, the results showed that some compounds in the collected samples of wastewater in Jordan have concentrations exceeding the values reported in the literature. The removal efficiency rates of 1,7-dimethylxanthine, acetaminophen, caffeine, cotinine, morphine, and trimethoprim were higher than 95%, while those of carbamazepine, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole were lower than 22.5%. Moreover, diphenhydramine and thiabendazole had negative removal efficiency rates. The removal efficiency rates of the PPCPs in As-Samra WWTP were generally consistent with those of indicator compounds reported in the literature for conventional WWTPs.

A review on occurrence of emerging pollutants in waters of the MENA region

“…Caffeine has been detected in TWW in MENA countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and Tunisia. Nineteen information points are available on caffeine in TWW in the MENA region, with concentrations ranging from 45.5 to 346,000 ng/L (Alidina et al 2014 ; Alahmad and Alawi, 2010 ; Malchi et al 2014 ; Fries et al 2016 ; Moslah et al 2017 ; Al-Mashaqbeh et al 2019b ; Craddock et al 2020 ). The highest levels of caffeine were recorded in the Jordanian WWTPs, with an average concentration of 155,600 ng/L detected in the country’s largest treatment plant, As-Samra WWTP.…”

“…Negative removal (−43%) was also observed in the Al-Salt WWTP in Jordan which used RBC with extended aeration as treatment processes (Al-Tarawneh et al 2014). Low removal of carbamazepine was also observed in different WWTPs in Jordan; in the old As-Samra WWTP (0% with AS/WSP), the new As-Samra WWTP (22.5% with AS/extended aeration), Abu-Nsair WWTP (27% with RBC/extended aeration), and Al-Aqaba WWTP (33% with AS/WSP) (Al-Tarawneh et al 2014;Al-Mashaqbeh et al 2019b).…”

“…Eight pharmaceutical compounds were among the 20 most frequently studied EPs in raw wastewater. Of these, the highest concentrations were observed for clavulanic acid (26,620-51,460 ng/L), diclofenac (800-35,333 ng/L), ibuprofen (700-34,000 ng/L), carbamazepine (73-3600 ng/L), erythromycin (1.5-3010 ng/L), atenolol (62-2198 ng/L), and sulfamethoxazole (12.1-900 ng/L) (Alahmad and Alawi 2010;Gasser et al 2010;Al-Tarawneh et al 2014;Al Qarni et al 2016;Fries et al 2016;Moslah et al 2017;Al-Mashaqbeh et al 2018;Al-Mashaqbeh et al 2019b;Al-Maadheed et al 2019;Craddock et al 2020). There is greater interest in controlling pesticides in surface and groundwater than in raw wastewater as they are more likely to be exposed to such pollutants from agriculture.…”

“…It was observed in TWW in Saudi Arabia (Alidina et al 2014) The phenomenon of water reuse or discharge of completely treated wastewater allows any remaining compounds to enter the environment, especially when those compounds are not restricted/banned and are still in use. This TWW is used for different purposes, including irrigation of crops and green areas, groundwater recharge, or even indirect potable reuse in many countries across MENA (Alahmad and Alawi, 2010;Fries et al 2016;Moslah et al 2017;Al-Mashaqbeh et al 2019b;Craddock et al 2020). Nevertheless, there are several potential environmental and health-related risks associated with this practice.…”

Multiple Biomarker Responses in Female Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) Exposed to Acetaminophen

“…Over the years, the demand for the consumption of acetaminophen has increased, (Bloughz and Wu 2011, Gulmez et al, 2013;Moore and Moore, 2016) consequently leading to its high concentration of 1020 ng g −1 -155.6 µg/L in our environment (Al-Mashaqbeh et al, 2019). APAP can react with hypochlorite during the water disinfection phase, "leading to the occurrence of two extremely toxic compounds: 1, 4benzoquinone and hepatotoxic N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine that can impact aquatic organisms" (Bedner and MacCrehan, 2006; David and Pancharatna, 2009;Sung et al, 2014;Guiloski et al, 2017).…”