Comparison of the Efficiency of Adsorption, Ozonation, and Ozone/Activated Carbon Coupling for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals from Water
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 2
Abstract
The treatment by adsorption on activated carbon, ozonation, and ozone/activated carbon coupling of a solution containing six pharmaceutical compounds (metoprolol, carbamazepine, terbutaline, fluoxetine, and sulfamethoxazole) chosen among different pharmaceutical classes has been investigated. The efficiency of the processes was estimated through the removal of each target pollutant and the evolution of both toxicity (inhibition of Vibrio fisheri bioluminescence) and the total organic carbon concentration. The influence of pH, ranging from 3 to 7, on the process efficiency was also studied. In each experimental condition, the fastest removal of the pharmaceutical compounds was achieved with ozone/activated carbon coupling. Nevertheless, this process (ozonation and ozone/activated carbon coupling) leads to the formation of toxic by-products that significantly increase the toxicity of the treated effluent. Their removal would require extending the treatment time or increasing the ozone concentration, which increases the treatment costs. Based on the experimental results in these experimental conditions and the toxicity evolution in the liquid phase, the adsorption on activated carbon seems to be the most efficient and the safest process to remove pharmaceutical compounds from water.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Xavier Bourrain and the Agence de l’Eau Loire Bretagne for their technical and financial support and Pica Jacobi for gratuitously supplying AC.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 2 • February 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 5, 2014
Accepted: Aug 27, 2015
Published online: Oct 8, 2015
Published in print: Feb 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Mar 8, 2016
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