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Published on: March 6, 2017
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Evaluating the application of antibiotic treatment using algae-algae/activated sludge system.
Guixing Xiao1, Jianqiu Chen1, Pau Loke Show2
1School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
Chemosphere
|June 3, 2021
Summary
Microalgae effectively remove antibiotics from wastewater, with Chlorella pyrenoidosa showing significant potential. Combining microalgae with other methods enhances the removal of even challenging antibiotics like norfloxacin.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Biotechnology
- Water Treatment
Background:
- Biological methods offer promising solutions for wastewater pollutant removal.
- Microalgae demonstrate significant potential for application in wastewater treatment processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a microalga-antibiotic treatment system for removing antibiotics from wastewater.
- To investigate the potential of multiple microalgae species and integration with activated sludge for enhanced antibiotic removal.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Chlorella pyrenoidosa in a microalga-antibiotic treatment system.
- Investigated the impact of co-culturing with Microcystis aeruginosa on antibiotic removal.
- Assessed the treatment of amoxicillin and norfloxacin, and integration with activated sludge.
Main Results:
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa achieved a 41.47% removal rate of cefradine, 3.4 times higher than without microalgae.
- Co-culturing with Microcystis aeruginosa increased cefradine removal to 75.48%.
- Microalgae effectively removed amoxicillin but showed poor removal of norfloxacin; co-culturing with activated sludge improved norfloxacin removal.
Conclusions:
- Microalgae-based systems show strong potential for antibiotic removal from wastewater, with algal decomposition as a key mechanism.
- Multi-species microalgae strategies and integration with activated sludge can enhance the removal of various antibiotics, including refractory compounds.
- Microalgae-based technology offers a scalable and effective approach for antibiotic wastewater treatment, especially when combined with other technologies.
