Effect of Pharmaceutical Compounds (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, and Erythromycin) on the Heterotrophic Behaviors of Biomass of a Membrane Bioreactor to Treat Urban Wastewater

The increasing prevalence of pharmaceutical substances in wastewater is emerging as a pressing ecological issue on a global scale. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biological influence of pharmaceutical compounds on the heterotrophic biomass residing in a membrane bioreactor. The study examined the way microorganisms react to antibiotic and anti-inflammatory compounds, with the goal of proactively tackling potential issues and developing solutions that may emerge withing wastewater treatment plant bioreactors. Respirometric tests were carried out to determine the kinetic response of the heterotrophic biomass. The same study was carried out in the steady state of the plant under different conditions of hydraulic retention times (6 and 12 h) and biomass concentration (2888 ± 371 mg/L to 7477 ± 869 mg/L). A response surface statistical analysis was applied to determine the effect of the variables on the rate of substrate degradation for organic matter removal and the growth rate of net heterotrophic biomass. The results show that the biological response of the biomass is concerned when exposed to a combination of pharmaceutical substances such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, and erythromycin, in four cycles of operation at 16 varying concentrations of pharmaceuticals in each cycle. This suggests the presence of a synergistic effect among these pharmaceuticals, leading to a noticeable slower kinetic response in the biomass.Project PID2021-124740NB-I00 financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and by FEDER A way of doing Europ

Kinetic Effects of Ciprofloxacin, Carbamazepine, and Bisphenol on Biomass in Membrane Bioreactor System at Low Temperatures to Treat Urban Wastewater

This study was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University Project RTI2018-101270-B-I00This study analysed the kinetic results in the presence and absence of micropollutants (bisphenol A, carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, and the mixture of the three compounds) obtained with respirometric tests with mixed liquor and heterotrophic biomass in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) working for two different hydraulic retention times (12-18 h) and under low-temperature conditions (5-8 degrees C). Independently of the temperature, the organic substrate was biodegraded faster over a longer hydraulic retention time (HRT) with similar doping, which was probably due to the longer contact time between the substrate and microorganisms within the bioreactor. However, low values of temperature negatively affected the net heterotrophic biomass growth rate, with reductions from 35.03 to 43.66% in phase 1 (12 h HRT) and from 37.18 to 42.77% in phase 2 (18 h HRT). The combined effect of the pharmaceuticals did not worsen the biomass yield compared with the effects caused individually.Spanish Government RTI2018-101270-B-I0

Study of the Potential for Agricultural Reuse of Urban Wastewater with Membrane Bioreactor Technology in the Circular Economy Framework

The growing demand for water by the population and industry, as well as water scarcity due to climate change, has created a need to reuse treated water for agricultural purposes. In this context, the European Union, through its Regulation (EU) 2020/741, establishes minimum requirements for wastewater reuse, specifying that reuse for agricultural purposes can help to promote the circular economy and reduce the need for fertiliser use by setting high-quality standards. The aim of this article is to study whether the treated water from a pilot plant with membrane bioreactor technology operating with real urban wastewater from the city of Granada (Spain) satisfies the quality standards required for its reuse for agricultural purposes, as well as assessing the use of other resources produced during wastewater treatment, such as biogas and biostabilised sludge. This plant works in four cycles of operation at two different hydraulic retention times (6 and 12 h) and different concentrations of mixed liquor (2429–6696 mg/L). The pilot plant consists of a membrane bioreactor where there are four ultrafiltration membranes working in continuous operation and a sludge treatment line working in discontinuous mode. Subsequently, a tertiary treatment of advanced oxidation process was applied to the treated water for a time of 30 min, with different concentrations of oxidant. The results showed that the effluent has sufficient quality to be used in agriculture, complying with the characteristics established in the European legislation. Furthermore, the biostabilised sludge and biogas can be potentially reusable.Spanish Government RTI2018-101270-B-I0

Nutrient Removal and Membrane Performance of an Algae Membrane Photobioreactor in Urban Wastewater Regeneration

The increase in industry and population, together with the need for wastewater reuse, makes it necessary to implement new technologies in the circular economy framework. The aim of this research was to evaluate the quality of the effluent of an algae membrane photobioreactor for the treatment of the effluent of an urban wastewater treatment plant, to characterise the ultrafiltration membranes, to study the effectiveness of a proposed cleaning protocol, and to analyse the performance of the photobioreactor. The photobioreactor operated under two days of hydraulic retention times feed with the effluent from the Los Vados wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (Granada, Spain). The microalgae community in the photobioreactor grew according to the pseudo-second-order model. The effluent obtained could be reused for different uses of diverse quality with the removal of total nitrogen and phosphorus of 56.3% and 64.27%, respectively. The fouling of the polyvinylidene difluoride ultrafiltration membrane after 80 days of operation was slight, increasing the total membrane resistance by approximately 22%. Moreover, the higher temperature of the medium was, the lower intrinsic resistance of the membrane. A total of 100% recovery of the membrane was obtained in the two-phase cleaning protocol, with 42% and 58%, respectively.Junta de Andalucia European Commission P18-TP-473

Impacts of Organic Emerging Contaminants (Erythromycin, Ibuprofen, and Diclofenac) on the Performance of a Membrane Bioreactor Treating Urban Wastewater: A Heterotrophic Kinetic Investigation

The occurrence of emerging organic contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, is a growing global concern. In this research, for a membrane bioreactor (MBR) laboratory plant operating at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h, fed with real urban wastewater, the heterotrophic biomass behaviour was analysed for two concentrations of erythromycin, ibuprofen, and diclofenac. The concentrations studied for the first phase were erythromycin 0.576 mg L−1, ibuprofen 0.056 mg L−1, and diclofenac 0.948 mg L−1. For Phase 2, the concentrations were increased to erythromycin 1.440 mg L−1, ibuprofen 0.140 mg L−1, and diclofenac 2.370 mg L−1. Heterotrophic biomass was affected and inhibited by the presence of pharmaceutical compounds in both phases. The system response to low concentrations of pharmaceutical compounds occurred in the initial phase of plant doping. Under these operating conditions, there was a gradual decrease in the concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids and the removal of chemical oxygen demand of the system, as it was not able to absorb the effect produced by the pharmaceutical compounds added in both phases

Biofouling Formation and Bacterial Community Structure in Hybrid Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor-Membrane Bioreactors: Influence of Salinity Concentration

Two pilot-scale hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactors were operated in parallel for the treatment of salinity-amended urban wastewater under 6 hours of hydraulic retention time and 2500 mg L-1 total solids concentration. Two salinity conditions were tested: the constant salinity of 6.5 mS cm-1 electric conductivity (3.6 g L-1 NaCl) and the tidal-like variable salinity with maximum 6.5 mS cm-1 electric conductivity. An investigation was developed on the biofouling produced on the ultrafiltration membrane surface evaluating its bacterial community structure and its potential function in the fouling processes. The results showed that biofouling was clearly affected by salinity scenarios in terms of a-diversity and β-diversity and bacterial community structure, which confirms lower bacterial diversity under variable salinity conditions with Rhodanobacter and Dyella as dominant phylotypes. Microorganisms identified as bio-mineral formers belonged to genera Bacillus, Citrobacter, and Brevibacterium. These findings will be of help for the prevention and control of biofouling in saline wastewater treatment systems.The authors would like to acknowledge the support given by the Institute of Water Research, the Department of Civil Engineering, the Department of Microbiology and the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology with all from the University of Granada. Additionally, they would like to acknowledge the economic support given by the Government of Spain and the Ministry of Economy and Competitivity under the funding project CTM2013-48154-P and grant BES-2014-067852

Intensificación en el desarrollo de competencias en asignaturas de Tratamiento de Aguas a través del análisis de diagramas de flujo de instalaciones mediante el empleo de técnicas de gamificación y estrategias de trabajo colaborativo

El objetivo principal del presente proyecto de innovación docente es el de subsanar una problemática detectada en los últimos años en las asignaturas de Tratamiento y Tecnología de Aguas del Grado en Ciencias Ambientales, Ingeniería Sanitaria en la Construcción Civil (Especialidad Construcciones Civiles) del Grado en Ingeniería Civil, y Tecnologías para el Tratamiento de Aguas del Grado en Ingeniería Química. Los estudiantes de las asignaturas indicadas anteriormente presentan serias dificultades para implementar, interpretar y analizar diagramas de flujo de instalaciones de tratamiento de aguas, ya sean de potabilización, desalación, depuración y/o reutilización. Este aspecto es uno de los de mayor relevancia dentro del temario de dichas asignaturas y se traduce en tasas de rendimiento y de éxito relativamente bajas. La aplicación de la innovación docente desarrollada en el presente proyecto pretende solventar esta deficiencia de los estudiantes en estas asignaturas de tratamiento de aguas mediante estrategias de trabajo colaborativo e introduciendo la evaluación por pares. Asimismo, esta metodología permitirá potenciar el desarrollo de diferentes competencias de las asignaturas en cuestión

Biorreactores de membrana aplicados al tratamiento de aguas residuales urbanas y su influencia en la calidad del agua tratada

Contiene un amplio resumen en inglésTesis realizada para la obtención del doctorado europeo en colaboración con el Instituto del AguaTesis Univ. Granada. Departamento de Ingeniería Civil. Leída el 15 del 3 del 200

El papel de los mentores desde la perspectiva de los profesores mentorizados : una experiencia en la ETSICCP

La iniciativa del proceso de mentorización surge desde el Vicerrectorado de Garantía de la calidad en el curso 2008-2009, como apoyo a la tarea docente del PDI de reciente incorporación con el 'Curso para la formación de profesores asesores, Primera Edición'. A raíz de este curso se inicia la formación de mentores en la Universidad de Granada, que son uno de los elementos fundamentales del proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje. Como resultado de esta actividad, durante el curso 2008-2009 en la ETSICCP de la Universidad de Granada existía un único profesor mentor, aumentando la cifra en el presente curso académico (2009-2010) hasta tres. El escaso número de esta figura condiciona el acceso del nuevo profesorado a las actividades de mentorización, elevando a la posición de privilegiados aquellos que participan en este proceso docente formativo. El interés por la mejora de la actividad docente en la Universidad Granada se ha generalizado en los últimos años, alcanzando a los docentes de todas las áreas de conocimiento en contraste con la situación anterior en la que este tipo de actividades interesaba únicamente a los docentes de la Ciencias de la Educación. Esta creciente consideración, quizás esté motivada por la proximidad de la reforma educativa en la universidad que conlleva la adaptación de las enseñanzas al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES) y, en parte por la relevancia que adquieren las actividades relacionadas con la docencia en la evaluación del profesorado para la acreditación de las diferentes figuras o categorías docentes. Sea como fuere, la puesta en marcha de los programas de formación del profesorado, y en concreto el de mentorización, constituye una gran oportunidad para la mejora y el intercambio de ideas en el desarrollo práctico de la docencia de calidad.NavarraUniversidad Pública de Navarra. Biblioteca Universitaria; Campus de Arrosadia; 31006 Pamplona; Tel. +34948169060; Fax +34948169069; [email protected]