Effect of Carbamazepine, Ibuprofen, Triclosan and Sulfamethoxazole on Anaerobic Bioreactor Performance: Combining Cell Damage, Ecotoxicity and Chemical Information

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are partially degraded in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), thereby leading to the formation of more toxic metabolites. Bacterial populations in bioreactors operated in WWTPs are sensitive to different toxics such as heavy metals and aromatic compounds, but there is still little information on the effect that pharmaceuticals exert on their metabolism, especially under anaerobic conditions. This work evaluated the effect of selected pharmaceuticals that remain in solution and attached to biosolids on the metabolism of anaerobic biomass. Batch reactors operated in parallel under the pressure of four individual and mixed PPCPs (carbamazepine, ibuprofen, triclosan and sulfametoxazole) allowed us to obtain relevant information on anaerobic digestion performance, toxicological effects and alterations to key enzymes involved in the biodegradation process. Cell viability was quantitatively evaluated using an automatic analysis of confocal microscopy images, and showed that triclosan and mixed pollutants caused higher toxicity and cell death than the other individual compounds. Both individual pollutants and their mixture had a considerable impact on the anaerobic digestion process, favoring carbon dioxide production, lowering organic matter removal and methane production, which also produced microbial stress and irreversible cell damage.Comunidad de MadridUniversidad de Alcal

Nitrophenols degradation in aqueous solution by thermal activation of persulfate

Phenolic compounds are considered hazardous waste released into the environment by industries such as steel, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. Here, we propose the degradation of nitrophenols in aqueous solutions by Advanced Oxidation Technologies by the use of sodium persulfate (PS) as an oxidant. Degradation of nitrophenols (2-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol) in aqueous solution, by thermal activation of PS was studied. In our experimental conditions, total degradation of nitrophenols was achieved in 45 minutes. However, Total Organic Carbon (TOC) values reached 84 ± 3% after 180 minutes, showing that mineralization was high but not complete. A reaction mechanism of sulfate (SO4 .-) radicals with nitrophenols was proposedLos compuestos fenólicos son considerados como desechos peligrosos liberados al ambiente acuático por industrias tales como siderúrgicas, petroquímicas y farmacéuticas. En este trabajo se propone una alterna- tiva para la degradación de nitrofenoles en aguas contaminadas mediante Métodos de Oxidación Avanzados, basadas en la utilización de persulfato de sodio (PS) como oxidante. Se estudió la degradación de nitrofenoles: 2-nitrofenol, 4-nitrofenol y el 2,4-dinitrofenol, en solución acuosa, a través de la activación térmica del PS. En nuestras condiciones experimentales se logró la degradación total de los nitrofenoles estudiados en 45 minutos. Sin embargo los valores de Carbono Orgánico Total (COT) llegaron a 84 ± 3 % a los 180 minutos, demostrando que la mineralización fue buena pero no total. Se propuso un mecanismo de reacción para los nitrofenoles con radicales sulfato (SO4.-), similar al publicado para fenol.Fil: Díaz Cubilla, Felicia Mabel. Universidad Nacional de Asuncion; Paraguay. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Martin, Marcela Vanessa. Universidad Nacional de Asuncion; ParaguayFil: Villabrille, Paula Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo En Ciencias Aplicadas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Rosso, Janina Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentin

Effect of Carbamazepine, Ibuprofen, Triclosan and Sulfamethoxazole on Anaerobic Bioreactor Performance: Combining Cell Damage, Ecotoxicity and Chemical Information

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are partially degraded in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), thereby leading to the formation of more toxic metabolites. Bacterial populations in bioreactors operated in WWTPs are sensitive to different toxics such as heavy metals and aromatic compounds, but there is still little information on the effect that pharmaceuticals exert on their metabolism, especially under anaerobic conditions. This work evaluated the effect of selected pharmaceuticals that remain in solution and attached to biosolids on the metabolism of anaerobic biomass. Batch reactors operated in parallel under the pressure of four individual and mixed PPCPs (carbamazepine, ibuprofen, triclosan and sulfametoxazole) allowed us to obtain relevant information on anaerobic digestion performance, toxicological effects and alterations to key enzymes involved in the biodegradation process. Cell viability was quantitatively evaluated using an automatic analysis of confocal microscopy images, and showed that triclosan and mixed pollutants caused higher toxicity and cell death than the other individual compounds. Both individual pollutants and their mixture had a considerable impact on the anaerobic digestion process, favoring carbon dioxide production, lowering organic matter removal and methane production, which also produced microbial stress and irreversible cell damage