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Biodegradation kinetic constants and sorption coefficients of micropollutants in membrane bioreactors

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Abstract

In order to elucidate the capability of biomass developed in membrane bioreactors (MBR) to degrade and sorb emerging micropollutants, biodegradation (kbiol) and sorption (ksor) kinetic constants as well as solid–liquid partition coefficients (Kd) of 13 selected pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) were determined with MBR heterotrophic biomass adding a pulse (100 ppb of each compound) and following the liquid and solid phase concentrations over time. The results obtained were compared to literature data referring to conventional activated sludge (CAS) systems. Two experiments were performed: one in the MBR itself and the second one in a batch reactor with the same type and concentration of biomass as in the MBR. Overall, both biodegradation and sorption coefficients were in the same range as previously reported by other studies in CAS systems, indicating that MBR biomass does not show better capabilities for the biological degradation and/or sorption of PPCPs compared to the biomass developed in CAS reactors. Therefore, the higher PPCPs removal efficiencies found in MBRs are explained by the high biomass concentrations obtained at the long sludge retention times at which this type of reactors are usually operated.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through NOVEDAR_Consolider (CSD2007-00055) and INNOTRAZA (CTQ2010-20240) projects and by Xunta de Galicia through predoctoral (Lucas Labrada program) and postdoctoral (Isidro Parga Pondal program, IPP-08-37) contracts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Lope Gómez de Marzoa s/n, E-15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Eduardo Fernandez-Fontaina, Ines Pinho, Marta Carballa, Francisco Omil & Juan M. Lema

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  1. Eduardo Fernandez-Fontaina
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  2. Ines Pinho
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  3. Marta Carballa
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  4. Francisco Omil
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  5. Juan M. Lema
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Correspondence to Marta Carballa.

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Fernandez-Fontaina, E., Pinho, I., Carballa, M. et al. Biodegradation kinetic constants and sorption coefficients of micropollutants in membrane bioreactors. Biodegradation 24, 165–177 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-012-9568-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-012-9568-3

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