Simultaneous enhanced removal of pharmaceuticals and hormone from wastewaters using series combinations of ultra-violet irradiation, bioremediation, and adsorption technologies

• Main Authors: Sayed, Khalid, Mohtar, Wan Hanna Melini Wan, Hanafiah, Zarimah Mohd, Wan-Mohtar, Wan Abd Al Qadr Imad, Abd Manan, Teh Sabariah Binti, Sharif, Sarah Athirah Binti Mohamad
• Format: Article
• Published: Elsevier 2024
• Subjects: S Agriculture (General); TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/44252/; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2023.104589

Pharmaceuticals and hormones presence in effluent of conventional municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been widely reported. Medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma species and bentonite clay were recently found to have promising results in wastewater treatment with potential advantages in the removal of pharmaceuticals. Here we investigated a hybrid treatment comprising of three separate processes (no chemicals) i.e., UV irradiation, biological, adsorption (bentonite + dolomite) in a series to enhance the simultaneous removal pharmaceuticals and hormone from wastewaters (real and synthetic). In this study, fungal species Ganoderma lucidum (GLSB) and Ganoderma neo-japonicum (GJSG) are used separately in bioreactors. The work investigated removal efficiencies of four (4) pharmaceuticals and a hormone. The results showed that all investigated pharmaceuticals and hormone were removed in hybrid treatment during 54.5 h treatment. Both GLSB and GJSG reactor series treatments achieved maximum removal in both synthetic and real domestic wastewater. Overall, this study provides promising suggestions for the upgrade and design of WWTPs to simultaneous complete removal of pharmaceuticals and hormone. Present study is a beginning for future development of sustainable tertiary hybrid treatment process in addition to existing WWTPs processes to completely remove the emerging pollutants.