Fate of tetracycline in enhanced biological nutrient removal process
This study investigated the fate of tetracycline at four different concentrations of 20 μg L-1, 50 μg L-1, 2 and 5 mg L-1 in the enhanced biological nutrient removal processes. At the tetracycline concentration below 50 μg L-1, no obvious inhibition on the biological N&P removal was observed, wh...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/139915 |
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| Institution: | Nanyang Technological University |
| Language: | English |
| Summary: | This study investigated the fate of tetracycline at four different concentrations of 20 μg L-1, 50 μg L-1, 2 and 5 mg L-1 in the enhanced biological nutrient removal processes. At the tetracycline concentration below 50 μg L-1, no obvious inhibition on the biological N&P removal was observed, while the inhibition appeared after the tetracycline concentration was increased to 2 and 5 mg L-1. It was found that about 44%-87% of tetracycline was removed through biodegradation, while only 3%-6% of removal was due to biosorption. These results clearly suggested that a substantial amount of tetracycline eventually ended up in sludge with the tetracycline content of 23 mg to 4.5 g kg-1 sludge depending on the tetracycline concentration. Obviously, this could pose an emerging challenge to the post sludge disposal and reuse. Furthermore, phthalic anhydride was detected as a biodegradation byproduct of tetracycline, which has been known to be more toxic than tetracycline to aquatic organisms. Consequently, this study offers in-depth insights into the fate of tetracycline in the enhanced biological nutrient removal process, highlighting on the emerging ecological risks associated with sludge disposal and effluent discharge. |
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