Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research

Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research

Removal of Antibiotics From Hospital Wastewater Using Hybrid Chemical Purification and Batch Biological Reactor

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fatemeh Shirmahd 1
Afshin Takdastan 2
Mahboobeh Cheraghi 1
Ali Afrous 3
Azita Koshafar 1
1 Department of Environmental Engineering, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
2 Department of Environmental Health Engineering and Environmental Technologies Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
3 Department of Water Engineering, Dezful Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dezful, Iran
10.34172/jaehr.1303
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to investigate the performance of tetracycline and amoxicillin antibiotics removal from hospital wastewater using a combination of chemical treatment and Batch biological reactor.
Methods: In this study, the effect of PS/Fe2+/UV on tetracycline and amoxicillin removal was investigated. Different parameters including pH, different concentrations of iron, antibiotics and persulfate were investigated for removal efficiency. The remaining concentration of the solution was measured using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) device. The degree of mineralization of the process was evaluated using the chemical oxygen demand (COD) parameter. Then, the removal of tetracycline, amoxicillin and COD from the pre-treated wastewater in the batch biological reactor was investigated.
Results: The results demonstrate that the PS/Fe2+/UV process achieved complete removal of tetracycline and 97.3% removal of amoxicillin under laboratory conditions. In wastewater treatment, the process achieved a 69% reduction in tetracycline and a 67.2% reduction in amoxicillin within a 60-minute reaction time. Also, the amount of mineralization of tetracycline and amoxicillin antibiotics by PS/Fe2 + /UV process was evaluated using COD index, which resulted in removal of more than 60% of COD for both antibiotics. Also, the combination of this process and the batch biological reactor succeeded in removing 99% of BOD5 from both antibiotics and 98% of COD from real wastewater, containing 10 mg of tetracycline and amoxicillin.
Conclusion: The combined PS/Fe2 + /UV process and batch biological reactor is an efficient method. It is effective for removing antibiotics and its mineralization for wastewater treatment containing tetracycline and amoxicillin antibiotics.
Keywords
Antibiotic
Advanced purification
Discontinuous biological reactor
Tetracycline
Amoxicillin
Subjects
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Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research
Volume 11, Issue 4
Summer 2023
Pages 228-236