aer.2020.0602 EN

Série IV - n.º 6

ARTIGO COMPLETO

DOI: 10.22181/aer.2020.0602

Physical-chemical enhancement strategies with powdered activated carbon for controlling pharmaceutical compounds in WWTPs

Rui M.C. Viegas, Elsa Mesquita, António Martins, Maria João Rosa

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the comparison of powdered activated carbon (PAC) application in secondary and tertiary treatments for pharmaceutical compounds (PhCs) control in urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Laboratory-scale adsorption tests were performed with a selected PAC, three target PhCs, in mixed liquor and secondary effluent from a WWTP. Through mathematical modelling, it is predicted that, to ensure 80% removal of the total of the three PhCs, a PAC dose of 16 mg/L will be required if the secondary treatment option is used, or 7.5 mg/L if the tertiary treatment option is used.The cost analysis points to annualised costs, including CAPEX and OPEX, of 0.05 €/m3 and 0.06 €/m3 , respectively for the scenarios of dosing in the secondary and tertiary treatments. In the tertiary treatment, if the installation of rapid filtration is necessary, according to the literature, the cost could increase by about 0.08 €/m3 , making the dosage in secondary treatment more cost-efficient.

KEYWORDS: Adsorption, cost analysis, pharmaceutical compounds, powdered activated carbon, urban wastewater treatment.

DOI: 10.22181/aer.2020.0602