Amoxicillin removal by pre-denitrification membrane bioreactor (A/O-MBR): Performance evaluation, degradation by-products, and antibiotic resistant bacteria

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2020-04, Vol.192, p.110258, Article 110258
• Main Authors: Matsubara, Milena Emy, Helwig, Karin, Hunter, Colin, Roberts, Joanne, Subtil, Eduardo Lucas, Coelho, Lúcia Helena Gomes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amoxicillin - metabolism; Anti-Bacterial Agents - metabolism; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacteria resistance; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; Bioreactors; Degradation by-products; Denitrification; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Emerging contaminants; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Membranes, Artificial; Micropollutants; Nitrogen - analysis; Pseudomonas fluorescens - drug effects; Removal mechanisms; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Waste Water - chemistry
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110258

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are one of the treatment technologies with the potential to remove emerging compounds from wastewater. The present work evaluated the efficiency of an MBR pilot system in removing amoxicillin from synthetic wastewater using a continuous flow pre-denitrification MBR (A/O-MBR) pilot unit. The system operated in three phases: (1) synthetic wastewater and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 40 h; (2) adding amoxicillin 100 μg L−1 to the influent, and (3) varying flowrate to HRT of 20 h. Liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of five amoxicillin degradation by-products in the effluent. The addition of amoxicillin did not affect chemical oxygen demand (COD) or dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal efficiencies. Respirometry showed that amoxicillin level did not inhibit heterotrophic bacteria metabolism. The change in HRT reduced the DOC removal (from 84% to 66%) but did not influence COD (>94%) or total nitrogen (>72%). The amoxicillin and by-products removal decreased from 80% to 54% with HRT change. Adsorption and biodegradation represented the largest removed fraction of the antibiotic in the A/O-MBR system (68%). Ecotoxicity assays showed P. fluorescens was more resistant and E. coli less resistant to amoxicillin residues at effluent sample matrix. •Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have potential to remove amoxicillin from wastewater.•Amoxicillin level did not inhibit heterotrophic bacteria metabolism.•Amoxicillin and by-products removal decreased with HRT change.•Adsorption and biodegradation represented main antibiotic removal in the A/O MBR.•Bacteria antibiotic resistance to amoxicillin residues at effluent sample matrix.