Phycoremediation of municipal wastewater : removal of nutrients and contaminants of emerging concern

Škufca, David (author), Kovačič, Ana (author), Prosenc, Franja (author), Griessler Bulc, Tjaša (author), Heath, David John (author), Heath, Ester (author)

High-rate algal ponds (HRAP) are an alternative to conventional wastewater treatment that could contribute to the circular economy by valorising reclaimed water and algal biomass. This short communication presents the removal of nutrients and contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in a pilot-scale HRAP treating primary municipal wastewater. Average removal of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, NH4-N, total phosphorus and PO4-P, was 67%, 76%, 87%, 41% and 46%, respectively. In addition, 12 CECs were detected in the influent and five in the effluent. Removals were as follows: naproxen 60%, ibuprofen 51%, methylparaben 92%, 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone 76% and oxybenzone 80%, and are comparable with literature data for conventional wastewater treatment and other HRAPs. In conclusion, studies of nature-based solutions such as HRAPs show encouraging results but need further research to understand the risks and requirements of safe wastewater and biomass reuse.

• Language: English
• Keywords: high rate algal pond, contaminants, nutrients, phycoremediation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Submitted for review: 22.01.2021
• Article acceptance date: 31.03.2021
• Publication date: 07.04.2021
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: Str. 1-6, 146949
• Numbering: Vol. 782
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-134217
• UDC: 502/504
• ISSN on article: 0048-9697
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146949
• COBISS.SI-ID: 58688003
• Publication date in RUL: 30.12.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Science of the total environment
• Shortened title: Sci. total environ.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0048-9697
• COBISS.SI-ID: 26369024

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.
• Licensing start date: 07.04.2021

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Keywords: ribnik z visoko stopnjo alg, onesnaževalci, hranila, fikoremediacija