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Advanced Treatment Process for Pharmaceuticals, Endocrine Disruptors, and Flame Retardants Removal
Author(s) -
Sundaram Vijay,
Emerick Robert W.,
Shumaker Stanley E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143013x13807328849053
Subject(s) - reverse osmosis , effluent , chemistry , filtration (mathematics) , water treatment , waste management , nanofiltration , powdered activated carbon treatment , activated carbon , pulp and paper industry , environmental science , environmental chemistry , environmental engineering , membrane , organic chemistry , adsorption , biochemistry , statistics , mathematics , engineering
The objective of this project was to demonstrate the effectiveness of an advanced treatment process that did not utilize reverse osmosis for the removal of pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors and flame retardants (collectively referred as contaminants of emerging concern [CECs]) from municipal effluent. The advanced treatment process consisted of (in the order of use): membrane filtration, ozonation (O 3 ), and biologically active carbon (BAC) filtration. Ozone dosage of 5 mg/L or more was needed for desired CEC removal. Biologically active carbon removed flame retardants, and ozonation byproducts including NDMA and aldehydes. The project successfully demonstrated 1) the removal of a wide range of CECs, 2) reduction of estrogen activity to background levels, and 3) removal of ozonation byproducts. Treatment was achieved at lower costs and power utilization than reverse osmosis and without generating a concentrate stream. Results from this project could make CEC removal feasible, especially in situations where reverse osmosis treatment is infeasible.