When microbial electrochemistry meets UV: The applicability to high-strength real pharmaceutical industry wastewater

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 423; no. Pt B; p. 127151
• Main Authors: Zou, Rusen, Tang, Kai, Hambly, Adam C., Wünsch, Urban J., Andersen, Henrik Rasmus, Angelidaki, Irini, Zhang, Yifeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 05.02.2022
• Subjects: Ciprofloxacin; Drug Industry; Electrochemistry; Industrial Waste - analysis; Microbial electrolysis cell; Pharmaceutical industry wastewater; Toxicity; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste Water; Water Purification; Microbial electrolysis cell; UV; Pharmaceutical industry wastewater; Ciprofloxacin; Toxicity
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127151

Wastewater from pharmaceutical and related industries contains many residual pharmaceutical components rich in color and high COD contents, which cannot be removed through the traditional wastewater treatment processes. Recently, microbial electrolysis ultraviolet cell (MEUC) process has shown its promising potential to remove recalcitrant organics because of its merits of wide pH range, iron-free, and without complications of iron sludge production. However, its application to the real pharmaceutical-rich industrial wastewater is still unknown. In this study, the MEUC process was validated with real ciprofloxacin-rich (6863.79 ± 2.21 µg L−1) industrial wastewater (6840 ± 110 mg L−1 of COD). The MEUC process achieved 100% removal of ciprofloxacin, 100% decolorization, and 99.1% removal of COD within 12, 60 and 30 h, respectively, when it was operated at pH-controlled at 7.8, applied voltage of 0.6 V, UV intensity of 10 mW cm−2, and cathodic aeration velocity of 0.005 mL min−1 mL−1. Moreover, fluorescence analysis showed that protein- and humic-like substances in such wastewater were effectively removed, providing further evidence of its high treatment efficiency. Furthermore, eco-toxicity testing with luminescent bacteria Vibro Feschri confirmed that the treated effluent was utterly non-toxic. The results demonstrated the broad application potential of MEUC technology for treating industrial wastewater. [Display omitted] •Microbial electrolysis ultraviolet cell treating real pharmaceutical wastewater.•Efficient removal of ciprofloxacin, color, and COD at neutral pH.•Effective removal of optically active DOM revealed by Fluorescence analysis.•The treated effluent showed no eco-toxic through the Vibro feschri bioassay.•The process was more efficient and cost-effective than MFC and EF.