Assessment of an aerobic granular sludge system in the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds by quantitative image analysis and chemometric techniques. (1st July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Leal, Cristiano S.; Lopes, Mariana; Val del Río, Angeles; Quintelas, Cristina; Castro, Paula M.L.; Ferreira, Eugénio C.; Amaral, A. Luís; Mesquita, Daniela P.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 289(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07-01
• Subjects: 17β-estradiol (E2) -- 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) -- Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) -- Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) -- Biomass structural characterization -- Multivariate statistical techniques; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112474
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: In this study, a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was operated with synthetic wastewater containing environmental relevant concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX). Despite the presence of the studied PhAC, the granular fraction clearly predominated (TSSgran /TSS ranging from 0.82 to 0.98) throughout the monitoring period, presenting aggregates with high organic fraction (VSS/TSS above 0.83) and good settling characteristics (SVI5 ranging from 15 to 39 mL/gTSS). A principal component analysis (PCA) with quantitative image analysis (QIA) based data allowed to distinguish the different operational periods, namely with mature granules (CONT), and the E2, EE2, and SMX feeding periods. It further revealed a positive relationship between the biomass density, sludge settling ability, overall and granular biomass contents, granulation properties, granular biomass fraction and large granules fraction and size. Moreover, a discriminant analysis (DA) allowed to successfully discriminate not only the different operational periods, mainly by using the floccular apparent density, granular stratification and contents data, but also the PhAC presence in samples. The filamentous bacteria contents, sludge settling properties, settling properties stability and granular stratification, structure and contents parameters were found to be crucial for that purpose. Graphical abstract: Assessment of an aerobic granular sludge system in the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds by quantitative image analysis and chemometric techniques. Image 1 Highlights: Quantitative image analysis is suitable for process monitoring. AGS floccular and granular fractions monitoring are crucial for AGS assessment. Chemometric tools were successfully applied for AGS monitoring in the presence of PhAC.