The fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products during composting of sewage sludge

0585277 - MBÚ 2025 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Hanč, A. - Dume, B. - Hřebečková, T. - Michal, P. - Hrčka, M. - Němcová, Kateřina - Grasserová, Alena - Cajthaml, Tomáš
The fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products during composting of sewage sludge.
Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. Roč. 38, April 2024 (2024), č. článku 101498. E-ISSN 2352-5541
R&D Projects: GA MZe(CZ) QK1910095
Institutional support: RVO:61388971
Keywords : trace organic contaminants * waste-water * anaerobic-digestion * pig manure * micropollutants * ppcps * stabilization * degradation * biosolids * emissions * Composting * Pharmaceutical residues * Sewage sludge * Straw pellets
OECD category: Microbiology
Impact factor: 6, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352554124000731?via%3Dihub

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are eliminated from wastewater on wastewater treatment plants, and can enter sludge treatment areas along with sludge that is often composted and subsequently used as fertilizer. The objective of this study was: i) to compare the concentrations of PPCPs before and after composting of sewage sludge (SS) that is important for producers of composts and policy makers, ii) to quantify an effect of composting process on decomposition of PPCPs, iii) to find out relationship between PPCPs, selected chemical properties and microorganisms. The experiment was conducted over a duration of four months with sewage sludge mixed with straw pellets (SPs) in various proportions. The concentrations of PPCPs in the input materials were measured before the composting began, and in the compost at the end of the trial. Of all 12 monitored PPCPs, telmisartan showed the highest concentrations (up to two orders of magnitude). Composting has a positive effect on the breakdown of caffeine, citalopram, diclofenac, mirtazapine, venlafaxine and partially sulfapyridine. Conversely, the decomposition of amitriptyline, carbamazepine, cetirizine, ibuprofen, telmisartan, and triclosan was not influenced by the composting process. All analyzed PPCPs had significant (p < 0.001) positive correlations with pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. However, a significant (p < 0.001) negative correlation was seen with PPCPs and total carbon, the carbonto-nitrogen ratio, bacteria, actinobacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and total microbial biomass. Composting technology should be further investigated and optimized for its potential to reduce the concentration of PPCPs in sewage sludge.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0353108