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Project title

Treatment of industrial waste water containing active pharmaceutical ingredients with a membrane bioreactor, with the aim of reducing resource consumption

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Cork Institute of Technology (CIT)

Lead Applicant

Noel Duffy

Project Abstract

Treatment of Industrial Wastewater containing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredientswith a Membrane Bioreactor with the Aim of Reducing Resource ConsumptionPidraig Colm ?MaolcathaThe biodegradation of a selected active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) duringwastewater treatment in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) was examined experimentally.A comparison study was conducted by operating a conventional activated sludge (CAS)pilot plant in parallel to the MBR. The MBR was operated under varying conditions ofpH (pH6 and pH8) MLSS (6g/L and 10g/L) and SRT (20 days and 30 days) accordingto a full factorial design of experiments. In the CAS pH and SRT were altered as abovebut MLSS was maintained at 3-4g/L. Comparable average API removal results of95.5% and 95.7% were obtained for the MBR and CAS respectively. The effluentproduced by the MBR surpassed the CAS in terms of the quality parameters: CODremoval (MBR-97.97% CASi93.57%) total phosphorous (TP) removal (MBRi88.11% CAS-79.99%) and total suspended solids (MBRi1.08mg/L CASi62.36mg/L).Statistical analysis showed that on an individual basis high levels of each of theindependent variables resulted in greatest removals of influent API.Following successful removal of the target API it is proposed that previouslyincinerated waste streams (approximately 156m3 per annum) be diverted to the largescaleCAS WWTP in Eli Lilly. This would result in a substantial cost saving in theorder of i76000 per annum as well as reducing the burden on incinerator capacity. Asupplementary investigation into wastewater reclamation was conducted. Should aMBR be incorporated into the CAS WWTP it is proposed that the effluent be reused asincinerator quench water thus reducing well water extraction by up to 288m3 per day.

Grant Approved

�35,450.00

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Protecting our Water Resources

Start Date

n/a

Initial Projected Completion Date

n/a