Biodegradability of residues of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP's)
Project co-ordinator: dr. Ester Heath
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute
The proposed research work is concerned with study of PPCP biodegradation and reduction in wastewaters. The procedure of degradation in wastewater will be optimised for the investigated compounds by applying biological and/or selected chemical methods (membrane filtration and other filtration techniques, UV degradation, coagulation). Their degradation will be tested on a pilot and full-size waste-water treatment plant as a collaboration between the Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute and the Institute of Sanitary Engineering from the Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering at the University of Ljubljana. Before application of representative real samples, each procedure will be validated on synthetic wastewaters.
Compounds with biological activity were selected on the basis of their widespread application (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), lipid regulating agents, sun protection agents (UVA and UVB filters,...). Degradation processes of the selected compounds will be determined through analysis of their metabolic products by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The biodegradation of the selected compounds will be tracked with the use of more sophisticated methods, e.g. mathematical modelling as QSAR (Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship). Genotoxicity of the selected PPCP and their degradation products will be studied and procedures for their further degradation and inactivation will be developed.
The final result of this research study will be a proposal for wastewater treatment plant technology, which will reduce the influence of PPCPs on man and the environment. From this viewpoint it is expected that this research will contribute towards both new wastewater cleaning technology and a higher quality of water discharges with economic benefits.
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