Drug retention also depends on the molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of the
MBR membranes. The absorption on the membranes is also limited by the surface
area available. Nonpolar pharmaceutical compounds are absorbed in the biomass
and, therefore, are removed indirectly during the retention of the solids by the
membranes.
The results of various investigations show that performance in wastewater treatment could be improved by applying additional treatments, for example, activated
carbon adsorption, ozone oxidation, advanced oxidation processes (AOP),
nanofiltration (NF), or reverse osmosis (RO), among others.
References
1. Shanmugam G, Sampath S, Selvaraj KK, Larsson DGJ, Ramaswamy BR (2014) Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs in Indian rivers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21(2):921–931
2. Vane JR (1973) Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis as a mechanism of action for aspirin-like
drugs. Nat New Biol 231(25):232–235
3. Phillips WJ, Currier BL (2004) Analgesic pharmacology: II. Specific analgesics. J Am Acad
Orthop Surg 12(4):221–233
4. Dawood MY (2006) Primary dysmenorrhea: advances in pathogenesis and management. Obstet
Gynecol 108(2):428–441
5. Shekelle PG et al (2017) Management of gout: a systematic review in support of an American
college of physicians clinical practice guideline. Ann Inter Med 166(1):37–51
6. He BS, Wang J, Liu J, Hu XM (2017) Eco-pharmacovigilance of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Necessity and opportunities. Chemosphere 181:178–189
7. Ternes TA (1998) Occurrence of drugs in german sewage treatment plants and riversf. Water
Res 32(11):3245–3260
8. Stumpf M, Ternes TA, Wilken RD, Rodrigues SV, Baumann W (1999) Polar drug residues in
sewage and natural waters in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sci Total Environ 225
(1–2):135–141
9. Miao X-S, Bishay F, Chen M, Metcalfe CD (2004) Occurence of antimicrobials in the final
effluents of wastewater treatment plants in Canada. Environ Sci Technol 38(13):3533–3541
10. Xu W et al (2007) Occurrence and elimination of antibiotics at four sewage treatment plants in
the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China. Water Res 41(19):4526–4534
11. Kümmerer K (2001) Drugs in the environment: emission of drugs, diagnostic aids and disinfectants into wastewater by hospitals in relation to other sources - a review. Chemosphere 45
(6–7):957–969
12. Andreozzi R, Marotta R, Paxéus N (2003) Pharmaceuticals in STP effluents and their solar
photodegradation in aquatic environment. Chemosphere 50(10):1319–1330
13. Carballa M, Omil F, Lema JM (2005) Removal of cosmetic ingredients and pharmaceuticals in
sewage primary treatment. Water Res 39(19):4790–4796
14. Tauxe-Wuersch A, De Alencastro LF, Grandjean D, Tarradellas J (2005) Occurrence of several
acidic drugs in sewage treatment plants in Switzerland and risk assessment. Water Res 39
(9):1761–1772
15. Brown KD, Kulis J, Thomson B, Chapman TH, Mawhinney DB (2006) Occurrence of
antibiotics in hospital, residential, and dairy effluent, municipal wastewater, and the Rio Grande
in New Mexico. Sci Total Environ 366(2–3):772–783
16. González-Pérez DM, Pérez JI, Gómez MA (2017) Behaviour of the main nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in a membrane bioreactor treating urban wastewater at high hydraulic- and
sludge-retention time. J Hazard Mater 336:128–138
274
R. M. Gómez-Espinosa and D. Arizmendi-Cotero
MBR membranes. The absorption on the membranes is also limited by the surface
area available. Nonpolar pharmaceutical compounds are absorbed in the biomass
and, therefore, are removed indirectly during the retention of the solids by the
membranes.
The results of various investigations show that performance in wastewater treatment could be improved by applying additional treatments, for example, activated
carbon adsorption, ozone oxidation, advanced oxidation processes (AOP),
nanofiltration (NF), or reverse osmosis (RO), among others.
References
1. Shanmugam G, Sampath S, Selvaraj KK, Larsson DGJ, Ramaswamy BR (2014) Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs in Indian rivers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21(2):921–931
2. Vane JR (1973) Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis as a mechanism of action for aspirin-like
drugs. Nat New Biol 231(25):232–235
3. Phillips WJ, Currier BL (2004) Analgesic pharmacology: II. Specific analgesics. J Am Acad
Orthop Surg 12(4):221–233
4. Dawood MY (2006) Primary dysmenorrhea: advances in pathogenesis and management. Obstet
Gynecol 108(2):428–441
5. Shekelle PG et al (2017) Management of gout: a systematic review in support of an American
college of physicians clinical practice guideline. Ann Inter Med 166(1):37–51
6. He BS, Wang J, Liu J, Hu XM (2017) Eco-pharmacovigilance of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Necessity and opportunities. Chemosphere 181:178–189
7. Ternes TA (1998) Occurrence of drugs in german sewage treatment plants and riversf. Water
Res 32(11):3245–3260
8. Stumpf M, Ternes TA, Wilken RD, Rodrigues SV, Baumann W (1999) Polar drug residues in
sewage and natural waters in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sci Total Environ 225
(1–2):135–141
9. Miao X-S, Bishay F, Chen M, Metcalfe CD (2004) Occurence of antimicrobials in the final
effluents of wastewater treatment plants in Canada. Environ Sci Technol 38(13):3533–3541
10. Xu W et al (2007) Occurrence and elimination of antibiotics at four sewage treatment plants in
the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China. Water Res 41(19):4526–4534
11. Kümmerer K (2001) Drugs in the environment: emission of drugs, diagnostic aids and disinfectants into wastewater by hospitals in relation to other sources - a review. Chemosphere 45
(6–7):957–969
12. Andreozzi R, Marotta R, Paxéus N (2003) Pharmaceuticals in STP effluents and their solar
photodegradation in aquatic environment. Chemosphere 50(10):1319–1330
13. Carballa M, Omil F, Lema JM (2005) Removal of cosmetic ingredients and pharmaceuticals in
sewage primary treatment. Water Res 39(19):4790–4796
14. Tauxe-Wuersch A, De Alencastro LF, Grandjean D, Tarradellas J (2005) Occurrence of several
acidic drugs in sewage treatment plants in Switzerland and risk assessment. Water Res 39
(9):1761–1772
15. Brown KD, Kulis J, Thomson B, Chapman TH, Mawhinney DB (2006) Occurrence of
antibiotics in hospital, residential, and dairy effluent, municipal wastewater, and the Rio Grande
in New Mexico. Sci Total Environ 366(2–3):772–783
16. González-Pérez DM, Pérez JI, Gómez MA (2017) Behaviour of the main nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in a membrane bioreactor treating urban wastewater at high hydraulic- and
sludge-retention time. J Hazard Mater 336:128–138
274
R. M. Gómez-Espinosa and D. Arizmendi-Cotero