Degradation mechanism of Ibuprofen via a forward osmosis membrane bioreactor

Meichen Yao; Liang Duan; Yonghui Song; Slawomir W Hermanowicz

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124448

Degradation mechanism of Ibuprofen via a forward osmosis membrane bioreactor

Bioresour Technol. 2021 Feb:321:124448. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124448. Epub 2020 Nov 27.

Authors

Meichen Yao¹, Liang Duan², Yonghui Song¹, Slawomir W Hermanowicz³

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Environment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Environment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. Electronic address: duanliang@craes.org.cn.
³ Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen 518071, China; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

PMID: 33316700
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124448

Abstract

Ibuprofen (IBU) is a non-steroidal drug that is classified as a trace organic compound (TrOC). A forward osmosis membrane bioreactor (FOMBR) has traditionally been a favored technology for wastewater treatment. In this study, the IBU degradation mechanism was clarified using an FOMBR. The results indicated that the average removal efficiencies of contaminants were greater than 96.32%. The ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) results demonstrated that there were 10 intermediates and 5 possible pathways during the IBU degradation. Decarboxylation and hydroxylation may be the primary pathways of IBU degradation. The microbial results illustrated that Proteobacteria was dominant and of utmost importance in the degradation process. Thauera and Azoarcus were the dominant genera that participated in contaminant degradation.

Keywords: Degradation mechanism; Forward osmosis membrane bioreactor (FOMBR); Ibuprofen (IBU); Microbial community structure.

MeSH terms

Bioreactors
Ibuprofen*
Membranes, Artificial
Osmosis
Wastewater
Water Purification*

Substances

Membranes, Artificial
Waste Water
Ibuprofen