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A review of antibiotic removal from domestic wastewater using the activated sludge process: removal routes, kinetics and operational parameters

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Abstract

Many advanced technologies have shown encouraging results in removing antibiotics from domestic wastewater. However, as activated sludge treatment is the most common sewage treatment system employed worldwide, improving its effect on antibiotic removal would be more desirable. Understanding the removal mechanisms, kinetics and factors that affect antibiotic removal in the activated sludge process is important as it would allow us to improve the treatment performance. Although these have been discussed in various literature covering different types of antibiotics and wastewater, a specific review on antibiotics and domestic wastewater is clearly missing. This review paper collates, discusses and analyses the removal of antibiotics from sewage in the activated sludge process along with the removal mechanisms and kinetics. The antibiotics are categorised into six classes: β-lactam, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, fluoroquinolone, macrolide, sulfonamides and tetracycline. Furthermore, the factors affecting the system performance with regard to antibiotic removal are examined.

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Funding

This work was fully supported by British Council Newton Ungku Omar Fund (PY/2018/02972) as well as International/Industry Incentive Grant (PY/2019/00057) and Research University Grant (Q.J1300000.2522.17H15) provided by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (IPASA), Research Institute for Environmental Sustainability, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Block C07, Level 2, 81310, Johor, Malaysia

    Azmi Aris & Zainura Zainon Noor

  2. Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor, Malaysia

    Chee Xiang Chen, Azmi Aris & Ee Ling Yong

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor, Malaysia

    Zainura Zainon Noor

Authors
  1. Chee Xiang Chen
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  2. Azmi Aris
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  3. Ee Ling Yong
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  4. Zainura Zainon Noor
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Contributions

Chee Xiang, Chen performed literature search, data analysis and wrote original draft; Aris, Azmi and Ee Ling, Yong supervised, reviewed and revised the draft; Zainon Noor, Zainura managed the project and funding.

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Correspondence to Azmi Aris.

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Chen, C.X., Aris, A., Yong, E.L. et al. A review of antibiotic removal from domestic wastewater using the activated sludge process: removal routes, kinetics and operational parameters. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 4787–4802 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17365-x

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