Pharmaceuticals in bodies of water represent a major problem for the environment, humans and animals: in fish, for example, the uptake of pharmaceuticals and hormones from water can lead to feminization and sex reversal. Bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, which can thus become ineffective. The Zentrum für Umweltforschung und nachhaltige Technologien (UFT) of the University of Bremen is now developing a procedure which can remove pharmaceutical residues from waste water and sewage with plant filters.
In order to effectively reduce the entry of pharmaceuticals into water supplies via water treatment plants, new purification technologies are required. The UFT is testing innovative planted soil filters to establish their purification capacity with various pharmaceutical substances. For the first time, biochar is being implemented as a highly efficient adsorbent in the filter substrate.
The experiments are concentrated on the pharmaceutical substances carbemazepine, diclophenac, sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin and 17-α-ethinylestradiol, which are categorized as particularly worrisome for the environment, and on selected metabolites. The results show that the investigated substances, and their decomposition products, can be effectively retained by the biochar component in the substrate. In particular, decentralized smaller water treatment facilities for the purification of waste water in the home as well as small communitys treatment plants are seen as a future area of application for the new purification treatment. The linkage of te soil filtering process with various aeration systems in downstream use is envisioned.
Project Operation:
Universität Bremen
Zentrum für Umweltforschung und nachhaltige Technologien (UFT)
Leobener Straße
28359 Bremen
Telefon: 0421 | 218-63304
Telefax: 0421 | 218-98-63304
E-Mail: jwa@uft.uni-bremen.de
www.uft.uni-bremen.de
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