Abstract

ESTRADA-ARRIAGA, Edson Baltazar et al. Occurrence and Treatment of Endocrine Disrupter Chemicals in Mexico City Waste Water Semploying Submerged Membrane Bioreactor. Ing. invest. y tecnol. [online]. 2013, vol.14, n.2, pp.275-284. ISSN 2594-0732.

The aim of this work was to detect the presence of three endocrine disruptor compounds (estrogens) in Mexico City's wastewater and to evaluate the performance of submerged membrane bioreactor (SMBR) pilot plant to remove estrogens present in the wastewater of the metropolitan area. Estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) concentrations ranged up to 90 ng.L^-1 were detected in two Mexico City wastewaters. The bioreactor was operated for 234 days. The membrane bioreactor was evaluated at hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 7, 9.10 and 12 hours. At HRT higher than 7 hours and at solid retention time (SRT) of 60 days, the estrogen removals were higher than 96%. At these conditions, the estrogen concentrations in the reactor effluent were lower than 1 ng.L^-1. Accumulated concentrations of estrogens were observed in the activated sludge (up to 70 ng.g^-1). Membrane fouling was lower at HRT of 12 hours.

Keywords : submerged membrane bioreactor; endocrine disruptor compounds; estrogens; fouling.

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