Carbamazepine removal from low-strength municipal wastewater using a combined UASB-MBR treatment system

Abstract An Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor combined with a two-stage membrane bioreactor were operated for 193 days in order to evaluate the biological removal of carbamazepine (CBZ) from low-strength municipal wastewater. The system worked three different organic load stages (0.7 ± 0.1 kg COD·m−3·d−1, 0.4 COD·m−3·d−1 and 0.0 COD·m−3·d−1) assess impact influent OLR on operational parameters such as anaerobic aerobic sludge retention time (SRT), acidity, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), biomass activity or biogas production. highest removals achieved during stage (UASB reactor), reaching averages 48.9%, 48.0% 38.2% operating at high, medium low OLR, respectively. treatment (MBR) served post-treatment, improving removals, global UASB-MBR reached 70.0%, 59.6% 49.8% when was results demonstrate potential systems recalcitrant pharmaceuticals.