Removal of Selected PPCPs and Associated Bacterial Community Variations in a Pilot Scale A/O-MBBR Reactor System

This study investigated the transformation potential of a three-stage anoxic/oxic (A/O) moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system for the removal of various pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), along with the composition of its microbial community in carrier-attached biofilms. To achieve this, pilot-scale batch experiments were conducted within each reactor. For batch experiments, HPLC-MS/MS were employed to reveal the elimination of 10 PPCPs, and qPCR were applied to identify the composition of the microbial community. The results indicated that all ten selected PPCPs were detected with influent concentrations ranging from 81.5–23037.6 ng/L. The established A/O-MBBR system showed a significant removal effect on all of PPCPs. However, there was considerable alteration in bacterial genera between autumn and winter. This research elucidated the distribution and removal efficiency of PPCPs in the system, targeted to provide the necessary theoretical basis for optimizing urban wastewater treatment processes containing PPCPs and reducing pollutant levels.