Treatment of ampicillin‐loaded wastewater by combined adsorption and biodegradation

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the treatment of ampicillin (AMP)‐loaded wastewater in airlift reactors where biofilms were developed on granular activated carbon (GAC). A series of batch experiments were thus carried out in order to differentiate potentials of adsorption and biodegradation which would jointly contribute to the AMP removal. RESULTS: Results showed that almost all influent AMP was removed in two reactors supplemented with 4 and 8 mg L^?1 AMP, respectively. Batch experiments revealed that the percentage of the AMP removed through biodegradation increased along with the development of biofilms on GAC. For the mature biofilm‐covered GAC, adsorption accounted for about 60% of the observed AMP removal, whereas the other 40% could be attributed to biodegradation. Possible degraders of AMP were also identified, such as Acinetobacter sp., Flavobacterium sp., Pseudoxanthomonas sp., Delftia sp. and Sphingobium sp. CONCLUSION: The airlift biofilm reactor with GAC as carrier would be a feasible technology for treating AMP‐loaded wastewater due to the joint action of adsorption and biodegradation of AMP by the biofilm‐covered GAC. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry